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'66 vs. '73?


Lead Friend, SASS #53635

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Is there any practical, functional or tactical difference between these rifles or does it mostly come down to personal preference? I am considering investing in a race ready rifle. Thank you in advance for your observations.

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A '73 is a little easier to take apart (side plates) for maintenance or cleaning. Early '66 models lacked a lever safety.

 

JK

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Both can be short stroked and action work done.Both can be really fast in the hand of a really fast shooter.If both have the same barrel on them the 66 it heavier.

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Functionally, the '66 lacks the trigger block safety present in the '73. It helps keep one from having an out-of-battery discharge. As stated above, the '73 is easier to tear down for a complete cleaning.

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Handle both rifles in different configurations and purchase the one that feels the best. I have a couple 73's, wife shoots a 66 that she likes. 73 is probably better if frequent cleaning is necessary due to BP fouling. As for speed, I don't think one is faster than the other. Cobra Cat is pretty fast with his 66 and others are fast with 73's.

You're welcome to try mine out if you want.

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I love the Brass. Have a 66 shortrifle, and a carbine. A tiny bit more time to take off the side plates for cleaning. Try them both and see what feel right.

 

S. Floyd

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Why would a '73 be faster, considering the internals are all the same, and what extra parts does a 73 have besides the safety and the top cover? Seems like a bit of personal preference going here and no real pertinent facts. That won't help the OP.

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Why would a '73 be faster, considering the internals are all the same, and what extra parts does a 73 have besides the safety and the top cover? Seems like a bit of personal preference going here and no real pertinent facts. That won't help the OP.

+1

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Why would a '73 be faster, considering the internals are all the same, and what extra parts does a 73 have besides the safety and the top cover? Seems like a bit of personal preference going here and no real pertinent facts. That won't help the OP.

The lever safety will let you run the '73 faster than you can run a '66.

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I have a 73 and a 66 with 24 inch barrels in 45 LC. which I use for wild Bunch.

 

I also have a 73 and a 66 with 20 inch barrels in 357/38 spl. I like the 66 for Wild Bunch just to be different and the 73 20 inch for CAS.

 

One day I will shoot one and another day another one. I know the 66s are heavier, but once I start shooting I don't really notice the difference. Try them out I buy whatever you like.

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Handle both rifles in different configurations and purchase the one that feels the best. I have a couple 73's, wife shoots a 66 that she likes. 73 is probably better if frequent cleaning is necessary due to BP fouling. As for speed, I don't think one is faster than the other. Cobra Cat is pretty fast with his 66 and others are fast with 73's.

You're welcome to try mine out if you want.

 

I will take you up on that.

 

Thank you.

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I will take you up on that.

 

Thank you.

If it is speed you are looking for you can try my Spencer rifle in 44/40 anytime. It is good to know you are shooting still. See ya on the trail.
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Lead Friend,

 

 

There are probably more after-market parts for the '73, as far as speed and dependability goes.

 

And, as said, much easier to take care of.

 

Ol' #4

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The lever safety will let you run the '73 faster than you can run a '66.

Except if you're TBone Dooley ! :D :D

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The safety doesn't add anything as far as speed. That's like saying seat belts will make your car faster because you won't get as hurt in an accident.

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Functionally, the '66 lacks the trigger block safety present in the '73. It helps keep one from having an out-of-battery discharge. As stated above, the '73 is easier to tear down for a complete cleaning.

I can't agree with the easier to tear down and clean part. For minor cleaning with smokeless powder sure, but there's essentially no difference for a full breakdown. And the access is larger for the 66, which makes it easier to clean and I feel the 66 is easier to put back together.

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One thing to consider if you shoot .357/38 special is that I believe at least with the Uberti reproductions, the 73 comes chambered in .357 whereas the 66 is chambered only in .38 special. So if you actually shoot .357s that is something to think about.

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You have three toggle link actions that we use the 1860, 1866 and 1873

. The 1860 Henry rifle is easily recognizable by not having a wooden fore end because the Mag tube has a tab that follows the last round down the tube. To improve the Google link action they made some modifications to the 1860 Henry in 1866 the new improved Henry rifle was released. It added a wooden fore end but the ammo was loaded from the end of the Mag tube much like many 22 rifles. You no longer had the tab that followed the last round. But it was not quite what's John browning was wanting thus he came up with the 1873 Winchester the rifle that won the west. Like its predecessor s it had a tube feed magazine but instead of having to reach out to the buisness end job put a loading gate on th e left hand side side plate.and added a dust cover over the action, this was started prior to the 73 release iirc but the 73 model was the only model that every firearm received it and the lever safety and lock.

 

I recommend the you start with a 73 learn it the. If you have interest in the 66 then become proficient with it try the 1860 last.

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I shot a '66 for years.. Still have it.. :)

I couldn't plant my cheek down on the stock the way I was use to sighting in all my other long guns.. :(

Had to learn to plant my chin against the stock for sighting..

 

I did have a couple of out of battery discharges with it as I got faster...

 

A friend had a pistol grip '73..

