Savage 1914 pump action 22

[johnm1]

I finally test fired my new Savage 1914 pump action 22. Manufactured in 1915 or so, it is a great shooter. Function was nearly 100% correct. The issue I had, was after around 150 rounds the slide lock stopped locking the slide. It had worked 100% of the time prior to me firing the rifle for the first time. and it had been cycled quite a few times in the period from when I bought it to when I finally fired it. It was as if I had caused the damage on this trip to the range. Odd, considering the firearm is 102 years old that this issue would not have arisen prior to now. Functionally, I don't think I did anything incorrectly that caused the issue. But, I am open to suggestions of what may have caused the issue. That being said I'd like an opinion on what the corrective action is.

Here is a photograph of what I will call the lock bar engaged/disengaged with the bottom of the bolt. Notice the hook on top of the lock bar is a different shape then the corresponding hook on the bottom of the bolt. (This is the first time I am using this image hosting platform. I may need to load/reload/resize. So bear with me if the photographs don't show up immediately.)

Lock bar engaged
https://i.imgur.com/Yni57pX.jpg

Lock bar disengaged
https://i.imgur.com/FLJzup3.jpg

There is a small coil spring behind the lock bar that appears to be functioning properly. It has the same amount of force now as it did before this trip to the range.

I have cleaned the weapon since this past range trip. And that did not correct the condition. The bolt does remain in the locked position as long as the slide is not pulled rearward.

I would assume the corrective action is to slightly reshape the hook on the lock bar. But, I am not a gunsmith and could easily make things worse. Also if the corrective action is to reshape the lock bar hook, how would a home gunsmith harden the part? I obviously have no idea what the make up is of the steel that makes up the part. All I have is the knowledge that it was fabricated sometime in 1914.

In person, I can see that the shape of the two hooks allows the bolt to push the lock bar down enough that the upper edge/corner of the hook on the lock bar is not sharp enough to prevent the continued rearward motion of the bolt.

Let's see if this works [photographs].

[T. O'Heir]

I'm guessing a 102 year old rifle gets tired and the slightly worn parts are jumping out of place after being cycled 150 times.
Your pictures are fine except they're at a slightly different place. The 'Yni' one is taken more towards the front of the action. The hook looks the same to me.

[johnm1]

Thank you TO.

When you say "the hooks look the same to me" do you mean the same shape? Or that the hooks are in the same position from one picture to another?

I would agree about the 102-year-old comment. Had it been this way when I received it I probably wouldn't have given it a second thought. But the fact that it occurred on this trip has been bugging me a little bit.

I have studied the action in noodled out how the action works. It is truly amazing how ingenious people had to be to circumvent Mr. Browning's patents. And I assume that is why the receiver splits in half like it does. Maybe not. But it is still ingenious.