Really slick administrative unloading levergun

[Dov]

This address my only real concern about leverguns, safe administrative unloading. I know if your careful you can just cycle them through the gun but have never cared for that technique, especially on original guns or modern ones without a safety.

I read some forum posts about people that claim to be able to unload levergun mag tube same way you would a shotguns mag tube but I've never been able to do that personally.

This youtube demonstrates an easy way, just lay rifle on side with loading gate up.

One hand fully depresses loading gate.

Other hand uses small wooden dowel or similar tool to lever case rim above loading gate.

Youtube demonstrating it as Second method of unloading titled "Two Ways of Unloading Your Lever Gun" by Peepaw McDonald

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMI7r6AM6EA

[GJM]

With my Brockman Marlin .45-70, I can unload by pushing the loading gate and the cartridges back out.

[whomever]

With my first Marlin, you could unload just by pressing in the loading gate and out came the cartridges, but the sharp edges on the loading gate and port cut your fingers. That was fixed by very careful deburring with 600 grit sand paper. N.b. that you can round off the loading gate too much.

I have had subsequent Marlins where the loading gate was too stiff to do that easily. When I compared their loading gates to the first one, the thin section of the loading gate - the middle of the dumbell, if you will - was noticeable thicker than the original (I'm talking the horizontal left-right dimension with the rifle in the firing position). I just used a file and sandpaper to thin that to match the original, taking care to leave a smooth surface, with radii at either end. Apparently Marlin (and these were all JM marlins) didn't hold tolerances very tight there.

Making them all work like #1 is SOP now.

If you do mess it up, it's not an hugely expensive part.

[RevolverRob]

I haven't ever tried it with a Winchester. Can you not lever down and then flip the gun upside down and dump the round out? On a Marlin you can run the lever down and rotate the gun sideways and dump the round on the elevator into your hand through the ejection port, just like a shotgun.

Ranger Point Precision makes nice thin(ner) and dehorned loading gates.

@Malamute

[Rick R]

I haven't ever tried it with a Winchester. Can you not lever down and then flip the gun upside down and dump the round out? On a Marlin you can run the lever down and rotate the gun sideways and dump the round on the elevator into your hand through the ejection port, just like a shotgun.
@Malamute

The rotate & dump is what I use with my three Marlins. I don’t remember how it works with my Winchester, maybe I should break it out of the safe…

[Malamute]

The unloading, chamber clearing with magazine left loaded, or single loading is one of the main reasons I prefer the Winchester type actions. I greatly dislike the turn sideways and dump thing. It feels like way more administrative handling and juggling than actually needed.

With the Winchesters you can open the action and eject the chambered round, if you dont move the lever too far, the carrier wont raise with the next round, it you do run it too far and the carrier raises, I just push it back down with a finger tip and close the action on the empty chamber. Skinny actions like the 94 can use the little finger, larger one like the 1886 can use fatter fingers.

For full unloading, which I dont often need to do, I run each round far enough into the chamber (about halfway) to be freed from the cartridge guides in the receiver walls, back the bolt away from it, then pluck the round out by the rim, proceed to the next one. It feels much more controlled and orderly. It can be done with the muzzle pointed down, the shell just needs to be pulled from the chamber by the rim with a fingernail. Its easy to do for the most part, the chamber is pretty easy to access. They dont have to be fully chambered with the bolt, and you dont have to juggle the gun around and muzzle stuff so much like dumping rounds out the side.

One other (of several) things I like about the Winchester actions is how slick the loading is, the 1886 in particular, the 1873 seems very slick as well, very little spring tension on the gate or magazine spring, though older 94 and slicked up newer ones work very well also, just not like greased snot like the 86 and 73. The old thing about not pushing the rim all the way in to facilitate loading is completely unnecessary with properly functioning Winchesters, and has resulted in the magazine spitting several rounds back out for me on a few occasions.

I dont usually have a place to lay a gun on its side to unload it, its generally in hand before getting back in a vehicle or the house. I dont mind unloading in the house as needed for cleaning or work when done as described above.

