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OK, finally shot my new Winchester 73 in a match; works great. Very happy with it EXCEPT owner's booklet gives no directions on take down for cleaning other than to wipe it down and patch clean the barrel. Winchester says anything more requires return to the factory or a gun smith. I don't believe them. I can find lots of chatter and even videos on taking down and cleaning Uberti repro 73's but nothing about the new Winchester 73. There was a review of the new Winchester in a gun magazine earlier this year in which the author tells what he found when he disassembled it. But no real info on how an owner can do a decent job of cleaning by taking the thing apart. So, tell me, can I just use the Uberti videos and instruction to disassemble my new Wincheater 73? Aren't there some differences between Uberti 73 repro rifles and the new Winchester that would get me in trouble if I pretend my Winchester is Italian rather than Japanese?

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Mag tube cap is not a threaded plug like it is in a Uberti gun. It is an unthreaded plug with a small screw that holds it in place. Unscrew the small lock screw, and the "cap" will come flying off.

 

Believe there is a difference in how the firing pin extension fastens to the bolt. Someone else - details?

 

Most of the standard instructions for working on the Uberti will work with the Winchester. Be very careful not to damage parts, such as screws, or lose anything. Spares are not yet being made available to the market place, and may not be for a year or so, due to weak "new product planning and logistics management" by the manufacturer.

 

Good luck, GJ

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For purposes of general cleaning, the new Winchester is pretty much like the Uberti in the general disassembly of same. As GJ noted, the magazine plug is not a threaded piece, and the firing pin extension is held in by a cross pin like the older Ubertis.

 

Here are some pics that might help:

 

Magazine tube end plug. Winchester chose to use the same design as the original Winchester (3rd model) 1873

 

IMG_0799_zps3b91a4ca.jpg

 

Magazine plug removed. Note lock screw. Also shown is the mag spring and follower.

IMG_0802_zps0a4e920d.jpg

 

Side plates removed. Looks pretty much like any other Winchester 1873 or Uberti. Note some difference in the timing springs. Also note the small pin in the front link. That is the pin that retains your firing pin extension. It is really not necessary to dismantle the bolt/firing pin for general cleaning.

IMG_0703_zps5009a719.jpg

 

In short, you should be able to use the Uberti take down information (LINK) to take your Winchester down for cleaning. I would not do anymore than remove the side plates, timing springs, carrier arm, lever, and carrier block. The rifle is pretty dang sweet just as it comes, so I would not touch anything in terms grinding springs etc.!

 

If you have problems, PM me and I will walk you through it.

 

GA

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Thanks for the feed back and the link. I did get it apart to clean it. It's only had 80,rounds through it but I can't sleep if I don't clean a gun I've used. So, now that it's cleaned up I find I can't get it back together. Can't get the carrier arm back fully into the receiver so that the screw holes for it and the lever line up. I will check out the link Grizzly Adams kindly gave above. If that doesn't get me through I will PM Grizzly so he can tell me privately what a dope I am for not figuring it out. And if I ever get it back together I hope I've not messed up the timing by not adjusting the screw on the bottom of the receiver the right amount. Also, I observe that the links inside the new Winchester 73 don't look like the Uberti links shown in all those take down videos and materials on line. The new Winchester links look a lot like the short stroke kit links made for the Uberti by Pioneer Gun Works.

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Don't forget, the carrier lift arm and lever springs need to be at least loosened in order for lift lever, finger lever, and screw to be installed with ease due to spring tension. Also, when I install the carrier lift arm, finger lever, and screw, I push the carrier up a bit and the bolt to the rear

 

My assembly sequence following installation of carrier lift lever and finger lever is as follows (Action springs not installed):

 

1. Close the action to lower the carrier (to remove some spring tension for ease of installation) and install the RH action or carrier lift arm spring.

2. Raise the carrier/open action (to remove some spring tension for ease of installation) and install the LH action or finger lever spring.

3. Close action and install RH links, lever link pin & RH side plate and hold them in place with LH side of rifle facing up.

4. Install LH links, LH side plate, and screw.

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