A couple days ago I picked up my very first mauser action rifle, a Yugo 24/47. What a great little rifle. I am in the process of cleaning out the cosmoline from all the nooks and crannies. All has gone well except removing the barrel/action from the stock. The front of the two barrel bands doesn't want to move. The retaining spring with pin releases nicely, but the band itself isn't wanting to slide forward. I am not seeing any signs of rust or corrosion.
I tried tapping around the perimeter of the band with a 1/4" wooden dowell and only succeeded in splintering the end of the dowell. Any suggestions or tricks of the trade that I should try? I really don't want to trash the band or cause any other damage.
Suggestions appreciated.
Difficult front Barrel Band
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Finnished39
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Difficult front Barrel Band
Be A Rifleman
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Junk Yard Dog
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Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
put that wood dowel on the spring and clamp it down with a wood clamp so it stays depressed, oil the hell out of the band, tap it, let it sit in penetrating oil, then use a brass punch to tap it loose. Do not use anything steel or you will damage it. Just work it gently, it will come off, take your time.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
I have a block of aluminum that I use to remove stubborn Mauser front bands with. The aluminum is soft enough not to damage the band, yet is sturdy enough to not splinter. Place the block against the band and tap it with a hammer (gently of course) Stop by a machine shop in your town and ask them nicely for a small scrap aprox 1x1x2 or 3. They will likely just give it to you.
“Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” George Orwell, English novelist, essayist, and critic, 1903-1950
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
C. S. Lewis
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
C. S. Lewis
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Finnished39
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Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
Thanks to both of you for these suggestions. Greatly appreciated. Seems that I am NOT alone with this issue and have some specialty tools to acquire and skills to fine tune. 
Makes me appreciate how easy it has been to remove the barrel bands on my Mosins. (except for my '35 Tula with the forged barrel band springs. I don't like those much)
Makes me appreciate how easy it has been to remove the barrel bands on my Mosins. (except for my '35 Tula with the forged barrel band springs. I don't like those much)Be A Rifleman
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Junk Yard Dog
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Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
The Mauser action was never intended to be stripped down in the field, that front band is always a pain to deal with on pretty much every Mauser.
Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only mar it.
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.
Theodore Roosevelt
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nissan2013
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Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
With a little effort, it come off.
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Finnished39
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Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
SUCCESS! - Thanks to your advise. The front barrel band took about 20 minutes of careful tapping and then suddenly there was a small amount of movement. Another 5 minutes or so and it slid right off. I don't have any brass punches YET and searched for something akin to a punch or aluminum block that wouldn't mar the band. I improvised with a 5.56 casing and an 8 oz hammer. It worked great. Unfortunately, I won't be able to reload that casing.
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Be A Rifleman
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Finnished39
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Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
I apologize, the photos didn't post in the order I intended. Noob. I will get the photo posting thing figured out.
The first photo is after the band was removed and I was finally able to remove the barrel and action and clean out the remainder of the cosmoline and get everything back together.
The 2nd photo is the 8 oz hammer and the brass 5.56 casing that gave its' all during the removal the band. I had the assistant of a wooden clamp that was switched back and forth as I rolled the rifle on one side and then the other.
The last photo shows the dried goop that was under the front band making removal more difficult. A good soaking of oil the night before seemed to have helped.
Thank you again for the guidance and suggestions, they are greatly appreciated. I hope to have some final result photos tomorrow for any of those interested.
The first photo is after the band was removed and I was finally able to remove the barrel and action and clean out the remainder of the cosmoline and get everything back together.
The 2nd photo is the 8 oz hammer and the brass 5.56 casing that gave its' all during the removal the band. I had the assistant of a wooden clamp that was switched back and forth as I rolled the rifle on one side and then the other.
The last photo shows the dried goop that was under the front band making removal more difficult. A good soaking of oil the night before seemed to have helped.
