Any information on the Mossberg no 26C rimfire rifle?

I think I'm gonna have to get the bolt handle welded , it's loose and the threads are pretty much stripped on the bolt handle and pretty worn in the bolt as well.
I can get it tight enough but only upside down, so I think I'll either need it welded it front or back or maybe just a hollow known welded to the back which would work pretty great for me as a lefty.
 
This is kind of what I've got in mind.

I just threw this together real quick out of an old carriage bolt, something a bit larger in diameter that's knurled would be better.
The only real thing is that I'd need to make a longer spring guide / cocking indicator. Not a big deal though.
I may take a look at the hardware store and see what I can find that would make a suitable cocking knob.
I'm really starting to like this idea.
 
kvaughn said:
Open the back door and shoot from inside the house.
I had a doe deer walking around in my back yard with an arrow sticking out of it about 10 years ago and needed to put it down. Not my arrow.
I opened the back door and standing about 10 ft inside the kitchen, shot it with a Model 94 in .32 Winchester Special. A 30-30 equivalent. My neighbor who was home about 50 yards away never heard a thing.--I forgot to mention, use hearing protection. My ears rang for 2 days afterward.--KV
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I think you did a good deed with the doe. I shot a 222 (as a kid) from my bedroom window from inside the house at a crow in the field behind our house.... The barrel was still inside the house when I shot as I was trying not to spook the crow. Loud is not the word for it.... surprised I didn't break windows with the concussion. Never do that again unless it is a life or death situation.

On the subsonic 22 ammo thing, good subsonic 22LR ammo is about as loud as a strong 22 cal airgun shot. It is doable in the yard if you want but I would experiment a little away from the yard first unless you have a specific deed to complete (like the doe). If you shoot the Aguila stuff (primer powered), make sure the barrel is clear as I have read of folks stacking multiple rounds in their barrel. Normally 22 rimfire barrels are strong enough not to bulge with a bullet lodged in the barrel and shooting another round after, but it is still possible.

I would never go to the trouble with an old Mossbery single shot rifle you are going to to get it more functional. I would just retire it. But I know you like to tinker with stuff where as I don't.

I haven't shot my Mossberg semi auto 22 rifle (Model 351C) that I got as a kid for 20 years. It still looks great. I have replaced springs, pins, firing pins and so forth and just don't want to deal with that kind of thing again. As far as I know, it works as I fixed it the last time I had a problem. I view it as essentially "wore out". I should probably sell it and let someone else give it the loving care it deserves. It is extremely accurate. I used to stack bullets in the same hole at about 20-25 yds for the fun of it. I would shoot one round and then aim for the hole in the target. Gives shooting one-hole groups a new approach.

I have a dozen 22 rifles that I shoot from time to time. So, there is no driving need to shoot that old rifle that has been fired many thousands of rounds. 22's are my favorite.
 
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22-rimfire said:
On the subsonic 22 ammo thing, good subsonic 22LR ammo is about as loud as a strong 22 cal airgun shot.
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I shoot all my pumpers .177 .20 or .22 on 5 pumps max because it's all I need and because it's quieter, so I think shooting sunbsonics in the backyard is probably not for me.
And you're right I do like to tinker with things, and this gun was free to me so I don't mind putting a little time and money into it.
I don't have a welder so the plan is to ask my uncle If he's got his shop set up at his new place before the next time I visit.
If he does I can't ask him to weld it for me.
 
Bought a cheap $15 cleaning kit and a bottle of Hoppes #9 and went to town, the headspace has definitely improved.
Maybe not 100% perfect but possibly as good as it's ever been and certainly as good as it'll ever get.
 
I don't think think this is going to show well on camera, but the casing on the left is from my brothers Savage Mk2 and the one on the right is from my 26c.
Basically when I fire my rifle the cases bulge out a bit around the case head.

Would this concern you ?
I know chamber pressure on a single shot .22 isn't high but could this cause accuracy issues ?
Of course it's likely what's causing the sticky extraction.
 
I spent about an hour going over every surface the bolt contacts and rides on with a pick , scraper, and a bunch of #9 did the same to the chamber and case expansion has diminished some but it's probably as good as it's going to get.

The bore is as clean as I could get it , but if it was dirty could this cause excessive pressure if say it makes the bullet a much tighter fit to the bore ?
 
Hickory n steel said:
I don't think think this is going to show well on camera, but the casing on the left is from my brothers Savage Mk2 and the one on the right is from my 26c.
Basically when I fire my rifle the cases bulge out a bit around the case head.

Would this concern you ?
I know chamber pressure on a single shot .22 isn't high but could this cause accuracy issues ?
Of course it's likely what's causing the sticky extraction.
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Were there supposed to be pics? Sounds like you are describing throat erosion, and the only thing I know that can cause that in a .22LR barrel is a long and steady diet of .22 shorts. I mean LONG and STEADY.
 
leghog said:
Were there supposed to be pics? Sounds like you are describing throat erosion, and the only thing I know that can cause that in a .22LR barrel is a long and steady diet of .22 shorts. I mean LONG and STEADY.
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Yeah, forgot the pics I guess.

If throat erosion is the case then I suppose there's no fix and I'm fine with that it should still plink fine and I won't have to feel bad about having a homemade knob welded to the back.

Thanks for the potential and probable answer, some kid in the 40's -50's probably shot the hell out of this think with minimal cleaning, probably put a ton of rabbits in the pot too.
 
Hickory n steel said:
Yeah, forgot the pics I guess.

If throat erosion is the case then I suppose there's no fix and I'm fine with that it should still plink fine and I won't have to feel bad about having a homemade knob welded to the back.

Thanks for the potential and probable answer, some kid in the 40's -50's probably shot the hell out of this think with minimal cleaning, probably put a ton of rabbits in the pot too.
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No, throat erosion is at the throat, the muzzle end of the chamber. I misunderstood what you were communicating.

You likely have a headspace problem. Whether because of the bolt or the chamber, I don't know, but there's nothing you can really do about it with that rifle. I'd still shoot it.
 
leghog said:
No, throat erosion is at the throat, the muzzle end of the chamber. I misunderstood what you were communicating.

You likely have a headspace problem. Whether because of the bolt or the chamber, I don't know, but there's nothing you can really do about it with that rifle. I'd still shoot it.
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Okay, I knew there was a headspace problem which I improved marginally with a thorough cleaning but it's as good as it'll ever get.
I'll probably only ever shoot paper a few times to sight it in and see just what kind of accuracy to expect then stick to plinking so the potential accuracy problems caused by bad headspace likely won't make much difference.
 
Hickory n steel said:
This is kind of what I've got in mind.

I just threw this together real quick out of an old carriage bolt, something a bit larger in diameter that's knurled would be better.
The only real thing is that I'd need to make a longer spring guide / cocking indicator. Not a big deal though.
I may take a look at the hardware store and see what I can find that would make a suitable cocking knob.
I'm really starting to like this idea.
Click to expand...

Hey. I couldn't help but notice we have the same gun. I've been looking for a firing pin mine for quite a while now. Is it possible you could help me out send a quick dimensioned sketch of the firing pin on yours so I can make another one?

As for the spring guide, you can get away with using a screw or nail in its place from the hardware store. You could probably even cut one out a piece of scrap sheet metal as it serves no real service beyond extending the firing pin. It just wouldn't have a cocking indicator if you did it that way.
 
I don't have calipers to get the dimensions exact or anything, but at jack first gun parts you can buy a new one if you think it's worth $28.
Tomorrow I'll try to do the best I can.
 
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