1876 Chaparral Trigger Safety

[quigleysharps4570]

How does one do away with these horrible things?

[Delmonico]

If you are talking about the one that most winchesters had after the redesign of the 1873, don't it is to keep the gun from firing out of battery.  You might not get hurt with a Henry or 66 that fires out of battery, if yer lucky, but that 76 might just throw the bolt back into yer teeth or eye.

[Hell-Er High Water]

Delmonico is correct.  Don't remove it.

My Chaparral M'76's trigger block spring is very heavy also and holds the lever away from the frame so the trigger block will not disengage unless the lever is squeezed hard against the frame.

What I plan on doing as soon as I get a chance is what I have done to M'73's in the past and that is to lighten the spring so it doesn't take so much force to completly get the lever closed.

The safety is still functional but has a much more managable spring pressure on it.

HHW

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Remember, Winchester put them in the originals. They did it for a reason and in those days it wasn't just lawyer appeasement. They obviously learned something on the Henrys and 66's.

Lightening a spring but leaving the safety fully functional is good. Taking one out is asking for trouble. I just acquired a '73 that had it removed. I put it back in. At the speeds I shoot, popping one off out of battery is a very real possibility without a lever savety in place. I don't even shoot Henrys or 66's because they don't have them. Not good when it happens.

[Delmonico]

BTW, the same reason is why Marlin puts in a 2 piece firing pin.

[quigleysharps4570]

Thanks for the info guys.
How would you lighten that spring?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

You can simply take some off the side of it. Take a little off and see how it is. Don't get it so light it won't work properly. Do it in stages until it's acceptable. As with all springs, be careful not to heat it so it looses the temper. Finish by polishing the side lengthwise so it won't crack and break.

[quigleysharps4570]

Thank you. 

[Bangor Dan]

Just did a search regarding lever safety's, and found this message thread.
I recently bought a used (very nice shape) Cimarron '73 saddle ring carbine at Scheel's, and found that the lever safety had been removed by the previous owner. This didn't concern me until I read somewhere that without the safety an out of battery detonation could occur. I tested this (empty chamber) and found that I could indeed make the hammer fall before the lever was fully closed. So.......I'm pretty certain that I will buy and reinstall the missing parts. Not being a master gunsmith is this going to be a relatively straight forward job?
Thanks,

Bangor Dan

[Montana Slim]

While I don't consider not having the blocking device to be asking for trouble, there is certainly no need to remove it. Lightening the spring a bit is sure the way to go.

Also, note the repro 73 and 66 have a two peice firing pin as well and the breech bolts cannot exit the frame on any of these models. I assume the Italian 76 is constructed similarly.

I've seen the result of an out of battery firing in repro 1866. The shooter just noticed the rifle jammed during the stage. Some component in the mechanism was bent a bit and prevented the action from closing. I had previously noticed this shooter to be using the CAS speed technique of keeping the finger in side the trigger guard (pushed forward during cycling).
He later agreed that he must have pulled the trigger before it was closed. No injuries other than his dignity, even though we did our best to cheer him up.

I imagine the "top shooters" use/promote this techique in their videos...but, that's a guess since I don't watch that stuff  .

My advice is to pull the trigger finger out after each shot, before cycling the action, then return to fire after it's closed 

To Bangor Dan: Slide the buttstock off to see what your up against. Shouldn't be too tough of a job. For parts and schematics, check with VTI and/or Brownells.


Slim

PS: Another case where Haste makes waste

[Whiskey Hayes]

There are two manufactureers of '76's,  Chapparel and Uberti.  I'm not familiear with either one but Chapparel followed the original design of the '73's closer than Uberti did.  Be sure you have a good break down drawing of your gun before you start.  I'm pretty sure you will have to pull the butt stock and trigger assembly out of either brand to work on this spring  You will also need to remove the mainspring to access the screw holding the safety spring and sear return spring.  You will need a good set of gunsmithing screwdrivers to prevent screw head damage, a small file and scotchbrite cloth.  The screwdrivers you need to order, the file you can get at Lowes and scotchbrite at Kroger's.

