To take the action apart: 1. Take out the lever pin screw, and drive out the lever pin, allowing the lever to be removed. 2. Take out the tang screw (this allows the stock to be removed), hammer screw, and front pin that goes through trigger strap; now remove the trigger strap with lock work attached. 3. The bolt can now be slipped out.
To assemble the action, put the parts into the receiver in reverse order from that in which they were taken out.
Maynard Rifle, Self-Priming Model.—(Made by Mass. Arms Co., Chicopee Falls, Mass.)—To detach the barrel: Loosen the lever at its rear end and move it forward. There is a button that keeps the magazine closed; turn this button downward and forward as far as it will go; then pull it out as far as it will come; this will detach the lever from the breech-piece, so that it will come partly out of it; unhook the barrel, and the lever will pass quite out of the breech-piece. To attach the barrel reverse the operation.
To remove the nipple: On the left side, opposite the nipple, is the screw which fastens it; take out this screw; put a stick of hard wood in the screw-hole; strike the stick a little and the nipple will be driven out.
To dissect the rifle for a thorough cleaning: There are four screws on the under side of the gun, behind the hole where the lever is pivoted. Take out the two farthest back, and the stock may then be drawn back so as to separate it from the breech-piece.
To adjust the joint between the end of the barrel and the breech-piece: There are two screws visible on the under side of the breech-piece, forward of the lever. They are to adjust the joint to the thickness of the flange of the cartridge. To do this: First, turn the screw nearest the lever once round to the left; now raise the butt-end of the barrel, put in a cartridge, and observe as you bring the butt-end down again whether the joint is too close, so as to pinch the flange, or not close enough to hold it firmly. The exact degree of tightness allows the lever to work easily, but holds the barrel perfectly firm. This degree will be found by turning the forward screw to the right or left. Having found this degree, turn the rear screw to the right, tightly, and the joint is adjusted.
The Peabody-Martini Rifle.—(Made by Providence Tool Co., Providence, R. I.)—1. Butt Stock. 9. Stock Bolt. 10. Receiver, or Body. 11. Trigger Spring. 12. Screw for Locking Bolt Spring and Trigger Spring. 14. Stop Nut. 15. Block Axis Pin. 16. Striker, or Firing Pin. 19. Block. 25. Tumbler. 26. Indicator. 27. Block Lever. 28. Extractor. 29. Tumbler Rest. 30. Tumbler Rest Axis Screw. 31. Extractor Axis Screw. 32. Guard. 33. Trigger. 34. Trigger Axis Screw. 35. Swivel. 36. Swivel Axis Screw. 46. Barrel. 47. Fore, or Tip-Stock. 48. Cleaning Rod.
To dismount body or receiver: Turn keeper-screw so the groove in head will allow block axis pin to drop out; open the breech, and with the thumb press with force oil front end of block, and, at the same time, raise the lever; turn the keeper-screw so as to allow the tumbler axis to be pushed out. This also relieves the tumbler. Take out extractor axis screw.
To assemble body: Put lever back to its place in assembled guard and insert both in the body. Drop in extractor and turn in extractor axis screw. Put tumbler in place and put in tumbler axis, point upright and secure keeper screw. With the right hand raise the lever so as to touch the lever catch, then, with the first finger, pull the trigger back, and with the thumb push the trigger axis forward, and drop in the assembled block, the front end entering first. Apply a little force to back end of block with the left hand, moving the lever a little at the same time with the right hand, and the block will drop into place. Insert block axis pin and secure it with the keeper screw.
To dismount guard: Take out tumbler rest axis screw, relieving tumbler rest. Take out trigger spring screw, relieving trigger spring and locking bolt spring. Take out trigger axis screw, relieving trigger. Take out locking bolt screw, if found necessary.