Got lucky With A Winchester Repair!

[Mistered]

Decided to tear into my '66 100 Year Commemorative Winchester to try to figure out it's cycling problem.
Well I decided to start with swapping out the stamped cartridge lift with an earlier 'solid' style and while I was at it tried a different bolt - reassembled everything and slid a round into the gate and flipped the lever and it worked great! Filled the mag tube and operated the lever repeatedly and all seven chambered and ejected without a hitch! Its no longer a 'Single Shot'! Sometime ya get lucky and I did on this. The later, stamped lift was no doubt probably most of it and maybe this winter I'll disassemble the bolt I took out of it and see if it's got a burr or something that was also part of the problem but for now it went back into the Winchester spare parts box!

[ESquared]

Sounds like some good smithing there! You must have a great parts bin, not to mention the know-how!

[Mistered]

Yep - been my own 'gunsmith' since I built my first muzzleloader from a kit at about 16! - The stamped cartridge lift was one of Winchester's BIGGEST mistakes with the Post 64 changes (among others) and they later returned to a cast and machined lift in 1983 - as well as reversing some of the other 'changes' they made.

[JEBar]

congrats on a job well handled ... great to hear the repair is working

[Mags]

Sweet!

[Mistered]

Well, while the bolt and lifter swap helped i experienced a couple feed failures so I again removed the cartridge lift for a deeper inspection and I MAY have found the actual problem. The cartridge lift is pushed up by the lever when cycled and is supposed to get locked into position by a spring arm until the lever is closed. It appears the bearing surface of the spring arm is too sharp and squared off and is not smoothly engaging the lift when the lever is opened. Looks like spring removal and some stoning and polishing of the mating surfaces is next on the list!

[Mistered]

Success and the end of a boring thread! Took another Winchester apart tonight (that works ok) to inspect the cartridge lift spring arm and as I thought, it was smoother and rounded on its bearing surface. Thinking I was finally 'on' to something I took the improper cycling rifle apart and installed the good spring in it and about five minutes later it was running like a song!
Another five minutes of oil stoning the original spring surface to a proper smooth and rounded shape, reinstalled in the 'donor' rifle and again smooth operation! This was a little frustrating but patience and perseverance paid off!

[Mags]

Hooray! Congrats on that!

[GFK]

It's nice to be able to make your own repairs. Good for you. Independence is a good thing. I am looking to do more of my own repairs as required myself. So far, nothing major has came up. But, it good to know that knowledgeable and experienced folks are out there.

[Mistered]

Yea been working on guns as a 'novice' for a LONG time. Even with my Henry it would take an egregious problem (such as a dramatic manufacturing issue or oversight) before I would consider sending it back. Fit & function adjustments & minor repairs take place on MY bench!

[North Country Gal]

Good for you. That kind of knowledge and experience is gold.

[Mistered]

Good for you. That kind of knowledge and experience is gold.

Thanks ! But there was definitely some piles of 'iron pyrite' I had to dig through to get there - and I still ain't found the 'Motherload' !

[If1Hitu]

Congrats on a well done job.

[Mistered]

Congrats on a well done job.

Thanks ! I also nipped a couple inches off the mage tube spring as it was pretty tight also (not unusual with lever guns) and that helped too.
Yea I kinda like 'tinkering' with Winchesters - but then I have done a lot of it!