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Thanks Joe, Yep, just got back from my environ: a desert cattle tank. It's sights are right on. When I brought it home I pulled the big bolt assembly which was very cruddy, and immersed it in kerosene. Then after that flushed most of the gunk out, I went to CLP and rags and Q-tips. But some kero is still in there, it keeps blowing a mist of it out the back, right at your eye. All the more reason to always wear glasses when shooting these old antiques. I'm sure with another half box, that will stop.

 

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I didn't know about the Lend Lease ones going to British Home Guard/invasion defense. Pretty interesting, there is a site somewhere that shows the scoped and silenced version.

I read up on the 74 more. It seems in the 1930s people wanted a mid-priced auto from Winchester. The model 63 was too expensive. I've got one of those too, and it's a dream. But this thing with it's long barrel, solid steel forgings, and nice walnut is not bad at all!

Shot it again yesterday, works fine, lasts a long time as we said in the Navy.

 

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Yeah, I discovered some of those safety tips. I don't think I'd try to cock an old gun on safe, but you never know.

I always liked the strange actions on .22s from the early days. When I was a boy, and later, they just looked very rudimentary, strange and unwieldy to me. Look at this action, with it's long tube, or the Mossberg 51, or Remington 550 for other examples. But really, when you shoulder this rifle, it feels very pointable and it's got an adult size stock.

Nice wood on that one CJS! Amazing how they kept the nice walnut coming even that late, that's about AA quality. What is that slot under the serial number on the left receiver? Mine doesn't have that.

 

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OK, operation Kerosene Blowback has ceased. After a spirited bout of Plinko-Roman wrestling, it's now firing without spraying my glasses and functioning perfectly.

I took Jim's advice and decided to blow out the bolt with some air. Didn't want to fire up the air compressor and scare the packrats in the garage, so found a bottle of canned air. These have to be disassembled from a fired bolt, not cocked. Being the industrious sort, I wanted to protect the firing pin. So I grabbed an empty .22 case from my cleaning box, and after some fiddling, got it started into the chamber. There is no bolt hold open either, except your thumb. Let it fly forward, locked and loaded (the empty), clicked the trigger, and ready to disassemble! Hmmm....that trigger click sounded a little weak.

Pushed the rear bolt release button. Pulled the op rod. No joy. pulled harder, stuck solid. Now I panic. I'd read about these 74s, and you do NOT want to cock one with the safety on, it will jam the action and you can't ever open it again without blow torches. Safety is off, it's not that. Sheeze....what did I do? Pulled harder, that action is not budging, and I cannot cock it. Oh man, I must have broken the firing pin inside there! 75 years of who knows how many people jimmying with this gun, and I break it the 3rd disassembly.

Then I thought; could the .22 case be stuck? Nah...it's just a damn .22, once fired. That action should eject it with my firm pulling. But to be sure I got a cleaning rod and ran it down the barrel and tapped it. Nothing...the bold is locked up, springs and splintered firing pins making the action into a workshop can of screws. Maybe I should tap the cleaning rod a tad harder....Bonka....while pulling the op rod. Presto! The bolt retracts, the .22 extracts, and I grab it with my little fingers and throw it on the table! Push the button, remove the bolt assembly, blow out the action with canned air. Gingerly reassemble.

Took it out to the desert and works fine, lasts a long time. Thanks JIM, you forgot to mention don't try to outsmart the gun....