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1873 cleaning


charlie two feathers

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Congratulations on owning the best rifle in CAS! I own two of them in case you couldn't tell. It would probably be a good idea to strip it down quite aways for your first cleaning. The bore naturally,make sure you can take the magazine plug out. It might not need cleaning now but at least once a year you need to check it out, they have a tendency to attract moisture and rust. Take the side plates off and the links, check for burrs and filings.

If you don't already have David Chicoines book on Gunsmithing Guns of the Old West , I highly recommend it, it's good for just about all cowboy guns.

Enjoy that rifle.

 

LF

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If you are shooting smokeless, clean the bore like you would any other rifle that you shoot lead bullts out of. There will be very little need to open the rifle and clean inside. Maybe pull one side plate off and drop a little oil on the bearing surfaces.

 

If you shoot black powder a little more takedown and cleaning may be needed, depending upon how dirty it gets inside.

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as far as the bore, just use a cleaning brush with some hopes dry it good and coat it with a thin layer of clp, as far as the action you can take the side plate off but don't take both sides off until you a familiar with how it goes back together spray it with a good gun cleaner let it dry then oil it with clp or balistols. us this web site for take down instructions http://marauder.homestead.com/files/Winchester_73.html

 

Rafe :FlagAm:

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I run a bore snake through the barrel from the chamber to the front of the barrel with the rifle turned upside down.This keeps any crud that may be knocked loose from getting in between the frame and lift block.Then run a Jag with hoppe's on a patch through it,followed by a fresh hoppes patch and finally a dry patch followed with one with oil.Keep the rifle upside down while doing all these steps.If you want to,pull a side plate or both if you want,and check for crud and filings(haven't found any filings in mine so far).I use a Q tip with hoppes on it or I spray it with Brakleen ( leaves NO residue) and let it dry and lightly oil.

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Get a good set of gunsmith (hollow ground) screwdrivers so you don't bugger up the soft Italian screws.

 

The toggle links are pretty simple, but you may find they fall out of the action if you don't position the gun correctly during reassembly. Do your disassembly someplace where you can find the parts that fall out easily. Don't ask me how I know...

 

Sometimes the sideplate tolerances can be pretty tight. Take your time and don't force anything.

 

I have not found it necessary to remove and disassemble the bolt. Even shooting blackpowder loads, I only remove the side plates about once a year. Or before a major match if I have been shooting a lot. Blowback is mostly on the carrier; not much gets back to the links.

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Do whatever is necessary to keep the lifter block free and well lubricated.

 

Keep the bore clean, obviously.

 

But most of all, make sure you can pull the plug from the magazine tube and clean/lubricate

it and the follwer/ magazine spring regularly.

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Another vote for cleaning it upside down.

Seems odd at first, but when you do it, you will see that you will keep to a minimum the amount of debris from the barrel and chamber that falls into the action. :FlagAm:

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I swab the bore with Hoppes 9. then I open action and spray Breakfree into it til it runs clear. (I shoot Unique so it leaves a bit of dirt). Then I wipe it with a raq.

Once a year or so open er up and clean action if needed.

 

mine runs smooth as glass from just that care.

 

curley

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Howdy

 

Marauder has very good take down instructions for the '73 on his website.

 

Old Irons

 

And yes, do yourself a favor and invest in some decent gunsmith type screwdrivers before you start. Uberti overtorques their screws at the factory and they can be difficult to remove the first time without damaging them. Particularly with cheap hardware store screwdrivers.

 

I recommend Brownels Magna-Tip screwdrivers.

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Ditto what Driftwood says with two addtions. #1 Get one of Barley Pop Bill's socket screwdriver bits for the magazine tube plug. #2 leave a piece of brass in the chamber if all you plan to do is clean the bore

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Cleaning frequency does relate to caliber. 38 clean bore regularly and inside a couple times a year. 45. clean every week. So much blowby into the action due to 45 not sealing well.

 

Just the view from my rocking horse

 

McKenzie-watch this one go- River Drifter

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Cleaning inside the side plates is very caliber specific. I hear the bottleneck cartridges stay very clean inside. I have a .357 that stays pretty clean, but the .45 I have gathers an amazing amount of goo in a short period of time. I generally get the bore wet with patches and solvent and let it set awhile, then use a jag.

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Thanks for all the good advice. I bought dvd from Cowboy and Indians,got it yesterday and its great. thanks Doc Flimshaw for the info. whish they made same type of dvd for vaquero hammer swap
Charlie They do,sort of http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=UfOXBa8K8Ow Disassemble. http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=3zEKDqwkgEs Reassembly. Not quite as good of filming as C&I video but better than nothing. Adios Sgt. Jake
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