I've got two 1899B rifles with serial numbers 80,XXX and 13,XXX. The newer one has been in the family since my dad bought it in the late 50s and now resides with me. I'm hoping to use to take a BC bruin this spring. The older one just came into my possession recently and I'm trying to clean over 100 years of muck out of it.

The challenge right now is that the rotary mag is stuck in its cavity. I've removed the lock pin and although the brass carousel rotates freely, the circular steel lip at the end of the assembly seems to be stuck in the hole due to corrosion. I've squirted it a few times and have let it sit but I'm not quite sure whether it's safe to tap it from the action end. I don't want to damage it but I would like to get it out and clean out the cavity.

I've always stopped short of disassembling the rotary spring assembly in the past but I've had the assembly itself out of my other 1899 many times. Is anyone able to give me a bit of advise before I do damage to this poor girl?