binding in my 1858

[tnlonghunter]

I don't want to hijack the thread on replacing the handspring, but I do have a question about binding, cleaning, and the hand-spring life span. So far I've only gotten a chance to shoot my 1858 in relatively cold weather (20-40 degrees) so I don't know how it will fare with warm weather.

But, I have noticed that after the first couple of times the cylinder is used it gets pretty stiff to cock the hammer (less when it's really cold). If I put in my spare (clean, unfired) cylinder, it works pretty much smoothly. So, obviously, the fouling is causing it to bind. Duh.

What's the best way to address this so I can shoot multiple cylinders without running the risk of breaking the hand-spring? Do I:

-take apart the whole gun and clean it after a couple of cylinders (seems pretty time consuming for an afternoon range session)

-just buy a lot of extra cylinders and keep swapping them out (pretty expensive and time consuming to clean all of them)

-reapply grease on certain parts/places that I don't know about yet

-other approaches?

Thanks!

 

[rafterob]

Before loading and shooting, remove the cylinder and coat the cylinder pin with a thick lube, replace the cylinder and proceed with loading. I have used crisco for this to good effect in cold weather. In warm weather it melts out pretty fast, but I can get 5 cylinders shot.Then, yes, take the cylinder out and wipe everything down with a damp cloth and start over again. I also overlube the chamber mouths with crisco and I think that helps prolong the fouling-binding issue. I have heard water-pump grease works god for the cylinder pin and doesn't melt out.

 

[token tory]

I'm not sure how helpful this will be but here's what I do & I've gotten 5 & 6 cylinders out of my '58 Rem. I probably could have gotten several more as there was no tightening with those fired.
I used a regular old oil on the cylinder pin, but I was fairly generous with it. Perhaps I filled the flat on the shaft with enough lube that there was nowhere for the carbon to build up as I'd already filled the gap?

 

[Zonie]

I know. The old timers way back when didn't do this.

That said, most hardware stores and auto part stores sell a little brass or stainless steel brush on a handle. It looks like a toothbrush for mutants.

A light brushing of the cylinder face with this every couple of cylinders worth of shots will keep things turning easily.

This binding up problem IS period correct though.
The first Remington .44's known as the Remington-Beals ran the frame back almost to the cylinder face and they would lock up after just a few shots. Following testing, the Army told them in so many words, 'Fix it before you bring it back for further testing'.

Remington redesigned the area to move the frame away from the cylinder so that just the barrel threads approached the face of the cylinder.

At one time, the Italians produced the early model of the Remington as shown in the picture at the right.

Anyone who has one of these Remington-Beals can expect rotation problems. It is the nature of poor design.

 

[token tory]

That would explain my lack of problems.
I have the later (new Army) type with the deeper scallop & a couple of turns of thread showing at the barrel. :thumbsup:

 

[madcratebuilder]

Fouling on the face of the cylinder and the cylinder pin, even the arbor on open tops, is a common problem.

Like Zonie said some designs are worse than others. Sam Colt addressed this with the change from the Walker to the Dragoon. He reduced to contact area at the barrel/cylinder area by putting a taper on the breech of the barrel.

I use a lot of lube (grease cookies) on the cylinder pin/arbor, that seems to help a little. wiping the face of the cylinder at each loading.

I've seen a mod wear you machine the cylinder and frame so you can use a gas check on the 58's cylinder. Sort of like what Bill did with the ROA.

 

[smoothshooter]

When you are in a hurry,licking your finger ( really wet )and holding it against the face of the unloaded and dirty cylinder as you rotate it a couple of times works wonders at extending your shooting time between cleanings...... I suspect I have only "re-discovered" something that may have been common knowledge back when these kinds of guns were in common use. Funny how things like that work out sometimes. Try it! -Smoothshooter :thumbsup:

 

[F.G. Ford]

If you shoot a substitute powder like Pyrodex, you can shoot all day with little fouling.
It works for me!
But you must clean it well after shooting!!
Old Ford

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I do the same thing with some Butch's Black Power Bore Shine on a cleaning patch or piece of paper toweling. The chemical is non-toxic, and has a built-in drying agent in it, so if I get a little moisture in the chambers of the cylinder, by the time I'm done doing all 6 chambers and putting the revolver into my custom pistol loading stand, all of the chambers are already dry and ready to load :thumbsup: .

 

[SAJones]

I have 2 new model replicas: Euroarms & Pietta. I can shoot the Euroarms almost all day w/o problems, but the Pietta will only take about 3 cylinders before it binds. Take out the cylinder & clean the arbor & arbor hole, will go for another 3. Don't know why: both seem to have the same clearance around the arbor ('bout half a hair) & cylinder jump is the same.
I've never experienced a problem w/ powder residue on the face of the cylinder binding the rotation. Also know of folks who put grease around the arbor to keep fouling out, but I would surmise the blast from the forcing cone would blow it out or melt it. My 2 cents worth.

 

[goon]

I'm also having a touch of this problem with my Uberti 1858.
Generally the first four shots from a cylinder are pretty smooth but the fifth and sixth can sometimes start to get hard to cock.
And I'm talking one cylinder here - as in four shots into the range session.
Doesn't happen all the time but it does happen often enough.
It doesn't seem to be due to powder fouling on the cylinder face though - seems to have something to do with the arbor. After 12 shots when I go to pull the pin I have to use both hands to get it out. I can see it trying to turn with the cylinder so it is likely the source of the binding.
Any ideas?
I like the gun, but it is a pain to pull the cylinder every six shots to grease the pin.