Hi guys and girls.
I have a gill gun or click clack as they are called it's a beautiful gun in otherwise excellent shape except it won't feed ammunition from the feeding tube.

It's like the tolerances are too tight and the ammo sticks in the lift.
I've tried all I can do so I was wondering if there's someone on this forum that specializes in these guns that could possibly fix it?
I don't think Savage Stevens will repair it it's too old of a model.

Read through this thread. It has several suggestions relevant to this issue.

Springfield 87A Jam

I've been trying to get this rifle to be reliable for years. My late Uncle gave it to me years ago and it was missing a few parts. I got them at Gun Parts and when I went to shoot it, it went full auto. I then replaced the trigger group and that fixed that. However, it has this jamming problem...

www.rimfirecentral.com

Also look at the pictures in that thread and make sure your lifter spring is not installed backwards. It is common to see them installed incorrectly as it can be hard to get them installed facing the correct way.



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Read through this thread. It has several suggestions relevant to this issue.

Springfield 87A Jam

I've been trying to get this rifle to be reliable for years. My late Uncle gave it to me years ago and it was missing a few parts. I got them at Gun Parts and when I went to shoot it, it went full auto. I then replaced the trigger group and that fixed that. However, it has this jamming problem...

www.rimfirecentral.com

Also look at the pictures in that thread and make sure your lifter spring is not installed backwards. It is common to see them installed incorrectly as it can be hard to get them installed facing the correct way..

Boy, that's the truth. I had to remove the lifter many times and each time it was a real PITA. Hope my thread helps the OP.

 

I need to get this apart so I can fix the problem, trouble is I have to remove the barrel from the receiver I took the two pins out that keep it lined up but I couldn't easily get the barrel out and I'm afraid to try to do it unless someone else can tell me how it's done.

My thought is that I need to heat the receiver where the barrel is installed to remove it but I'm not certain and don't want to screw it up.

 

I went to the Numeric Arms website and The part I need is number 71, it's called the (magazine guide) but they're all out of stock so I need to repair the one that I have if I can get the barrel out.

 

My first ever rifle was a Savage-Springfield Model 187C. I recently bought a Savage-Stevens 887 that is identical in appearance, and I’m in the process of putting Savage 7/8” rings and a Savage branded Suwa made 3-7x20 scope on it as an homage to my first rifle.

And….that’s about 50% of the problem with this type of rifle. It was in production for a long time, with a large number of variants made for a number of different brands, most of them being budget rifles where minor changes were made to cut costs and or evolve the design.

My 187C saw thousands of rounds through it on rabbit and prairie dog hunts as well as thousands of rounds plinking. It eventually became unreliable even with diligent cleaning and eventually started doubling and tripling. It needed some new parts as the many stamped parts in it don‘t wear all that well. I traded it off to a gunsmith towards a 10/22, back when 10/22s were nice little carbines.

I‘ve seen a few of them come in over the years for repair and about half the time they just need a really good cleaning as the powder residue it’s hammered into a very hard substance in the interface of the barrel and receiver in front of the bolt face. It also builds up in the magazine guide between the lifter, spacers, pin and spring.

The other half of the time, the problem is either worn parts, or worn parts that were replaced with similar and still serviceable, but not quite correct parts from one of the many other variants out there.

So clean it very thoroughly first.
Then make sure the stamped trigger housing and magazine guide are not cracked or bent, and that the lifter isn’t excessively worn where it engages the bottom of the bolt. Also ensure the trigger housing and magazine guide are properly adjusted as there is some play in their screw holes.

If that doesn’t fix it, you’ve probably got some not quite correct replacement parts in there.

 

I really don't think you need to take the barrel off. Maybe take some pics of the rifle and action so we can see exactly what version you have.

 

 

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Your cartridge guide doesn't look that bad. I've had worse that still worked fine. Your lifter spring does look like it has been bent though.

