Chiappa Rimfires

The Chiappa Group is the parent company of Chiappa Firearms, Armi Sport, Kimar, ACP, and Costa metal surface treatment. Here’s maintenance details of two of their popular rimfire handguns. Chiappa’s SSA 1873-22 is a Colt 1873 reproduction that shoots .22LR, .22L, .22S and/or .22MAG. Because of this, there are a few differences from the Colt version. It has a lot of cast aluminum parts and isn’t as heavy has the original, but it does feel like a Colt 1873.

This is a good choice for those looking for a cheap cowboy action style of gun. I have changed some of the part names to make it easier to understand, then what Chiappa uses. Use safety glasses when disassembling this or any gun. Check to make sure it is unloaded. Pull the hammer back to the half cock position. Open the loading gate and remove any rounds in the cylinder, using the extractor. Take down is the same as most single action revolvers. Push in the base pin catch and slide the base pin out to the front.

Push the cylinder out the right side, keeping an eye out for the bushing in the front of the cylinder. This is loose and will fall out. The bushing has a taper and should be reinstalled with the groove to the front. Unscrew the extractor screw and remove the ejector assembly. Remove the extractor spring 22LR/.22MAG. and using hand pressure, unscrew the extractor rod from the extractor rod button. That extractor rod nut is loose on the rod; remove it with the rod out the back.

The button can now be removed from the extractor housing. Put the barrel in a padded vise. Using two screwdrivers, unscrew the cylinder rod nut from the cylinder screw. Remove the cylinder rod spring on the screw and remove the screw. Gently lower the hammer and remove the grips. There are five cross point screws holding the backstrap to the frame. Two in the back and three on the bottom. Remove these screws, holding the backstrap against the frame as there are springs inside that are pushing the two apart.

The pin and spring for the loading gate are on the bottom right side of the frame. The pin and spring for the pawl are on the back left side of the frame. These will come out as the backstrap is pulled away from the frame. The loading gate can now

Chiappa 1873-22 (Speci ications subject to change without notice) 1 Frame 2 Ejector Rod Tube 3 Ejector Rod Tube Screw 4 Ejector Button 5 Ejector Rod 6 Ejector Spring 7 Cylinder 8 Cylinder Base Pin 9 Cylinder Base Pin Screw 10 Cylinder Base Pin Nut 11 Cylinder Base Pin Spring 12 Hammer 13 Hammer Screw be pulled out the front. The mainspring is removed by using a pair of pliers and twisting the spring to release the tension and pulling out the side.

Remove the screw holding the trigger spring and remove from the frame.

On the left side of 14 Hammer Roller Pin 15 Hammer Roller 16 Loading Gate 17 Loading Gate Catch 23 Backstrap Screws (1 is shorter) 24 Mainspring 25 Loading Gate Catch Spring 26 Sear and Bolt Spring Screw 27 Sear and Bolt Spring 28 Trigger 29 Trigger and Bolt Screws 30 Bolt 31 Pawl 32 Pawl Pin Spring 33 Left Grip 34 Right Grip 35 Grip Screw Nut 36 Grip Screw 37 Medallion 38 Firing Pin Spring 39 Backstrap 40 Firing Pin 41 Firing Pin Retaining Pin 42 Cylinder Bushing 43 Ejector Rod Nut 44 Pawl Pin the frame, remove the most forward screw.

This will release the cylinder stop. The middle screw will release the trigger. Remove both of these screws and remove the cylinder stop and trigger. Remove the large back screw and the hammer assembly will come out the bottom. The roller on the hammer should not be removed unless for repair. Drive the roll pin out that holds the firing pin in. The spring does not have much pressure, but keep a finger on the firing pin so you don’t lose it. Reassembly Tips Reassembly is in reverse order.

When reinstalling the firing pin, make sure the roll pin goes under the cutout. It is easier to put in the cylinder stop before the trigger. The mainspring is started at the top of the slot. Using a finger, pull back on the spring and it will drop down into place. Holding the frame upside down, put the loading gate back in. Drop the gate pin and spring in place. Slip the hand pin and spring into the hole by the hammer. Take the backstrap and lower it into position.

Rotate front to back and make sure the gate spring and hand spring are not pinched. Lift up on the mainspring to ease installation. Start all screws before tightening. The screws holding the backstrap onto the frame and the trigger spring are self-tapping. Do not over tighten as these will strip very easily as the frame is made of aluminum. Check that the hand has spring pressure and the action cycles properly. If not, take backstrap off and check out why.

When reinstalling the extractor rod on the button, hand tighten it. The button is made of aluminum and will strip out easily. The cone shaped portion of the extractor spring goes to the rear. The short taper of the extractor rod nut goes to the front. Chiappa 1911-22 This may look like a 1911 but it is a completely redesigned handgun, not just a .22 conversion put on a 1911 frame. Made out of "Chiappalloy" it has mass like a 1911 and handles like a centerfire with less recoil. This is a good training gun.

