My Pietta 1851 Wedge Story

[Eyesgood]

My wife got me a Pietta 1851 Navy .36, 7.5 for Christmas. It was bought locally. I was told it was brand new (2021 model actually, that's fine) but it was reduced by $60 compared to the other new ones in the display case. The only blem I saw was on the opposite side of the wedge where someone had scratched up around the wedge hole and the end of the wedge protruding out. This was my first colt replica and I loved saving $60, so I brought it home. After spending a few hours just watching videos and learning about the gun, I went to my craft room and started to disassemble it. The wedge was extremely tight. From the store, it was not quite pushed in far enough for the catch to fully protrude out of the slot. I would say the little center catch (whatever it is called) was about 1/2 way out. I managed to tap it with my brass hammer and a brass punch and out it came. Being as I am, I proceeded to put it back. It was very tight. It was so tight that I could not insert the wedge through the slot without tapping it with the hammer. However, I am new at this and paid it no mind. Looking at the removed wedge made me convinced it needed to be tapped all the way until the center catch protruded out the other side. This required an embarrassing about of brute tapping, but I got it in there. It was then that I realized just how tight it was. It was then that I realized why the scratches were there. It was then I realized that wedge was not going to come out easily -- if at all!

I smacked and smacked and smacked. I mushroomed two brass punches and it would not budge. I returned to my video help and one guy said, "I promise you, smack the daylights out of it and it will come out." I felt like I needed a bigger hammer than the small brass-headed one I was using so I could get more energy into the swing. I went into the garage and found the tire hammer that came with my 78 MGB. It is a mallet, about 2-3 pounds with a lead-alloy head(??). I returned to my craft room and grabbed a new larger brass punch. I gave it a solid whack and the center catch finally sank into the slot. After a small tug-of-war with the wedge, with the help of a brass punch inserted into the wedge hole, out it came.

I was resolved never to put that wedge in that gun again. I jumped on the Home page of the company labeled on the box and ordered a new wedge and wedge screw, which I had scratched up trying to use it to force the wedge back out. They came in about an hour ago. When I inserted the new wedge, it went in without a fuss and tapping ever so lightly allowed the new wedge to seat properly. I learned two things today. First, all wedges are not the same. They vary ever-so-little in thickness. Second, I noticed the spring on the factory wedge felt like it was twice the tension of the replacement. It also protruded above the wedge about 25-30% higher than the replacement.

Maybe my story sounds all too familiar? Or, maybe I am just a dunderhead. But that is my story.

 

[rusticbob]

I love the Colt feel, but now I only shoot my 1858 Remington because of stories just like yours. Plus, at 15-20 yards my Pietta shoots nice tight groups, if I do my part.

 

[Rich44]

Sounds like the first wedge did not fit correctly.
A piece of brass 1 to 1 3/8 in dia. about 4" long is very handy in the shop.

 

[Rich44]

You probably know it by now, a wedge can create a huge amount of pressure. Be-careful.

 

[wiscoaster]

Maybe my story sounds all too familiar? Or, maybe I am just a dunderhead. But that is my story.

There have got to be at least a hundred threads about wedges here in this forum. Please use the search function, and you might learn much to easily resolve your problems. Best wishes, good luck, and Merry Christmas.

 

[Eyesgood]

There have got to be at least a hundred threads about wedges here in this forum. Please use the search function, and you might learn much to easily resolve your problems. Best wishes, good luck, and Merry Christmas.

Thanks. Yep, I did search and read many posts here coupled with many YouTube videos, which helped guide me through the troubled waters. Merry Christmas!

 

[blackeagle]

I had the same problem on one I got at a big box store. Someone once told me there's never an excuse to cuss. They never owned a gun with a stuck wedge.

 

[snakebit]

I had the same problem on one I got at a big box store. Someone once told me there's never an excuse to cuss. They never owned a gun with a stuck wedge.

Yep

 

[snakebit]

On the bright side, once you figure out the nuances of your new revolver, you will enjoy it. The Mrs. Sounds like a keeper if she gifts you blue steeled beauties! Now you'll have to drop hints about an Army!

 

[Eyesgood]

She sure is a Keeper! 36 years and counting!

 

[M. De Land]

My wife got me a Pietta 1851 Navy .36, 7.5 for Christmas. It was bought locally. I was told it was brand new (2021 model actually, that's fine) but it was reduced by $60 compared to the other new ones in the display case. The only blem I saw was on the opposite side of the wedge where someone had scratched up around the wedge hole and the end of the wedge protruding out. This was my first colt replica and I loved saving $60, so I brought it home. After spending a few hours just watching videos and learning about the gun, I went to my craft room and started to disassemble it. The wedge was extremely tight. From the store, it was not quite pushed in far enough for the catch to fully protrude out of the slot. I would say the little center catch (whatever it is called) was about 1/2 way out. I managed to tap it with my brass hammer and a brass punch and out it came. Being as I am, I proceeded to put it back. It was very tight. It was so tight that I could not insert the wedge through the slot without tapping it with the hammer. However, I am new at this and paid it no mind. Looking at the removed wedge made me convinced it needed to be tapped all the way until the center catch protruded out the other side. This required an embarrassing about of brute tapping, but I got it in there. It was then that I realized just how tight it was. It was then that I realized why the scratches were there. It was then I realized that wedge was not going to come out easily -- if at all!

