new Cimarron 1873 screw problem

[treebeard]

I  have a new Cimarron Arms 1873 carbine and have shot it for the first time and loved it. it is my first experience with a 1873
toggle link action and found it very enjoyable to shoot. However I ran into trouble trying to remove the left action plate
cover. the screw is very soft and started deforming and so I backed off and thought to ask for advice on this forum as to
how to proceed.  I need to get the screw out and then hope to find properly hardened screw replacement. Help!

[Coffinmaker]

Small 1/4 inch drive impact driver.  You will probably also find sever other screws that were installed by "Bongo" the Uberti Gorilla.
Once the everly tight screws have been removed for the first time, hardened screws are not needed so song as YOU don't over tighten
them and use fitted, hollow ground screwdrivers.

As an advance example, just wait until you try to remove the lever side spring screws for the first time.

Coffinmaker

[Buck Stinson]

Coffinmaker makes an excellent suggestion.  Use ONLY good hollow ground gunsmith screw drivers.  Investing in a set will be well worth the price.

Buck

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[Pettifogger]

Bongo works the night shift.  His brother Guido works the day shift.  Good screwdrivers, patience and that 1/4 drive impact driver are handy.  Wait till you try to get the end plug out of the magazine tube.  And it has to come out so you can clean all the rust and gunk out of it.  Once all the screws are removed the first time you will love the gun.  You CANNOT use dollar screw drivers from Walmart to take apart a gun.  If you cannot find a 1/4 drive impact hammer you can take a quality screwdriver and press down on it firmly while tapping the end with a hammer and twisting the screw driver.

[Blair]

My impact driver is 3/8th. drive and I have not found the smaller bit/collet holder than 5/16th, that I can use with this.
Like Pettifogger suggest, I have found that a proper fitting screw driver, with an impact safe handle, and light hammer has worked well for me in most every case.
My best,
 Blair

[Mike]

So who at Uberti forgot to tighten the barrel on my steel Henry this year not tried to take the gun apart yet.
Shame they dont read some of the post on this site.

[Blackfoot]

Bongo not do barrell, him just do screws!  Bongo specialist!

Blackfoot

[Cliff Fendley]

From what I've seen it seems Uberti guns either fall apart or you cant get them apart.

[Coffinmaker]

One of these days, someone I know is going to get one of the Reproduction 1860 Henry rifles from Henry Repeating Arms and let me
have "close" look it it.  Close inspection means I take it completely apart and really "look" at it.  That said ..........

Cliff, your completely right.  Much as I hate'd to say it, been like that for at least the 20 some years I worked on em.  Either ridiculous to get apart, or already in a bag.

I think I'd fix Mike's rifle and shoot it anyway, as long as it's going to take him to get another one.

Coffinmaker

Oops.  Sorta got some of this on the wrong forum.  Didn't mean to High Jack.

[Mike]

Coffinmaker.
barrel locked on by a good gun smith here ( he hand builds English stile hunting rifle) Uberti not interested in the Henry.
Shoot BP in it, will not buy another new gun from this company.

[treebeard]

Thanks to all for the various tips. Borrowed a impact screw driver and it worked like a charm. Used a screw driver tip
From my Brownells gunsmith set.

[Major 2]

As to Pettifogger's  magazine end cap post...
Here is a tool I found invaluable  66/73 Rifle Magazine Tube End Cap Wrench 
http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/product/T1380

I list it in the realm of sliced bread , Indoor plumbing  and Heidi  Klum in body paint

[Coffinmaker]

  HEIDI         KLUM      IN     BODY     PAINT ...........                CPR    CPR    CPR

Coffinmaker

[treebeard]

As an update I was able to remove the side plate screw with a impact screw driver. However I was only able to remove one
of the side lever spring screws. Very frustrating but I can now clean the carbine. I was using Brownells screw driver tips. On another
Level I have had it out several times and found it a joy to shoot. I am beginning to understand why it stayed in production so long
After the Model 1892 was available.

[Coffinmaker]

Treebeard,

A tip.  The problem with the Side Lever Screws is the Spring.  It isn't fit to the frame and is too heavy for it's purpose.  Because the
spring doesn't fit the frame it is cocked slightly in the bottom of the frame.  This jams the screw.  You can CAREFULLY slip a screwdriver
under the spring and pry it out of position until it slips out of the frame.  CAREFULLY.  You don't want to have the spring scratch the
visible area of the frame.  This will allow the screw to come out.  The back of the spring need a radius to match the frame.  OR:

I would strongly suggest you replace the lever side springs with after-market.  I prefer SlixSprings.

Coffinmaker

[Cliff Fendley]

What Coffinmaker said on the side screws.

The best way I've found to take the 'bind' off the screw from those heavy side springs is a pair of pliers with rubber jaws so it doesn't scratch the frame. clamp down on the middle of the spring and the bottom of the frame to pull the spring down and take the bind off of the screw.

I used to think those screws were all just that tight but I can do that with pliers on a new guns and unscrew them fairly easy while compressing the spring some with the pliers.

I replace those springs with aftermarket or lighten the originals. No need for them to be that heavy, just more wear on the cams with all that pressure.