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August 11, 2015
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Hi all,
am new to the site as well as to collecting. just started building my collection and acquiring varying Winchester models. got a 1873 SRC with a serial no. 20XXX, so I believe it to be a 1st model. has a broken main spring and am wondering what to do with it. I took off the stock and found the culprit but am wondering if it makes sense to replace and do I replace with a new component or is there a place you can find vintage parts.
also have an 1866 SRC serial no. 100XXX. took off the stock because I felt comfortable after doing it with the above gun. no problems with the gun as far as the action goes, but shined a light into the receiver housing and saw tons of black gook built up along sides of receiver. should I venture in there and clean it out or is that part of the value of the gun?
thanks for any responses and help to a newcomer.
regards,
Just watch Ebay for a original 73 main spring, they will go for $15-$40. As long as you don’t have a set trigger any main spring will work.
I would not clean a 66 for two reasons. One it would require opening the side plates which can be easily scratched in the process and the value of a 66 goes down if someone polishes or cleans it removing the patina of the brass. The more original it looks the better. And second the grime inside and in the corners of the outside are like a seal of originality telling a collector this guns hasn’t been disassembled and messed with.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
August 11, 2015
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Bob,
Thanks for the info. I will leave the ’66 alone for now. Any tricks of the trade regarding replacing the main spring?
Regards,
There is a strain screw just ahead of the main spring screw, make sure its backed off. It adds tension to the spring if its a little weak. Another thing to try is to remove the hammer screw from the left side. On some guns you can lift the hammer out the top of the receiver but at least it will gain you some room. If you try to install it by hooking it on the hammer stirup and try to get the mainspring screw started with the hammer fully installed, the screw is going to be trying to cross thread at first.
I see from your handle you are from Wisconsin.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
August 11, 2015
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Bob,
Thanks for the advice. I am going crosseyed trying to figure out how to keep some tension on the stirrup without letting while compressing spring to avoid stripping threads on screw. Am tired tonite so will try loosening the hammer a bit.
you are correct in assuming I am from Wisconsin, but only many many years ago. Got into the oil field after university and can only call Texas home after several different countries, several different companies and many different jobs! Have been going back to hunt deer in Buffalo County the last several years, but that is about it.
Am really trying to learn as much about the Winchesters as possible by jumping in with both feet. Been able to buy a few over the last several months and am slowly getting up the courage to tackle some of the problems I am now beginning to understand. Joined the organization recently to gain access to this kind of knowledge and then hopefully impart some of my own in return.
Thanks again.
Hi PackerBacker,
I will add my welcome to the WACA forum as well. I can’t help you with your 1873 spring replacement as I have never done one myself either but these guys here have a lot of knowledge to share and we look forward to having you as part of the WACA family.
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
August 11, 2015
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JWA,
Thanks for the welcome. I see you are a pre-64 guy. I picked up a pre 64 model 70 featherweight in a .243 the other day. everything looks very good but the safety is a little persnickety. it wants to move into the fire position all the time. pulled the bolt out to clean it after I got it into middle position, safe on but okay to remove bolt, and just as I put the bolt down the safety snapped back into the fire position. glad I had an three hands available to get it back into the safe position. so I took the bolt apart a bit and tried to give it a good cleaning and helped a bit; is now easier to move the safety it is not a crisp transfer nor does it want to stay in the middle position. any ideas on what I might do next?
thanks,
It is always hard to diagnose a problem without the rifle in hand or at least a few pictures but I will give it a shot as this is not an unheard of problem in pre-64 Model 70’s and is usually due to wear. I know some guys clean up the contact points on the stiker with a swipe or 2 from a file but it all depends upon the amount of wear whether that will work or not.
When you had the bolt apart did you remove/clean the safety plunger and spring? If so, how did the plunger tip look and how did the corresponding striker recess/notch look?
The safety plunger tip should be somewhat cone-shaped and postively engage the striker. If the plunger tip is worn or the striker ridge/edge is worn it might cause the issue you describe.
GunpartsCorp and other places sell the safety plunger and spring. For a few $$ that would be an easy place to start.
I am sure there are others here more familiar with the Model 70 than I and can chime in if the problem continues.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
August 11, 2015
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1873 Man,
Just wanted to update you on my trials and tribulations with the main spring. Got it put in the other day and seems to work fine. Hope I don’t have to do that a whole lot more times!
Had to remove the hammer and then compress the the hammer back against the main spring while my wife hung around waiting for me to get all the holes lined up. Managed to get it done once I relieved the tension quite a bit.
Thanks for the advice. Also wanted to see if I could get some education on the 1873. I noticed on the lower tang a number stamp; 1654. I also found the same number stamped on the stock and the butt plate. Had read a couple of posts where people were talking about these as production run numbers or parts lots numbers. Anyhow, wanted to see if you could give me any insight as to the meaning of the numbers and whether or not they are important to the value of the gun. Also wanted to see if you could recommend a book I might get that explains some of these issues. It seems like each gun has some sort of personality to it and though I know it might be bad form to take the old ones apart, I find myself wanting to do more research and looking each time I open them up.
Thanks for any assistance and insight you may be able to offer.
Regards and Go Pack!
PackerBacker,
Those are assemble numbers which match up those parts together after the gun has been finished. Not all guns have assemble numbers . Some special order guns might have numbers in more places like the side of the lever, on the brass elevator and inside the side plates.
The book I would recommend would be “The Winchester Book” by Madis. It covers a lot of models and its fairly cheap. The other ones for the 73’s would be the Winchester’s New Model of 1873 – A Tribute by James D Gordon. Its a 2 volume set with lots of good information and pictures. He printed as a coffee table book so it has large pages. Its one of the more expensive books which sold for $400 originally and only 1000 copies printed. There is a copy on Ebay right now for $595. The other book which has very good information about the parts inside the 73 is “The Winchester 1873 Book” by George Stone. It has been reprinted and shows up from time to time for $100
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
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