Winchester 1984 Takedown Magazine Tube Overtightened and Rusted

Apologies if my search for a similar topic failed to turn up something on point.

Quick back story that has nothing to do with the issue: I volunteered to help an aunt try to restore a rifle she had inherited from her uncle. My brief research suggests that the rifle is a Winchester 1984 manufactured in 1905. It is a takedown model in .32 Winchester Special with a 26 inch octagonal barrel with no saddle ring. To my untrained eye, it looks like it was in used but ok shape up until a couple years ago. However, my aunt and uncle moved to Florida and left the rifle neglected in a soft case for at least 2-3 years. The finish is basically ruined, and it has a bunch of surface rust that may be deeper once I get further into the project. From what I can tell, the rust has basically ruined any monetary value the gun may have had, but something over 100 years old doesn't deserve to be in the shape it is in. Relevant and irrelevant photos attached because (1) maybe they will help and (2) threads are more fun with photos. No, I did not use the steel wool on the rifle.

My issue is that someone, likely several decades ago, torqued the crap out of the magazine tube past the point where it is designed to stop. Add rust on top of the over-tightening, and the tube is locked up tight. I've avoided really cranking on the takedown lever on the tube since there is only one screw attaching the lever to the tube. I've used quite a bit of penetrating brake-free, tried a wrench on the end of the tube where the takedown lever attaches and there is support for the interior of the magazine tube, tried slightly heating the area around where the magazine tube screws in (not much because I didn't want to risk the heat treat), torqued on the lever to the point where I started worrying about the screw attaching the takedown lever to the magazine tube, and tried the usual amount of bad language. No luck. My next thought is trying to reinforce the magazine tube with a hopefully-perfectly-sized dowel rod and using a padded wrench close to the receiver, but I'm hoping someone smarter than I will slap some sense into me and have a better idea before I damage a 100+ year old rifle.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to break the magazine tube loose from the receiver without damaging the tube or the rest of the rifle? Any ideas would be appreciated.

Attachment 58995Attachment 58998Attachment 58997Attachment 58996Attachment 58999

I would soak the parts you want to loosen in Kroil instead of the Break Free.
Kroil was recommended by Greg Sullivan when I took his armorer classes.

https://www.brownells.com/gun-cleani...-prod7610.aspx

Kroil soak it find a shop with a large ultrasonic cleaner. The heat generated in the bath may help loosen the parts.

Also you can use a hair dryer to add heat after soaking. Kroil is great stuff. Great. It will help remove rust from the bore too. Reassembly requires a specific sequence. On post 64 94's the receivers look bad when blued. Your rifle will be a good shooter. oooo steel wool and oil or Kroil will remove rust without scratching the metal.

Not sure if this is applicable in this case but an old time mechanic's trick for breaking free a stuck bolt with out breaking off the head is to use a drive larger than normal and instead of twisting in one direction, going back and forth a little at a time. I was taught to do this on cars where the bolts that are threaded into the frame such as break line clamps. Maybe a copper pipe notched out to fit the handle would give some extra leverage so you can gently wiggle it instead of torquing?

HCM has it right: Kroil in an ultrasonic cleaner is where to begin. It may take some time to break things free.
The problem will be removing the fore end, since the magazine tube may have to come off first.
It depends on the gun and the fit of the fore end.
Wait until you have used Kroil before hossing on the screws. Use a perfectly fitted screw driver and GO SLOW.
When I apprenticed in my granddads smithy he had a drawer full of various screws for old guns.
Be very careful cleaning from the muzzle with that aluminum rod: they are abrasive.
An Otis pull through or better yet a polished steel rod with a muzzle guide would be better.
Good luck with your project,
Shumba

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by p1090

Apologies if my search for a similar topic failed to turn up something on point.

Quick back story that has nothing to do with the issue: I volunteered to help an aunt try to restore a rifle she had inherited from her uncle. My brief research suggests that the rifle is a Winchester 1984 manufactured in 1905. It is a takedown model in .32 Winchester Special with a 26 inch octagonal barrel with no saddle ring. To my untrained eye, it looks like it was in used but ok shape up until a couple years ago. However, my aunt and uncle moved to Florida and left the rifle neglected in a soft case for at least 2-3 years. The finish is basically ruined, and it has a bunch of surface rust that may be deeper once I get further into the project. From what I can tell, the rust has basically ruined any monetary value the gun may have had, but something over 100 years old doesn't deserve to be in the shape it is in. Relevant and irrelevant photos attached because (1) maybe they will help and (2) threads are more fun with photos. No, I did not use the steel wool on the rifle.

My issue is that someone, likely several decades ago, torqued the crap out of the magazine tube past the point where it is designed to stop. Add rust on top of the over-tightening, and the tube is locked up tight. I've avoided really cranking on the takedown lever on the tube since there is only one screw attaching the lever to the tube. I've used quite a bit of penetrating brake-free, tried a wrench on the end of the tube where the takedown lever attaches and there is support for the interior of the magazine tube, tried slightly heating the area around where the magazine tube screws in (not much because I didn't want to risk the heat treat), torqued on the lever to the point where I started worrying about the screw attaching the takedown lever to the magazine tube, and tried the usual amount of bad language. No luck. My next thought is trying to reinforce the magazine tube with a hopefully-perfectly-sized dowel rod and using a padded wrench close to the receiver, but I'm hoping someone smarter than I will slap some sense into me and have a better idea before I damage a 100+ year old rifle.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to break the magazine tube loose from the receiver without damaging the tube or the rest of the rifle? Any ideas would be appreciated.

Attachment 58995Attachment 58998Attachment 58997Attachment 58996Attachment 58999

---

Did you get your magazine tube out? If so how?

I'd just picked up an old 94, guessing 1st or 2nd year as serial number is below 10,000. Some time in its existence someone has overtightened the magazine tube. Quite obvious as the lever had been parked at 4 O'Clock (if you are facing the barrel) rather than 6 O'Clock. No doubt this isn't the 1st time this has happened to a takedown in the past, so needless to say this situation must have been addressed more than once. However my ferret skills in searching the net have failed me in finding an answer. I'm leaning towards penitration oil and driopping it to about -60F. Hoping the shock and shrinkage might allow the pentating oil deeper access. Has anyone tried this method in the past? Much thanks, Ken

Apologies for not updating, and thank you all for the advice. I did not have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, but your collective advice allowed me to finally get it out.

It took a mix of repeated doses of penetrating oil, heat gun, and swearing. The final success came from removing the magazine tube cap, sizing a dowel rod to snugly fill the interior of the magazine tube to prevent crushing/dents, and a pair of pliers grasping rubber wrapped around the base of the magazine tube. Would have been been on damage if I hadn't slipped with the wrench.

Now to decide on shooting it or not.