It possible the spring is now weak and not applying enough force to overcome the cartridge guide as intended.
(Although it is installed correctly.)


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No, that's not my problem.
The problem is the cartridge has to be forced up out of the loader, it's a very tight fit and needs to be widened slightly.

 

No, that's not my problem.
The problem is the cartridge has to be forced up out of the loader, it's a very tight fit and needs to be widened slightly.

Maybe try loosening one (or both) of the lifter assy screws slightly. Then spread it open just a tiny bit and tighten it back down. May take a few attempts to get it dialed in.

 

Insert some cartridges into the magazine and tilt up the muzzle. The cartridges should just easily slide under the lifter. Take pictures. Also, take pictures of the jam/problem you are experiencing. Your parts with the exception of your lifter spring, look to be in good shape. There are instructions on how to take off the magazine guide somewhere on the inter-web-net thingy. As I recall, you don't need to take off the barrel, but you will need to take off the magazine tube. That can be done without removing the barrel. First remove the screws from the magazine guide assembly. You then drift out the two magazine mounts (parts 24 & 25 on the schematic) a little at a time so as not to bind/bend. My understanding is that there is not much room to play with so it's supposed to be an even bigger PITA than replacing the lifter spring. I have an extra magazine guide as I initially thought that was my problem too, but it turned out not to be so. I'd sell it to you if I didn't think there was a chance I wouldn't ever need it. But then that part may not be your problem or an adjustment (like the one Catt57 suggested above) of the one you have may be the fix. If you can't parts from Numrich, try ebay as sometimes parts come up for sale for these guns there. But be aware that as said previously, some replacement and original parts may not work on your rifle. I bought an original lifter hoping it was the answer to my problem but it was completely incompatible. I had to reshape my replacement lifter to correct my problem. If you let the brain trust here see exactly your problem we can likely come up with a solution or we'll try real hard to anyway.

 

I've been reading about people that are taking the magazine tube out of the action, now if I could do that I think I could fix the rifle just fine I need to get that cartridge guide assembly out of the receiver. But how do you do that I haven't found a way to get it pulled out?

 

I would do that as a last resort. Your magazine guide looks good. It may just need to be adjusted as Catt57 suggested. Post pictures of how cartridges flow (or hang up) from the magazine into the magazine guide. Below is a picture I just took of my 87A with a cartridge in the magazine guide without the inner tube installed. This is just there by the force of gravity. All your magazine guide may need is to widen the sides of the guide enough to allow the cartridge to easily enter it so the lifter can lift it.

 

The cartridge hangs up in the magazine tube and can't get into the cartridge guide. It's like there's a burr or ridge in the way that it catches on but once you push it past that then it hangs up in the cartridge guide itself and you have to use a screwdriver to push it up towards the barrel.

 

I recommend this only as a last resort.

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How to get the magazine assy apart... (My own experience.)

The problem you will run into is the outer magazine goes inside the lifter assembly. At first look it looks like you can't remove the lifter without first removing the magazine. But then you can't remove the magazine without first removing the lifter.

It took me awhile to figure this one out. With the lifter screws removed there is just barely enough play to drift the front and then rear magazine blocks out. Then you can remove the magazine and lifter. To reassemble you need to remove the magazine from the rear block because it won't go back in like it came out. If you look you will see a hole in the top and bottom of the block. Use a punch and gently tap from the top to take out the magazine retaining dimple, the magazine will come free. Reinstall the lifter and the rear magazine block onto the rifle. Slide the magazine through the block and into the lifter. Make sure the magazine is correctly positioned with the hole in the magazine lined with the hole in the block. Then use a punch through the bottom hole of the rear magazine block to lightly tap the retaining dimple back in the magazine tube. Loosen the lifter screws so it has some play. Slide the front magazine block on and drift it back into place. Now position the lifter and re-tighten.

Now a word of caution. GO VERY SLOW and take your time. If you try to rush, or force something without checking things, you will most likely break something.

