Gentlemen I recently watched a video on cylinder drag on an 1851 navy colt. The video showed someone removing metal from the back of the barrel to increase the gap between the cylinder face and the back of the barrel. I was under the impression you could adjust this gap by turning in or out the screw that holds in the wedge. By turning in or out the screw this allows the wedge to go in further pushing the barrel back further toward the cylinder. Is this true? Your comments please.
cylinder drag
- Thread starter fraungie
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Phil Coffins
69 Cal.
On the 1851 the barrel cylinder gap is not adjustable on a properly set up pistol. The arbor has a positive stop in the barrel assembly and that assembly stops on the lower frame. These points of contact if correct places the barrel at a set distance from the cylinder. On our replicas these points aren’t often right from the factory. It requires some gunsmithing to attain this set up. It is often cobbled to an exceptable degree.
and here we have the result of the misunderstood "short arbor synonym" Drive in the wedge the barrel pivots on the lower frame and the muzzle, and front sight, swing up. How much depends on how hard you drive the wedge.
If you decide to fudge up a part of the gun fudge up the least expensive part. Filing on something as expensive as the barel or cylinder is really dumb.
Bunk
If you decide to fudge up a part of the gun fudge up the least expensive part. Filing on something as expensive as the barel or cylinder is really dumb.
Bunk
The wedge screw is only there to keep the wedge from falling out of the side of the barrel when the barrel is removed. It doesn't apply any force to the wedge.
Speaking of the wedge, it has a little spring built into it. Some people think the hooked end of that spring is supposed to latch onto the other side of the barrel where the wedge comes out on the right side of the gun.
Again, this isn't the case.
That little hook is there to catch on the wedge screw head when the wedge is not holding the barrel onto the pistols cylinder arbor.
Driving the wedge in so that the little hook actually does latch on the other side of the barrel usually means the wedge has been driven too far into the gun.
Properly installing the wedge involves shoving it thru the slot until it stops and then giving it a light tap with something so, do not pound it in.
Thank you so much for your help. I just barely started the wedge pin in and the cylinder face is making contact with the rear of the barrel. I do notice though that the blueing on the face of the cylinder is wearing off. It is forming a shiney ring about 1/8" wide on the face of the cylinder. If you look at the gun from the side the upper portion of the rear of the barrel is rubbing on the cylinder face. I can see a little daylight (maybe a few thousands) between the bottom of the barrel and the cylinder face. It seems like the barrel is cocked a little up in the front. Other than that the gun shoots fine. It revolves OK at half cock and locks up where it lines the cylinder chambers up with the barrel well and I am pleased with the gun, but the cylinder is definitely rubbing the back of the barrel. Is there anything I should do? I hate to start filing or sanding if I do not need to. Thanks again with al the help. We are blessed to have you and have a Merry Christmas to you and yours.
^^^ Do not file or sand on anything! Your gun sounds to me like it has a short arbor. That is easily corrected. There are lots of threads posted here and videos on YouTube about how this is done.
Phil Coffins
69 Cal.
The barrel is rubbing the cylinder on the out side edge because the arbor is short of bottoming out in the barrel. To correct this the hole that the arbor goes into can have a washer of a measured thickness inserted and the wedge width adjusted. The barrel cylinder gap should be no more then .006” and even from top to bottom.
A competent lack powder gunsmith (a rarity) advised me the quick fix is drop a #10 split (lock) washed down the arbor hole and see if that will do the job. If not add washers until the frame just touches the barrel lug.
I cured my Uberti 3rd model Dragoon with a blob of JB weld on the end of the arbor and filing the JB weld to fit.
Do not file anything else.
Merry Christmas
Bunk
I cured my Uberti 3rd model Dragoon with a blob of JB weld on the end of the arbor and filing the JB weld to fit.
Do not file anything else.
Merry Christmas
Bunk
sourdough
40 Cal
Since there are many manufacturers of #10 lock washers (and they will compress depending upon the pressure exerted upon them), I don't know how that would be a good way to accurately "fix" the arbor/arbor recess problem.
That will work, except if you are like me and like to swap barrels [of different lengths/designs (part round/part octagon, octagon)], the recesses can vary. I also am not in favor of that because it is pretty much "permanent" and some folks don't want a revolver that has been altered from the original factory specs.
I use .002" shim washers with an OD that just slips into the arbor recess bore. Determine the number of washers needed to correct the situation, stack them on a vertical round toothpick through the washer hole(s) and use a drop or two of Superglue to secure them. When dry, turn the assembly upside down and add another drop of glue. When dry, trim the protruding toothpick ends from the stack flush. You now have a one part unit instead of loose washers to keep track of when disassembling the revolver. A possible future buyer of the revolver will never know the difference insofar as inspecting the arbor end. If you have a spare barrel or two for that revolver, create a stack unit for each barrel and keep it with that barrel.
American Made Shims - Superior Washer & Gasket Corp
Regards,
Jim
Sourdough I only partly agree with you. The washer shim certainly is a temporary fix. The idea of having washer stacks for individual barrels does make sense if you swap things around.
However the best method is to get Piettas that have correct arbor lengths to begin with and avoid the problem. I don't swap parts mostly because my guns are set up as units. If I want a different barrel or different caliber my method is reach into the rack and get another gun.
But that is just me because over the past 60 years or so the selection has grown to an embarrassing number.
Lets just keep on shooting.
Load 'em heavy boys
I ain't kidding
they air a'comin'
Bunk
