Uberti 1876 parts

[Pat C]

Has anyone here tried to use any of the Uberti 1876 parts in an original WRA receiver?
Mainly Bolt , carrier block, toggle links ,carrier lever etc.

I have a stripped frame/lever (broken tip)and am contemplating a custom project using Winchester Barrels big .50 express barrel and either making from scratch every major part out of modern high strength steel .

I'be been studying the blueprints , I've read several builds on cas city but none of them go into much detail or never finished projects .They say had to fit or something , save people a lot of trouble if someone merely said too long by ? Or too short? Etc.

In hoping to fully document this in case someone in the future wants to try including blueprinting the frame.

[gamekeeper]

I'm looking forward to hearing more on this project....

[black river smith]

I can see you are starting from almost bare minimum of parts. You mention reading some of the rebuilds over on CAS City but did you look at the stickies above. I am adding the link here where members compare and contrast and Original to a Uberti. If you already saw and read this complete 3 page posting I am sorry for bothering you with it.

But if it helps, here you go::: https://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index ... ic=17987.0


Good luck on your project I hope it works out to your satisfaction. I do enjoy seeing old firearms brought back to life and then skillful hands accomplishing that work.

[Pat C]

I appreciate the link , honestly I have not looked at everything there . I need to join up as well.
My goal is to machine all of the internals ,maybe buy springs ,sear,hammer etc.
All of the blueprints are available at Cody but there are a number of variations that eventually became the 1876.
Its making sure I'm using the correct prints .

I know next to nothing about the 1876 hence my questions . But I have a lot of studying to do.

[coyote nose]

Greetings. I have rebuilt 2 1876 Winchesters from the ground up. Both started out with only the frame (I didnt even have side plates). You certainly will learn a LOT doing what you plan to do. Keep us posted. As far as parts interchangability....some do interchange, some dont. I have a Chaparral 1876 that i absolutely love...a real tack driver and I have so many rounds through it. I completely disassembled it when rebuilding the original frames so I could compare interchangability. Here is what i found that I can remember:

