Need suggestions for a gunsmith

[mtang45]

I have a 1981 ASM 1860 Army that belonged to my dad. It has alignment issues. The bore and cylinder do not align correctly on a horizontal plane. The result is a triangular shaped cylinder to forcing cone gap that is .003 to .004 at the top and about .015 at the bottom.

I've messed with it some, putting spacers at the end of the Arbor and playing with depth of inserting the wedge. But nothing I've tried seems to resolve this problem. So in conclusion, I've decided to ship it off to someone who knows what they are doing before I do something that is not fixable.

Does anyone have a recommendation as to who might be a good smith to fix this? I'm sure there are a few on this forum.

 

[painter]

Lookup 45D. He seems to know what's up

 

[Phil Coffins]

Goons Gunworks, aka 45D

 

[Newly O’Brian]

One of two things:
1) Your barrel isn't faced square

2) Your frame is too long. Pull the two dowel pins and shorten it .020", start w .015"

 

[CyrusP]

45D/Mike/Goons Gun Works (all the same guy)

“A rose by any other name……”

I have three done by him now.
He’ll fix you up and you won’t believe it’s the same gun. The price is less than a day at the ballpark with the family and you’ll have your gun running perfectly forever.

 

[mtang45]

I just dropped 45D a PM. Thanks for the unanimous votes for 45D! Made the decision real easy

 

[mtang45]

One of two things:
1) Your barrel isn't faced square

2) Your frame is too long. Pull the two dowel pins and shorten it .020", start w .015"

You are thinking along the same lines that I was. However my best tool for doing that would be a file, and a file in my hands could be very dangerous

 

[RMFnLA]

One of two things:
1) Your barrel isn't faced square

2) Your frame is too long. Pull the two dowel pins and shorten it .020", start w .015"

Is there a specific way to pull the dowel pins?

Are they just a press fit?

 

[1950DAVE]

Press fit

 

[1950DAVE]

I should have qualified that. I have a Pietta 1860 that one of the pins was lost and I made a replacement. Mine is press fit.

 

[RMFnLA]

I should have qualified that. I have a Pietta 1860 that one of the pins was lost and I made a replacement. Mine is press fit.View attachment 333475

That helps.

I have two original ML Colts each with a broken pin I’d like to replace.

Is there any trick to that or do I just drill out the broken ones?

 

[jefair1]

Try Charlie Hahn. Link at N-SSA

 

[1950DAVE]

That helps.

I have two original ML Colts each with a broken pin I’d like to replace.

Is there any trick to that or do I just drill out the broken ones?

Mine was lost, no doubt in the clutter in my shop. But the pin shouldn’t have been loose. I am dealing with the cam on the trigger. It’s loose. I have already pressed it back into place once but now it is really loose now. My 1851 has not had either of these problems. I haven’t had experience with a broken pin. Surely someone on here can address that problem.

 

[Newly O’Brian]

Is there a specific way to pull the dowel pins?

Are they just a press fit?

The home method, drill press, grab pin with chuck and turn the quill up to pull them out

 

[Bad Karma]

I have a 1981 ASM 1860 Army that belonged to my dad. It has alignment issues. The bore and cylinder do not align correctly on a horizontal plane. The result is a triangular shaped cylinder to forcing cone gap that is .003 to .004 at the top and about .015 at the bottom.

I've messed with it some, putting spacers at the end of the Arbor and playing with depth of inserting the wedge. But nothing I've tried seems to resolve this problem. So in conclusion, I've decided to ship it off to someone who knows what they are doing before I do something that is not fixable.

Does anyone have a recommendation as to who might be a good smith to fix this? I'm sure there are a few on this forum.

I’d go with Charlie Hahn for this particular project. http://hahnmachineworks.com/index.html