32 WCF LoWall

[Marvin S]

I have had this rifle for over a year and just got around to shooting it today for the first time. It spent a few months at John Taylor's get a new liner installed and when it got back to me I installed a Lyman globe front and Marbles rear on it. Nothing has been done to the cosmetics and it will stay that way. Someone before me put the tacks in the butt stock, maybe Geronimo:) .

I'm pleased so far with the first outing despite the 8lb trigger pull and 20 mph wind it managed to shoot about 1" or so at around 40 yards. Load was the 115gr Lyman with Lyman black messy er molly lube, 3.7 gr WW321 and a Rem pistol primer. These loads had been laying around the house since 2006.

What methods have you guys used to take some tension out of the trigger spring on these old rifles as that is the culprit causing the problem.

[Mk42gunner]

Nice looking little rifle. I wouldn't do anything to the exterior of it either.

Robert

[uscra112]

Probably not the trigger spring. Too many old Win 1885s I've come across have sear geometry that guarantees a hard pull. Maybe it's because of the way the hammer notch engages the sear as the breechblock closes. Either set it up hard, or risk having it slip. I'm more than a little sure that's why so many had set triggers. I've got a couple of 1885s, but I don't worship them the way so many guys do. I'd rather shoot a Stevens 44 1/2 or a Borchardt.

[Marvin S]

The only reason I blame the trigger spring is that it takes about seven pounds just to deflect it at the sear engagement posistion.

[JeffinNZ]

Either way that is a lovely looking piece.

Now to make your hair curl. I'm in 'Gun City' yesterday and one of the staff asks a long standing member of the staff if .32 ACP and .32-20 are the same thing. [sigh]

[Marvin S]

Thanks guys but I think the pictures make it look better than it really is. Some how the camera shows more color case left than what I see.

[TCLouis]

Low Wall in 32-20 ? ? ?

Now that is the ticket for fun.

[Beaver Scout]

There are 2 things that can drastically improve the trigger pull on an 1885 Winchester.

1. Get a weaker sear spring, that does the trick 99% of the time. You can get them from several places, (csharps, wyoming armory, and ballardarms) but the one you want is the sear spring for the set trigger. It was made weaker and will help.

2. You can very carefully hone the hammer catch to 90*, sometimes they will be more than 90* and this makes the sear "climb" the hammer.

I had an 1885 that had about 17#'s of pull, it was from when someone put too long of a screw in the top tang and was pushing on the sear spring.

Marvin, is that western Kansas or the Flint Hills area?

[badgeredd]

It is my opinion the only thing better than a nice low wall is 2 of them. I love them unabashedly!

Edd

[Marvin S]

It seems like a perfect woods loafing rifle that will stretch a 50 round box of ammo for a long ways. Thanks for the info Beaver Scout, I will look into that. I just remembered I got in on the .314 115gr GC group buy that it might like.
That is NE KS at an old sand plant by the KS river. Google truckhenge to see my shootin place.

[frnkeore]

There are 2 things that can drastically improve the trigger pull on an 1885 Winchester.

1. Get a weaker sear spring, that does the trick 99% of the time. You can get them from several places, (csharps, wyoming armory, and ballardarms) but the one you want is the sear spring for the set trigger. It was made weaker and will help.

2. You can very carefully hone the hammer catch to 90*, sometimes they will be more than 90* and this makes the sear "climb" the hammer.

I had an 1885 that had about 17#'s of pull, it was from when someone put too long of a screw in the top tang and was pushing on the sear spring.

Marvin, is that western Kansas or the Flint Hills area?

I second the sear spring being the problem. Take some tension out of the trigger spring, too. Then work on the sear notch last.

Frank

[Longwood]

The trigger on my Low wall felt like I was trying to drag a brick across a BBQ grill.
A lighter spring and quite a bit of work on the sear was all it took.
I work slow and gradual so it took what seemed like forever but I am very pleased with the outcome.
A medium and hard Arkansas stone set, a good quality small precision machinists vice, and a piece of granite counter top is a huge plus.
All of this stuff will not be a waste of money because once you see how much it helps and easy it is,,, you will want to do more trigger jobs.

[frnkeore]

There are 2 things that can drastically improve the trigger pull on an 1885 Winchester.

1. Get a weaker sear spring, that does the trick 99% of the time. You can get them from several places, (csharps, wyoming armory, and ballardarms) but the one you want is the sear spring for the set trigger. It was made weaker and will help.

2. You can very carefully hone the hammer catch to 90*, sometimes they will be more than 90* and this makes the sear "climb" the hammer.

I had an 1885 that had about 17#'s of pull, it was from when someone put too long of a screw in the top tang and was pushing on the sear spring.

Marvin, is that western Kansas or the Flint Hills area?

I second the sear spring being the problem. Take some tension out of the trigger spring, too. Then work on the sear notch last.

Frank