Monday, November 15, 2010

Revelation 310 (Mossberg 500 Variation) Shotgun Disassembly

A Western Auto Revelation Model 310A 12 GA shotgun made by Mossberg for Western Auto. The paperwork available to me indicates this gun is the same as a Mossberg Model 500 AB.

This is the second shotgun I have come across that I was unable to remove the action slide assembly from the receiver. However, this one I get to find out why by removing the magazine tube.

At this point, the barrel and the trigger housing assembly have been removed as with a normal Mossberg Model 500 type shotgun.

The receiver has now been emptied with the exception of the safety components. Laid out under the receiver are from left to right: trigger housing pin, trigger housing assembly, cartridge interrupter, cartridge stop, bolt slide, bolt assembly and the elevator.

At this point a normal Mossberg Model 500 action slide assembly would slide right out of the receiver. In this case, something is impeding the forward movement of the action slide assembly. No amount of finagling with the action slide bars in the receiver will allow removal. When pulled all the way forward there appears to be a spring involved which causes the action slide assembly to move back towards the receiver.

The cartridge stop is out of the receiver.

The cartridge interrupter is out of the receiver.

After applying penetrating oil and waiting over the weekend, the receiver was placed upside down in a vice with the forward end inside the vice to reduce chances of pinching or twisting the receiver.

A large pair of pliers were used with cloth wrapped around the magazine tube. This did cause some external scarring of the magazine tube. I had also placed painter's tape around the magazine Tube but the pliers also tore the tape. Be sure the pliers at at the forward end of the magazine tube, not in the middle as this will reduce chances of twisting the magazine tube.

Here I am using a leather welders glove but I would expect the pressures involved with untorquing the magazine tube (which appeared to be sealed with some type of Lok-Tite when inspected after removal) would also tear the leather. A heavier leather may work, particularly if used with an adhesive.

Remember, as you remove the magazine tube, the magazine spring is compressed inside of that tube.

This is a replacement Mossberg 500 magazine tube as sold by USA Midway.

This is the magazine tube removed from the Revelation Model 310 shotgun.

Here you see a flat spring wound around the magazine tube. This provides the spring action felt when trying to remove the action slide assembly during breakdown.

There is also a band around the magazine tube forward of the spring. I think this is to provide centering inside the action slide assembly.

Reassembly is simply the reverse of your previous actions. I do not believe the magazine tube needs any form of Lok-Tite to keep it in position. Once the barrel is installed, it will keep the magazine tube from backing out. Ensure the follower and magazine spring are properly positioned when installing the magazine tube otherwise the magazine tube has a tendency to jam when being screwed in.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

The Birth Of A Headboard

The other day, my Blushing Bride had the idea we needed a new headboard for the bed. So, out with the old and get ready for the new. The last headboard we had was one she modified and screwed to the wall.

This one, she was going to build from scratch. We had a 4x8 sheet of plywood in the shed from a never completed project years ago. Out of the shed it came, no small feat there. However we did it without injuries (that came later).

The first step is a plan or a pattern if you will. The pattern was made out of flyers from the Sunday paper.

Next the hand drawn pattern had to be transferred to the actual sheet of plywood for cutting. This is the part of the project set aside for me to hang myself. Here we have the language clashes and the do exactly as I say problems.

A close look (above) will show there are two lines, one followed the paper pattern and the other I used a paint stirrer to draw an arc that I can duplicate on the other end of the plywood sheet.

As you can see the two parts removed are fairly equal and match. Therefore, for the time being, I was allowed to live.

Having now extricated myself from the process you can see Blushing Bride cutting and fitting the first of two layers of foam to the headboard.

Here she is using a hot glue gun to secure the first layer of foam in place.

At this point, there are two layers of foam, a layer of polyester batting and a layer of cloth being mounted to the base with a heavy duty stapler.

At this point, the two layers of foam, the polyester batting and initial cloth covering are in place and all tacked down with heavy duty staples.

The headboard will again be mounted to the wall. This time using a cleat. A cleat in this case is a 1x6 cut in half lengthwise with the table saw blade set at a 45 degree angle. The cleat will be screwed to the 2x4 studs in the wall but allow left - right adjustment of the headboard.

A better look at the end of the cleat showing the 45 degree cut.

The other half of the cleat is mounted on the backside of the headboard. I mounted it on a line I drew parallel with the bottom edge of the 4x8 sheet of plywood. I also drew some vertical lines parallel with the sides of the 4x8 plywood sheet to use as reference points.

The cleat was placed just above the center line of the headboard so the majority of the weight would be below the cleat. I also added two other blocks near the bottom to keep the headboard parallel to the wall.

The cleat on the wall.

The headboard on the wall for a test fit. It is not finished at this point as it does not yet have the final layer.

At this point, Blushing Bride says "I can handle the rest of this...Lets put the bed back".

The bed is a king size Tempur-Pedic and the mattress weighs about a thousand pounds. Blushing Bride grabs one side and I the other. The next thing I hear is Oh-Oh I hurt my back. The injury I spoke of earlier. Not bad but that bed will stay in the middle of the room for some more days. The Blushing Bride spoke with the Doc and has plenty of meds to see her through.
A couple days later the outer covering arrived. It is a beige suede type cloth. Here it is draped over the headboard to view.

A closer view of the suede cloth.

Finally a finished headboard covered in suede cloth and hung on the wall.

No, a not finished headboard. Blushing Bride has determined the headboard need something to spiff it up. It has been decided by a higher power that the headboard needs tufting to set it off.

Putting the buttons in place. These buttons have the same cloth installed over them by Blushing Bride before they are mounted on the headboard.

Here she is putting a needle though the headboard, using a hole she drilled through the wood from the back. The planning is done from the backside, the hole is drilled from the back and the button is tied on from the back.

The needle has gone through the eyelet on the back of the button and she is trimming the thread. The thread used was heavy dental floss.

The thread is tied off to a small screw on the backside to keep from prevent pull through.

A finished, tufted , suede covered headboard mounted on the wall.

The headboard is finished and the bed is back in place.