Question for those that shoot a Miroku Winchester 73

[Sgt. Hochbauer, SASS #64409]

I normally shoot a 66...no lever safety thing on that never had issues with an AD. The question is this....To those that shoot these did you leave it as is or lighten the tension if so how. Or can that just be removed?

 

Hochbauer

[Springfield Slim SASS #24733]

I shoot all '66's and haven't had a problem with it yet. But on my son and daughter's '73's I replaced the spring with a lighter one, helped quite a bit.

[Joke 'um]

I have and use 2 Winchester/Miroku 73's.  Never had the slightest problem with the lever safety spring. 

Just to see what all the fuss was about, I bought and installed a light spring on my 45 Colt rifle.  It makes the lever closing a lot easier when handling for cleaning or just fondling. 

In a match, I can't tell the difference.  Must be that all my experience with the stock/heavy spring has just built up the related muscles to superhuman strength.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

My Winchester/Miroku is stock.  I can feel the resistance on the lever spring, but it's not that stiff.  Slix Springs sells a lighter spring, if you need it. 

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

I removed mine

[Cypress Sam, SASS #10915]

The gun will work like a 66 with the lever safety removed.  A lighter spring will make for more positive hammer fall.  By that I mean that a less firm grip holding the lever closed is needed to disengage the lever safety.

 

I find that when trying to shoot fast, the lever safety prevents early trigger pulls.  An early trigger pull usually won’t result in an out of battery discharge because the cartridge and primer are not yet in contact with the bolt face and the firing pin won’t reach the primer.  The hammer will follow the bolt forward though and NOT ignite the primer, causing even very experienced shooters to jack the lever again and eject a live round.

 

Therefore in my opinion, the lever safety with a lightened, but functional, spring is a very desirable feature.  I consider it a “go-fast” add-on that Winchester made in 1873 without even seeking SASS approval!

[Dantankerous]

I left mine factory stock. It's not as fast as my Codymatics but it's my black powder go to gun being that it is 44-40. And a great rifle this Miroku has been! I see no need to fiddle with it.

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

On my oldest Uberti '73, the lever safety spring broke long ago, which I noticed when a piece fell out while cleaning.  The safety plunger now works by gravity on that one.  Can't get much lighter than that!  I check it every so often to see if it is still moving freely and it always is.   I don't know if a Miroku would do the same.

[MBFields]

3 hours ago, Cypress Sam, SASS #10915 said:

The gun will work like a 66 with the lever safety removed.  A lighter spring will make for more positive hammer fall.  By that I mean that a less firm grip holding the lever closed is needed to disengage the lever safety.

 

I find that when trying to shoot fast, the lever safety prevents early trigger pulls.  An early trigger pull usually won’t result in an out of battery discharge because the cartridge and primer are not yet in contact with the bolt face and the firing pin won’t reach the primer.  The hammer will follow the bolt forward though and NOT ignite the primer, causing even very experienced shooters to jack the lever again and eject a live round.

 

Therefore in my opinion, the lever safety with a lightened, but functional, spring is a very desirable feature.  I consider it a “go-fast” add-on that Winchester made in 1873 without even seeking SASS approval!

This

[Abe E.S. Corpus SASS #87667]

The Miroku lever safety spring serves double duty as the trigger return spring.  The Uberti uses two different springs.  I don’t know if the rifle would function if you removed the spring.

 

I installed the aftermarket Slixprings part.  

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

You can leave the spring in place; while removing the actual physical lever safety piece.  

This is what I did on my Miroku.

Along with judicious lightening on the lifter and lever springs.

[Dirty Dog Doug]

I have 2 Miroku's  one 20 " barrel and one with 24" barrel

 the 20" one has safety removed  ..ok I broke it while lighting the spring

no problems soo far 

but my main gun is Uberti 73 comp it was nice right out of the box