How should I go about restoring an old .22 to working condition?

[Goober135]

Hello everyone! I was recently rummaging through my parents storage room and stumbled upon my old .22 that my great uncle passed down to me. This was the first rifle I ever shot and has been in the family for quite some time. All I know about the rifle is that it is a bolt action Ranger 101.13 with removable 5 round magazine and no serial number. Beyond that, I don't have a clue.

Unfortunately, it doesn't really work. I can cycle the bolt, pull the trigger, and fire it; but the bolt will not "lock" into the gun. Nothing stops the bolt from sliding out when the rifle is cycled. Is this something that could be fixed? If so, how much might it cost? I would mean a lot to me to have this rifle restored to working condition, so I could shoot it every once in a while to honor my late great uncle. Any ideas on where to start?

Pictures:

Bolt:

Receiver(?):

 

[figley]

You're going to have to disassemble it as far as you can, to see if a part is broken, or just gummed up.

0000 steel wool
toothbrush
CLP
cold-bluing solution (I'll edit with the name, if I can find it)

sand the wood bare, then hand-rub it with birchwood casey linseed oil

old rifles like that usually only need the trigger held back to get the bolt out.

 

[johntheplinker]

If it was mine all I'd do after repairing it, is clean it up and stop any active rust. Its not a new rifle, so it shouldn't look new.

 

[snapping turtle]

I remember that the 101 series of rangers was made by savage for sears marketed under the ranger name. Sears had the rangers made by winchester, marlin, savage, ithica, high standard, and abut anone in a euro country or japan that would make them at a good price.

Which savage model it was escapes me. Ranger 273's were made by winchester, and 103 marlin.

It needs a good cleaning and I bet the spring that works the bolt stop is all gummed up or rusted shut.

 

[snapping turtle]

Serail numbers on 22 rifles were not required till 1968. Only a few like the marlin model 39 and 39a had them along with other higher end 22's.

 

[cbseniour]

I'm betting a good cleaning including the bolt will make it functional.

 

[mr.steve]

You're going to have to disassemble it as far as you can, to see if a part is broken, or just gummed up.

0000 steel wool
toothbrush
CLP
cold-bluing solution (I'll edit with the name, if I can find it)

sand the wood bare, then hand-rub it with birchwood casey linseed oil

old rifles like that usually only need the trigger held back to get the bolt out.

This is the route I used on my Mossberg 22LR rifle. It looks good enough for me. Use the steel wool with a light oil and do this until your arm is sore then, switch hands. Wipe it off and repeat. When your patience is worn out degrease the metal and use the cold blue. I've used Birchwood Casey my self. It's ok I guess. Finally apply a few coats of wax. I bought Flitz rifle/gun wax because I thought anything this expensive has got to be good. Probably a good automotive wax should work fine as well. For the wood I used steel wool as well. Started with 00 and finished with 0000. Like the metal the more you use the 0000 the better it will look. When your done just care for it like any other quality firearm.

 

[easy]

Should be same as Stevens/Savage 86. Most likely is either full of gunk or missing/worn out spring for trigger/sear.

 

[dhisle]

from the looks of your last picture, the back of your sear is broke off. there should be a "nub" that sticks up at the very rear of the sear that catches the bolt, and stops it from coming completely out. if it does compare to the stevens rifle you can get a new sear here Numrich Gun Parts Corp. - The World's Largest Supplier of Firearms Parts and Accessories
it is part number 33. also if you dont want to drop that kind of money. i have fixed these in the past by building it up with a wire welder, then simply grinding it to the right shape with a dremel.

 

[Goober135]

from the looks of your last picture, the back of your sear is broke off. there should be a "nub" that sticks up at the very rear of the sear that catches the bolt, and stops it from coming completely out. if it does compare to the stevens rifle you can get a new sear here Numrich Gun Parts Corp. - The World's Largest Supplier of Firearms Parts and Accessories
it is part number 33. also if you dont want to drop that kind of money. i have fixed these in the past by building it up with a wire welder, then simply grinding it to the right shape with a dremel.

I don't believe the problem is with the sear, but on the bolt itself. I think the area on the bolt that is supposed to get caught to stop the bolt from coming out has been worn down to a ramp...

 

[dhisle]

the ramp is supposed to be there to facilitate the bolt clearing the lug. when the trigger is pulled all the way back the lug drops down and the bolt will rise just a fraction when the ramp is clear of the lug it allows for some wear and tear on the lug.