We have had a thunderstorm going on for the last couple of hours so this is the 4th time I've attempted to post this.
My last posting had to do with the quality of the Model 141 and how "in my opinion" it deteriorated around serials 40-45,000 or 1946/47. The exterrior of the rifles looked the same but internally there were things that you didn't see on the Model 14 or earlier 141's, like heavy machine marks.
Since that last posting I received two Model 141 lower receivers (triggerguard assembly) and one rifle into my shop with quality and/or dis-assembly problems. This was compounded by a phone call I received from my friend Tom Hemphill who was contacted by someone who could not separate the upper/lower on a Model 14, was asked to provide direction. We'll get to that later on but first let me tell you about the triggerguards/upper receivers....prepare to be bored!
The first one was interesting because the inserts that go in to the left and right of the carrier dog assembly were in dis-array to the point they were scoring the action bar, these are actually called "action bar supports" and are supposed to float in place. In this case this high serial 141 virtually had them driven into place, they sure weren't floating, they weren't supporting the action bar, and getting them out was a task. Once removed, both the channel they went into and the "supports" themselves needed additional milling to open up the slot and make the "insert" a bit smaller. It took about 90 minutes but we got them to fit nicely and it was reported that the rifle was now working perfectly.......yea!
The other lower receiver/triggerguard assembly had been removed from the rifle by the current owners father some 30 years ago and he left it separated because he couldn't get it back together. I used one of my late serial 141's as a test bed for the "guard" and went about opening up the channels where the upper/lower fit together, then I removed metal all the way around the guard assembly until they slipped easily together. Essentially the complete rifle had the same problem except it was still together and the owner chose to send it to me rather than attempt separating the upper/lower himself, speaks well of him! I repaired it in the same manner as described above by removing metal in the channels and on the entire outer perimeter.
Here is how I go about separating an upper/lower that is frozen in place either by dried oil turned to hardened varnish, abuse, or just a case of poor machining. I doubt "real" gunsmiths would approve and maybe even cringe a bit but its worked for me for over 30 years.
First, remove the stock form the rifle along with the tang sight if present.
Second, spray the entire seam with WD-40, liquid wrench, or something similar and leave it overnight.
Then go to Sears or Home Depot and buy a "Dead Blow Hammer", for us "old guys" that's the tool we used way back to re-install wheel covers. It is essentially a "Rubber Mallet" and if you don't know what I'm talking about at this point in time you probably shouldn't own one of these rifles. All sarcasm aside, the guy at the hardware store will know what a "Dead Blow Hammer" is!!!
It will now be necessary to beat on top of the lower receiver, up where it meets the upper, and you will most probably have to do it with some significant enthusiasm. They will eventually come apart but before you start pounding BE SURE that the takedown screw is fully out (not removed but rather fully extened in the takedown position) or it will interfere dramatically with your efforts to separate the two pieces.
After you get them separatated it will be necessary to either clean out the channels in the case of the Model 14 but in the case of the M141 you may need to not only clean it out but some metal as described above may need to be removed. I have never in any way damaged one of these rifles while using this method to separate them.
Good luck, for info, my opiniion only, and I'm going to close this out before the power shuts me down again.
Jim Peterson
Charlotte, NC