[Dov]

The unloading, chamber clearing with magazine left loaded, or single loading is one of the main reasons I prefer the Winchester type actions. I greatly dislike the turn sideways and dump thing. It feels like way more administrative handling and juggling than actually needed.

With the Winchesters you can open the action and eject the chambered round, if you dont move the lever too far, the carrier wont raise with the next round, it you do run it too far and the carrier raises, I just push it back down with a finger tip and close the action on the empty chamber. Skinny actions like the 94 can use the little finger, larger one like the 1886 can use fatter fingers.

For full unloading, which I dont often need to do, I run each round far enough into the chamber (about halfway) to be freed from the cartridge guides in the receiver walls, back the bolt away from it, then pluck the round out by the rim, proceed to the next one. It feels much more controlled and orderly. It can be done with the muzzle pointed down, the shell just needs to be pulled from the chamber by the rim with a fingernail. Its easy to do for the most part, the chamber is pretty easy to access. They dont have to be fully chambered with the bolt, and you dont have to juggle the gun around and muzzle stuff so much like dumping rounds out the side.

One other (of several) things I like about the Winchester actions is how slick the loading is, the 1886 in particular, the 1873 seems very slick as well, very little spring tension on the gate or magazine spring, though older 94 and slicked up newer ones work very well also, just not like greased snot like the 86 and 73. The old thing about not pushing the rim all the way in to facilitate loading is completely unnecessary with properly functioning Winchesters, and has resulted in the magazine spitting several rounds back out for me on a few occasions.

I dont usually have a place to lay a gun on its side to unload it, its generally in hand before getting back in a vehicle or the house. I dont mind unloading in the house as needed for cleaning or work when done as described above.

Thanks for the response.

You mentioned the 1873, reminded me of a question thought you might have answer to, are you aware of anyone that does takedown conversions to the modern 1873 reproductions?

I believe there were rimfire takedown versions made in the past ether from factory or special order or something, but haven't found anything about centerfire ones. I don't know enough to know if it would be easier or harder than doing takedown conversion on a Winchester 1892 or 94, or Marlin.

[Malamute]

Thanks for the response.

You mentioned the 1873, reminded me of a question thought you might have answer to, are you aware of anyone that does takedown conversions to the modern 1873 reproductions?

I believe there were rimfire takedown versions made in the past ether from factory or special order or something, but haven't found anything about centerfire ones. I don't know enough to know if it would be easier or harder than doing takedown conversion on a Winchester 1892 or 94, or Marlin.

Im not aware of any takedown 73s available, or anyone doing them. There were a very few made back in the day, but I think they were not well designed and werent made much. Ive seen an original 22 rimfire 1873 that was a takedown, it had a pin that was drifted out, then the unthreaded barrel was pulled from the receiver. I think many had the pins peened in place so they wouldnt loosen up any more. If the principles used for the 92s and 94s were applied they would probably be feasible. A talented gunsmith or amateur gun tinkerer could probably work it out.

There are versions of the 92 available in takedown today, or recently, from Winchester/Miroku and from one of the Italian makers, I dont recall which maker or importer, but I think they were well done. They are pretty cool, the modern ones may hold up better than the old originals, which tended to loosen up some with use, despite the adjustments built in (and which i think few knew existed or how to use).

Winchester and the Italians made/make 73s in 16" barrel "trapper" models, which are pretty handy even without the takedown, otherwise, the simplest work around is to take the butt stock off for more compact storage or travel use. Its easy to chip the wood when wiggling the stock free, they are best done with straight pulling if they dont come loose easily. Im planning to tinker with a folder using one of the Ace stocks folder mechanism. This is after I do the 4387 other projects I have in mind, but I do actually have the parts in hand to do it.

I ended up doing a 20" model 12 12 ga as a takedown travel gun, its good at that role, but id prefer a rifle for a number of reasons, not the least of which is my shoulder is buggered up and I have zero interest in shooting a 12 ga from the shoulder for any reason. It doesnt look like anyone makes a Raptor type grip for them.