1. Side plates: I machined my sides plates for both frames but found out my Chaparral plates did fit perfectly onto both original frames. I cannot speak for Uberti parts. very time consuming. If i could get Chaparral plates I certainly would use them.
2. Spring cover (ie: loading gate). Bought a Uberti copy for both but really had to fit it. Lots of metal had to be removed from the interior so the gate could swing open far enough to allow a cartridge to feed. Also had to grind away metal from the very front ledge of the gate to allow the gate to swing and not interfere with the frame.
3. Toggles: no idea. The heart of the action. I waited (and waited and waited) for a nice set to show up on eBay then paid through the nose for them. These determine lock up and strength....I didnt want to mess around. Contacted a guy who makes strong replica 1873 links and asked him about making new sets for the 1876 to no avail. I could not try out the Chaparral links in the original frames because the pin size is so different. I have made my own links for an 1873 in the past but my time is way too valuable now.
4. Bolt: SEEMS like the Chaparral would fit, but again without being able to use the links to verify.....I wound up buying originals on the 'bay.
5. Link pins etc I machined.
6. Firing pin retractor: the Chaparral had the wrong size hole to determine, but it was easy to machine a new one (BTW...this part is VERY interesting! On the originals there are angles and radii and little bevels and they ALL are for a reason!! In fact, when the loading gate would not open fully part of the problem was the firing pin retractor was in the way!). Also this part keeps the gun together...it keeps the firing pin inside the bolt!
7. Extractor....didn't check, easy to machine. Kind of.
8. Lifter spring and lever spring: Chaparrals worked fine but I wound up making both of my sets (make these for 1873s too so its no big deal). Chaparrals did have a metric thread. I machined mine as originals with 6-48 screws.
9. Lever: another item that sure looked like it would fit but with the pin hole different I plain old did not actually test it. Bought for both frames on eBay. Surprisingly not too expensive. Little cam on it WILL need welding (a friend used to laser weld and he just stitched some metal on), then stoned or machined to size. Also, interestingly, the 2 levers I bought had different size screw holes! I had to bush one of them (laser welded it onto the lever permanently). Have no idea if Winchester had 2 different sizes...would not surprise me. The size of the screw hole in your frame will determine it. Of course you already have a lever.
10. Lever latch: Chaparrals worked fine, but again I machined my own. Same with the spring.
11. Hammer/trigger/sear: another are I dont mess around with. eBay for me. Chaparrals looked a bit different geometry-wise but honestly I could not answer this as to whether they or Ubertis would interchange with originals. The trigger and sear from the Original Model 1873 is the same on the 1876 originals. Not the hammer. Good luck finding one with nice notches. These guns are parted out for a reason. This is one area I REALLY need to know if the Italian guns interchange with the originals but they consistently are out of stock.
12. Magazine ring: didnt want to twist mine off the Chaparral, I just machined mine. Cant help you here but Uberti/Chapparal really should fit or can be made to fit. Especially if you use their magazine tube. Machining the rotary dovetail in the barrel shouldnt be needed unless bubba hammered the original out. It can be done 3 ways: on a rotary table, on a CNC, or by just plunging from the center with a 3/8 dovetail cutter at 0, 7 1/2, 15, 22 1/2 and 30 degrees. You need to do the math (sine and cosine of those angles determines X and Y setting) and wind up with discrete steps inside the dovetail but it actually works well. If you have to do this let me know and I may be able to explain it better.
13. Barrel...no idea. Found both of mine on eBay including an absolute beautiful 45-75 barrel with sweet rifling that shoots very small groups!!! I really lucked out. Too bad Ohio wont allow 45-75 on deer! I am looking for a sweet 45-60 barrel to rebarrel this 1876 (it was a 45-60 originally and I can use that on Ohio deer). The 45-60 barrel for the first frame was so so. Remember there are 2 size barrel threads on originals. Most sellers wont know the difference so you have to ask them to measure the diameter of the threads for you to make sure they fit your frame. If making a barrel from a blank you will need to machine a trough down the entire length for the magazine tube.
14. mag tube...should fit, especially if you use their mag tube ring.
15. Forend cap: had an 1886 cap I modified for one of my 1876 builds, and bought a Uberti cap that fit the other.
16. Brass carrier. Chaparrals version fit my frames very well...they were just a tad tight at the corners which of course could be fitted perfectly. I didn't of course since I didn't want to affect the fitting on the Chaparral. Never machined one...it looks both complicated yet do-able at the same time! Was about to when, you guessed it, one came up on eBay. I actually was going to buy a Uberti one but they were out of stock at VTI and at Homestead.
17: Wood is all over the place. Chaparrals fit fine. No idea about Uberti. I will eventually buy good original wood for it (actually already have the forend...found it at a gun show for $25 (!). Along with 2 1873 buttstocks and 4 1873 forends ($25 each and I bought them all up and no, they are not for sale!!! . In the meantime I bought those 80% finished stocks (gunstocksinc) and used those.
18. Buttplate: if you are using new wood you can fit the Uberti easily enough.
19. Carrier lever: the Chaparral fit nicely but I cannot remember if the hole size is okay. I also cannot remember what I used???? I think I bought originals. I think.
Hope this helps. Pirkles book tells you thread sizes for the screws. I lathe turned most of mine.

[Pat C]

Good info,thanks . Liking at the blueprints at Cody there are several sizes of bolts and levers . I think they did a lot of trial and error work on the 1876.
Many of the drawings ate dated 1875.

The barrel I plan on using Winchester Barrels, as their barrel will have roll die markings to match original.
By the time I buy a correct blank and reamer I'm already at $400 .So WRA barrels $495-$550 turn key barrel.

All of the springs are available for original rifles at Homestead Parts ,

Going to make the bolt ,toggle links, carrier block. Side plates.

[coyote nose]

I didnt know Cody has the blueprints. Are they for sale? How much are they?

[Pat C]

They are available at McKrackin Research Library center of the west. You can view them online ,or buy digital or print copies . Most of the 1876 prints are there ,some are protype though .Most are copyrighted

http://library.centerofthewest.org/digi ... del%201876