Winchester 73 feeding jam

Cemetery · May 23, 2012, 12:25:57 PM

I have an original 73 in 44.40 that can get fickle at times. I used to only get fickle when the buzzer went off, so getting it to fickle at other times wasn't possible.

But last night while cycling dummy rounds, it gave it up.

The fickleness in question is this, while cycling rounds into the chamber, sometimes the cartridge gets jammed on the bolt. The lip of the cartridge gets stuck inside the extractor while the opposite side of the lip gets stuck on the little lip on the bottom of the bolt face, which cants the cartridge up just enough to get the bullet caught on the upper area of the chamber mouth.

When the rifle is unloaded, and the throw the lever forward, the bolt is retracted into the receiver in such a way that only the extractor sticks out. That bottom lip on the bolt that I mentioned before is pulled in all the way in the receiver so that the cartridge doesn't get stuck on it. Unless the buzzer goes off.

Thoughts on how to correct this?

Coffinmaker · May 23, 2012, 01:25:55 PM

Hey Cemetery,

Well, here we have to be a wee mite careful because your talking about an "original." Not a lot of replacement parts available. So, before we start on the "fix," you may want to contact "Buckingham's Antique Winchesters" at 731-559-4169. See if he has an extractor and retaining cross pin. The extractor will run about 45 bucks, I don't know about the pin. The Breach Block will run somewhere between $175 and $200.

The problem is the size of the case rim. First thing to do is measure the diameter of the case rim on a case the tips up. It is obviously too large. Then sort thru your pile of cases and find a brand of case that are smaller. Small enough they don't tip up. Time consuming, but cheap. You could also chuck up a batch of cases in a drill chuck and file down the rim on a couple of hundred cases. Also time consuming but cheap.

The next solution is to take a small, very narrow file and cut the slot in the extractor just a mite deeper. If you get it too deep and the extractor breaks, expensive. If Albert even has extractors.

You can also cut down the cartridge guide lug at the bottom of the Breach Block (bolt). If you get that wrong, and it breaks, Very Expensive.

You can also do a combination of the extractor and the guide lug. We are only talking a few thousands. It is NOT a LOT of metal. If you choose to cut the slot in the extractor, Clamp the breach block in a vise so the vice is holding the extractor tightly to the breach block and YOU can't bend it or break it with the file.

Good Luck

Coffinmaker

Cemetery · May 23, 2012, 02:14:53 PM

Coffinmaker:

I was hoping to find you this weekend at the PA State Shoot to bounce this off you're head.....I've had quite a few people stumped about it......

Anyway, 99.9% of the brass I use is Starline, other brass is just what got mixed in at the unloading tables by the brass pickers, and when I asked other people about Starline brass, they said they've never had this problem.

You think a fitting a new extractor would be the solution? I have two new ones I got last year, just to have on hand 'in case'.....

Coffinmaker · May 23, 2012, 06:38:51 PM

Hey, I'll be at PA State and if you have the rifle with you, I can take a peek at it. Need a round or two of the ammo that tilts upward to look at too.

Just off the top, I don't actually think fitting a new extractor is the answer (yet). I think (so far) some adjustment of the one that's in the gun may be the right direction.

Is this something new or has the problem been there for "awhile."

Coffinmaker

Cemetery · May 23, 2012, 09:54:12 PM

Quote from: Coffinmaker on May 23, 2012, 06:38:51 PM
Hey, I'll be at PA State and if you have the rifle with you, I can take a peek at it. Need a round or two of the ammo that tilts upward to look at too.

Just off the top, I don't actually think fitting a new extractor is the answer (yet). I think (so far) some adjustment of the one that's in the gun may be the right direction.

Is this something new or has the problem been there for "awhile."

Coffinmaker

It's been happening during the past year, only when the buzzer goes off. Seems like it was dumb luck to happen off the clock.

I'll bring it along. I won't be at the shoot till Saturday, I'll be wearing a top hat.

Coffinmaker · May 23, 2012, 11:22:39 PM

OK!!! Look for ya Saturday.

Coffinmaker