The need for this safety pretty much depends on the power of the cartridge your shooting. I think all the '76's are powerfull enugh to require this safey.  Also remember that there are documented cases of out of battery discharges in '73's with this safety installed.  A good rule to go by is "If your '73 jams chambering a round don't force it".

The need for it in the '73 is debatable but there again it depends on how you load.  I have one '73 that a renownded gunsmith weakened the spring, it broke slid under the safety bar rendering it inoperable.  I have another '73 I removed the spring but left the safety bar installed operating by garvity, this safety has never failed after thousands of rounds(4 years of use), even though you will have your inexperienced experts tell you that gravity will fail.  My latest '73 I've been using for 15 months, I completely removed the spring and safety bar.  I know I have had 2 OBD's occur during the opening of the bolt.  I could feel them in the lever.  The reason they happen on opening the bolt is I was late with the trigger plus the extractor is holding the cartridge firmly during bolt opening cycle.  I have had some failure to fire when I was early with the trigger.  This is because the cartridge is not held in place during bolt closing cycle, the extractor holds the cartridge away from the bolt face until it is chambered, unless it jambs and you force the issue.  I load an anemic .45 round, I could feel the OBD's in my hand but didn't come close to jerking the lever out of my hand.  The best set up '73 I've had is the spring removed but bar left in.  i just haven't gotten around to replacing it in my newest '73.

I do believe the '76's rounds have enough power where this safety is beneficial.  This is a link to a gunsmith that makes a good replacement spring for the '73.  I don't know if it will fit the '76 but I bet he will know.  http://www.thesmithshop.com/ldmainsp.html

Whiskey Hayes

[Coffinmaker]

While I haven't been inside either a Chaparral '76 or Uberti '76, I do know the design of the trigger block safety is the same.
The lower tang should be removed before you attempt to service the safety.  It will require a complete tear-down of the rifle.  Reducing the factory spring is one option, replacing it with a wire spring is the other option.
There is a very good possibility the parts to the safety are the same for the '76 as the '73.  You may be able to use Cowboys and Indian Store parts (spring) to make the safety more user friendly.  Stock, it is entirely too heavy.  I do not recommend removal of the safety and I do not remove it when I build a competition '73

Coffinmaker

[Fox Creek Kid]

Actually, the bolt on a Henry, '66 & '73 as made by Uberti CAN have the bolt exit the rear and into your little pointed head. It has happened. One fella out West lost an eye. It happens when the roll pin in the bolt breaks. That little roll pin is all that's between your head and the pressure. As for the '76 repros I do not know but there is info here on CAS City in the '76 Forum.

FWIW, the ORIGINAL '73 Win. had an entirely different internal safety that operated on the right toggle link preventing the gun from firing until the links were fully extended, e.g., when the lever is all the way up. Too bad Uberti did not copy the original design.

[Montana Slim]

FCK, I only intended to infer that the bolt cannot exit the frame...well, it probably could if the cartridge was loaded with C4 (I've suspect this in one case of a blown M16), If the pin holding the repro assembly gives out, then the FP extension is free to fly.

I agree, an original 73 is built a bit more rugged in many regards (I have one for reference  ) .

Slim

[Hell-Er High Water]

As an update, I just installed one of the replacement lever safety bar springs from The Smith Shop in my Chaparral M'76.  These springs are made for the Uberti M'73 but it was a "drop-in" on this rifle also.

This solves the heavy lever closing force needed with the original leaf spring and maintains the complete integrity of the trigger lock safety.

Complete instruction and a good set of photographs are on The Smith Shop web site, www.thesmithshop.com,  and the price is reasonable @ $4.00 + shipping.

This is a good and easy solution to this common problem.  Give it a try.

HHW