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73 winchester

dsmc1
I have an opportunity to buy a 73 Winchester in .32-20. It's not a primo specimen but it's not junk either, I'd say 15-20% range based on pics. However I have some concerns that I was hoping someone here could help with.

It's a 3rd Model Carbine. 20" Oct bbl, with a short mag tube (extends just a little beyond the forestock). I've not personally seen any carbines with that short tube, but it's possible it was an option.

The buttplate appears to be correct for the Carbine model, however the forestock hardware looks to me like that of of the Rifle model and not the carbine. Rather than a barrel band style fixture, it has the full forestock end cap which is common on the 24" model, but again I've never seen one on the 20" carbine.

Can anyone confirm or deny that this configuration was possibly a factory configuration, or is this a Frankenstein?

73Win-full_zps728b6b7d.jpg.html

http://s1284.photobucket.com/user/arkansascontrols/media/73Win-full_zps728b6b7d.jpg.html
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Comments

9 comments

Date Votes
  • dsmc1
    I have a 73 with a stripped screw hole on the side plate. Prefer not to replace the sideplate: expensive and will never match. The hole is beyond peening to tighten it: looks like someone already tried that.

    Am I better off retapping the hole to a larger size and using a larger screw, OR welding the hole shut and drilling and retapping for the original screw. And if I opt for the last method, WHAT is the thread size of that screw? It APPEARS to be a 10-36! Don't know why these gunmakers had to use such exotic threads.

    Any idea where I could find a tap the correct size? Buying a repro screw from Dixie Gun Works and turning it into a "tap" with a DREMEL tool IS a possibiliy.

    Any suggestions or opinions?
    Thanks
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  • rhmc24
    If you weld it up you will have a major appearance problem matching the rest of the gun. It is possible to make a tap from a screw but it is not as easy as it might look. It has to have lead-in taper, flutes in it, sharp leading edges and trailing edge relief. You then have to figure out how you will turn and align it. Probably anneal it before hand and harden after.

    I dealt with the same problem by tapping the hole next size larger and made a new screw. Then found the larger diameter interfered with interior parts, toggles as I recall. Had to reduce the diameter of the shank to get clearance. Completed it looked good since the only evidence was the larger diameter of the exit screw hole. I think that job was on a '66, basically the same design of gun as the '73..

    If you tackle the job think long and hard about it whichever way you go. And if you are not experienced, do some trial runs on scrap to develop some skill.

    Been there - Done that!
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  • Bert H.
    I am relatively certain that the side plate screws were 6-48 thread pitch on the Model 1873. If you are intent on keeping the original side-plate, have it welded, drilled & retapped.
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  • I.Shute
    If the original thread is 6-48,- it would probably work if you tapped it to 8-36. That's .026 larger in diameter.
    Clean up the hole first with a #29 drill.

    If you have trouble finding taps, drills and screws, let me know - I have 8,714 of them to look thru.
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  • glabray
    Never weld a side plate. It can warp, and as already mentioned, it will be nearly impossible to disquise. A far better solution is to make a new screw.

    There were two different sideplate screws used on the M1873. Up to about SN 90,000 the screw was about .140 inch diameter with a 6-48 thread and a .200 inch diameter head. Above that SN the screw diameter was increased to about .188 inch and the thread was 6-48. The head on the newer screw was .250. As will all things Winchester, nothing was 100% so there can be considerable SN overlap with the two screws.

    With a bit of careful work you should be able to go with a larger screw and end up with a nearly undetectable modification.
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  • glabray
    Ooops. Fingers moving faster than my brain. The thread size on the screws above SN 90000 was 3/16-36.
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by glabray
    Never weld a side plate. It can warp, and as already mentioned, it will be nearly impossible to disquise. A far better solution is to make a new screw.

    There were two different sideplate screws used on the M1873. Up to about SN 90,000 the screw was about .140 inch diameter with a 6-48 thread and a .200 inch diameter head. Above that SN the screw diameter was increased to about .188 inch and the thread was 6-48. The head on the newer screw was .250. As will all things Winchester, nothing was 100% so there can be considerable SN overlap with the two screws.

    With a bit of careful work you should be able to go with a larger screw and end up with a nearly undetectable modification.


    You obviously have never seen a talented TIG welder in action before. It is a relatively quick and simple task to fill an old hole, face it off, and then drill & tap a new hole that will remove 98% of the new steel... all with causing an warping to the side plate. When completed, it will be virtually impossible to detect that it was ever welded.
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  • spookster
    Follow Bert's suggestion,, Tig,,, drill & tap,,, the only person that will know is YOU
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  • dsmc1
    Thanks to all. some good thoughts on the subject. My rifle is a later third model, and has what is apparently the 3/16x36 screw.

    I have a friend who has a tig welder, but would still need a tap to recut the thread. I.Shute, would you have one in 3/16x36 for sale or loan? I haven't seen that tap in any of the catalogs I've researched.

    My other option is to redrill and tap it to a larger size, but will look closely at the mechanism to make sure the toggles won't bind on the larger screw.
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