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Uberti 1873 lever ?


Clemsum

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I recently bought a new Uberti 1873 Carbine in 44-40 and there is 1/4" to 3/8" left to right play in the finger lever at the lever retainer. Is this excessive for this rifle and will it cause any internal wear problems?

 

My Rossi 1892 does not have this much play so I noticed it on the 1873 immediately.

 

By the way, the Uberti Screw Gorilla is alive and on the job. I had to take the rifle to my local gunsmith to get the screws broken free so I could clean the "inerds". I twisted 2 screwdriver bits before I gave up trying.

 

Thanks

Clemsum

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My '73 lever also has quite a bit of lateral movement, so it is probably normal.

 

The screws are a pain to break free the first time. You really need a small impact driver and properly fitting hollow ground screwdriver tips.

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Howdy

 

Completely normal. All the Uberti toggle link rifles, 1860 Henry, 1866, and 1873, have a lot of side to side slop in the lever.

 

P.S. You don't absolutely have to use an impact driver to loosen Uberti screws the first time. I don't own one. You do need a proper set of gunsmithing hollow ground screwdrivers, Brownells Magna-Tips are the best. They are guaranteed. If you bend or break one, Brownells will replace it. The bit should fit the slot as closely as possible. Exerting steadily increasing torque, while bearing down real hard on the screwdriver will usually loosen most of the screws that Bongo installed.

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Your lever play is a bit excessive and can be remedied by installing a shim washer at the pivot point.

 

For the record, I've worked on 100+ nib rifle for Cimarron and have yet to damage any screw other than an occasional problem with the dust plate cover. You need to know what you're doing. New screws with fine thread pitch placed under spring tension will seize.

 

There is a trick to loosening them. I am done repeating it for the SASS Wire.

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If you start running the gun fast, you might occasionally feel the lever try to bind during cycling if it has a lot of slop. The side slop on Uberti levers is not going to cause major functional problems, but if it disturbs you, you can take almost all of it out by cutting shims from steel shim stock (local machinist supply and some auto parts stores), Cut them to fit the within the outside diameter of the circular bosses on the lever. A shim on each side of the lever will make sure the lever stays centered, although that is not all that critical. You won't need a very thick shim - maybe 0.010 or so on each side. You can figure out how much with a feeler gauge leaf stuck on one side; halve that number if you want shims on both sides. Drill a hole for the lever screw to pass through the shims, and you can either epoxy them in place, or just apply some white grease to act as stick-um as you put the lever back in the frame.

 

I've done this very repair on a couple of my 73s.

 

Good luck, GJ

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If you start running the gun fast, you might occasionally feel the lever try to bind during cycling if it has a lot of slop. The side slop on Uberti levers is not going to cause major functional problems, but if it disturbs you, you can take almost all of it out by cutting shims from steel shim stock (local machinist supply and some auto parts stores), Cut them to fit the within the outside diameter of the circular bosses on the lever. A shim on each side of the lever will make sure the lever stays centered, although that is not all that critical. You won't need a very thick shim - maybe 0.010 or so on each side. You can figure out how much with a feeler gauge leaf stuck on one side; halve that number if you want shims on both sides. Drill a hole for the lever screw to pass through the shims, and you can either epoxy them in place, or just apply some white grease to act as stick-um as you put the lever back in the frame.

 

I've done this very repair on a couple of my 73s.

 

Good luck, GJ

 

 

GJ,

What causes the binding that you might feel?

 

KK

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Your lever play is a bit excessive and can be remedied by installing a shim washer at the pivot point.

 

For the record, I've worked on 100+ nib rifle for Cimarron and have yet to damage any screw other than an occasional problem with the dust plate cover. You need to know what you're doing. New screws with fine thread pitch placed under spring tension will seize.

 

There is a trick to loosening them. I am done repeating it for the SASS Wire.

 

 

Haven't had you coffe yet? I know you want to tell us you little secret on how to loosen the screws?

 

KK

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What causes the binding that you might feel?

KK

Tip of lever pushes a toggle link over against the side place. Drags some. If the end of lever loop is able to move 3/8 of inch, the tip of lever up in the action is moving at least half that far.

Good luck, GJ

 

As the OP noted, the sloppy lever makes the gun "feel worn out". The gun is too nice to have it feel that way, just because Uberti decided to mill the frame where it supports the lever a little too wide on most of the production. Lever could also start missing the lever safety release tab in really bad cases, and then you would not be able to pull the trigger.

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Tip of lever pushes a toggle link over against the side place. Drags some. If the end of lever loop is able to move 3/8 of inch, the tip of lever up in the action is moving at least half that far.

Good luck, GJ

 

 

Thanks

KK

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OK. I'll put in some of it. However, much of it comes from experience and you develop a feel for the guns.

 

As stated, you need a proper set of hollow ground screwdriver bits that fit the screw slot width and are almost as wide as the screw diameter. I've always used Magna-tip bits, generally of the "x-130" size.

 

For tight sideplate and lower tang screws, place the rifle on its side on a padded rigid surface (I usually use an old towel). Lean over the screwdriver with your weight and torque the screwdriver. If the screw does not snap loose, torque in short, quick pulses. If this doesn't work, use a penetrating oil on the screw, let it rest, then repeat. For the side plate screw, a micro torch can bye used on the thread end of the sideplate screw, then tap the thread end with a 1/8" brass rod a few times and repeat torque sequence.

 

There are further methods, and these vary. Assuming you don't have an impact driver, you can use a ratchet wrench to exert more torque energy. You must be careful of course, to maintain control over the wrench while torqueing and puttin weight over the screw centerline.

 

After you remove the side plates, tap the lever springs off their cam surfaces and the pivot screw will come loose fairly easily. Remove the levers and tap the springs back to the center hole now left by the levers and they should unscrew easily. The carrier lever screw might loosen easier if tapped to the outside of the frame, but care must be taken not to damage the exterior finish.

 

To remove the mainspring retention screw, after the lower tang has been removed, move the hammer forward as far as possible and press down on the mainspring hooks to release them from the stirrup. The screw should come out easily. If not, turn the mainspring counter clockwise by 45 degrees or so.

 

The trigger retention spring screw can be a bitch. Use a bit that is 125% of the length of the screw slot and use the torquing processes noted above.

 

The dustplate screw is small and has a thin head. Just be careful. If you need to get heat on the screw, use a soldering iron not a torch. A flame will likely ruin the bluing of the dust cover.

 

The mag tube plug really requires a bit given to me by Barley Pop Bill. I've never boogered a mag plug screw slot with this bit, no matter how rusted it may be. I don't know if he still sells them. I don't loan mine out....probably the best bit in my toolbox.

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I cut shims from brass sheet for the 66s and from aluminum cans for the 73. If you really feel wealthy, you can purchase a punch that will cut the shims by wacking it with a hammer. I got mine from tool shop, though Tandys and I think Harbor Frieght have some that will work. Center punch the shims and drill BEFORE you punch the hsim out of the sheet. Holding that little shim with your fingers while drilling is a mite lit holding a razor while shinning it in your finger.

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To get most of the side play out of the finger lever I have been using the SliX-Prings and trimming them per instructions to keep pressure on the sides of the finger lever.

90% of the time it eliminates about 95% of the slop.

 

Ol' #4

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Thanks for the replies, I am not as concerned about damaging the rifle as I was but I am going to try some of the suggestions for getting some of the slop out of the lever.

Clemsum

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