I have an 1858 Remington .44 Pietta revolver. It is a great gun however it is very difficult to cock. There is an adjustment screw in the front of the grip. With it completely out it is still a little heavy to cock. Dixie sells these main springs for less than $5.00 dollars each. The existing spring is plenty strong enough to ignite the caps. I was thinking of buying a couple and experimenting weakening this spring. Should I remove some metal on the front, the back, or the sides to weaken. It is almost impossible to cock the gun one handed. Thank you so much this site is fantastic.
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1858 Remington
- Thread starter fraungie
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How old and how many shots has went through the gun, perhaps a tear down and a good cleaning then a very light oil on the internals.
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Many options here. Grind the sides tapering to the middle works. If you have to buy premade hammer springs those made for the Colt 73s like those sold at Brownells or Midway are most likely to work as drop in fit or with a small piece of metal shim in the bottom slot added...
First, take out the main spring and inspect it. At the top and bottom of the spring, are the edges rough? If so, then you may need to touch up a rough edge with a file, but go slowly. Inspect the slots that each end of the spring sits in. Any rough edges, debris? Check out VTI Gun parts. They sell parts for Pietta revolvers, springs, grips and a set of hardened screws to replace the softer ones from the factory.
https://www.vtigunparts.comYouTube has some videos specifically about working on Remingtons and how to lighten the main spring/hammer spring.
Step by step disassembly: Henry Krank & Co
If you haven't already done so, replace the factory nipples with a well known brand. I prefer Treso bronze type nipples but they seem to be in short supply.
https://www.vtigunparts.comYouTube has some videos specifically about working on Remingtons and how to lighten the main spring/hammer spring.
Step by step disassembly: Henry Krank & Co
If you haven't already done so, replace the factory nipples with a well known brand. I prefer Treso bronze type nipples but they seem to be in short supply.
I am fairly new to these types of revolvers but if it were mine and I felt the cocking was overly hard, the first thing I would do is remove the main spring and work the action as best I could to see if anything was binding up and proceed from there. Good luck!!!!!
Robby
Robby
Tear it down completely. Install the hammer and hand. Check the movement. Remove hand if ok. Install hammer, bolt and spring. Check movement. Remove bolt if ok. Remove spring and bolt. Install main spring and hammer. Check movement. At least at this point you have checked the individual parts. Anything that causes issues fix as you go.
The screw a fwd lower of frame should be snug.
The screw a fwd lower of frame should be snug.
Here's a handy bit of data on flat springs:
Twice as wide = double the strength
Twice as thick = quadruples the strength
I have the same gun - an 83 Navy Arms Remington New Model Army - and the spring is way too stiff. Nothing binds in the action, it's the spring. I've been thinking of thinning the thickness of the spring slightly in the middle. Still thinking about it. I'm glad you asked the question! Thank you!
Twice as wide = double the strength
Twice as thick = quadruples the strength
I have the same gun - an 83 Navy Arms Remington New Model Army - and the spring is way too stiff. Nothing binds in the action, it's the spring. I've been thinking of thinning the thickness of the spring slightly in the middle. Still thinking about it. I'm glad you asked the question! Thank you!
I had the opposite problem. You might try an Uberti spring.
In an Uberti Remington 1858 It took 2 strikes on any caps besides Remington 10s which were in short supply and even for those I had to screw the spring tension screw in really far. The hammer was falling properly and not hitting the frame so the problem seemed to be the spring.
I changed out to a Pietta spring I had & this solved my particular problem. Incidentally the Uberti spring was considerably lighter and easier to put in place than the Pietta but once it was in it seems to work well.
In an Uberti Remington 1858 It took 2 strikes on any caps besides Remington 10s which were in short supply and even for those I had to screw the spring tension screw in really far. The hammer was falling properly and not hitting the frame so the problem seemed to be the spring.
I changed out to a Pietta spring I had & this solved my particular problem. Incidentally the Uberti spring was considerably lighter and easier to put in place than the Pietta but once it was in it seems to work well.
I have had the gun for a few years I probably have a few hundred rounds thru it. It has always been hard to cock.The gun revolves smoothly no binding or stiff spots. When I remove the main spring tension adjustment screw in the grip it works much better. I am afraid I will end up loosing the screw I am betting on the main spring.
If you lighten the spring by too much, it won't ignite the caps. Ask me how I know. If you tighten it in too much, the spring will dislodge and nothing will work that way either. Ask me how I know. I just use my left hand to cock the F. LLIPietta 1858. It works.
I may just settle for using my left hand to cock it. I have been doing that since I got it. I will let you guys know how I make out Thanks again.
For the record, how did you lighten the spring? If you removed material, from where and how much? Let us learn from that mistake.
The method often shown by the guy in the vid above is the worst thing you can do for lightening a spring. ( I would never direct anyone to his videos!!)
For main springs I thin the BELLY (ventral) of the spring. Don't touch the back (dorsal) of the spring. I use a bench belt sander using the area at the top where the roller is to run the spring over. You have to be methodical, all the way up - all the way down water quench repeat. Never stop in between. I hold the spring with a pair of mini- adjustable pliers. Check after the second "repeat ".
What this does is maintains full width for stability and gets you to your "target " weight pretty quick.
If you don't have a belt sander available but have a grinder, use the normal thinning method using bare hands and quench often. Again, never touch the back of the spring.
Taking material from the belly of the spring works because compressing the grain of the steel doesn't break the grain. Of course disturbing the grain on the back will lead to breaking.
Mike
For main springs I thin the BELLY (ventral) of the spring. Don't touch the back (dorsal) of the spring. I use a bench belt sander using the area at the top where the roller is to run the spring over. You have to be methodical, all the way up - all the way down water quench repeat. Never stop in between. I hold the spring with a pair of mini- adjustable pliers. Check after the second "repeat ".
What this does is maintains full width for stability and gets you to your "target " weight pretty quick.
If you don't have a belt sander available but have a grinder, use the normal thinning method using bare hands and quench often. Again, never touch the back of the spring.
Taking material from the belly of the spring works because compressing the grain of the steel doesn't break the grain. Of course disturbing the grain on the back will lead to breaking.
Mike
Thanks, Mike! Just to clarify terms here, I don't know which side is the belly of the main spring. I've never heard this terminology before. I'm guessing the belly is the inside of the curve - the side the screw presses on. Correct?
When you've done it, how many passes has it taken?
When you've done it, how many passes has it taken?
Something I found on my 1858 was that the hammer roller was stuck. I drove the pin out of the roller, reamed the roller with a #46 drill bit, reassembled, and realized a big improvement. Mine is a Pietta Navy Arms revolver, so I'm not sure other mfg's use the same size roller pin. One would have to measure the pin to see what drill to use. Just something that worked for me. Good luck !
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