Here are the steps:
1) You're going to want to take the gun apart as much as possible. The first part is removing the gun and shield from the carriage. Simply do that by elevating the barrel to the maximum height, then lifting up on the whole unit.
2) After the gun and shield are removed break the mount free of the shield. It's glued using four pins that won't easily be removed from the shield, but the mount is easily glued back into place after being broken free.
3) Once the mount and gun are free of the shield, next you take the barrel off. it is only glued on, with two pins securing it on the recoil housing. slowly working it off with a small screwdriver did the job for me.
4) Now that the barrel is removed, all that is still assembled is the breech/recoil housing unit, and the mount. Gently pry the two arms of the mount apart; these are the peices holding the pins on the breech so the gun can elevate/depress on the mount. Simple caution and just not being in a hurry will keep you from breaking anything.
5) Once all the disassembly is done, now you can get to fixing the gun. The first step will be isolating that breech/recoil housing piece of the gun. This is the inaccurate part that was molded to always look in the recoil position.
6) Next thing you do with that piece is cut the breech away from the recoil housing. You'll want to cut it so that the recoil housing part you're cutting by remains the same height as the rest of the recoil housing that sits below the barrel. That will allow for a smooth platform for the breech to slide back and forth on. I used a dremel to do my cutting.
7) Now that they are now two distinct pieces, you will want to sand the cut edges to make them smooth if there are any imperfections caused by the cutting. Take note of any uneven places because those will need to be rectified for smooth recoil movement.
Next you take the breech piece and add a piece of sheet styrene the the bottom to replace the material cut away by the cutting tool. I used a piece of .40" sheet styrene, cut to the same shape as the outline of the bottom. Remember, this piece is not going to fit inside the hole in the bottom of the breech, but is going to go over top of it and conform to the outline of the breech exterior. Sand and cut to satisfaction9) You will work on the recoil are next. The hollow area that was revealed when you cut the breech off needs to be cleaned up. Essentially what you do is clear the remaining excess plastic and shape a long even rectangle from the end of the housing (where the breech used to sit atop) and the other side will be just even with the mounting arms for the gun mount. This will be the area where a piece (yet to be installed) will be sliding through. The inside of the recoil housing should be cut even with the side walls as well, to make that nice even long rectangle area that the piece that I mentioned will slide through.
10) After that is all cleaned out, you will take a piece of .118" sheet styrene and cut out a piece about .5" x 7/32". Attach this piece to the bottom of the breech unit, making sure it's placement is in-line with where the breech would sit in the ready-to-fire, and recoil positions. You might need to sand the the sides and the bottom of piece down if it doesn't fit into the recoil housing perfect. Be careful sanding the sides because if you sand them down too much the breech won't sit on the recoil housing, but will be lifted free by the weight of the reattached barrel.
11) Tinker with the breech and recoil unit, making sure it looks like it should and moves like it should.
12) Reassemble the parts you took off.
13) Repaint
Let me know if you have any questions and I can try and help, maybe with more detailed pictures.
-Kevin
