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73 levering problem


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Once or twice every shoot I have a problem with my 45 cal. Uberti 73. When I start to shoot my rifle the lever won't cycle, it feels stuck. I can push my finger through the loading gate and push the rounds in the tube back a little against the spring and the lever will cycle and operate without a problem. I don't know what I am doing when I push the rounds back I just know it works, if anyone knows of a fix for this I would appreciate the help.

Thanks

wiley

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It sounds like the lifter got pushed up a little while being staged. Pushing in on the loading gate restores it to the full down position. If the lifter is up a little, it keeps the bolt from being retracted.

 

To avoid this make sure that the lifter arm spring has enough tension. If you have a short stroke installed, you should have a positive "slam down" on the lifter arm where the lever positively slams the lifter arm and the lifter to the down position.

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I had the same problem with my '73 that I purchased a couple months ago. The problem is being caused by the last round loaded being crooked. This allows the rim of the round to get caught under the lip of the receiver when the carrier tries to lift it. If you straighten the last round with your finger it won't jam, but this isn't a good solution.

 

The common fix is to file a chamfer on the receiver edge where the rim is getting caught. Here is a link explaining this fix: http://www.dorseyfoto.com/73/73fix.htm

 

After doing this, my '73 still had the same problem. It turns out that my loading gate was bent in a little causing the round to be pushed too far back into the receiver. It doesn't occur on subsequent rounds, becuase the round comes back straight and stops on the receiver side wall instead of the loading gate. The loading gate tab should be even with the receiver wall on the other side. After bending the tab so that it just clears the carrier, my '73 will now feed the last round loaded without the need to straighten it.

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Thanks for the replies they made me study the problem a little closer. Here is what I have done this morning, first I broke out my trusty book by David Chicoine ( Antique firearms assembly/disassembly) to make sure I understood some of the responses here. Keeping in mind I have taken this rifle apart for cleaning many times in the five years I have owned it. I took the side plates off and realized that I have never taken the loading gate (ladle) off of the side plate. So, I took the loading gate off of the side plate and immediately saw that there was crud and carbon in the grove where the loading gate assembly fits into the side plate. Everything else looked pretty normal to me. I cleaned this up real good and reassemmbled the rifle. I loaded ten dummy rounds and cycled the rifle several times without a problem. I am wondering if the crud and carbon was keeping the loading gate from seating properly and maybe this is my problem. In any event that is the extent of my gunsmithing abilites anything else will have to be done by a professional.

 

Thanks again

 

wiley

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Thanks for the replies they made me study the problem a little closer. Here is what I have done this morning, first I broke out my trusty book by David Chicoine ( Antique firearms assembly/disassembly) to make sure I understood some of the responses here. Keeping in mind I have taken this rifle apart for cleaning many times in the five years I have owned it. I took the side plates off and realized that I have never taken the loading gate (ladle) off of the side plate. So, I took the loading gate off of the side plate and immediately saw that there was crud and carbon in the grove where the loading gate assembly fits into the side plate. Everything else looked pretty normal to me. I cleaned this up real good and reassemmbled the rifle. I loaded ten dummy rounds and cycled the rifle several times without a problem. I am wondering if the crud and carbon was keeping the loading gate from seating properly and maybe this is my problem. In any event that is the extent of my gunsmithing abilites anything else will have to be done by a professional.

 

Thanks again

 

wiley

 

Probably not. The most common reason is as Buchshot frank mentioned.

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Thanks for the replies they made me study the problem a little closer. Here is what I have done this morning, first I broke out my trusty book by David Chicoine ( Antique firearms assembly/disassembly) to make sure I understood some of the responses here. Keeping in mind I have taken this rifle apart for cleaning many times in the five years I have owned it. I took the side plates off and realized that I have never taken the loading gate (ladle) off of the side plate. So, I took the loading gate off of the side plate and immediately saw that there was crud and carbon in the grove where the loading gate assembly fits into the side plate. Everything else looked pretty normal to me. I cleaned this up real good and reassemmbled the rifle. I loaded ten dummy rounds and cycled the rifle several times without a problem. I am wondering if the crud and carbon was keeping the loading gate from seating properly and maybe this is my problem. In any event that is the extent of my gunsmithing abilites anything else will have to be done by a professional.

 

Thanks again

 

wiley

 

This could possibly have been causing the problem. If the crud was keeping the loading gate from closing all of the way, the tab at the end of the loading gate would be bent in relative to the side plate. This would allow the bullets to protrude too far into the receiver. It would have the same result as if the tab is bent. If the problem occurs again, make sure that the tab is 90 degrees and not bent in.

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Wiley,

I think you fixed it! I had the same problem acouple of years ago and that's what I did.

 

If you haven't already, I highly suggest a stainless steel spring and guide for your magazine. I couldn't believe mine when I dissasembled it to see why it quit working on the last stage of the state match. The original spring had rusted into two pieces.

 

My $.02.

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I had an issue with the first round jamming. It turned out the rounds were a tad too long and the last round you could see was crooked, which made the round longer yet. I shortened them up and have not had a repeat of it.

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I thought I would let y'all know I shot six stages yesterday and had no problems with the 73 it levered just fine everytime. I guess cleaning the groove where the loading gate sets fixed it. That ole Marine Drill Instructor would not have been happy with Pvt. Desperado! YEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

wiley

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