Since this is not a 1911 clone, field stripping is different. Use safe-

ty glasses when disassembling and check to make sure it is unloaded. Drop the magazine out and rack the slide back to insure there is not around in the chamber. Release the slide forward and control the hammer while pulling the trigger. With the barrel pointing up, press down on the nose lock. Rotate the bushing 90 degrees CCW and pull up and out. Watch that you control the recoil spring as it can fly out when removing the bushing. Remove the nose lock and recoil spring. Cock the hammer and pull the slide back.

Grab the slide and rotate CC and lift the back off the frame. Now move the slide forward and off the frame. The recoil spring guide is loose and can be removed. The slide stop lever can be pushed out to the left. For detailed disassembly, start with the slide. Using a roll pin punch, push the extractor pin down enough to release the extractor. I try to leave the roll pins in place to make it easier to put back together. With the extractor removed the extractor spring can be lifted out of the hole.

Drive the firing pin retaining pin out to the right. The pin has serrations on the right side. To get the safety key out, push in on the firing pin with a punch. While holding down, push the safety key out to the right. There is a small detent ball that will launch itself once clear of the frame, so this is one procedure to do inside a clear plastic bag. Once the safety key is out the firing pin and spring can be removed out of the slide.

Moving to the frame, using a 7/64" hex bit, remove the two grip screws holding the left grip panel. Keep the panel in place while removing these screws. Lay the frame down on the bench and lift the grip panel off. The thumb safety housing is not secured to the frame. Put a finger on the plunger while lifting the housing out of the frame. The slide safety can then also be lifted out. Remove the slide safety spring. Carefully control the hammer and decock it. Take off the right grip panel.

Unscrew the screw retaining the thumb safety. Push out the thumb safety to the left. Drive out the pin in the lower portion of the grip. Pull the back strap out of the back of the frame. The transfer bar will be loose. With the back strap laying with the hammer at the top and to the right, take off the hammer group cover. With a finger to hold the spring, take off the sear, then the pawl and spring, the hammer, bushing, and spring. Now push out the pin that holds the magazine block.

The magazine thumb release is like a 1911. Push from the left side and, using a screwdriver, rotate the screw 1/4 turn CCW. Take out to the right side. The trigger can now be removed out the back of the frame. Reassembly Tips Starting with the slide, put the firing pin and spring in the slide, push down on the firing pin and gently clamp the front of the firing pin with smooth vise grips. Insert the key safety in far enough to be able to put the spring and detent ball in.

There is a small cutout for the ball to go into when putting it back in place. Cycle the key safety before releasing the firing pin. The firing pin nose has to be vertical and in

Top: Back strap with the hammer, pawl, and sear installed with the respective springs in place. the proper orientation to put in the retaining pin.

For the frame, insert the short end of the hammer spring into the 1 Slide 2 Extractor 3 Extractor Spring 4 Extractor Pin 5 Firing Pin retaining pin 6 Key Safety 7 Key Safety Detent Spring 8 Key Safety Detent Ball 9 Thumb Safety Plunger Housing 10 Thumb Safety Plunger Spring 11 Thumb Safety Plunger 12 Slide Safety Transfer 13 Slide Safety Transfer Spring 14 Magazine Block Pin hole in the hammer. Place the hammer on the pin in the back strap. Put the hammer bushing on before hooking the spring on the post.

Use a 1/16" punch to hold the pawl up on the post when putting the small sear spring on. Do the same when putting on the sear. The safety transfer bar is tricky to get into place, so carefully put it back in. Gently slip this back into the frame. Be sure to have the trigger back in.

Line up the back strap and frame, then insert 15 Magazine Block 16 Hammer Group Cover 17 Hammer Bushing 18 Hammer 19 Hammer Spring 20 Pawl 21 Pawl Spring 22 Sear 23 Sear Spring 24 Back Strap Pin 25 Back Strap 26 Safety Transfer Bar 27 Thumb Safety Screw 28 Thumb Safety Chiappa 1911-22 (Speci ications subject to change without notice) 29 Grip Screws 30 Grip Pair 31 Frame 32 Magazine 33 Magazine Thumb Release 34 Magazine Thumb Release Spring 35 Magazine Release Pin 36 Slide stop Lever 37 Trigger 38 Recoil Spring Guide 39 Recoil Spring Plunger 40 Barrel Bushing 41 Firing Pin 42 Firing Pin Spring the safety lever with the tab of the post down and against the frame.

Wiggle it a little to capture the hole of the transfer bar. Put on the screw to hold the safety lever. Test function of the safety before going any further, then pin the back strap. Reassemble the rest in reverse order. The slide stop lever has to be put in before the recoil spring and plunger are installed. There is an indentation that the recoil spring guide goes into to keep it in place. AG