Kennedy issue

[DrDucati]

I have had this original Whitney-Kennedy rifle chambered in 44-40 for a couple years. Today I went out and shot it for the first time.

Bullets are soft, .429, 200 gr from a Lee mold, lubed with mutton tallow-beeswax. They are loaded over 40 gr compressed FFFg Goex with a thin cardboard wad in new Starline cases. Winchester large pistol primers.

I got successful shots off about 25 %. Same rounds went off 100% in my new Winchester Miroku m1866.

The hammer seems floppy and I suspect the mainspring is weaken or needs to have a tension screw adjusted... In fact there is a possibility when I did a complete takedown and cleaning months ago that I did not fully tension it... I've taken down so many of my lever guns, honestly I don't recall. On a fired cartridge, I saw there was a nice primer strike and the primer was backed out a LOT.

So I am wondering if a weak or under -tensioned spring would allow the primer to back out, or would there have to be an additional factor causing excessive headspace?

It also seems that the firing pin does not retract fully after chambering a round and there is no spring tension in THAT mechanism.

[moosemike]

My 1892 38-40 does the same thing. The firing pin indentations are deep but the primers back out a good bit. Oddly enough sometimes I have to try a second strike because the first one failed to fire.

[Jedman]

A primer cannot back out if the headspace is correct. .010 would be acceptable on a antique or BP cartridge. It's bad news when you see what you have described.

Jedman

[DrDucati]

I believe I found the problem.... It looks like the rounded nub on the end of the mainspring broke off or the entire mainspring is someone's attempt at a replacement. In any case it's 1/8 inch short of the hammer. So, the hammer has no lock up. That explains most everything. I've a1095 annealed stock on order to fashion a new spring from.

[Earl Brasse]

Good to hear you found the cause & even better to hear you have the way to fix it.

[DrDucati]

We'll, turns out Brownells tells me their steel is 1075. I had already tried the 1095... The selection of sizes offered by Brownells is not sufficient for a large lever action mainspring and that's why I didn't just use their steel. I played with this 1095 and thought I finally had something. Squeezed it in a vise after heat treat and it neither broke nor deformed. Once I installed it though, each cycle of the action would weaken it further. I am now waiting on a piece of 1075 and gonna try again

[Hootmix]

Hey DrD.,, don't know if this will help but ,, I used the flat coil spring that helps to raise & lower the window's , from a old truck !!,, Heated it-up straight'd it out ,thinned to desired thickness & length ( a little long ) made a spring for a 1897 lever action shot gun ,, I worked the action about 30+ times ,, last time I ck'd guy said it still worked.

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix.

[Bohica793]

When I first read the title of this thread, I was afraid Ted has risen from the dead.....

[Hootmix]

Hey Bo,, good one ,, ha ha ha ha !!!!

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix.

[DrDucati]

Hoot,

Any input much appreciated. That's an interesting idea.

[John Taylor]

I have a Whitney Kennedy that I pieced back together a while back ( 44-40). If the primer is backing out you have too much head space. A new main spring will help with the miss fire problem but will not take up the headspace. Head space problem on a Kennedy is usually caused by ware on the lever. Might be able to tighten it up by adding a little weld. I have made springs by taking old car springs and cutting them into shape with carbide end mills. Also have worked with annealed spring stock and heat treat. Had one break after four years just sitting on the shelf with the hammer down.

[DrDucati]

Good stuff jt, thanks

[Eddie Southgate]

Might check to see if Dixie Gun Works still has any of those parts .

[DrDucati]

Success with the mainspring. While I was prepared to make one from scratch, I had a Winchester replacement spring lying around and decided to give that a try. Under torch heat, I reshaped the little hooks on the end into a rounded bearing surface, then rehardened it, and tempered in a lead bath at 680°F. Now the hammer snaps with authority!

[Earl Brasse]

Great to hear your success with the mainspring adjustment & implant surgery.

Were you able to find out if the headspace was o.k. or "fixable"?

[DrDucati]

Still working on the headspace. I still think possibly the weak spring caused a functional headspace issue. Will see. I also ordered a 44-40 field gauge from Pacific Tool and Gauge. I like my tools and measuring devices.

[DrDucati]

Okay, I have an answer. I received my 44-40 field gauge and tried to chamber it. The bolt will not close on the field gauge, suggesting that the headspace is not too far out of spec. I'll see how the primers look after firing rounds with the new spring installed.

[bigted]

My experience is thus,

If the bolt face is too far from the case head when it is fully chambered ... you will need to cut the barrel stub longer and rechamber your barrel after shortening it to the correct length.

OR

Your bolt face is recessed so that the primer has room to back out of the case head even tho headspace may be correct. Welding and machining the bolt face and annealing will fix this

OR

The firing pin hole is wallowed out to a dangerous diameter. Again ... either reaming and sleeving or welding and re-boring the pin hole will fix this.

All can be fixed with proper machinery and knowhow. Revitalizing an old firearm is very rewarding.

[DrDucati]

After much research, acquisition of tools, and effort, was successful in making a replacement reloading gate screw for the Whitney Kennedy rifle. Threads are 4BA. Fits better than my worn original but this one is for someone else