M220 Forearms

[Garnett]

This is a question asked from a buyer of a M220 barrel from me today.  Please help if you have any suggestions.  Please note that the problem is for several of his 220's, not just one.  Thanks for any ideas you may have.  "If I may ask a Question.  With several of my guns or barrel combinations  I have a problem with the snap on forends popping off under normal recoil. By normal I mean a 2 1/2 dram 2 and 3/4 inch shell. Could you give me a suggestion on a proper fix. Thank you."

[Garnett]

I have written two books on the M219/220 hammerless single shot guns. I must confess that I have only shot one of the 42 guns I have purchased for research during the writing. It was a M219 in .30-30 and I had no problem. I have had readers ask about several problems, but none have ever complained about the fore arms coming off when shooting. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the forearms that come off when shooting are not original to that gun, or the forearm is original to the gun, but a different barrel has been added, so that the forearm does not fit snugly to that barrel. All guns I have examined and discussed with readers have assembly numbers on the barrel and receiver and stamped in the stock under the butt plate. That is an easy way to tell if a barrel has been replaced. Few forearms were marked to the gun, so it would be difficult to know if a forearm has been replaced. If you were just having a problem with one gun, I would think that maybe the forearm attaching metal has a worn or loose part. I am sorry I cannot be more helpful.

[Cleetus]

If the forearm is that loose one would question as Garnett mentioned, whether the forearms are on the right gun or not and whether the style of forearm hanger on the barrel is from a different version. Are the forearms loose when the gun is broken open and is the barrel a bit loose when it is open? A simple nondestructive way to tighten up the forearm on ones where the wood has shrunk is to take off the rear forearm iron by removing the two screws. place it on a sour cream container lid and trace it out and mark the two screw holes. Take an exact knife and cut it out the hole punch the two screw holes. Use this as a whiteline spacer between the forearm iron and wood and put the screws back in. It usually only takes one and looks as though it was meant to be there. otherwise a picture of the hanger on the barrel and the S-curve spring part on the inside of the forearm might help Garnett or others identify the problem. His book shows how they should look.

[Garnett]

A thought just occurred to me.  Do you have a separate forearm for each barrel or are you using the same forearm for one or more barrels on the same action?  If the latter is the case, it could be that the forearm is only fitted properly for one barrel and does not lock up tight on the other barrels.