[.a.t.]

Getting the 50mm lens off my new to me Argus C3 is proving difficult. The official steps sound simple enough:

1) set the rangefinder to minimum focus distance
2) unscrew idler gear cap
3) lift out idler gear
4) unscrew lens

https://www.arguscg.org/manuals/c3/lenschange/removing50mm.shtml
https://www.cameramanuals.org/argus/argus_c-3.pdf

However, on my camera the idler gear cap can't fully unscrew because it bumps into the lens barrel.
Can anyone here help?

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[boriscleto]

If it is focused to 3 feet there should be enough room to unscrew the cap. Perhaps the lens was mounted incorrectly?

[TwoUptons]

I think my most common problem has been an idler gear screw that didn't want to come off...

Is the C3 the one with a rangefinder that will clunk back almost into place if the lens is mounted wrong?

Once you get it off, you can make sure it goes back on right, though... and then check it with some scotch tape on the film plane and the door off...

-Eric

[.a.t.]

If it is focused to 3 feet there should be enough room to unscrew the cap. Perhaps the lens was mounted incorrectly?

Maybe so? I don't know enough to say.
If it helps, the serial # is 470138. And here's another view:

I think my most common problem has been an idler gear screw that didn't want to come off...

Is the C3 the one with a rangefinder that will clunk back almost into place if the lens is mounted wrong?

Once you get it off, you can make sure it goes back on right, though... and then check it with some scotch tape on the film plane and the door off...

-Eric

Thanks for the tip, Eric. This is not only my first C3, it's also my first rangefinder. So this is all new to me.
I'm not certain what I should be seeing through the viewfinder, but there's a split image which can be aligned when I turn the rangefinder dial or the lens focus ring.

To be honest, I'd rather use the lens on a digital camera than shoot film with it. But I won't risk damaging the Argus just to try to get the lens off. I'd rather give it back to Goodwill whence it came.