Problem with loading gate cover, winchester 1892?

[andym79]

Hi,

I recently bought a Winchester 1892. As I always do before loading a live rounds 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 would straighten, when I push in into alignment if 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 am firm with the lever (it seems if really needs to be a lot more of a definite motion than with my 1894, I guess that cause it a pistol round and the ramp in steeper?).

The issue I am left with now however is that the loading gate no 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

 

[Jim K]

How could the loading gate move back? There is one screw hole in the loading gate and one screw hole in the receiver. They have to line up.

It looks like the screw is not screwed in all the way; the head has to fit down into the hole in the receiver to keep the loading gate in place.

Jim

 

[andym79]

That is why, I suggested this may not be an orignal part or even the correct part.

When the hole in the receiver and the hole in the loading gate line up and the screw is fitted the loading gate cover is protruding into the receiver by about 5/32" and catches on the lifter!

With the screw removed, and the loading gate cover slide back. The cover seems to fit and the rifle functions correctly.

Obviously winchester did put the rifle out there with a loading gate cover that was 1/16" too long or had the hole tapped 1/16" out of alignment.

I guess there is no way to deal with the incorrect part that the previous owner must have fitted, except but to dismantle and modify or install another loading gate cover!

 

[Jim K]

I can't even visualize a 92 with the loading gate screw removed even working at all. That screw is the only thing that holds the loading gate and without it the gate just falls into the action and jams things up.

Is there a gunsmith around who has worked on those old actions? The 92 is not the most difficult gun I ever worked on, but it is darned tricky and everything has to come out and go back in an exact order.

Jim

 

[Stacer]

you could try removing the gate completely. I have a 92 that came that way and I've shot it for several years. One of these days i'll get around to getting a replacement part