1873 Barrel Relining Project with Pictures!

[rbertalotto]

I went out to the shop and stripped the 1873 down to receiver and barrel.

Need to remove the barrel to put it into the lathe to bore it out. I was extremely concerned about removing a barrel from a 128 year old gun. But I put the barrel into the vise, attached the receiver wrench and with about 20 pounds of force the barrel simply popped right off! NICE!

I also received my Cody Museum letter. It's posted on the web site.

You can follow the whole project if you like on my web site......complete with pictures!


www.rvbprecision.com

[ajjohns]

Very interesting! Fun read for sure and will have to keep up on this one.

[M-Tecs]

Very cool!!!

[Scharfschuetze]

Nice! Best of luck with that boring procedure.

[rbertalotto]

Got the hole drilled in the old barrel tonight. Went well.

Read and see pictures on the web sight

www.rvbprecision.com

[rbertalotto]

ITS DONE!

Web site is updated!

www.rvbprecision.com

[GL49]

Nice Job! Some guys have all the cool toys and tools.

[TXGunNut]

Wow, awesome job. Thanks for sharing.
Looking forward to the range report![smilie=w:

[rbertalotto]

I took the "old gal" to the range this afternoon and posted target pictures on the web site. www.rvbprecision.com

Fantastic accuracy! I could not possibly be happier on how this rifle came out! It handles great. The action is extremely smooth and the trigger breaks like glass! I'll need to add a higher front sight, but the windage was spot on without adjusting anything. This can be an issue with barrel liners. I lucked out big time!

Now all I need to do is learn how to load 38-40 ammo so the bullets don't get pushed into the case in the magazine! Need to do "crimp" research.

Thanks!

[TXGunNut]

Nicely done!:drinks:

[tacklebury]

On my .40-60 Marlin Levergun, I just use a bullet with a crimp groove and set the Lee Dies to do the taper crimp into that groove. I'd been considering getting a .38-40 factory crimp die and try that, but for you, that might be the better way. 8)

https://fsreloading.com/lee-fact-crimp-die-38-40-90852.html

[Marvin S]

Get a mold with a crimp groove. The original ones where made for a full case of black powder so the boolit rested on the powder.

[rbertalotto]

I just ordered the RCBS 40-180C mold and the Lee Factory Crimp Die.

I have the Lyman 401043 coming for Black Powder. But it seems to be lost in the mail. The shipper says they sent it on April 24.

The LEE Tumble lube die I have makes very accurate "plinking" bullets (6 cavity)

Lots of experimenting to do!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Great job Roy!

Also the RCBS Boolit is supposed to be good for the 38-40.

Randy

[NITROTRIP]

ROY,
Great job, and thank You for posting your work. You mentioned a taller front sight. I have 3
Winchesters 1895mfg 30wcf 1894 rifle, another same 1906mfg, and a 38wcf 1892 1906mfg.
have letters for all 3 and the 2 1894s have been in the family when they were new. All have
original sights and shoot 14to 18" high at 100yds. So you might have the original sight on it.
I have shot 9 original Winchesters 1916 and older and all shot the same. After that date they
were more to point of aim. So don't loose that sight as at might be the original.
Again Great job and keep them shooting. They don't like to be Trailer Queens anyway. <};-)
Take Care,

RICK

[405]

Very true about the sight geometries used by Winchester in some of their older lever guns. The way they were regulated you'd think they were producing them for a 2-300 yard battlefield minimum zero.

rbertalotto,

Here's a pic of how I crimp into the groove for tube mag levers from 32-20 through 44-40. Also described over on the Win 92 load thread. This is a 38-40. The crimp is just a light fold into the grimp groove and up against the front band edge.

[NITROTRIP]

405,
125yrs ago 1 of the biggest threats were 2-leg varments. I have some old books from that time
that say"Hold low to put your man down" I think that base sight setting was used often to about WW1. Even my army M16 manual has the base battle sight set at about 6" high at 100yds.
Alot more than just Winchester.

RICK

[rbertalotto]

I did a whole bunch of research on this crimp issue.

First some info:

I slugged my bore .395 bore / .398 groove

I'm using a LEE seating die with a roll crimp. But here is the issue. My bullets are dropping at .403 and the hole in the die that the bullet must go through before the die can contact the shell and crimp the bullet is only .4015.

So the die knocks the bullet into the mouth of the case before the die can do its crimping. Not good. (Although this would be fine with Black Powder as the powder itself will limit bullet travel within the case.

I need to size my bullets to .401 or use a LEE Factory Crimp Die.

I ordered a .401 sizing die for my STAR lubrisizer from Lathesmith. And I have the LEE Factory Crimp Die and a set of RCBS Cowboy Dies in 38-40 on the way.

Lots of experimenting required............

[405]

Yep, not uncommon for seating dies to do that when loading largish cast bullets. Hope the separate crimp die works around the issue. Sometimes the "guide" section can be opened up or lapped out to solve it. But, the Lee crimp dies are inexpensive enough, so modifying the seater die is not worth the bother. Plus, using the separate crimping die solves other issues like shaving lead as the cartridge approaches full depth in the combo seater/crimper die.

[405]

rbertalotto,
Yep, if that .398 groove diameter is an accurate measurement, even a .400 bullet will be plenty fat enough. Also, if the bore diameter is .395 that leaves a groove depth of only .0015. Pretty shallow. In the end the load and gun will "say" what works and doesn't. Since you've already shot it and it shows good accuracy that answers one question. Then it's just a matter of refined loading techniques for consistent, reliable performance.

[ajjohns]

So did you find out anything on the long or short neck chamber? Project is looking like a lot of fun!! It'll sure be a prize when it's all done and slung in your arms out in the field!

[Dirty30]

Looks great! Appreciate those who refuse to let these old guns become "wall hangers." They deserve to be shot. An old fella told me once that a lot of the 73's became kid guns in later years because the small cartridges were easy on them. They weren't cleaned well, and the result is that finding an 1873 with a good bore not in someone's collection is tough. I don't know if it's true, but it makes sense. Nice work buddy.

[bob208]

the way i load my .38-40. was to polish the expander so the bullets were a little tight. then seat the bullets then come back and crimp. it adds another step but it makes better loads.

[rbertalotto]

Bill....The liner is from Redman

The grooves are very shallow. Concerned me when I first saw it. But this is what you get with a button rifled barrel. And being very thin walled, there must be much pressure on the button.

Bob...What are you using to crimp in the second operation?

[Yance]

Bill....The liner is from Redman

The grooves are very shallow. Concerned me when I first saw it. But this is what you get with a button rifled barrel. And being very thin walled, there must be much pressure on the button.

Bob...What are you using to crimp in the second operation?

Redman liners are hammer forged not button rifled. We've done a few reline jobs, and I have a 32 cal liner"spare" just waiting for another "project" to arise.

[rbertalotto]

Sorry.....................They are button rifled. But thanks for playing!.....:bigsmyl2:

"Finest Liners Available

The liners manufactured in my shop are made from top quality steel. They are button rifled with a bore that is ultra smooth and uniform with sharp, distinct rifling."

http://www.redmansrifling.com/liners.htm

I could tell just by looking at the rifling that they were button rifled.

TJ's liners are hammer forged. This is what might have confused you.

[Fishman]

Very, very cool. I enjoyed the excellent write up.