Uberti 1873 Wood Removal

[rixhobbies]

Hey there!

I came into a basically brand new Uberti 1873 rifle (20", octagonal barrel, straight grip stock, 45 Colt) for a price I couldn't pass up, it's only flaw being some damage to the lacquer finish on the stock. There are several very wide and long scratches to the lacquer, but not into the wood (supposedly an AR fell against it). The forearm is fine, so I had thought about just re-doing the stock, though I'm not sure I will be able to get a good match with the stain or potentially the finish (I use oil finishes). My other option and preference is to simply refinish both stock and forearm and reveal what looks to be a very pretty wood underneath Uberti's aggressive staining with a nice rubbed oil finish.

However, in looking into what it takes to remove the forearm, I keep finding horror stories of buggered screws, damaged magazine tubes, hangers, end caps and blueing. I've found some tips, including heating the screws to melt the linseed oil Uberti reportedly uses as a thread lock, which may prove helpful and I even invested in a mag tube cap wrench.

So, really, my questions are two fold... 1) does anyone know what color stain Uberti uses and where to get it? And 2) Is removing the forearm really as bad as I'm hearing, almost certainly buggering your gun blue at the very least?

Not repairing it isn't an option for me, so I'm trying to figure out which way to go. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Regards,

R

[Lassiter]

I refinished mine last year, and yeah, I buggered the screws holding the nose cap on. I eventually applied heat to the screws that held it on and was able to remove them. I replaced them with a hardened set that I think I bought from GunPartsCorp. I didn't stain my stock and forearm when I refinished them. Just applied the finish over the natural wood. It turned out a little lighter than I liked but it's startin' to grow on me. The only reason I refinished it was I really did not like the dark red color and overly glossy finish (at least to my eye) that the factory applied. I stripped and refinished my Browning 1886 SRC for the same reason. (glossy finish.....not the color) I like 'em both better now.

[rixhobbies]

I refinished mine last year, and yeah, I buggered the screws holding the nose cap on. I eventually applied heat to the screws that held it on and was able to remove them. I replaced them with a hardened set that I think I bought from GunPartsCorp. I didn't stain my stock and forearm when I refinished them. Just applied the finish over the natural wood. It turned out a little lighter than I liked but it's startin' to grow on me. The only reason I refinished it was I really did not like the dark red color and overly glossy finish (at least to my eye) that the factory applied. I stripped and refinished my Browning 1886 SRC for the same reason. (glossy finish.....not the color) I like 'em both better now.

I agree with the stain, I'd prefer a more natural finish myself. Did you have any issues with the magazine tube cap or the hanger pin? I've read a few posts about loose hanger dovetails due after removing stubborn pins. Did you have any issues with scratching the magazine tube when sliding it out?

In preparation, I have a heat gun I plan to use to soften the linseed oil Uberti uses on the screws (I'm guessing that's why heating yours allowed you to remove them as well). I also ordered the thin driver set from Brownells.

Anyway, just trying to learn from the experiences of others!

Regards,

Rick

[Griff]

Do you have proper hollow ground screw drivers? My 1873 is nearing 30 years of age (made in '86), and over time the screws have been buggered... usually when I've not had my good driver set with me.

I highly recommend Brownell's Magna-Tip© drivers. Find the one that fits and you'll never bugger another screw with proper technique. However, be advised, Uberti employs "Guido", a 900lb gorilla to tighten their screws at the factory. The only other advise I can offer is to take your time, and do everything deliberately. A proper gun vise is a great boon to holding your work steady as you do the intricate work of dis- and assembly.

[rixhobbies]

Do you have proper hollow ground screw drivers? My 1873 is nearing 30 years of age (made in '86), and over time the screws have been buggered... usually when I've not had my good driver set with me.

I highly recommend Brownell's Magna-Tip© drivers. Find the one that fits and you'll never bugger another screw with proper technique. However, be advised, Uberti employs "Guido", a 900lb gorilla to tighten their screws at the factory. The only other advise I can offer is to take your time, and do everything deliberately. A proper gun vise is a great boon to holding your work steady as you do the intricate work of dis- and assembly.

I ordered the Brownells magna tip "thin" driver set to go with my standard set. http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools ... 44342.aspx I'm hoping that will cover things.

Though I don't doubt Guido's enthusiasm, I'm hoping that these tight screws are more about the triple boiled linseed oil that Uberti reportedly uses as a thread locker. If that's the case, then heating the screws should soften them up. If I bugger a screw, I can always order a replacement cheap enough (though twisting a head off would mean a trip to the gunsmith).

I don't have a gun vice, so I'll have to rely on my armorer's block. As long as I support the proper part when tapping, etc, I'm hoping I'll be ok. I probably should invest in a vice at some point, but I'm not sure what to look at.

Regards,

Rick

[Griff]

I don't have a gun vice, so I'll have to rely on my armorer's block. As long as I support the proper part when tapping, etc, I'm hoping I'll be ok. I probably should invest in a vice at some point, but I'm not sure what to look at.
Regards,
Rick

Pssst... neither do I!!! I'm just real careful.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

Do you have proper hollow ground screw drivers? My 1873 is nearing 30 years of age (made in '86), and over time the screws have been buggered... usually when I've not had my good driver set with me.

I highly recommend Brownell's Magna-Tip© drivers. Find the one that fits and you'll never bugger another screw with proper technique. However, be advised, Uberti employs "Guido", a 900lb gorilla to tighten their screws at the factory. The only other advise I can offer is to take your time, and do everything deliberately. A proper gun vise is a great boon to holding your work steady as you do the intricate work of dis- and assembly.

