Stripping a Lewis gun

[rmamarshall]

Dear All,
Am in the process of stripping down my Lewis to give it a good clean; does anyone know whether the rear radiator casing of British spec. deact. guns can be removed? Some parts have needed 'persuading' with the hammer, but try as I might, the radiator housing does not want to budge.

Richard

[woodsy]

The rear radiator housing is held between the aluminium radiator and the shoulder on the barrel. If the barrel is welded to the receiver then you will have extreme difficulty. Normally you would remove the body locking pin at the lower front of the reciever (after stripping the butt, bolt and piston assy, trigger housing, and return spring pinion casing), then the entire barrel and housing assembly is screwed off the gun. You then remove the front housing and sight band, the gas tube, gas regulator key and gas regulator, then unscrew the gas chamber. At this stage you then unscrew the flared muzzle mouthpiece and the radiator can be removed from the barrell. This is a tapered fit and is best held in a vertical position with one hand while tapping the muzzle with a piece of wood in the other. When the radiator is removed the the rear housing and barrel can be separated. Nothing to it! If any part of the barrel assembly has been welded during the de-act process then you are buggered!