Paladins 16g. #97 Piccies as promised

[Paladin UK]

Thar you go pards/etts!!!







Her Serial #315*** which means she was hatched in 1905!!

I am what they call ............. a Very happy Cowboy!!

Paladin (Whats a  Happy Cowboy ) UK

[Qball]

Nice

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Cool - but I'd watch out putting the whole serial # for all to see.  There might be some Bad Lurkers on the Web here (Not Cowboys, tho!) who'd try to take advantage of ya and that new shootgun!

[Paladin UK]

Fer SHB............

Done!! Thanks pard

Paladin (Whats not lettin BAD LURKERS take advantage of `OL PUK ) UK

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Hey, wait a minute! There's a whole lotta finish left on that one. We generally don't see that much on the ones on this side of the pond......Buck

[litl rooster]

Bucks right,   Heck till I seen that one I didn't know they came with a finish..................It's sweet

lr
who knows now why you are a happyCOWBOY

[Lucky Irish Tom]

Really nice looking Paladin! 

[El Paso Pete]

Nice lookin youngin, I can see the family resemblance.  You handin out seegars??

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Shoot it in the best of health, mate.  She looks like a beaut!

Now let's go down to your favourite pub, throw some darts, drink a pint or 2 (my treat, of course), and celebrate!!!

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Paladin UK,

I had me a 12ga 97 takedown.  That 16ga looks like a takedown model to me.  Is it?  If so, they fit into a real cool wood gun case along with wood cleaning rod and a box of shells.  I know cuz I made one.

Nice lookin' gun in a great chambering.

DD-DLoS

[Paladin UK]

Fer Dick.......

Yup!! she sure is a take down!!

Now I have been told that its not a good idea to ...take em down as it causes excessive wear!!!

Is there any truth in this or is it one of those things that someone way back when thought might be the case??? `cos it is Sooooo much easier ta clean when apart

Paladin (Whats gotta know!!) UK

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Paladin,

As I remember, there's a nut that you can tighten if they start to work loose.  And, I doubt that takin' 'em apart for cleaning would do any hurt.  Simply don't force anything or get brutal.  That gun has been around for a long time and there's lots of takedowns out there that are still plenty tight.

If you want to know about the snug adjustment, see your favorite gunsmith and have him show you the trick.  It's not difficult and is something you ought to know about.

FWIW, I load mine with cheep cheddite hulls from Grafs.  You can probably get some similar hulls in the UK.  I buy 'em primed and use 'em twice and toss 'em.  I drop in about 65 grains of FFg, then an over powder nitro card wad followed by a lube soaked 1/2" Circle Fly fiber wad and then 15/16 oz fineshot cuz that's the size of the hole in my charge bar.  I put an over shot card on top and either roll crimp, or you can do a pie crimp.  I prefer the looks of the roll crimp and it gives me a place to write any load code I want.

Knockdowns tumble promptly.

Love yer new gun.

DD-DLoS

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Paladin;  its not a nut, but a little screw.  I don't think you will wear one out that easily by stripping and cleaning it.  (I met a guy that contrived a double shoulder holster rig for a short barrelled 97, and practised quick draw with it!)  I would be gentle with it, though, just like any other piece of fine equipment.  I have three 97's, though the first was a junker I got stuck with.  Does anyone know if NORINCO parts can be used for repairs?  The othe two I got in a package deal, one a 1908, and the other 1953.  The latter is real tight and looks more like a model 12.  It helped me with my only match win at my club.

I'll go and look at my guns to tell you about the adjustment, but even a Klutz like me can figure it out.  I know you are mechanically inclined, so no problem.

By the way, are you interested in an original special order Win 1873, long round barrel, 44-40 marked by Rigby?

[Wolfcamp Hill]

 Paladin,

thats the nicest 16 ga 97 I've ever seen!  Happy trails with it!

Wolfcamp Hill

[Paladin UK]

Fer Sir Charles............

I appreciate you looking to find what is the right `little screw` for me to adjust.I am mechanically minded but I aint backwrd in taking on advise from a pard that knows

I want to thank you for your offer  regardin the #1873 But I do LURV the #92s, you are a true cowboy pard.

Paladin (What lurvs bein a cowboy ) UK

[dutchman]

Hey PUK, Great look'n smokewagon. Bet you're glad to get one, especially living with all those rules you guys have.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

The "little screw" is seen on your third photo.  Below it is the rectangular end of the adjusting wedge.  The wedge has teeth that mesh into corresponding teeth in the headspace ring at the base of the barrel.  The little screw merely retains the wedge.  Of course, I am making up the names as I go, because I don't know any better.

If you havn't taken your gun apart, it is easy, if tricky!  Close the action, and let the hammer down.  There is a crosspiece at the end of the magazine that slides back & forth.  Move it so you can use it to rotate the magazine.  This unscrews the magazine from the action.  Pull the magazine forward so it doesn't interfere with the action.  Pull the action slide forward to move the action bar out of the action.  Now you can twist the barrel/magazine group and remove.  It is a half turn via interupted threads.  I havn't ventured to dissasemble the action, but it can be cleaned and lubricated, as can the barrel.

To adjust headspace, if neccessary, back off the "little screw' on the right side of the barrel/magazine base piece.  Then slide the wedge out a bit to free the teeth from the headspace ring.  Then rotate the ring left or right to the appropriate spot and tighten the wedge back to firmly mesh into the teeth of the headspace ring and tighten the screw to retain it.  If the adjustment is too tight, you won't be able to reassemble the firearm.  If too loose, it will be as limp as a dishrag in the middle.  Can't go wrong unless it is so worn that you run out of teeth!  In most cases, if the firearm hasn't been abused, you won't need to meddle.  I.I.A.F.D.F.I (A prize to anyone who figures out this acronym!)

Have fun!  They are great firearms.  I have had only one stoppage, likely operator error by failing to stroke it with authority.  That was when the bolt did not go fully home.  It seemed like the action was totally locked up, it wouldn't fire, and neither backwards nor forwards would it go.  I looked at the action and noticed the end of the bolt out of battery about a quarter inch.  In desperation, and on the clock, I pushed the bolt forward, with my thumb by the hammer, and was immediately back making lots of noise!

D. Dastardly;  How did I do with that explanation?  I'll bet '97 savvy gunsmiths are hard to find in the UK.

[Paladin UK]

Fer Sir Charles..

Thanks a bunch pard

I didn't realise that iddy biddy screw wuz Soooooooo important!!

Jest goes ta show ya`ll  SIZE ain't important,  its how its used!!

Paladin (what is gonna play with the screw in his #97 ) UK

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Paladin;   I.I.A.F.D.F.I.