Safety question on Uberti 1876’s

[treebeard]

Do the Uberti 1876 have the same issues with the firing pin extension exiting the rifle that have been reported and discussed on the
Forums for 1873’s amd Henry/1866’s? I ask this because they are all toggle link designs.

[greyhawk]

Do the Uberti 1876 have the same issues with the firing pin extension exiting the rifle that have been reported and discussed on the
Forums for 1873’s amd Henry/1866’s? I ask this because they are all toggle link designs.

Dont know whether this answers your question but the Uberti parts diagram shows the 73 with the crosspin retainer same as I describe below for my 66 - its light 1-16th inch would be generous - their 76 diagram shows a retainer tab very similar to what I saw on our original 73 - would be a much stronger setup
So
First - I have to thank you for your enquiry - it sent me off on a tangent - checked the 76 uberti parts diagram - regurgitated my memory on an original 73 I had apart recently - looked at my Uberti 76 - then went to compare the workings of my uberti 66 - ooooooooopps -- firing pin seems like stuck in the fired position ? its been sitting in the rack for ages while I messed with other stuff - I take em down every three or four months and put an oily rag down the bore but usually dont check further than that.
I use this one for rapid fire match when I shoot it so a stuck firing pin and a round a little sticky equals an out of battery discharge for sure - soooo first time since I owned it that 66 came apart properly - just a little gunk and dryness had that firing pin stuck forwards - a quick clean its all ok -- however -- this rifle has no firing pin retractor at all  - no return spring - nothing  - and no place to put it neither.

So the firing pin just floats in the bolt - what they call the firing pin extension (curious choice of words - it would more properly be the rear part of the breech bolt) anyways that bit is retained by a cross pin about 16 or 18 gauge through the bolt and there is a slot in the bolt about three times the width of the retaining pin that allows forward motion to strike the primer when the hammer falls - maybe all 66's are built this way (we need Coffinmaker to tell us that) - Uberti current parts page lists a firing pin spring and the diagram seems to show it but the number (95) from the parts page is missing from the diagram.
I'm trying to figure out how one of these would blow ? ya gonna have to get enough gas flow down the firing pin hole through a punctured primer to then shear off that retaining pin and blow the extension bit outta the block back past the hammer OR its an inertia effect when the blown bolt comes to rapid halt agin the back of the frame (more likely the second? ) - out of battery ignition seems the main chance here (by a pretty wide margin I reckon)
 
I would make a bet that when they are locked up the steel version of these guns are a heap stronger in the action than most people would believe - yeah you will bend the action of a brass gun with overloads and they are quite flimsy with the sideplates removed, but to actually blow a steel 73 or 76  -- requires a fair bit of metal to move someplace.  

[Cliff Fendley]

They no longer use the small cross pin to retain the extension. They use a wedge that is retained by the pin that the toggle links rotate on. Similar looking to the firing pin retractor on an original.

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[greyhawk]

They no longer use the small cross pin to retain the extension. They use a wedge that is retained by the pin that the toggle links rotate on. Similar looking to the firing pin retractor on an original.

Cliff
thanks for the reply - thought I had read that somewhere - looks like Uberti needs to update some stuff on their website - do the brass 66 also have the tab instead of pin?

This little detour has got my rifle cleaned up eady to go anyway and put some focus on that OOB discharge in my mind .

[Slamfire]

 All of this about FP's & the 73 that blew up ( apart ) ,, make's one wonder how the 76 tested by Winchester  ( back in the day ) ,stayed together ,, past the 1st. two loads ?? But ,, pure lead bullets & BP    I know ,I know , the extra bullets weren't " Bore restriction's " ,, I'd been nervous pull'n that string ( lanyard ) .
 
 greyhawk  made me think ,, about ck'n my FP's on my 2 rifles .

 smoke'm if got 'm ,, Hootmix .

[treebeard]

Thanks to those who replied and have given good input that has settled my main concerns. Greyhawks recount of finding a FP stuck in the firing position reminded me of a similar find in an old Rossi 1892 that turned out to be a broke firing pin and needed replacement. Despite our love for these Winchester’s they are machines and all machines can break— often with unpleasant results. Now off to check all my Winchester’s for free FP movement!

[Cliff Fendley]

Thanks to those who replied and have given good input that has settled my main concerns. Greyhawks recount of finding a FP stuck in the firing position reminded me of a similar find in an old Rossi 1892 that turned out to be a broke firing pin and needed replacement. Despite our love for these Winchester’s they are machines and all machines can break— often with unpleasant results. Now off to check all my Winchester’s for free FP movement!

I've been told dry firing a Uberti 73 a bunch can mushroom the head of the firing pin a bit and cause them to stick. Also was always told since I was a kid not to dry fire the original 94's or 92s as it would break the firing pin.

[greyhawk]

I've been told dry firing a Uberti 73 a bunch can mushroom the head of the firing pin a bit and cause them to stick. Also was always told since I was a kid not to dry fire the original 94's or 92s as it would break the firing pin.

Cliff
I had a 92 Rossi come to me with a broken firing pin after an OOB discharge put a hole in the gunshop window (nuther story for a nuther time) but had obviously been dismantled by bubba at some point
Also an original 92 with broken pin (only discovered when I took it apart for some work) this one had been rebarrelled by a "gunsmith " mate of mine - I later watched him put a 92 back together and there was a punch and hammer used to insert the lever pin ?? - What I think happened in both cases was the lever pin fouled the firing pin somehow - -- maybe they put it in back to front (winchester lever pin has a bevel on the end that goes first and is flat at outer end) --- hammer blow drives the lever pin up against the weakest part of the firing pin - stresses it or breaks it - but because the whole deal is captive it takes a while for the two broken ends to peen over till the forward part of the pin sticks or fouls up somehow  --- gets turned around -
Anyway I thought it an interesting coincidence that both of these guns had recently been re assembled by heavy hands and the firing pin in both cases was broken right where the lever pin would make contact if it was driven in.