doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Belgian boxlock hinge pin

I am looking at buying a Masquelier Belgian boxlock and there is a little play in the barrels/action fit. I've been fortunate to take doublegun classes from Dewey Vicknair and Dennis Potter and have tightened up some shotguns by welding the hook and refitting but also tightened up a German boxlock by replacing the hinge pin with a slightly larger diameter pin. But the German gun had removable "covers" of the hinge pin on both sides of the action. So it was relatively easy to push to the pin out, ream the hole larger and push in the new pin. The Masquelier has what appears to be a removable cover on the left side of the action. The left side cover has a screw slot in it. But on the right side of the action there is no screw slot. And the engraving does not allow me to detect if there is a cover or not on the right side. So does the Masquelier have a removable hinge pin? If so, how is it removed? Is there a chance the hinge pin is threaded and screws in to the right side of the frame? Any advice based on hands on experience would be appreciated.

If you could post a foto, I bet someone could identify it. You can always forward any fotos to me & I will gladly post them for you.

Hochachtungsvoll,

Raimey
rse

Unfortunately I don't have photos of both sides of the action showing the hinge pin area.

I did speak with a very good double gun smith who told me that the Mesquelier likely has a screw in hinge pin. But that the hinge pin might be solid / one piece with the cover in which case it is not easily replaced. There is a chance that the hinge pin is seperate from the cover. But probably won't be able to try to remove the hinge pin / cover without buying the gun. Another learning opportunity that I will likely pass up.

forester,
If the hinge pin is threaded, you might be able to drill and tap it for a smaller screw. Then you have three choices, you might be able to pull it out by using the smaller screw as a "jack screw" (if a solid pin), tap it for a left-hand screw (it might back itself out in the process) and turn the hinge pin out by turning the small screw in, if the hinge pin happens to have a left hand screw you can "loc-tight" the left hand screw in and turn the hinge pin out right handed. If everything fails, you can grind the small screw head off, put the cover back on and be no worse off than before. Good luck.
Mike