M1895 Winchester Musket and the Road to Camp Perry

[Culpeper]

Yes. The sear spring and the hammer spring are drilled and tapped for the screws.

I backed the sear screw off to where the trigger is way easy to pull. But...

From what I can figure out with the lever down, but the hammer not set, and the sear screw backed out there is no tension on the sear spring. The trigger has alot of take up.

Then with the lever up and the hammer cocked the hammer spring mashes down on the sear spring. That is what gives the sear/trigger a heavy pull. So it may be a balancing act. I will have to adjust the hammer spring and see what it does.

Learning is fun.

I edited my other above pics.

[butlersrangers]

Look for galling and wear on contacting surfaces (including wood interference with springs):

[Culpeper]

Four pounds ten ounces!

You have got to be frickin' kidding me. You guys will never believe what is the right answer. It'll take some thinking and typing to get the explanation correct without alot of spitting and swearing. I'll do it in the morning and replace this post. Right now I am on Cloud Nine.

[Culpeper]

First I presumed what I was seeing was the truth. The military trains electronic maintenance guys what correct looks like and then proceed to break down whatever piece of equipment so they can rebuild it. And in the process trainers inject problems to show what not right looks like.

I did not know what right looked like. I know now. Sheesh.

BR was correct in the recommendation of a spare sear spring. This one was jacked up. It looked like someone took a wire wheel or a grinder to it. I found a pic of the spring with a rule along side of it. A "real" spring measured about two and quarter inches. Mine is one point nine inches.

I found a place in Idaho that had an original spring for sale so it is on its way.

I have a sporterized Winchester musket in the tunnel complex. I dug it out of the pile and measured the pull. It comes in just shy of 6 pounds. That is what I am looking for with this one when the spring arrives.

Onward to Camp Perry!

[scottz63]

Nice catch.

I have found several springs installed incorrectly over the years on surplus guns. Also springs that were broken, worn, weak, stretched, bent, ect. That's why I tear each and every gun down completely and go through them.

[Culpeper]

I turned the corner on this episode of the journey.

The spring arrived today, after pictures, I installed it in the rifle. What I thought would be the proper orientation was the wrong way. The curvature was the correct way when I started. It was just the spring as all dinked up from whomever that was causing the heavy trigger pull. See pic on how it went into the rifle.

sear spring This is the correct orientation.jpg (205.02 KiB) Viewed 9661 times

I compared the two and you can see how bad it had been messed with. GOLLY! I finished up with a trigger weight check. It comes in at eight pounds and is smooth on the break. I did not notice any problems during a dry fire. It would seem like any other normal rifle of its class and age.

sear spring old-new side by side.jpg (128.26 KiB) Viewed 9661 times

[butlersrangers]

Hooray!

(p.s. - You can always try swapping the sear-springs, between both of your model 1895 Winchester lever-guns, and go with the lightest pull on your 'match' 1895.
With the 'vibration' of working the lever, a pull of close to 5 lbs is probably a good thing).

[Culpeper]

Today was the last CMP match for the year at the club. Of course, The Winchester and I were there. I thought I would suck three for three but the musket performed in the slow prone. I was worried about the windage so I fired eight test shots yesterday to have it right for today.

Then it was onto the rapid prone. This is suck number 1. I was still fumbling on the reloads. The same problem was still there. Partly the rifle mechanicals and a lot of the guy pulling the trigger. Another five or so sessions and I'll have that licked.

Naturally suck number 2, slow standing, is all me. Sweet Neptune's briny pants. How many decades will it take to master off hand shooting?

The issue with the trigger is a thing of the past. A couple of the guys want to see 1895 on the line at Camp Perry. They were surprised at the slow prone target. (Don't tell but so was I.)

The weather was great. Clear sky, 70 degrees, ultra mild wind. Perfect Octoberfest in Germany weather.

[psteinmayer]

I see a Vintage medal in your future Culp with the '95 Culp! Keep at it and we'll all be bowing down to your Winchesterness!!!

[Whig]

Culpeper- At least you had the courage to go and shoot in the competition! Nice job!