I tried it..

Came up to my cheek nicely..

 

I switched to a '73 deluxe.. :)

I haven't had any out of battery discharges with it..

But I've slowed down quite a bit..

 

Rance. ;)

Thinkin handle both before ya buy.. :)

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But it was not quite what's John browning was wanting thus he came up with the 1873 Winchester the rifle that won the west.

Oh my goodness.

 

John Browning did not design the Winchester Model 1873. The first rifle design Winchester purchased from John Browning was the single shot Model 1885. John Browning designed the Winchester Model 1892, which Winchester was eager to accept as a replacement for the Model 1873.

 

When Browning sold his patent for the 1885 single shot to Winchester he hinted that he was working on a design to replace the big, heavy Model 1876 Winchester, that fired larger more powerful rounds than the Model 1873. Winchester was eager for this design as their Model 1876 could not chamber the 45-70 round because the round was so long. So Browning designed what became the Winchester Model 1886 for large powerful rounds like the 45-70. This was the first lever action rifle Winchester produced from a Browning design. Later Browning scaled down the Model 1886 for cartridges such as the 44-40 and 38-40, with his design for the Model 1892.

 

John Browning was only 18 years old and still working in his father's gun shop in 1873. He patented his first design at the age of 23 in 1878, the gun that eventually became the Winchester Model 1885. He set up a small factory with his brothers around 1880 and they produced about 600 rifles until 1883 when Winchester vice president and general manager T. G. Bennett heard about the rifle and journeyed to Ogden Utah to purchase Browning's patent.

 

 

*******************

 

Personally I believe the 1873 is a better rifle than the 1866 for CAS because of the trigger block. This is not some modern lawyer driven safety device, it was incorporated in the originals almost from the inception of the design. The designers at Winchester felt it would be a good idea seeing as the 44-40 cartridge was more powerful than the older 44 Henry Rimfire cartridge the '66 and Henry fired.

 

Here is a photo of the trigger block on an Uberti replica of the 1873. The rear arrow points to the portion of the trigger block that gets depressed when the lever is closed. The front arrow points to the portion of the trigger block that actually blocks the trigger. When the lever is closed, the trigger block pivots out of the way, allowing the trigger to be pulled back. It is a very reliable system, and has been for over 100 years. The only drawback is the trigger block spring is very stiff, and some shooters used to remove the trigger block, feeling it slowed them down. This is a bad idea because accidentally brushing the trigger with a finger while closing the lever can cause an out of battery discharge and bad things can happen. Today there are replacement springs available for the trigger block spring, or you can just grind it down so it is not so stiff.

 

uberti%201873%20lever%20open%20with%20ar

 

 

I will respectfully disagree with Redwood Kid about the ease of taking down the two rifles. There is only one screw to remove to remove the side plates of the '73, you can see it in my photo. To take the side plates off a '66 you have to also remove the lever screw. You don't have to mess with the lever of a '73 to remove the side plates for cleaning.

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Yes, DJ, you are right, but for a complete breakdown of the 73, you remove the lever as well don't you? That lever screw is the second screw on the 66. So yes it is easier to clean the 73 for normal cleaning, but if you break the thing down fully, like some of us BP shooters tend to do, then there's no difference. Either way, I feel like the whole notion of the 73 being way easier to take apart and clean a bit of a stretch and not enough of a deterrent to not buy a 66 if that's what you really want. And the fact that the brass looks really cool new, and even cooler once the black powder tarnishes it. Have I mentioned I really want a new Winchester 1866 when they come out at an affordable price?

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Redwood Kid:

 

I can't remember the last time I have taken my '73 completely apart. Yes I only shoot it with Black Powder, but the 44-40 case expands so well to fill the chamber that hardly any fouling gets into the mechanism. In fact, I seldom even take the side plates off, so little soot gets into the mechanism. I will admit, when I decided to start shooting Black Powder, the ease of disassembly, along with the trigger block, was the reason I decided to go with the '73. But after shooting Black Powder 44-40s for a number of years I realized it really did not matter, because the guts stayed so clean.

 

These days I mostly shoot a Henry, which is more of a pain to take apart than either the '73 or the '66, but because the action stays so clean with Black Powder 44-40 rounds I seldom take it apart either.

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Many fewer sliced fingers on a 73 tear down than on a 66. Ouch.

 

I like the trigger safety helping prevent OOBs. So, I shoot 73s.

 

Good luck, GJ

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The safety is a good idea, once lightened. I and my wife have shot '66's for the last 15 years with no problems, but when it came time to buy rifles for the kids, I went with '73's just because of the safety. Personally, I think the '66's feel better. Don't know why, just a personal thing. Also, from what I have read here, it seems more Out of battery occurrences happen from people forcing the lever, not hitting the trigger too soon. Never seen one myself. As for slicing fingers, the first time you take apart your '66 hit the edges with a file, problem solved. As for cleaning, I agree with the Redwood Kid. I have never taken apart any of my '66's or '73's for cleaning without taking off both sideplates and the lever.

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