Howdy all,

I've got the rifle all put together except for one piece of flattened spring steel, that is slightly curved with a wide portion at one end kinda like this

====BB

There is a small groove on one side of the larger area that appears to be for a cartridge or round surface, and the small tip curls flat and shows wear for about 2-3 mm. It fits in the groove on top of the feed tube/ feed tray, but I don't see how it would stay in place. So...


Where does this part fit? This is a friends' rifle that she wants to sell and I've got it all together except for this piece. Any help is appreciated.

Gary

It sounds like the retainer.
It is about 2 1/2 inches long with an ear on each side.
Only the WRF retainers had the ears.

It lays between the bottom of the barrel and the top of the action bar. You will see a cross wise slot on one end of the retainer. this portion goes against the reiever and keeps it from moving.

Look in Brownells Encyclopedia of Modern Firearms, under Remington 121. This is the updated verison of the Model 12.
You will find dissasembly and reassembly steps.

BTW does this 12CS have the flat firing pin or the round one ??

Jim Wisner
Custom Metalsmith

Hi Jim,

Nope, I figured out where that retainer went. This is a single piece of 1/16"-3/32" thick spring steel about 1 1/4" long with a square end about 3/8" and a thinner central portion about 3/16" that has a groove on one flat and it curls over slightly where there is evidence of tip wear on the other side. It appears that the square end is where it fits into a fixture and the end with the groove either rides on a round surface (mag tube or cartridge) or something. I saw a pic of a magazine retainer or tensioner that looks similar, but I don't know where to mount it.

It is also possible that this goes to a different rifle, and was just in the parts pile.

Thanks,

Gary

Its been a long time since i have taken a M-12 apart, but check to see if there is a place to put your extra part between the outer magazine tube and the magazine tube band. It sounds like it is the piece that puts some friction on the inner magazine tube (follower?)If I remember right, there is a recess for it in the magazine band and a slot in the outer magazine tube for it to slightly protrude through so it keeps a little tension on the follower so it doesn't fall out easily. It should slide into the magazine band along with the magazine tube,as a unit.