Thank you again for the guidance and suggestions, they are greatly appreciated. I hope to have some final result photos tomorrow for any of those interested.
Be A Rifleman
Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
Nice lookin rifle 
These are nice shooting mausers.
These are nice shooting mausers.The commerce which maybe carried on with the people inhabiting the line you will pursue renders a knowledge of these people important ~Thomas Jefferson~ (to- Lewis and Clark)
Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
FIne job. There is a steep learning curve to the dis-assembly of military guns...
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Finnished39
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Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
The 24/47 is a far as I can take it without learning more about these rifles. I am pretty happy with the way it looks.
This rifle came from our local Cabelas'. It and a handful of other 24/47's had been on the rack for a while and weren't moving. I stopped by the store a week ago Monday to look over this particular rifle for the 4th time and decided we had bonded. I talked to the manager running the Gun Library about the price and he said that they would be on sale in a few days for $130 less. Now I WAS interested. I came back first thing on SALE morning and it was still there. It came with the bayonet, sheath, frog, cleaning kit, and a leather sling. Felt like a pretty good deal at $269 and we all walked out together.
During the cleaning, I found one obvious little problem not noticed while looking the rifle over at Cabelas'. It appears someone tried to remove the center butt plate screw with the wrong sized blade screwdriver and managed to bugger it pretty good. It has some sharp edges from the screwdriver blade spinning out of the slot. This is going to require a proper screwdriver and some real leaning into to get enough purchase to get the screw out. (If i want to remove it. Do I want to remove and replace it? Is there a source of original replacement parts?) What are the thoughts here?
Anyway, here are some images for those interested. I realize this is a common military surplus rifle and nothing spectacular.
But these old rifles do have a certain attractive look to them and it is nice to see what others out there have.
This rifle came from our local Cabelas'. It and a handful of other 24/47's had been on the rack for a while and weren't moving. I stopped by the store a week ago Monday to look over this particular rifle for the 4th time and decided we had bonded. I talked to the manager running the Gun Library about the price and he said that they would be on sale in a few days for $130 less. Now I WAS interested. I came back first thing on SALE morning and it was still there. It came with the bayonet, sheath, frog, cleaning kit, and a leather sling. Felt like a pretty good deal at $269 and we all walked out together.
During the cleaning, I found one obvious little problem not noticed while looking the rifle over at Cabelas'. It appears someone tried to remove the center butt plate screw with the wrong sized blade screwdriver and managed to bugger it pretty good. It has some sharp edges from the screwdriver blade spinning out of the slot. This is going to require a proper screwdriver and some real leaning into to get enough purchase to get the screw out. (If i want to remove it. Do I want to remove and replace it? Is there a source of original replacement parts?) What are the thoughts here?
Anyway, here are some images for those interested. I realize this is a common military surplus rifle and nothing spectacular.
But these old rifles do have a certain attractive look to them and it is nice to see what others out there have.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Be A Rifleman
Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
Nice. I would just leave the screw. The price sounds good to me. Some of these were not used much and are in great condition.
The commerce which maybe carried on with the people inhabiting the line you will pursue renders a knowledge of these people important ~Thomas Jefferson~ (to- Lewis and Clark)
Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
I agree with desdem12, there isn't a good reasonn to remove the buttplate screw. Just leave it. It won't hurt a thing.
"And beneath the starry flag, we civilized them with a Krag..."
Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
Stop do not make another move! Go out and find yourself a nice gunsmith screwdriver set with removable bits that are hollow ground and in a great enough variety to get any screw you have to remove on a rifle or pistol for the rest of your collecting life. Brownells has them I believe as do many other gunsmith supply houses. You should first look and see if any of our sponsors have them and go from there. We need to keep feeding those that help us be on here of course. Bill 
Re: Difficult front Barrel Band
I had the same problem with my 24/47 and also resorted to the "arm-strong method" - pretty much exactly what was recommended. Glad I did, below the stock was loaded with grease.