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I have a 1891 Mfg .38-40 that needs a little Viagra
Cartridges will feed if you roll the rifle on its side, do not feed if rifle is upright. The front edge of the carrier block barely protrudes from the bottom enough to see, back is flush. However when the action is all the way open the front of the block does not lift the cartridge nose high enough and there is definitely forward to back play, I can take my finger and push up the front of the block. Have taken it apart and examined all the parts I do not see any undue wear but obviously there is wear on one or more of the parts enough to cause the problem.
I had one from the same year, in the same cartridge, and it wouldn't feed either. Mine wouldn't retract the bolt far enough, however.
The short answer in your case seems to be the carrier block is too loose in the receiver, but its hard to say without examining it. If you could find another 38 or 44 carrier to try or measure, it may give you some answers. If you need dimensions to compare to yours, I can get you some from one of mine.
Best of luck.
"Oh bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round.
Jay is on the right track. Two things though, replace the carrier spring easy, cheap and it will eliminate one possibility. Keep the original. Number two make sure the bolt retracts far enough for the carrier to move under spring pressure only. We just helped a guy with a 73 that the toggles were slightly messed up and the carrier was doing exactly the same thing once the toggle issue was resolved it worked great. Good luck. Please let us know how this turns out.Tom
a Pennsylvanian who has been accused of clinging to my religion and my guns......Good assessment skills.
Remove carrier block. Inspect inside of the mortise for the lifter arm. See if the lifter arm has worn away the top of that mortise. The lifter arm could also be bent. The carrier block should sit level in its mortise if the arm is correct and you have proper spring tension on the arm. There really shouldn't be more than a few thousandths of clearance between the lifter block and the mortise. Check to see if the block itself isn't worn front & rear. They should be parallel and square to the bottom of the block.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
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GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession! AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
I have a very well worn 73 SRC from 1886 in 44 and it works just fine. I did put a set of new toggles in it mostly so it now has modern steel holding the bolt in place. You could shim the top front corners of the elevator block. A little weld and file to fit? Or many CAS shooters are going to aluminum elevators so you might just find a good used one on the SASSWIRE Classifieds.
M. M. Wright, Sheriff, Green county Arkansas (1860)
Currently living my eternal life.
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SASS
ITSASS
Thanks for all the suggestions. I’m dumb enough to take every screw and pin out of one, not smart enough to diagnose problems.
Not being the patient sort to wait by the mail box to only swap one part at the time and then order another. And considering the scarcity of parts, I have a new carrier spring, lever spring, from one vendor and a new manufactured Block on the way from Numrich. In the meantime I took my other 73 out and it has the same amount of play... hmmmm
Put it all back together and she’s running like a champ, fingers crossed that a good cleaning was all it needed. I did replace the magazine tube spring while I had it apart. In the meantime I will have a spare lever spring, carrier spring, and 38-40/44-40 block. Cheap insurance you know; parts you have on hand never break
Was not really sure how you determine if the toggles and pins are worn too much, plenty of play in them. So I am replacing those with the ones from buffalo arms. I will keep any old parts stored and labeled.
