The Sportsman 48 rifle is a classic post-WWII auto-loading shotgun that was produced by the Remington gun company from 1949 to 1968. It was sold as a hunting rifle in the United States and soon became popular in the civilian market. After a few modifications by the manufacturer, the firearm was streamlined and reintroduced to the civilian market as the Remington 1100, which has sold in large numbers worldwide ever since and has found new popularity among hunters and law enforcement officers alike. Disassembling a classic Sportsman 48 rifle is easy but may require a bit extra gun oil and muscle to get the old parts separated.
Items you will need
Gun oil
Punch tool
Small ball peen hammer
Pull back the action lever several times to discharge any unused shells from the chamber, and visually inspect inside the chamber to make sure the firearm is unloaded. Leave the action lever open.
Twist off the stock nut with your fingers. The stock nut is located at the front of the fore stock, just below the barrel, where the rifle rests in the shooter's hand while firing. Apply gun oil and let it penetrate into the threads if the weapon is very old and has not been serviced in a long while. Slide the fore stock off the cylinder beneath it, then pull the entire barrel out of the receiver, the section of the firearm where shells are loaded.
Slide off the O-ring from the cylinder, using your fingers, followed by the piston ring and a seal ring. These pieces are small and easily lost, so handle them carefully.
Close the action cover and remove the lever from the cover by pulling it straight out from the side of the firearm. Turn the rifle over so the bottom faces up, and push down on the feed latch. This is where shells are loaded into the receiver. While pushing on the feed latch, push aside the chamber spring inside the receiver, using your finger, and slide out the entire piston assembly from the front of the receiver.
Find the two pins located on the receiver just above the front and rear trigger guard, and use the punch tool to tap them out. Pull out the trigger assembly by the trigger guard to complete the disassembly.
Tips
- Take your time and use gun oil liberally on stubborn gun parts that are meant to slide apart. Older firearms can be harder to work with because parts that are meant to separate easily may seem fused together due to age, rust and debris, which can accumulate over the years while guns are in storage.
References
Tips
- Take your time and use gun oil liberally on stubborn gun parts that are meant to slide apart. Older firearms can be harder to work with because parts that are meant to separate easily may seem fused together due to age, rust and debris, which can accumulate over the years while guns are in storage.
Writer Bio
Barry Index lives in Los Angeles where he has been writing about writing since 1998. Recent freelance activities have brought his work to wider audiences through FictionAnitdote.com and several other writer-enthusiast sites. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from California State University, Northridge.
