How far do you strip down an 1873 for cleaning?

[Sixgun Symphony]

I take off the side plates and the two "arms" and a pin come out. Then I clean. Am I going far enough?

BTW, I am shooting blackpowder and substitutes. This weapon will never see modern smokeless gunpowder.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Usually cleaning a 73 doesn't go too far beyond the barrel. Pulling the side plates is not really necessary unless gas/fouling has gone down into the links, but there is always a bit of gas that gets on the bolt and bolt face. With the cartridges being rimmed its minimal. I'm a believer in oil particularly on any parts that move and rub against other parts so I periodically pull the plates and oil the links, the carrier and any moving joints/parts. Once in a while I put a couple drops or oil on the hammer parts and pull the front magazine plug, take out the mag spring and run an oily patch down the tube...then re-oil the spring and lock things back up. I don't want rust to get started anywhere so I don't mind wiping any interior surface as well as exterior ones with an oily patch. But as far as routine cleaning goes I don't think that it is necessary to detail strip a 73 or to do a lot of stripping down...I have never shot BP in mine so I don't if there is a lot more fouling generated that has to be dealt with; its something that you have to be the judge on....but generally speaking--clean and at least lightly oiled everywhere is in the best interest of the gun. LLS

[Four Fingers of Death]

Black Powder: Moose Milk sprayed into the action and bore, boresnake, clean up action, with flannelette, oil with Ballistol. Work oil into action, wipe away excess with what you guys call a spritzer. Action blaster if it becomes gummy. Whwen shooting cowboy action stages (10 shots each stage, I spray Moose Milk down the bore and boresnake if I am not using dedicated black powder boolits with lots of soft lube.

TrailBoss loads; don't clean normally, just oil and good to go. Give it a clean every year or so, wipe away any soot (hardly any ever there).

I've never had the sides off. Generally use a bore snake but often a rod and jags.

It has never seen a jacketed bullet.

[August]

A couple of observations.

First, the '73 rifle was designed to run for a while without cleaning. However, it was designed around a very particular cartridge that allowed the rifle to continue operating. The WCF calibers still allow the gun to run a long time without cleaning. Straight walled cartridges, however, let a lot of fouling come straight back into the action. These non-standard chamberings must be cleaned after every match by taking the side plates off and removing the lever/lifter to get the elevator out and cleaned.

Second, even when using correct cartridges (i.e. WCF calibers), the SMOKE that drifts back upon ejection of a spent case carries fouling back into the action. So, some careful attention with q-tips and ballistol are in order for the WCF gunz.

I take my 38-40 '73 down two or three time per year. My .38 special rifles have to be cleaned after every match day.

[Four Fingers of Death]

You are spot on August, I should have mentioned mine is a 44/40 and I use full charges of black powder and reasonable smokless loads, well and truely enough to seal off the action. If it looks sooty, it gets cleaned up with a bit of oil and a piece of flannelette.

[Boerrancher]

I have a 66 which is not much different in design and function mainly just the brass action. I run a lot of BP through mine and it is a 44-40. Very seldom do I ever remove the side plates. After several thousand rounds I will pull off the side plates and wipe everything clean. Then I will add a bit of heavy clear grease to all of the pivot and hinge points. The grease works as a miniature shock absorber and also prevents wear, more so than any oil ever will. The bore is always cleaned after shooting BP with moose milk and patches, and then followed up, once clean with a wet patch of Balistol.

Best wishes,

Joe

[KirkD]

... I use full charges of black powder and reasonable smokless loads, well and truely enough to seal off the action.
+1. This is important for two reasons. First, as mentioned by Four Fingers, it seals off the chamber from having fouling and soot leaking back. Secondly, it results in less axial thrust of the case against the bolt/links. If a full charge of FFg is insufficient, try FFFg.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I just noticed that 6gun also uses substitutes. I have never used these and am no tinc;ined to, but some of them require extra attention I'm told.

[Sixgun Symphony]

Thanks for the information, it's been a big help.

I used American Pioneer Powder because I could not get Goex locally. I have to drive all the way from Wenatchee, WA to Puyallup, WA to buy blackpowder over the counter.