Can you slick up the action yourself on a '73?

[stuck_in_73]

I was just watching some CAS on YouTube and, man, do they have the buttery smooth clickity click actions. Lol. Does this take major work with a gunsmith? And if so how expensive? Or Can it be done yourself by taking the receiver apart and polishing (the receiver, toggle links, hammer, ect)? Or does the '73 come with a buttery smooth action anyways? I'm not necessarily talking about shortening the throw, just about the smoothness of the action. Just curious? I'm asking about Ubert's FYI.

[Forty Rod]

f I cab anyone can...and I did.

[stuck_in_73]

But how do you do it though. Polish?

[Forty Rod]

I squirted the action full of old fashioned toothpaste, the kind with diatomaceous earth as a base, and Hoppe's, and worked it for about a week.  Clean all the toothpaste out... get it all out and oil everything..., and try it, then do it again and again until it's a smooth as you want it.

Took about three tubes of toothpaste as I recall and a small bottle of #9, but it's beautiful and has never failed me.

If I were to do it over I'd finish it off with a set of really good after market springs.

[Major 2]

I squirted the action full of old fashioned toothpaste, the kind with diatomaceous earth as a base, and Hoppe's, and worked it for about a week.  Clean all the toothpaste out... get it all out and oil everything..., and try it, then do it again and again until it's a smooth as you want it.

Took about three tubes of toothpaste as I recall and a small bottle of #9, but it's beautiful and has never failed me.

If I were to do it over I'd finish it off with a set of really good after market springs.

And the best part, it will nary have a cavity or halitosis 

[stuck_in_73]

Where can you get old fashioned tooth paste?

[Abilene]

The major part of an action job comes from lightening the springs.  This applies to most of the types of firearms we use for CAS.  They are generally "over-sprung" because the originals were as well for the most part.  This is to ensure reliability under adverse environment, such as dirt, mud, etc.  We tend to not encounter these adverse environments these days.  Also, guns back in the day did not need to be fired as fast as we like to use them.

On a '73, the primary springs to be lightened include the main (hammer) spring, the lever and carrier springs, and the trigger safety spring.  You have several choices for lightening springs.  The are: (1) Adjust spring tensions by turning their mounting screws.  (2) grinding or filing the springs to reduce thickness or width.  And (3) replacing with aftermarket lighter springs.

By far the simplest and least expensive (as in $0) method is (1).  This addresses 3 of the springs, but not the lever safety spring which needs to be modified or replaced.  Here is a description: http://www.davidscottharper.com/shoot/PoorMan.htm  Adjusting the springs this way will make a dramatic difference in how much effort is required to lever the rifles.  It may be all you need to do.

After lightening springs, the next step will be to smoothing/polishing at friction points.  And then there are numerous aftermarket parts for those who want the whole enchilada.  These include lightened carriers, firing pin extensions, firing pins, and more.  And of course there are the short-stroke link kits.  Any rifle with a short stroke modification will need an action job to take advantage of the shorter stroke.

This is just a general overview.  If you lighten springs, you need to make sure the gun still functions properly and pops primers.  The more you reduce friction in the firing pin / firing pin extension / bolt, the lighter you can make the springs and still be reliable.

[HolliferADollar]

I bought a box-stock 73 last fall.  First thing I did was buy whisper springs, lever safety spring & mainspring from The Smith Shop.  Otherwise all I did was polish the sides of the carrier & put a light chamfer on the corners.  It is smooth as silk now.

Holler

[stuck_in_73]

Please tell me this isn't how the action is out of the box? :/

[Pettifogger]

Please tell me this isn't how the action is out of the box? :/

The link you posted is for some kind of goof balls on a 5K run.

As for the original question, "Can you slick up the action yourself on a '73?"  It all depends on who "yourself" is.  Remember what Dirty Harry said, "a man's got to know his limitations."  Some people can't operate a screwdriver and have no concept of how their guns work.  Others have a lot of mechanical ability and common sense.  For the former, you can't do it yourself.  For the latter, you can.  As pointed out above you can achieve a lot with new springs and some very basic tuning.

[stuck_in_73]

Sorry. Lol. This is it.

[Abilene]

That video is of a Chaparral, not a Uberti.

[Pettifogger]

Yep, Chaparral.  Not in the same league as a Uberti.  The way the gun was shooting in the video is one of the reasons they don't make them anymore.

[Forty Rod]

One note... and it applies to any rifle that loads through a side gate... carefully debur and smooth the edges of that loading port.

I learned that early with a used '94 Winchester, and have saved  myself a bunch of sliced thumbs over the years.

[stuck_in_73]

Anyone interested in buying a guitar amp, 12 string acoustic/electric guitar, and a few video games? Lol. I'm trying to sell some things to buy this sexy rifle! I 'can' go out and buy it as I have the money. It's just id 'feel guilty' just running out and getting it without selling stuff.