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January 15, 2025
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I recently required an 1890 in .22 Short and need to make a few repairs. The carrier has been modified to handle a long or long rifle cartridge, the rear sight has been changed out, and one pump slide handle screw thread is messed up. I would like to clean the rifle up and replace or repair what needs fixing. It’s a 1915 rifle and the bore, metal, and wood are in pretty good shape, but it needs to be disassembled and cleaned really well. I’m not sure if the previous owner has re-chambered the barrel for the longer shells, (but I doubt it considering the bad altercation to the carrier), and I probably won’t address that unless the accuracy is really bad.
I’d like to know the thread size of the pump handle screws so I can chase the threads in hopes that they might hold an original screw. And in replacing the carrier what is the best way to remove the small pin that’s in the take down screw..? I can barely see the small pin at the very edge of the retaining pin collar. Is there a chance I can tap down on the collar and get enough room to take the pin out of the take down screw..? Is there some other “trick” to removing the small pin..? Anybody have a guess as to what type of rear sight this is…Marbles 80 Sporting maybe..? There’s a photo of the Marbles on the Homestead website and it looks very much it. It’s unmarked, at least not marked on the top side, but it seems to be well made and in nice condition.
I’ll try to attach a few photos showing the altered carrier, the retaining pin area, and the rear sight. Thanks for any input or advice, I appreciate the time..!
July 17, 2012
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I believe the forearm screw threads are 10-32.
The best way I have found to remove the small takedown screw retaining pin is to grasp the protruding part of the pin with needle nose pliers and wiggle/pull. If it is in too tight to do that then I use a pair of wire side cutters with a light pinching grip on it and leverage it out of the screw hole. If I use that method I sometimes have to clean the pin up a bit and then I reinsert it from the other end to replace it (so any pin damage is inside the screw).
I am sure others have a simpler and easier way to do it but I am old and stubborn and “new tricks” are hard to learn….
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
January 15, 2025
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Thanks JWA, I’ll give this a try and chase the threads with the 10-32…appreciate the reply..!
September 28, 2016
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The threads are NOT 10-32. They are 10 X 35 1/2 the same as the tang plug screw. A 10 x 36 works ok but the threads are a bit loose. I would use blue loctite on the forearm screws. Brownells sells the proper punch for removing the tiny capture pin on the take down screw. I have found varying degrees of difficulty in removing the pin from just about falling out to soaking with Kroil for a few days to get it to budge. I believe I have a 22 short lifter in my collection of 1890/1906 parts if you end up needing one.
Erin
July 17, 2012
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Erin – Thanks!
I apologize if the screws are not what I posted as I just did a quick search for the info. Truly, haste makes waste.
If you have already chased them to the size I suggested I might have a forearm slide bar I can send you and/or, I can loan you a 10-36 tap if you need it.
I don’t have the drawing for the 1890 and I knew the tang screw was 10-35-1/2 but for some reason, in my mind, the forearm screws were a slightly more course thread so I believed what Homestead and others posted online.
I apologize for the error, Erin, thanks for the correction!
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
January 15, 2025
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Thanks to both of y’all for the replies/advice. I hadn’t gotten around to chasing the threads yet, but i did have the time to start taking the rifle apart yesterday. Everything came apart easily and without any trouble. Other than being really dirty the parts are in pretty good shape, except for the carrier and the previously mentioned slide screw hole. Looks like some previous owner had lost one of the slide screws and had replaced it with a standard set screw with a similar or close thread size. Luckily, they didn’t force the set screw too far into the threaded hole. I had an extra pump handle screw and I was able to start and tighten the screw with enough thread to hold the handle tight and in place. I shouldn’t have assumed that the screw threads and thread depth was messed up until I took it apart and looked at the threads…(got lucky here..!). I’ll use some blue LocTite on the slide screws when i put the rifle back together.
The carrier has been drilled out and altered to handle a long rifle cartridge. I did try both shorts and long rifle ammo before disassembly. The long rifle ammo loaded, shot, and ejected like it should, but the shorts wouldn’t load at all. I’m going to try removing the takedown screw pin in the next day or two and replace or repair the carrier. It was suggested by a member over on RFC that I could solder a plug back into the carrier slot and reshape it to the right depth and diameter with an end mill, but I’d rather not get that deep into it if I can just replace it.
I’d like to replace the carrier with the right one if you have an extra Erin, and I appreciate the offer. I’d also like to replace the rear sight also with a 30B. I’m not sure what make of sight this one is or if that’s even a proper sight for this rifle. Could it have been a special order item or an era correct replacement for the standard 1890 rear sight..? The bore on this rifle is in nice condition and the wood and metal are cleaning up nicely too…looking forward to getting back together and seeing how it shoots..!
Thanks again JWA and Erin…I appreciate your time..!!
January 15, 2025
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I’ve got the 1890 cleaned up and put back together. Thanks for the carrier Erin…! After a little light file work dressing up the facing parts it works great..! The rifle loads, shoots, and ejects the .22 short just the way it supposed to do. I got lucky with removing the take down screw retaining pin and the hammer spring screw. Soaking in Kroil oil overnight did the trick as both were removed pretty easily. The small sidecutters did the trick on the small retaining pin (thanks JWA..!). The hardest part of the assembly was getting the hammer spring screw holes lined up to start the screw. Finally got it lined up and the screw started using a small C clamp and a piece of leather to keep from marring the tang and to compress the spring. All in all, the carrier replacement was not too hard to do, and the little bit of effort resulted in a nice working firearm.
I also had plenty of threads left on the pump handle to start and tighten a replacement screw. So everything is fixed except for the rear sight not being original to the 1890. I’d like to have an original 30A or B (?) if I can find one soon, but the sight that is on the rifle seems to be an era correct sight and it’s in good working order. I’ll know more about that when I get some shooting time in a few days. The bore is really in nice condition for a 1915 rifle and should make a fine shooter or a nice hunting gun.
Thanks again folks, this site is the best..!!
