A New M220

[Garnett]

Today's mail had a M220 purchased via Gun Broker.  It is a First Model Utica in 16 gauge.  The reason I purchased it was that it has a 30 inch barrel with a factory Poly Choke.  The assembly numbers on the barrel and receiver match, but to my surprise, the stock has been cut by one inch and the butt plate expertly refitted.  Also, to there is a 3 digit number stamped inside the forearm.  Strange! 876....with the 76 being larger numbers than the 8.  After closer examination, the forearm did not come with this barrel.  With the 3 digit number, I wonder if this was a Utility gun, and over the years the rifle barrel and shotgun forearm were lost, and the owner fitted the rifle forearm to it???  Oh, the ejector does not work.  And....the stock has the usual crack at the action.  Someone, Bubba, I think is his name, tried to repair the crack.  Hopefully I can do a little better job with it.  Inside the action is very clean, but it needs a good cleaning outside, and seems to have lots of original blue left.  I knew the stock was cracked when I purchased it, and can't really complain as it only cost me $119.50.  Not sure yet what I am going to do with it, since the stock is cut.  I could have a recoil pad installed to restore the 14 inch LOP.









   Here is a picture of the repaired stock.  Once a coat of Tru-Oil is applied, I think it will look much better than when received.

[Mike Armstrong]

That Utica action is worth more than you paid for the whole gun.  A great set of do-able projects!

[Garnett]

I have started repairs on the stock cracks.  Thankfully, who ever drilled holes for repairs did not glue anything in the holes.  However there was what I thought a nail, inside one hole.  I was able to remove it without any stock damage, and found it to be a (too small for the hole) a broken drill bit.  Right now, I am gluing the two cracks, and will get back to the holes later. 

I found the problem with the broken ejector.  Pictured top is a new unaltered part, below, the highly modified and not working part that I removed.    More later.

[Mike Armstrong]

Some shooters modify the auto ejectors on single shot shotgun so they won't eject shells over the side of a duckboat or into the brambles.  The two singles I hunt with (a 220 and a Win Model 37) are so modified.  But whoever did the "modification" on your 16 didn't know what he was doing.  One those "gunsmiths" who have one tool.  And it's a  hammer.

[Garnett]

I ordered new ejector hooks from Numrich.  The have two, one for the 219/220 and another for 219B/220B.  They arrived yesterday and were unmarked as to which part number each was.  However, both are longer than my ejector hooks and appears they will work.  I have not installed yet.  I will keep you posted.

[Garnett]

The new hooks came in.  At a glance they look the same, but upon close examination, the new ones are slightly longer.  I will try the installation myself as I recently replaced a missing ejector on another gun and it went smoothly.

[Garnett]

The new ejector hook required fitting at both ends as it was too thick to fit the slot in the barrel lug.  I did this and reassembled the parts and the end of the ejector hook appears to be too wide to engage the extractor slot to hold the extractor in the closed position.  So, now,  , I will remove it all and try to fit the end piece. 

[Mike Armstrong]

If Numrich advertises a "new condition" part for a long out of production gun, it usually is going to be oversized in the most critical dimensions and need fitting, as you have found out.  Not a bad policy in general (better than making them all too small--not everyone is a welder....).  But I wish they would advertise them as "needing some fitting!"  Most do.  Sometimes a LOT of fitting!

[Garnett]

So far I have had to reduce the size in 4 areas and it is still not working properly.  One more try, maybe today.

[Garnett]

I have failed at trying to install a new ejector hook.  This is very frustrating as I replaced a missing ejector hook in another gun a few months ago and had no problem.  The barrel and receiver are matching, but the top lever is way to the right with the ejector hook installed.  With the barrel in place without the hook, just the extractor, the top lever locks in place just to the right of center which is normal for these guns.  So....off to my gun smith it goes! 

[Garnett]

I picked up the gun a few minutes ago from my gunsmith.  It was a simple problem to solve, well, at least to him it was.   While I had properly fitted, I thought, by removing excess metal in 4 places to get the new ejector hook to fit, there was one place I did not even think of.  See new picture.  The new (and the old butchered)  ejector hook stuck out just a fraction of an inch into the front of the barrel lug where it engages the receiver pivot bolt.  This fraction of an inch was enough to keep the action from locking up tight and keep the top lever returning to the normal position, just to the right of center.  All is well!