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How far do you strip down a Winchester '73 for cleaning?


Sixgun Symphony #62632

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I usually take of the side plates and clean inside, there are two "arms" and a pin that like to fall out. How far do you strip down your 1873 Winchester rifle for cleaning.

 

BTW, I am shooting .44 WCF with cast bullets over a compressed load of FFFG American Pioneer Powder.

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I shoot Goex in mine and really clean it maybe twice a year, But, in the wet weather we have I treat the mag tube regularly.

 

Ol' #4

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You don't need to do much to a 44-40.

Very little fouling gets into the receiver.

I do like to pull the magazine plug & clean the magazine every now & then

Maybe once a year, pull off a plate & wipe out the receiver & oil the links.

Really, that's about it.

--Dawg

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I don't strip mine down but twice a year, not needed shooting real BP, especially the 44/40. I spray, patch and wipe with Murphy's mix, then spray, patch and wipe with Ballistol. I use the Otis Breech to Muzzle system so I'm never pushing anything back into the action. You can do the same thing with a bore snake. DJ can explain how to do it with a fired case and cleaning rod. Good Luck :)

http://www.otisgun.com/

 

 

Jefro :ph34r: Relax-Enjoy

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I guess I am picky. I take it down enough to get the carrier out. I shoot one in .45 and one in .38. They are straight wall cases so they get some blow by. I just like them really clean.

 

I shoot them with BP and smokeless, treat them the same after either.

 

Wasatch

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Howdy

 

I shoot 44-40 loaded with Black Powder in my '73 and Henry. I don't take a toggle link rifle apart more than once a year to clean it out completely. Normally I just swab out the bore and wipe off the bolt a little bit after a match. I take them completely apart at the end of the season for a thorough cleaning.

 

Since you are shooting 44-40, you should be able to do the same thing.

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I also shoot a 44WCF with a compressed load of FFg Schuetzen. I take the side plates off 1 or 2 times a year. After shooting, I just spray the barrel with Murphy Mix and clean from the breach with the Otis kit. Wipe off the bolt face & carrier with a damp patch & dry patch. EEZOX for lube & rust protection.

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As has been stated, shooting a necked down case like 44-40 or 32-20 keeps the blow back down to a minimum, and a much cleaner action. I shoot 38/357 and 45 Colt. Both of these straight walled cases allow a lot of blowback... especially the 45 Colt. I take mine completly apart on a regular basis... Pulling the bolt and cleaning under the extractor is important to me. I've seen some problems come from fowling build up under the extractor, leading to a failure to pull the spent case out. I'm sure that most folks don't think that it is necessary to go that far, but I sure like to eliminate as many potential problems as I can.. especially before a big match. I have enough problems trying to keep up with the competition without adding guns problems to the mix! :mellow:

 

Snakebite

 

O-Yeah.... After cleaning, I use oil in my BP guns. I'm well aware of the sentiment of some BP shooters that petroleum products should not be used with BP... I happen to disagree.

 

Snakebite

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I shoot a '73 rifle in 38 W.C.F. I've been shooting real BP in it ever since I bought it about 4 years ago. I took the side plates off once to see if it needed cleaning inside (which it didn't). After I shoot, I use Driftwood's cleaning formula (1/3 each of alcohol, H2O2 and Murphy Oil Soap) for the bore and squirt some down in the action work. I clean the bolt face and under the extractor, oil the bore with Ballistol and put a little on the walls of the receiver where the lifter block rides up and down. Then I wipe down the exterior with a silicon cloth or a Rem Oil wipe and put it away for the next shoot. No rust no crud.

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I strip mine down completely after every shoot. I shoot 44spcl and the inner working of the rifle do get a little dirty. I also check every part to make sure they are ok. mag tube gets cleaned 4-5 times a year, mostly after a shoot in real windy/dusty conditions.

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I shoot BP in 45 cal, and I need to get the lifter out every time I clean the gun after every match. It gets kind of grimy and tends to want to stick some if I don't. I use a toothbrush on the bolt while still in the gun, then blow all the stuff out with brake cleaner, reoil everything, reassemble, wipe down the gun and done. About ten minutes with no distractions, maybe less.

On a note related to Snakebite's post, I used to use a different SxS shotgun and only Ballistol oil, even with storing the guns away. After shooting the new shotgun for awhile I pulled the old one out to run a patch through the barrels and had some, not a lot, but some rust. I then cleaned the gun and used some Rem oil, and every time I have checked it since had no rust. Checked all my non CAS guns too. So now I use petrolium based oil after cleaning, but I use Ballistol as needed during a match.

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We shoot 45 Colt. Clean after every match. Side plates off; Magazine screw off. Spray with break parts cleaner. Rem oil spray down, Bore snake. Done

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