New to me Savage 219 hard to open

[The Old Coach]

This is a 219, not 219A, etc. Made in Utica, which I understand to mean prewar. It only opens by pushing the lever to the right. The lever moves easily, its just that the gun is hard to get to break. Does this suggest a gunked-up action?

How do I remove the buttstock?

Just like mine, then. If the lever moves easily the rear parts of the action probably are OK, but I'd look anyway. Any rust back there will eventually do permanent damage. The top lever is cocking the striker, as well as releasing the bolt, BTW.

The buttstock is held on with a through bolt from the rear. Take off the buttplate. It wants a large screwdriver. It may come very hard if the threads are rusted. If it just won't come, don't get too frisky. Do not use any penetrant from the rear. It will do nothing but spoil wood. The only way I know the get a badly siezed-up through bolt out is to make a guide sleeve and then drill the head off the through-bolt. Probably more that you want to tackle if you don't have a lathe to make the guide sleeve.

Try dismounting the barrel. It has a spring-loaded forestock, like most break-open shotguns. Grasp the forestock at the front and pull it away from the barrel. It may come hard if the latch is gunked-up or rusted. Once it snaps free, break the gun open and the barrel will come loose. It's only hooked on the pin at the front. See what you can see. The latch may need to be detached from the forestock and soaked or cleaned.

These guns should break very freely. Unlike a lot of doubles, you are not cocking the hammers by breaking the action. The only resistance is the ejector mechanism. Once you get it apart you will see how that works. Just two parts to it, other than the springs and the pins. My guess is that the ejector trip lever is sticking and wants freeing-up, or there's a lot of congealed oil on the steel "shoe" at the rear of the forestock. If just taking the forestock off frees it up, that's the only problem.