Safe or unsafe.. and remedy

[Cannonman1]

Just noticed that my 3rd model 73, when closed (in battery) has a slight bit of bolt movement forward, when i push on the firing pin. Amount of movement is slight.. probably around 1/16 inch.. but is this an unsafe situation? If so, what is the remedy? What is allowing this movement to occur?
Note..I am replacing the firing pin as the tip is broken and I have never fired this. Also, I am currently unable to chamber a casing due to a broken case in the chamber from long ago so the head of the bolt is not resting on a case.. just in case that makes a difference.

Looking forward to the feedback

PS.. I have since compared this to a crisp original 3rd Model and noted that the head of the bolt is much closer to the chamber than my 3rd Model and it is totally solid and does not move.  Maybe the correction needed is to change out the links??

[Trailrider]

The best thing to do would be to remove the broken case from the chamber. You might try driving a soft lead slug down the barrel to see if that will dislodge it. Otherwise a trip to a gunsmith would be in order.  You might want to invest in a set of headspace gages, including a FIELD gage. If the action closes on the FIELD gage it would probably be best not to shoot it. If this is a .44-40 or .38-40 you could lightly lubricate the cartridge cases, and use a light powder charge. This would allow the case to slip backward in the chamber. The bottlenecked cases would then fill out forward. The sizing die would then be backed off until the fired case would fill with just a little "feel" rather than full-length resizing.  Just some thoughts...

[Professor Marvel]

The best thing to do would be to remove the broken case from the chamber. You might try driving a soft lead slug down the barrel to see if that will dislodge it. Otherwise a trip to a gunsmith would be in order.  ...

Another idea is to invest in some carrasafe - very low melt alloy, various types melt between abot 150 deg F and 200 deg F.

Oil up the bore & everything, block the chamber & Bore with a bit of crap paper towel, pour "a bit" of the cerrasafe down the bore
From the Chamber side!
and let it solidify,
then drive the whole mess out.
from the Bore !

Legal Caveats:
YMMV,
I'm not forcing you to do it,
I said it's "an idea",
not my fault  if you screw it up
I really don't care what you do with your stuff anyway....

good luck
( it's all a joke , son, a joke - Foghorn Leghorn ca 1963 )
prf mvl

reason for edit -
I've gone stoopid today.
check with someone else before following my directions
don't kill yourself or ruin your toys on my advice...

[greyhawk]

Another idea is to invest in some carrasafe - very low melt alloy, various types melt between abot 150 deg F and 200 deg F.

Oil up the bore & everything, block the chamber & Bore with a bit of crap paper towel, pour "a bit" of the cerrasafe down the bore
From the Chamber side!
and let it solidify,
then drive the whole mess out.
from the Bore !

Legal Caveats:
YMMV,



Take a piece of BRASS rod (brazing rod) 1/8th inch diameter x four inches long - hammer one end flat, then cut it so you have a narrow chisel point at the end - put a bend in the body of it and drive the sharpened end between the busted case and the chamber wall - the end needs to be fine and sharp - soon as it enters between case and chamber keep tapping it in and the case will crinkle and fall out ......this idea has one major fault ---it is just too dang simple and easy for most edicated fellers to comprehend (luckily I am unedicated so it worked for me every time I did it)

caveat - if you do this with anything steel you will ruin the chamber forever - some blokes recommend a steel tap or an easyout - I shudder at the thought -------the little BRASS chisel will work and is harmless because it is softer metal than the gun

[greyhawk]

Just noticed that my 3rd model 73, when closed (in battery) has a slight bit of bolt movement forward, when i push on the firing pin. Amount of movement is slight.. probably around 1/16 inch.. but is this an unsafe situation? If so, what is the remedy? What is allowing this movement to occur?
Note..I am replacing the firing pin as the tip is broken and I have never fired this. Also, I am currently unable to chamber a casing due to a broken case in the chamber from long ago so the head of the bolt is not resting on a case.. just in case that makes a difference.

Looking forward to the feedback

PS.. I have since compared this to a crisp original 3rd Model and noted that the head of the bolt is much closer to the chamber than my 3rd Model and it is totally solid and does not move.  Maybe the correction needed is to change out the links??

Another alternative might be pull the barrel and set it back one turn - would mean clean up the chamber at the same time
(I have a mate that has the reamers and been there done it - he would do this free while I supervised/we told lies about stuff we done in the good ole days)

[greyhawk]

Another idea is to invest in some carrasafe - very low melt alloy, various types melt between abot 150 deg F and 200 deg F.

Oil up the bore & everything, block the chamber & Bore with a bit of crap paper towel, pour "a bit" of the cerrasafe down the bore
From the Chamber side!
and let it solidify,
then drive the whole mess out.
from the Bore !

Legal Caveats:
YMMV,



Take a piece of BRASS rod (brazing rod) 1/8th inch diameter x four inches long - hammer one end flat, then cut it so you have a narrow chisel point at the end - put a bend in the body of it and drive the sharpened end between the busted case and the chamber wall - the end needs to be fine and sharp - soon as it enters between case and chamber keep tapping it in and the case will crinkle and fall out ......this idea has one major fault ---it is just too dang simple and easy for most edicated fellers to comprehend (luckily I am unedicated so it worked for me every time I did it)

caveat - if you do this with anything steel you will ruin the chamber forever - some blokes recommend a steel tap or an easyout - I shudder at the thought -------the little BRASS chisel will work and is harmless because it is softer metal than the gun

[Professor Marvel]

Hey Greyhawk - I like your method better than mine!

prf mvl

[Coffinmaker]

  Cannonman   

First thing Firstest.  Firstest, get that remnant of separated case out of the chamber.  Then, DON'T DO anything else until you check the headspace between the bolt face and a chambered DUMMY cartridge.

PLUS ONE too Prof Marvel's legal CAVEAT's

Hide and Watch

[Cannonman1]

All great ideas and suggestions.. I did see a video about using an epoxy stick  .. placing an ear plug into the case to block the end and then insert epoxy into the body of the case from the breech.. let it set up and driver her out..
I like that approach and the brazing rod will be my followup technique. You guys are a bucket full of great ideas.
I will be pulling the links. My observation is that the bolt comes up short of good headspace (eyeballing it) and the play indicates damage or wear to the toggle links or possibly pin??  I will replace what is needed and see if I can get that headspace to tighten. Will check it on a dummy cartridge for sure.
I use Trail Boss powder in my 44/40 Henry and would use it in the 38/40 .. a strict 6 grain load with a bullet from an original flat nosed Winchester mold for 38/40  Would use black powder also..

After action report... Method using JB Weld "steel stick" worked like a charm.. I decided to use an aluminum foil plug and after about an hour of curing, I drove it out with very little effort. .. Nice thing about having an old case in there is that the chamber is in really great condition. I chambered an empty case and the bolt comes really close to good headspace but I am still going to try a new set of toggle links and see if I can improve on that .  Getting close to putting her into action I think.

After action report 2... Installed the toggle links (Lee Shaver) and they solidified the bolt.. Its solid as a rock, great headspace and action is smooth. I now have done all I set out to do.. Missing Front sight blade replaced by an old Barber dime, ground to spec.. Perfect thickness as is. Old case removed and I think she is ready to load up and shoot. . Fun bringing her back.