Problem with loading gate on Winchester 1892?

[andym79]

Hi,

I recently bought a Winchester 1892. As I always do before loading a live round I load up 3 dummies. I hadn't paid much attention to the lifter or loading gate. I loaded 3 rounds into the magazine, and the final round wouldn't straighten, when I push in into alignment it sat normal, in position for the lifter raise it.

Next issue, on opening the lever fully, the lifter only raised up to the half way point and so I had a failure to feed!

I quickly figured the loading gate was causing the problem.

So I removed the screw that holds the loading gate in position and slid it back about 1/16". Problem partially solved, the rounds now align as they should, and the rounds cycle as long as I'm firm with the lever (it seems it really needs a lot more of a definite motion than with my 1894, I guess that's cause it a pistol round and the ramp in steeper?).

The issue I am left with now however, is that the loading gate now either needs to move back 1/16" or get shortened by that amount at the front!

Elongating the screw hold in the receiver is really unthinkable to me; but I don't see how I can file the loading gate from the front without totally dissembling the rifle (the loading gate will only move forward about 3/8" with the rifle fully intact) and I would rather not do that.

The only explanation I can think of is that the previous owner installed a non original loading gate cover (this is the only part that seems to have any bluing on it) that is either 1/16" longer or has the hole tapped 1/16" further back!

Questions:

1) Any way to remove this parts without full receiver dis-assembly?

2) Would filing the front 1/16" off work or is the ramped tapered tabs' profile critical?

3) Do they make more than one reproduction loading gate cover, and could this be for a different sub model of 1892?

I need to fix this or I just bought myself a single shot rifle, after all I cant just leave the screw out!

Thanks

[Jessie]

What's happening with the missing receiver screw there?

Looks to me like the internals of the action is are about 1-2mm back compared to the body of the action, and would need to move forward that much in order to put a bolt through there and lock everything together.

Seems to be about the amount of space we're talking that's giving you your problems?

[andym79]

That screw just holds the loading gate cover in place. The position you see in the photo is where the loading gate cover needs to sit, in order for the rifle to function correctly. If I slide the gate forward and insert the screw, I get a failure to load and failure to feed as the loading gate cover is 1/16" to far forward! Hence the reason I suspect this is not an original part! See photo of loading gate cover with screw in place:

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.p ... 1386661622

I am looking for suggestions, if its even possible to remove that component without full dis assembly.

[Hucka]

1) Any way to remove this parts without full receiver dis-assembly?

2) Would filing the front 1/16" off work or is the ramped tapered tabs' profile critical?

3) Do they make more than one reproduction loading gate cover, and could this be for a different sub model of 1892?

Given the significant different in metal colour, Number 3) is looking like a likely culprit to me.

The gap at the top of that gate looks a fraction large to my eye too. Normally the gates are pretty flush with the action.

The gates on these were slightly different. e.g. the gate for the 38-40 and 44-40 was not the same as for the 32-20 because the COAL is a fraction longer.

I suspect you may have a 32-20 gate installed in it instead.

Bit of a guess here but that's my first thought.

[Hinky]

Definitely don't elongate the screw hold in the receiver IMO.

Then you're stuck with using the wrong gate cover even if you found the right one later

Shaving the front of the gate cover shouldn't be a problem. The rounded tip of the bullet should still slide into the magazine regardless of this, even if there is a slight angle change of a degree or two due to the cover change. IMO working the cover is far preferable to modifying the action.

Sounds like incorrect cover to me too.

On the back of the covers there is also a guiding rod type bit of metal. On some this was 1/4 of an inch and sat about the same distance back from front end of the cover, and on other types it's the full length of the cover. This could be the reason the cover won't move forward fully when assembled fully if the guide (or other part of the cover backing) is catching on something that it's not matched for.