'73 Winchester problem-need help

[Chas B. Wolfson, SASS #11104]

 Annie was shooting her '73 when it jammed up mid battery.  Upon disassembly, the bolt extension retaining pin had broken and the firing pin was bent.  I replaced the firing pin and the bolt extension retaining pin using a #54 drill bit.  That all went well.  However, after re-assembly of the carbine, I found the trigger to have very little spring tension.

It flops back and forth with it actually moving so far back out of the trigger guard opening that it can ride on the top of the upper lever frame.  I replace the trigger spring with no positive improvement. 

Any thoughts or ideas on how to correct would be sincerely appreciated.

Regards,

Chas B

[Leroy Luck]

I had one that the trigger contacted the lever. According to the smith that I sent it to the lever was bent. The smith mentioned he has rarely seen one bent towards the rifle (closing). Usually sees them bent on opening. 
 

Not sure if that’s what going on here or not. 

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Lever is coming right back against the lower tang, so it does not appear to have been bent (open) due to an Out of Battery discharge.  

 

I'd look carefully at how your trigger and sear are installed.  You definitely have no trigger spring (VTI part # 19) tension right now, so either the spring is badly bent, broken or the trigger/sear/hammer parts are not installed correctly with the tip of the trigger leaf spring pulling down on the back of the sear/trigger.  

 

I also see no trigger safety bar sticking out of the lower tang!  Have you removed that part?  Or, if it is still installed, is it jammed so the safety bar cannot get into "locked" position?

 

A photo taken looking down on the trigger, sear, safety bar would be useful - but you have to pull the buttstock, mainspring and the lower tang off to see in that area clearly.

 

good luck, GJ

[Chas B. Wolfson, SASS #11104]

Next two pics are of one of mine, same vintage.

Next three are of the rifle in question.

Next are two videos of the play in the trigger.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

I have several thoughts.

 

That rifle has fired "Out of Battery"

 

The OOB discharge sheared the retaining pin to the firing Pin Extension Rod 

 

The incorrect movement of parts Bent the actual Firing Pin.

 

The Lever appears to also be bent and should be matched against a known OEM (new) part.

 

The Trigger Block Safety is missing from both rifles.  The inclusion of the trigger Block Safety can help prevent OOB discharge.  Not a guarantee, but it CAN help.

 

The Breach Block (bolt) and Firing Pin Extension Rod can be replaced by a "Kit" that eliminates the Extension exiting the Bolt.  The kit includes a new Firing Pin as well.  Replacing the Trigger Block Safety and sourcing a reduced spring will be separate parts.  With the Safety bar smoothed up and the after-market spring installed, it will function correctly and you won't know it's there (unless it's really needed).

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

I'd agree there was probably either a high-pressure event or an OOB that sheared the firing pin extension cross pin.  Something should have been noticeable as that occurred.  Any damaged brass or sharp recoil or loud report?

 

So, 2 videos of a very floppy trigger, and still you don't have any spring tension against the sear/trigger.  Find that cause.  Does that spring have normal force downward on the shelf of the sear?

 

Sometimes it is helpful to assemble the three parts (trigger, sear, hammer) on the top surface of the frame laid on the workbench, and push the trigger and hammer pins (or some even longer drill-rod of the same diameter) through the parts so you can examine their fit and function is correct.  Does the trigger nest properly with the sear, and does the sear "tip" fit properly against the hammer?  If the sear tip has been broken off so it does not catch on the hammer's full cock notch, that would be cause of a trigger won't set and hammer will fall when cocked situation.

 

good luck, GJ