I ordered the Brownells magna tip "thin" driver set to go with my standard set. http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools ... 44342.aspx I'm hoping that will cover things.

Though I don't doubt Guido's enthusiasm, I'm hoping that these tight screws are more about the triple boiled linseed oil that Uberti reportedly uses as a thread locker. If that's the case, then heating the screws should soften them up. If I bugger a screw, I can always order a replacement cheap enough (though twisting a head off would mean a trip to the gunsmith).

I don't have a gun vice, so I'll have to rely on my armorer's block. As long as I support the proper part when tapping, etc, I'm hoping I'll be ok. I probably should invest in a vice at some point, but I'm not sure what to look at.

Regards,

Rick

If you don't then you might get in trouble getting the mag cap to unscrew from the mag tube. Even with heat they can be problematic.

I don't use a gun vise, though. I use a 6" machinist vise with leather pads to protect the metal. To get the forend wood off you will need to remove the mag tube first. To remove that cap clamp the tube, not the barrel in the vise so it doesn't turn in the mag tube hanger damaging the inside of the tube. Notice the pin across the mag tube tube hanger. If the tube turns the pin will crimp the tube preventing free movement of the mag follower.
Once you remove the cap punch that pin out and remove the forend cap screws. Ease the forend cap slightly forward. Then use heavy grease on the tube just behind the hanger to help prevent scratches to the tube as you work it forward and out.

BTW, I hardly ever bother with a heat gun. With the correct tips this impact driver works every time.


Rossi 92 Rifle Tool Kit

[firefuzz]

I've got a heat gun, but seldom use it for screws. A wood burner out of a craft set puts the heat right on/in the screw and very little else. A fine tipped soldering iron would work too.

Rob

[gamekeeper]

I took my Uberti yelloy boy to the woods yesterday and thought this awful varnish has got to go but remembering the screws on my Uberti 73, "Guido", plus this thread I think I'll pass....
Some great information though should I change my mind......

[rixhobbies]

I may need to get that impact driver!

Since I don't have a vice, if the mag tube cap is stubborn, would it be better to remove the tube with the spring and cap in place and then remove the cap with the tube out of the rifle so I can get a better purchase on the tube? If the tube is retained so it doesn't pop out from the spring tension after removing the hanger pin, would this be a work around?

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

I may need to get that impact driver!

Since I don't have a vice, if the mag tube cap is stubborn, would it be better to remove the tube with the spring and cap in place and then remove the cap with the tube out of the rifle so I can get a better purchase on the tube? If the tube is retained so it doesn't pop out from the spring tension after removing the hanger pin, would this be a work around?

Sure, not exactly the common sequence but I've done that.

[rixhobbies]

Steve,

The advice is much appreciated! I noticed a comment in another post you made about taking care not to damage the magazine tube hanger's dovetail when punching out the pin (something about making it fit loose?). I assume if the armorer's block is supporting the hanger and not the barrel, there shouldn't be any energy transfer to the dovetail, but maybe that's easier said than done? Could you provide some tips there as well?

Also, my next purchase will likely be a model 92 repro, so I'll have to come visit your site again for that tune-up kit

Thanks again!

Rick

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

Steve,

The advice is much appreciated! I noticed a comment in another post you made about taking care not to damage the magazine tube hanger's dovetail when punching out the pin (something about making it fit loose?). I assume if the armorer's block is supporting the hanger and not the barrel, there shouldn't be any energy transfer to the dovetail, but maybe that's easier said than done? Could you provide some tips there as well?

Also, my next purchase will likely be a model 92 repro, so I'll have to come visit your site again for that tune-up kit

Thanks again!

Rick

That block might work but back to the vise. I clamp across the barrel and hanger to support both.

That 73 is a great gun. For the CAS game it is hard to beat if it has a good action and the short stroke parts too. The thing about a 73 is it's sort of a controlled round feed. You can't accidentally jack a round out extracting an empty. But, there if a down side, too. If you have ammo problems like pushing a bullet back or a round that is too long you will just about have to take the gun apart to clear it.

On the other hand it's not the strongest action. If you want to get the full potential and then some from your loads the 92 is incredibly strong. Even though it is more compact and lighter in weight it's 60% stronger than the 73.

[rixhobbies]

I picked up a vice. It tilts on two axis which seemed like a useful feature. Now I just need to figure out what to use to pad the jaws, if I want to use it on firearms.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

I picked up a vice. It tilts on two axis which seemed like a useful feature. Now I just need to figure out what to use to pad the jaws, if I want to use it on firearms.

You can find rubber padded aluminum vise jaw inserts and I have used them. But, using them every day the rubber goes away quick with gun oils and solvents. So, I just save the aluminum insert and glue some old belt leather on them using contact cement. They hold up pretty good.

[rixhobbies]

I recall someone stating the general rule of thumb is to drive pins from the left side to the right side. I noticed today that the pin in my rifle is drifted in a bit already so that the pin is sticking out a bit on the right side. If the pin isn't tapered and it doesn't matter, it will be safer for the finish to drive the pin out the same way it went in.

Is the pin tapered in this case? Does it matter which way it's drifted out?

Also, the pins have a rounded tip and the pin size seems to be 2.5mm, however I don't see any cup pin drivers in that size anywhere. I suppose it won't matter?

Thanks!

Rick

[rixhobbies]

Out of curiosity, does anyone know what finish Uberti uses on these rifles? Is it a lacquer? A poly?