Action work on the Uberti '76 in 45-60 caliber

[Thomas (Tom) Horn aka James Hicks]

I like to tinker... When the rifle arrived last Thursday... I brought her home and could not wait to hold her and work the action...laughing, sounds like a love story!  Anyway, other than being VERY HEAVY (I am a little guy) and the old gals leg is 28" she felt like a monster compared to my Uberti '73 short rifle.  I worked the action a few times and for me... it is TOO STIFF as she comes out of the box.  Maybe I am too use to my '73 and '92 which I did action jobs on. Sooooo here goes. I am sure someone will say... Why do you want the '76 "Slick" you are not going to be shooting her like you do her baby sister and the '92, under the clock. well for me... I do not like for my lever guns to be stiff or sound like an army tank when I lever them. But that is me.  After some doing I got the screws loose and started complete disassembly. Uberti needs to FIRE THE GORILLA that puts the screws in... there is no reason on earth for these screws to be put in as tight as they are.  After disassembly I went to work on the Lever Spring and the Elevator Spring I started removing metal. I did not hour glass just made the springs a little thinner. I then started with 100 grit sandpaper and worked up to 600 grit. The springs now look like shiny mirrors and there are no deep scratches or machine ribs on them. I then removed the Main Spring (or Hammer Spring) I did not hour glass it... just made it thinner. Same with the sand paper as the Springs 100 grit and work up to 600 grit. Took my diamond file and slightly rounded the top of the hammer where the firing pin extension makes contact. Took out the trigger spring and weaken it ... but not much, trigger pull now is right 2 to 2 and one half pounds. I MIRRORED the sides of the hammer and made sure there was no burrs on the hammer. I checked everywhere inside the frame and made sure there were no burrs anywhere where metal makes metal to contact.  Reassembled and now the rifle operates like a lever action is suppose to. Very easy to lever and extremley smooth.  But I am sure others have done the same so, I doubt that I have done anything new here. Just thought I would share it. I installed a Marbles Improved Tang Sight on the tang, the rifle came pre-drilled and tapped for a Tang sight. Just to match my '73 and '92 I made leather butt covers for the cresent butt plate and covered the lever with leather and foam padding.

[Long Knife Rich]

 Sounds like you did a nice job. I like the tang sight, and leather butt cover. I've been meaning to add them to my rifle too.

[Thomas (Tom) Horn aka James Hicks]

Thank you Otsego Jack, the old girl is slick now...LOL.  The action was really STIFF.... ROB.  Hmmmmm wonder IF they make a SHORT STROKE KIT for the '76.... Laughing. I thank you for the comments and the looksy.

[Grizzly Adams]

Howdy Tom,

I like my rifles on the smooth side myself.  Sounds like you did a good job of smoothing her up!  You may find this thread of interest.
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,17987.0.html

[OKDEE]

Pretty Kool.  Sounds like ya did it your way!   
She is truly yours now!

OKD

[Cal Fornia]

On my way home from court on Tuesday, I stopped by my fave gunshop, and fondled a number of nice guns... including an original 1876 just like yours (28 incher).  Except for it being well used, of course!  It was in 45-60.  Shop only wanted $2000 for it.   

[Thomas (Tom) Horn aka James Hicks]

UPDATE:  Here is something else that I did to the 45-60. 
Like MOST Uberti made Lever Action Rifles, as they come ROB the Lever Safety Spring is Strong like all the other Springs. I removed the factory Lever Safety Spring and replaced it with a Lever Safety Spring for the Uberti '73 that I bought from Joe Alves of Pioneer Gun Works, Inc. By doing this one does not have to squeeze the lever to make sure the rifle will fire. The Pioneer Safety Spring is a much lighter spring and even though the spring was made for the '73 it works well in the Uberti '76. I have also done more work on the TWO springs that control the Lever and the Elevator (Removed more metal on these springs). Now the levering is much smoother than previously stated above.  I got even braver by removing more metal on the Main Spring. The 45-60 now levers the rounds smoother with no grinding ... Action is EXTREMELY SMOOTH. I cannot tell you how much metal to remove... it is strickly a "Remove a little and reassemble and lever" to get the rifle where you want it. Be very careful when you work on the MAIN SPRING... what you REMOVE CANNOT BE PUT BACK ON. I used a Dremal and a grinding stone and then mirrored polished the springs with 80 grit working up to 600 grit sandpaper. The rifle NOW WORKS LIKE A LEVER ACTION IS SUPPOSE TO.

[Grizzly Adams]

UPDATE:  Here is something else that I did to the 45-60. 
Like MOST Uberti made Lever Action Rifles, as they come ROB the Lever Safety Spring is Strong like all the other Springs. I removed the factory Lever Safety Spring and replaced it with a Lever Safety Spring for the Uberti '73 that I bought from Joe Alves of Pioneer Gun Works, Inc. By doing this one does not have to squeeze the lever to make sure the rifle will fire. The Pioneer Safety Spring is a much lighter spring and even though the spring was made for the '73 it works well in the Uberti '76. I have also done more work on the TWO springs that control the Lever and the Elevator (Removed more metal on these springs). Now the levering is much smoother than previously stated above.  I got even braver by removing more metal on the Main Spring. The 45-60 now levers the rounds smoother with no grinding ... Action is EXTREMELY SMOOTH. I cannot tell you how much metal to remove... it is strickly a "Remove a little and reassemble and lever" to get the rifle where you want it. Be very careful when you work on the MAIN SPRING... what you REMOVE CANNOT BE PUT BACK ON. I used a Dremal and a grinding stone and then mirrored polished the springs with 80 grit working up to 600 grit sandpaper. The rifle NOW WORKS LIKE A LEVER ACTION IS SUPPOSE TO.

+1  Yep, remove too much material from the main spring, and you will get light primer hits and no bang!  Don't ask me how I know......