 

Can you see the obstruction when you look down the tube? Sounds like the end of the tube and the cartridge guide got pinched. You may need to remove the magazine tube to see what's going on there. The magazine guide is pretty basic and simple. I'll bet a little bending adjustment will fix it. Good luck!

 

So far I have used a 5/16 steel rod 3 ft long beveled on the end to push down through the magazine tube into the cartridge lifter to see if there was an obstruction and try to force it out of the way but that didn't work very well. The rod went in just fine but it didn't do anything to help.

 

Sounds like it just got pinched and needs to be opened up. Needle nose pliers may be the tool that leads to the solution.

 

I won't know how to fix it until I get it apart and see what's wrong with it.
The problem is just getting the magazine tube out of the way.

 

There are 87A parts including the magazine guide on ebay.

 

Follow Catt57's direction and - - - good luck with that. Keep us informed as you progress. When you fix it, it'll feel sooooo good.

 

Sold out.

 

There's one in this parts lot. It's not a bad idea to have extra parts available for these guns or just take what you need and sell the rest.

Springfield Model 87A 22 Cal Semi Auto Rifle Gunsmiths Parts Lot | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Springfield Model 87A 22 Cal Semi Auto Rifle Gunsmiths Parts Lot at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

"All your magazine guide may need is to widen the sides of the guide enough to allow the cartridge to easily enter it so the lifter can lift it."

Yes, this is what I need to do.

If I drop a cartridge down the tube it sticks before it enters the guide, You have to push it into the guide with a long piece of quarter inch or 5/16-in steel rod.
Now I beveled the end of a 5/16" steel rod so that I could push it into the cartridge guide and drive it in with a hammer that didn't end up helping at all.

 

Well, finally success,
I went to Menards and I got a piece of 5/16" steel rod 3 ft long and I took a file and spun the rod with the drill motor until I got about an inch of the tip of the steel rod down to .285" and then I stuck it up in the action from the loading tube and worked it back and forth until I was satisfied that there was nothing blocking the tube going into the receiver and it works like a charm now.

I got a chance to take it out and shoot it yesterday and it did great, no malfunctions whatsoever.
I shot the 22 shorts with a locked bolt and the 22 long rifles semi-auto.
The (Click Clack) with the hold open bolt worked just like it's supposed to.

 

Hello all. I am new to this forum and just obtained a vintage 87A from my father in law; Excellent condition and took it out to the range for test fire.

First round of testing .22LR revealed function very well in single round loading into the chamber, then releasing the charger/bolt. excellent performance and the rounds ejected flawlessly. Second test was loading the magazine. I could not get a round to lift into place. Ended up needing to manually remove the rounds I tried to chamber.

Took it back home and found this forum, and its wealth of information. Also found a copy of the "very basic Manual" for this rifle. It talked about "greasing/lubricating" the rounds you wished to use the magazine feed (never use "dry rounds". Went to the gun shop and no one has really heard of needing to do this. They actually got a good chuckle out of the manual instructions. One shop did entertain the idea, and suggested a synthetic grease.

Out to the range again. for the fun, I did grease a few .22LR rounds and tried it. They got stuck as well and would not lift. I single chambered them and functioned well. For kicks (more likely sadistic self degrading behavior), I went back to "dry" .22LR rounds. Low and behold when I charged the bolt, it lifted and cycle properly. However, after the casing ejected, the next round lifted flawlessly into position, but the bolt did not chamber the next round. The bolt held back in the semi retracted position. Releasing or Pulling the trigger did not release the bolt (as I had seen in some videos. I them manually pulled the bolt back and it flawlessly chambered the round. It functioned flawlessly in this manner through 50 rounds.

I found one video on Youtube that demonstrated this same action, and stated that the rifle was not malfunctioning, but was one of the earliest models that was designed that way.

Is this correct, or am I just not operating the rifle incorrectly. Any input would be appreciated.