Winchester 97 Problem

[JJ]

Hello

 

I am rather new at this WB stuff so sometimes I struggle with some things.

 

Here is my problem:

 

My 97 was modified a couple of years ago to accept 6 rounds. Last summer, as well as last fall, it loaded and cycled 6 shells just like it should. Tomorrow myself and a bunch of other guys are attending a WB Match in CA. Yesterday, just to see if the gun would again cycle the 6 shells I stoked it up. 5 shells cycled properly and the 6th shell hung hug up between the tube and lifter(?).

 

I assumed that the spring was not strong enough to push out the 6th shell. Well - I took off the plug on the shell tube and stretched out the spring just a smidgen or two and put everything back together. Now I can only get in 5 and 7/8ths of the 6th shell.

 

Any ideas what I may have done incorrectly and more importantly, how can the problem be corrected?

 

Thanks for any help you may offer.

 

J.J.

High Plains Drifters and Roop County Cowboys

Fernley NV

[Garrison Joe]

First clean the mag tube good and lube lightly with an oil that dries well.  EEzox or Boeshield.

 

Look to see if you have kinked your spring. If you have, a Rem 870 spring will replace it, but it will need to be trimmed.

Look to see if you have got the rear end of spring correctly into the follower.  Reversing the spring sometimes makes the fit much better.  Easy to switch ends of spring by mistake.

 

See how much spring sticks out the end of mag tube.  If more than about 4 inches, you might be able to trim back to 3-4 inches.  But since you are trying to fix a weak-feed situation now, I'd save trimming it until the last ditch attempt.

 

Most likely it's assembled wrong somewhere.

 

Good luck, GJ

[Tully Mars]

JJ,

If your coming to GCWB with the Nevada guys tomorrow.  I can bring you a spring. No guarantees it will fix your problem, but you welcome to it.

Tully

 

[JJ]

Joe - Tully

 

I want to thank both of you for your replies.

 

I again took out the spring, reversed the spring, and cut a turn off of the coil. Now I can just BARELY get in 6 shells. I suspect later today a new spring will be on order. This is really funny to me. Before I stretched the spring, 6 Winchester Super X shells could fit in the magazine tub with about 3 millimeters of play and now, like I mentioned above 6 will just barely make it in.

 

Joe - I really appreciate the time and consideration you spent on your answer. Your answer was concise and informative. I always enjoy reading your answers to questions on both of the Cowboy forums. You are always 'spot on' with no politics involved.

 

Tully - yup, I and probably 5 others will be invading Cowboy Town tomorrow morning to shoot Sutter's WB Stages. The weather over Carson Pass and at the range looks like it will be fairly nice for for this time of the year. Also thanks for your generous offer of a 'new' spring, however I think I will pass. If the silly thing does not work, I will borrow one of the NV scatterguns to compete. The more I think about it, I will order a new WB Spring Kit right after I am finished here rather than the continued screwing around with something that is 60 years old.

 

Thanks again - J.J.

[Tully Mars]

The more I think about it, I will order a new WB Spring Kit right after I am finished here rather than the continued screwing around with something that is 60 years old.

 

Thanks again - J.J.

 

I think that's a wise move.

See you all tomorrow!

Tully

[Mink Shoals Bandit]

Could be the spring is not going down inside of the follower...  Make sure it is inside and then slide it in the mag tube...