Uberti 1873 rifle mechanic question

[Ramblin Gambler]

There are 2 screws under the lever. If I can figure out how I will attach a picture. The bigger one seems to be to attach the hammer spring to the frame. The second one looks sort of like a tensioner for the spring. Both screws were loose on my rifle before I started messing with it. I was taking the butt off to send it in for laser engraving. So I started removing all the screws including these 2. The big one took about one full turn before it felt like the spring came loose. The smaller one was barely finger tight. I figured out how to get the hammer spring reattached but now I'm wondering how tight these screws are supposed to be.

 

 

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Usually I tighten the large screw firmly (with the tension screw backed off not touching the spring).   It holds the spring, but does not put much tension on it.  Backing the large screw off 1/2 turn will make it easy to apply tension next.   If you do back off that half turn, after setting tension slightly lighter than you want, then you snug that large spring anchor screw down.

 

Next I tighten the smaller tension screw until I get enough force applied to the hammer to get back to the hammer fall I want.   Don't FORCE that smaller one, though.   And don't try to tighten the tension screw with the hammer cocked.  It's quite easy to strip the screw. 

 

If I need a stronger hammer strike (and somewhat harder trigger pull), I get a new main spring.   If lighter strike is desired, you can put a washer between tang surface and the mainspring. 

 

Leaving the main spring anchor screw loose leads to a variable hammer fall and trigger pull.   Or a lost screw.  Don't do that as a way to lighten the hammer strike.

 

Good luck, GJ

 

 

 

[Marauder SASS #13056]

Joe covered it very well, as usual!

 

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

4 hours ago, Ramblin Gambler said:

There are 2 screws under the lever. If I can figure out how I will attach a picture. The bigger one seems to be to attach the hammer spring to the frame. The second one looks sort of like a tensioner for the spring. Both screws were loose on my rifle before I started messing with it. I was taking the butt off to send it in for laser engraving. So I started removing all the screws including these 2. The big one took about one full turn before it felt like the spring came loose. The smaller one was barely finger tight. I figured out how to get the hammer spring reattached but now I'm wondering how tight these screws are supposed to be.

 

 

Marauders Old Irons Page has been a big help to me.

 

https://marauder.homestead.com/irons.html

 

Randy

[Dusty Devil Dale]

I guess you know by now that you didn't need to loosen those two mainspring screws just to remove the buttstock.

 

Keep in mind that the mainspring drives the hammer fall and affects trigger pull, as mentioned by others, but adding spring tension on the hammer  also adds resistence and reduces speed when levering.  With over tension, you will usually feel a noticeable increase in levering effort, when the firing pin extension slides back and begins  to cock the hammer.  You are looking for the sweet spot   -- enough tension to dependably actuate the firing pin through the mass of the firing pin extension, as needed to pop primers, v. having acceptably low levering force.   Be sure to test fire and fine tune  the spring tension before using it in a match to be sure it reliably detonates the primers you are using.  

[Ramblin Gambler]

On 5/24/2020 at 8:23 PM, Dusty Devil Dale said:

I guess you know by now that you didn't need to loosen those two mainspring screws just to remove the buttstock.

 

 

 

In my defense, i had no idea what I was doing but figured it couldn't be THAT hard.  After I removed the butt plate  to make sure it didn't have a screw down in the stock (like most shotguns seem to have), and removed the 2 screws that actually held it in, it still wouldn't budge.  So instead of trying to force it I kept removing screws.  As soon as the mainspring screw fell free and I found it on the ground, I saw that it was a machine screw so I knew it couldn't have been holding the stock on. 

 

Anyway, thanks for the answers.  I guess if I get the screws wrong it'll be pretty easy to fix now that I know what they do.  My wife asked me if I was going to google how to put it all back together.  I said "Why would I use google and have to wade through BS when I have access to the worlds greatest repository of knowledge on guns like this?"  You guys never disappoint. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dusty Devil Dale]

9 hours ago, Ramblin Gambler said:

 

In my defense, i had no idea what I was doing but figured it couldn't be THAT hard.  After I removed the butt plate  to make sure it didn't have a screw down in the stock (like most shotguns seem to have), and removed the 2 screws that actually held it in, it still wouldn't budge.  So instead of trying to force it I kept removing screws.  As soon as the mainspring screw fell free and I found it on the ground, I saw that it was a machine screw so I knew it couldn't have been holding the stock on. 

 

Anyway, thanks for the answers.  I guess if I get the screws wrong it'll be pretty easy to fix now that I know what they do.  My wife asked me if I was going to google how to put it all back together.  I said "Why would I use google and have to wade through BS when I have access to the worlds greatest repository of knowledge on guns like this?"  You guys never disappoint. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'73 buttstocks can be pretty hard to detach sometimes.  They tend to stick pretty hard, especially if humidity is very high.   Usually, if you put the barrel or receiver in a padded vise, and give the stock a hard yank, it will free up.  Trying to wiggle it free usually doesn't work very well.  

[Marauder SASS #13056]

Look at this photo:

 

See the screw blow the hammer?  There is one on each side of the gun.  These hold the tang (the long part the trigger goes through.)

 

When taking off the butt stock, I find it helps to loosen those to help reduce the tension on the wood.

[Dusty Devil Dale]

10 hours ago, Marauder SASS #13056 said:

Look at this photo:

 

See the screw blow the hammer?  There is one on each side of the gun.  These hold the tang (the long part the trigger goes through.)

 

When taking off the butt stock, I find it helps to loosen those to help reduce the tension on the wood.

I never would have though of that.  I just tried it - works great.  Thanks for the tip.