Damaged magazine pin hole under barrel

John Y Cannuck · Post by **John Y Cannuck** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:17 pm

Recoil from my heavy loads has broken the screw that goes through the magazine cap, and into the bottom of the barrel of my 1886 winchester.

I've given up on those loads by the way, I just don't need them.

The pin before it broke, wore the hole in the barrel into a slope sided mess.
The magazine worked forward, and dented at the cross pin as well.

I need ideas on how to fix this. I'm considering sending it out to get the hole welded up and re-drilled. I'll have a go at fixing the mag tube myself, but it's pretty bad. I'd fired it several times before i noticed the mag tube creeping out in front of the barrel. It has a good two inch flat spot in front of the magazine cross pin, at the front of the forearm.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:24 pm

Is this a rifle or a carbine; new production or original?

hartman · Post by **hartman** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:37 pm

John Y Cannuck,

Paco did an article about accurizing leverguns in the past. You might have a look at the leverguns site articles, but the article tells about cutting a dove tail into the bottom of the barrel and then putting a hardened, tapped blank in the groove.

Hartman

John Y Cannuck · Post by **John Y Cannuck** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:19 pm

The rifle is a custom gun, no barrel bands, dovetailed mag support, in the forend cap.
It's a full length Douglas premium Octagon barrel.

Yeah, I'm upset.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:23 pm

John Y Cannuck wrote:The rifle is a custom gun, no barrel bands, dovetailed mag support, in the forend cap.
It's a full length Douglas premium Octagon barrel.
Yeah, I'm upset.

Then I'm no help. But I'd advise taking it to the gunsmith that did the original work.

Slick · Post by **Slick** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:44 pm

Drilling out a hole filled with a weld can be quite difficult as the fill material is usually harder than the surrounding material.

I'd wonder if it could be fixed by using a hardened pin that's silver soldered into the hole? I just don't know if such a repair would be durable enough or possible to be done without showing.

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:13 pm

Is the front dovetailed magazine ring present like it should be? The front ring, installed about 4" from the magazine tip, will stop the screw from taking all the stress. Heavy loads are not a problem at all.

Colt1849 · Post by **Colt1849** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:49 pm

Again

Is this an original or Repo. If its a repo why not have the mag tube threaded into the frame. If its an original, mag tube hangar, mag plug w/lip and screw thru mag plug.

Winchester had the same problems with the 45-90s and 50 cals, full mag and heavy recoil would cause mag tube to move forward, sheering that little pin in the hangar. Winchester eventually went to a screw in mag tube to correct this problem.

Mike

John Y Cannuck · Post by **John Y Cannuck** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:21 pm

Mike D. wrote:Is the front dovetailed magazine ring present like it should be? The front ring, installed about 4" from the magazine tip, will stop the screw from taking all the stress. Heavy loads are not a problem at all.

Yes of course, it would have fallen out on the first shot without it. The barrel is 28".

John Y Cannuck · Post by **John Y Cannuck** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:23 pm

Colt1849 wrote:Again

Is this an original or Repo. If its a repo why not have the mag tube threaded into the frame. If its an original, mag tube hangar, mag plug w/lip and screw thru mag plug.

Winchester had the same problems with the 45-90s and 50 cals, full mag and heavy recoil would cause mag tube to move forward, sheering that little pin in the hangar. Winchester eventually went to a screw in mag tube to correct this problem.

Mike

As I said, it's a custom gun. It IS based on an original action. The thread in tube, is something I may have to consider if this happens again, but I just want to restore it for now.

Leverdude · Post by **Leverdude** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:48 pm

John Y Cannuck wrote:The rifle is a custom gun, no barrel bands, dovetailed mag support, in the forend cap.
It's a full length Douglas premium Octagon barrel.

Yeah, I'm upset.

I had a similar issue years back, not with an 86 but a 94 trapper 44mag.
I had it fixed a few times by replaceing the screw & peening the metal back in place around the hole. Eventually I had a dovetail cut & instaled a Marlin mag tube cap & stud, like they use in a rifle, not a carbine. Its very rigid & not gonna break.
But, if you want it to look original to an 86 this wont do you much good.
Just thought I'd mention it.

John Y Cannuck · Post by **John Y Cannuck** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 8:00 am

interesting idea.
My rifle does not look original, it has fuller wood than a Winchester, to accommodate my large hands and a much longer stock. I'll have to give that idea a look.

John Y Cannuck · Post by **John Y Cannuck** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:03 pm

Computer fixed, rifle fixed.
Pictured here with a somewhat battered '94 that I took a bull moose with a couple of years back.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:35 pm

I, too, peened the displaced metal back in place.

I used a flat ended brass drift, that I had polished the end smooth on - the hinge pin from an interior door hinge, if the truth beknown - and a heavy ball peen hammer, to swedge the metal down w/o any marks, after securing the barrel in my heavy vise (w/pads).