I smacked and smacked and smacked. I mushroomed two brass punches and it would not budge. I returned to my video help and one guy said, "I promise you, smack the daylights out of it and it will come out." I felt like I needed a bigger hammer than the small brass-headed one I was using so I could get more energy into the swing. I went into the garage and found the tire hammer that came with my 78 MGB. It is a mallet, about 2-3 pounds with a lead-alloy head(??). I returned to my craft room and grabbed a new larger brass punch. I gave it a solid whack and the center catch finally sank into the slot. After a small tug-of-war with the wedge, with the help of a brass punch inserted into the wedge hole, out it came.

I was resolved never to put that wedge in that gun again. I jumped on the Home page of the company labeled on the box and ordered a new wedge and wedge screw, which I had scratched up trying to use it to force the wedge back out. They came in about an hour ago. When I inserted the new wedge, it went in without a fuss and tapping ever so lightly allowed the new wedge to seat properly. I learned two things today. First, all wedges are not the same. They vary ever-so-little in thickness. Second, I noticed the spring on the factory wedge felt like it was twice the tension of the replacement. It also protruded above the wedge about 25-30% higher than the replacement.

Maybe my story sounds all too familiar? Or, maybe I am just a dunderhead. But that is my story.

A bigger hammer while seating at least is not the answer, a few strokes with a diamond file or stone will usually solve the problem in short order. You should be able to seat the wedge with a bump from a screw driver handle if properly fit .
It is not necessary for a short keep spring to snap over the far edge all that is needed is for the wedge to make full slot width contact on both sides.
I make new wedges from tool steel without any keep spring what so ever and they work perfectly and stay where seated. On mine the trough end on the key body, against the keep screw, head underside, keeps the wedge from falling loose when the barrel is removed.
Don't loose the first wedge as it will probably fit fine after you shoot the revolver for a few hundred rounds and the parts seat together from firing pressure.

 

[hawkeye2]

The spring is there to catch the head of the screw to keep the wedge from falling out when you remove the barrel. It is not there to latch the wedge to the gun when the wedge is driven in. I've got about open top 20 revolvers and in half of them the spring doesn't even come close to coming out the right side but they are all tight.

 

[kh54]

The only brand new Pietta I’ve owned, an 1860 Army, had the same problem right out of the box. As I recall it came from Traditions and they suggested sending it back. USPS had just misplaced both a revolver and a musket so I wasn’t keen on losing another gun to the shipping gremlins. I started trying to drive out the wedge with a popsicle stick and a tiny gunsmithing hammer. It finally took a 1/4-inch brass punch that I shaped to fit the wedge and my trusty 20-ounce framing hammer to unseat the little devil.

I put the gun up for sale shortly after.

 

[Vtmountaindeerhunter]

Nothing works better than the 1858. I love colts also however it is too much effort to shoot

 

[CaptainVane]

Nothing works better than the 1858. I love colts also however it is too much effort to shoot

I have both. I can pull the barrel on the Colt in seconds, remove cylinders, popback in.
My Remington? 10 mins to fight to get the cylinder back in. What a pita.
Colt wedge for me all day long, twice on Sunday.
My Rem was the first BP pistol i bought, it was always my dream pistol. The Colt .36 came months later. But it won my heart.
I may consider selling the Rem this summer. I love it as a display piece, but as a functional pistol, for me, its the Colts every time.
PS. One tap on the right side and the wedge pops to the left, pull it with left hand until the spring catches the screw. Remove barrel. Reverse, wiggle wedge in, tap once with wooden ball starter. Easy peasy.

 

[nkbj]

Once upon I obtained an honest to goodness brand new in the box 1851 and the wedge was stuck. And once it was removed the barrel wouldn't budge because the wedge slot in the arbor had been expanded so much during assembly at the factory. Took some work to turn that one into a good shooter.

 

[CaptainVane]

Once upon I obtained an honest to goodness brand new in the box 1851 and the wedge was stuck. And once it was removed the barrel wouldn't budge because the wedge slot in the arbor had been expanded so much during assembly at the factory. Took some work to turn that one into a good shooter.

Sometimes after wedge out, i cant get barrel off, usually after fouling. Turn cylinder so rammer is between chambers. Press rammer, cylinder pops right off the arbor.

 

[Ruble Noone]

A bigger hammer while seating at least is not the answer, a few strokes with a diamond file or stone will usually solve the problem in short order. You should be able to seat the wedge with a bump from a screw driver handle if properly fit .
It is not necessary for a short keep spring to snap over the far edge all that is needed is for the wedge to make full slot width contact on both sides.
I make new wedges from tool steel without any keep spring what so ever and they work perfectly and stay where seated. On mine the trough end on the key body, against the keep screw, head underside, keeps the wedge from falling loose when the barrel is removed.
Don't loose the first wedge as it will probably fit fine after you shoot the revolver for a few hundred rounds and the parts seat together from firing pressure.

off topic...but I spy a....Belgian Colt!

 

[Smokerr]

My thought on a stuck Wedge would be to drill it out rather than do more than try to tap it out and order the replacement wedge and file as needed to get to fit.

 

[Eyesgood]

My thought on a stuck Wedge would be to drill it out rather than do more than try to tap it out and order the replacement wedge and file as needed to get to fit.

If I had not been able to pop it out, my next plan was to use my Dremel to slice off the end of the keep spring and then tap it out. Fortunately, I didn't have to go that far.