Arbor Problem?

[RiverRat]

I have three Colt replicas, Uberti Walker, Uberti 1860 Army and a Pietta 1860 Army. The Walker is new to me but I have been shooting the 1860’s for years. None of these revolvers have hundreds of rounds through them yet. I have been reading about these short arbor issues and I have little knowledge about the problem. What do I look for and what are the consequences of ignoring a potential problem? Thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this.

 

[Tyler L]

There have been lots of threads on it:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/short-arbor.153251/
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/uberti-1860-short-arbor-fix.173899/
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/trying-to-understand-this-“short-arbor”-on-uberti-revolvers.126633/

The main consequence is the barrel-to-cylinder gap will not be consistent, to the point where the cylinder can bind up if the wedge is inserted too far. By fixing the arbor length, the wedge can be put in tight while the gap stays the same every time.

 

[RiverRat]

There have been lots of threads on it:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/short-arbor.153251/
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/uberti-1860-short-arbor-fix.173899/
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/trying-to-understand-this-“short-arbor”-on-uberti-revolvers.126633/

The main consequence is the barrel-to-cylinder gap will not be consistent, to the point where the cylinder can bind up if the wedge is inserted too far. By fixing the arbor length, the wedge can be put in tight while the gap stays the same every time.

Thanks Tyler for taking the time for your reply. I get it now, my newly manufactured Walker seems good to go. My Uberti 1860 needs a very thin washer to get it right, and my Pietta is also good to go.

 

[45D]

Thanks Tyler for taking the time for your reply. I get it now, my newly manufactured Walker seems good to go. My Uberti 1860 needs a very thin washer to get it right, and my Pietta is also good to go.

What makes you think the Walker is ok? It's an Uberti so it's short.

Mike

 

[Festus]

The short arbor affects accuracy or what I should say is point of aim. Depending on how far you drive the wedge in , it will change your point of aim. Not a huge problem but every time you have it apart and put the wedge in it can be a little different.

 

[French Colonial]

Work on becoming a better shooter (dry firing etc.) and save your money for more powder.

 

[CaptainVane]

I thought dry firing was bad. Ive read remove the nipples or put plastic hose on them. True?

 

[French Colonial]

I thought dry firing was bad. Ive read remove the nipples or put plastic hose on them. True?

Dry firing is only bad if you do not insure by some means that your not battering the nipples....or in the case of a flintlock causing excess wear on the frizzen, dummy cartridges for modern guns to keep from damaging the firing pin.

Every master class and expert shooter I have personally known in my past practiced dry firing.

 

[JimCunn]

French Colonial, how do you avoid battering the hammer face?

 

[M. De Land]

French Colonial, how do you avoid battering the hammer face?

A means I have devised is to make and install a small neoprene pad made of ( commercial thermo glass setting blocks) in the hammer mortise that cushions the hammer fall in the upper curve of the hammer arm against the frame body under it.
These have to be fit by slowly reducing they're thickness (sanding down) until the hammer has to be forced ahead by heavy finger pressure when hand cycled to reset or the hammer is dropped by the main spring in normal fire cycling.
They stay in by themselves with proper friction fit and are removed and installed by the forceps seen in the pictures.
Caution,if you fail to remove it at the range the gun will not fire live caps installed on the nipples.
You can dry fire until the cows come home and never injure the hammer face or nipples.

 

[RiverRat]

What makes you think the Walker is ok? It's an Uberti so it's short.

Mike

Sorry Mike. My Walker is a new production revolver and I checked it several times after learning what to look for. It is just about perfect. I did shim my Uberti 1860 and also my Pietta 1860.

 

[45D]

Sorry Mike. My Walker is a new production revolver and I checked it several times after learning what to look for. It is just about perfect. I did shim my Uberti 1860 and also my Pietta 1860.

Thats all fine so, would you let us know HOW you checked it? It would be a first. I just did a pair of new Dragoons and they weren't "good" so . . .

Mike

 

[French Colonial]

French Colonial, how do you avoid battering the hammer face?

On an 1851 navy I put 1/2 a foam ear plug under the hammer, it will stop the hammer from hitting the nipple but still let the action function, I can get several dry fires before it falls out, then I just put it back in.

 

[45D]

On an 1851 navy I put 1/2 a foam ear plug under the hammer, it will stop the hammer from hitting the nipple but still let the action function, I can get several shots before it falls out, then I just put it back in.

Huhhhh ?

 

[RiverRat]

Thats all fine so, would you let us know HOW you checked it? It would be a first. I just did a pair of new Dragoons and they weren't "good" so . . .

Mike

Well Mike, Tyler L

 

[RiverRat]

Well Mike, Tyler L

Sorry, a finger slipsy, Tyler L was very kind to post some links on the arbor issue. If you want to know what I did. Read those links. Have a great day

 

[French Colonial]

Huhhhh ?

Fixed it.

 

[45D]

Sorry, a finger slipsy, Tyler L was very kind to post some links on the arbor issue. If you want to know what I did. Read those links. Have a great day

I'm sorry, not into "games". If it's Pettifogger posts that's fine but his "tests" are bogus.
I'm busy finalizing the endshake on 2 new Armys ( Uberti of course) . If it's that big of a deal to help the community, . . . thanks .

Don't know who "Tyler L" is.

Spreading rumors is definitely not any help to anybody especially new folks reading this. Uberti has NOT fixed the short arbor problem.

Mike

 

[RiverRat]

I'm sorry, not into "games". If it's Pettifogger posts that's fine but his "tests" are bogus.
I'm busy finalizing the endshake on 2 new Armys ( Uberti of course) . If it's that big of a deal to help the community, . . . thanks .

Don't know who "Tyler L" is.

Spreading rumors is definitely not any help to anybody especially new folks reading this. Uberti has NOT fixed the short arbor problem.

Mike

Mike, read further up on this thread, Tyler L was the first person to answer my question about the arbor issue. I am 70 years old and I don’t have time to play “games”. Take a deep breath and go on fixing your defective pistols! I DON’T SPREAD RUMORS!

 

[45D]

Mike, read further up on this thread, Tyler L was the first person to answer my question about the arbor issue. I am 70 years old and I don’t have time to play “games”. Take a deep breath and go on fixing your defective pistols! I DON’T SPREAD RUMORS!

Yap, and I'M in those threads and Uberti HASN'T corrected the ARBOR problem.
Hello!!!!!!

Don't need to take a breath, I work on these every . . . single . . Day !!!!