colt navy help

[Diverguy83]

hello all i have a colt navy repro 1861 i think and i havent shot it yet but i am having problems with the cylinder it rotates just fine for a few chambers then get very very hard to rotate for about 2 cylinders then it gets smooth again... i have checked and rechecked for galling or anything the could be hindering the rotation but i see nothing what do yall think?

 

[biliff]

Check the barrel/cylinder gap as you rotate the cylinder. It may be slightly out of square and rubbing on the back of the barrel.

 

[Diverguy83]

ok i got it worked out now... as it turns out the barrell is too close to the cylinders and it rubs against it so i dropped the pin out of it and pulled the barrel slightly out and re inserted the pin untill it got tight then rotated the cylinder a few turns and its rotating just fine now so i dont know lol.

 

[paulvallandigham]

YOu should check that barrel to see that the back end is square to the bore. That will often eliminate the problem you had. A few strokes with a file to square the back is all it takes. Or, if you have access to a milling machine, create a jig that holds the barrel upright on a pin that fits the cylinder pin hole, and then use an end mill cutter to square the breech of the barrel.

While at it, polish the throat in the barrel, and match the diameter of the throat to the diameter of the chambers in the cylinder, to prevent ball shaving, and to improve accuracy.

Sometimes, the diameters of the chambers of these repros are all over the place, as well as not well centered to the bore of the barrel. My brother had a Remington Repro that was opened up to take .457 balls, in order to get all the chambers to aligne with the bore, and a new barrel put on the gun in the larger caliber. Its a tack driver, now.