Ward Westernfield 600a

[JNad]

Okay, I am looking to help a buddy, and need the experience of any out there who have done similar.

I have a buddy who has his Granddad's Ward Westernfield 600a.

I have been helping him nurse it back to health. It was a single shot gun when we started. One look told me it was F-I-L-T-H-Y. So, over a few adult beverages and some good conversation we cleaned it up very thouroughly. It was immediately improved.

By-the-way, I have read in some places that some of these were Remington model 58's rebadged and built on for the budget minded, and that some were 878's rebadged and built for the budget minded. His is an 878 "clone".

Anyway, we shot a round of sporting clays, and it ran, flawlessly, for about 60 rounds. We obviously want it to do better. Dirt was all that stopped it.

So my plan is this: Obviously, clean it very thouroughly again. I have a 58, and I am going to put my spare action spring in his gun to see if maybe the spring is getting a bit weak. Lastly, I want to slick the action up a bit if there is any grit in it.

I propose to to lap the action bars a bit IF NECESSARY. Check the barrel extension where the bolt locks in for any burrs, stone down if they exist, and make sure the bolt parts are all moving freely.

Am I missing anything? Thanks.

 

[Dixie Gunsmithing]

They are a Remington Sportsman 58. The power piston is inside the magazine tube, at the front. The magazine tube needs to be clean, internally, and so does the barrel ports inside the barrel ring. There is also a seal ring on the piston that should be clean and tight fitting to the inside of the tube. Last, this supposed to have Remington's, 'dial-a-matic' load control, or the variable magazine tube cap, and it needs to be clean, and set correctly for the load. If it's not operating, due to dirt, that is what generally runs afoul on a 58.