To much is made of short arbors

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I definitely would clean that way out in the woods and I can see doing that if you are not storing it for a length of time. Heck I shoot so much you maybe on to something I may add.
I’m not shooting anywhere near as often as I did only a few months ago. My practice used to be most evenings I would shoot a couple cylinders at my personal range. Clean as noted, dry the chambers and barrel and reload for the next day.
I rarely take the nipples out. When I put them in I put grease on them and screw them in. I've been using white lithium grease or wheel bearing grease, either works fine. I clean with hot water out of the faucet, no soap. The grease stays put, fouling can't get in.
I use copper based anti seize paste. Wonderful stuff.
BC in regard to cylinder binding on 58 Remingtons, years ago I had an original that had the arbor grooved by the owner or a frontier gunsmith to hold lube & that cured the bind issue when I shot it.
As I recall a few months ago 45D posted pictures on the forum on how he does it on customers Remingtons he tunes, maybe can pull up his past postings ?
Relic shooter
Yes, I’ve seen it. My plan was to retire, buy a mini mill and a lathe and begin working on these sorts of projects. I’m 77 years old, just retired and my doctor has told me I’m officially on borrowed time. Chemotherapy is no longer an option, I began to bleed internally after the second treatment and so I won’t be undertaking any further projects. Back on topic, grooving the cylinder pin seems to help but the plan was to remove the barrels on my Remingtons and mill the frame and cylinder to provide for a bushing like the Colts, S&W, etc. etc. cartridge revolvers (and Ruger Old Army @SDSmlf) Ah well… so it goes.
 
I’m not shooting anywhere near as often as I did only a few months ago. My practice used to be most evenings I would shoot a couple cylinders at my personal range. Clean as noted, dry the chambers and barrel and reload for the next day.

I use copper based anti seize paste. Wonderful stuff.

Yes, I’ve seen it. My plan was to retire, buy a mini mill and a lathe and begin working on these sorts of projects. I’m 77 years old, just retired and my doctor has told me I’m officially on borrowed time. Chemotherapy is no longer an option, I began to bleed internally after the second treatment and so I won’t be undertaking any further projects. Back on topic, grooving the cylinder pin seems to help but the plan was to remove the barrels on my Remingtons and mill the frame and cylinder to provide for a bushing like the Colts, S&W, etc. etc. cartridge revolvers (and Ruger Old Army @SDSmlf) Ah well… so it goes.
I’m very sorry to hear this. Prayers heading your way.
 
I’m not shooting anywhere near as often as I did only a few months ago. My practice used to be most evenings I would shoot a couple cylinders at my personal range. Clean as noted, dry the chambers and barrel and reload for the next day.

I use copper based anti seize paste. Wonderful stuff.

Yes, I’ve seen it. My plan was to retire, buy a mini mill and a lathe and begin working on these sorts of projects. I’m 77 years old, just retired and my doctor has told me I’m officially on borrowed time. Chemotherapy is no longer an option, I began to bleed internally after the second treatment and so I won’t be undertaking any further projects. Back on topic, grooving the cylinder pin seems to help but the plan was to remove the barrels on my Remingtons and mill the frame and cylinder to provide for a bushing like the Colts, S&W, etc. etc. cartridge revolvers (and Ruger Old Army @SDSmlf) Ah well… so it goes.

Yessir, I too am so sorry to hear your news. Prayers from my household as well sir!!

Mike
 
We have a pretty neat mix of folks on this forum !
Some of us enjoy reenacting, shooting at rendezvous & a few of us like myself have enjoyed all facets including being a hard core competitor at the range.

What Mike aka 45D has posted concerning making revolvers more reliable & consistently accurate means very little to those who just occasionally shoot but this old competitor has learned a couple of new tuning tricks from Mike's well illustrated forum postings.
Since joining this forum a couple years ago I've been very impressed by the number of helpful tips & advice offered up professional gunsmiths, shooters & builders on this forum.
Assistance & tips from these generous folks make it's easier for new shooters to get started & if our historical sport lives or dies.

Having been a pretty fair firearm mechanic & antique gun collector for about 60 years I was fortunate start competition with original Colts & Remingtons that produced excellent consistent groups.

In later years when I shooting various mfg replica revolvers to reduce wear on my originals, specs on the originals made it clear what modifications were necessary to make the replicas shoot more accurate & function better .

At one point I had a more talented pistol mechanic change out the barrels on a couple of my replica revolvers to progressive twist rifling like the originals & that upped the scores.

To those of us who are hard core revolver competitors, having correct timing & consistent cylinder gap, correct cylinder to bore size diameters & rifling twist & adding a few modifications to the hammer & nipples = winning.

Nice part about this forum is variety,, if bored by technical stuff, we can click on another subject :thumb:
Relic shooter
 
I’m very sorry to hear this. Prayers heading your way.

I’m not shooting anywhere near as often as I did only a few months ago. My practice used to be most evenings I would shoot a couple cylinders at my personal range. Clean as noted, dry the chambers and barrel and reload for the next day.

I use copper based anti seize paste. Wonderful stuff.

Yes, I’ve seen it. My plan was to retire, buy a mini mill and a lathe and begin working on these sorts of projects. I’m 77 years old, just retired and my doctor has told me I’m officially on borrowed time. Chemotherapy is no longer an option, I began to bleed internally after the second treatment and so I won’t be undertaking any further projects. Back on topic, grooving the cylinder pin seems to help but the plan was to remove the barrels on my Remingtons and mill the frame and cylinder to provide for a bushing like the Colts, S&W, etc. etc. cartridge revolvers (and Ruger Old Army @SDSmlf) Ah well… so it goes.
My blessings & prayers to you as well BK,
Relic shooter
 
You don't have a clue sir.
Mike
This is interesting. Sounds to me like every opinion has merit, and everybody knows what they are talking about. It leaves somebody like me scratching my head. The truth will out eventually. Anyway, thanks for the effort.
 
We have a pretty neat mix of folks on this forum !
Some of us enjoy reenacting, shooting at rendezvous & a few of us like myself have enjoyed all facets including being a hard core competitor at the range.

What Mike aka 45D has posted concerning making revolvers more reliable & consistently accurate means very little to those who just occasionally shoot but this old competitor has learned a couple of new tuning tricks from Mike's well illustrated forum postings.
Since joining this forum a couple years ago I've been very impressed by the number of helpful tips & advice offered up professional gunsmiths, shooters & builders on this forum.
Assistance & tips from these generous folks make it's easier for new shooters to get started & if our historical sport lives or dies.

Having been a pretty fair firearm mechanic & antique gun collector for about 60 years I was fortunate start competition with original Colts & Remingtons that produced excellent consistent groups.

In later years when I shooting various mfg replica revolvers to reduce wear on my originals, specs on the originals made it clear what modifications were necessary to make the replicas shoot more accurate & function better .

At one point I had a more talented pistol mechanic change out the barrels on a couple of my replica revolvers to progressive twist rifling like the originals & that upped the scores.

To those of us who are hard core revolver competitors, having correct timing & consistent cylinder gap, correct cylinder to bore size diameters & rifling twist & adding a few modifications to the hammer & nipples = winning.

Nice part about this forum is variety,, if bored by technical stuff, we can click on another subject :thumb:
Relic shooter
This is spot on for me. I purchased my Remington in December 1980. I have shot it a good bit over the years but have shot nothing recently and am itching to get back out to our range. The fact my name is Flint1 is no accident. I love flintlock rifles and most of my shooting has been with that. Since I got those 2 Dragoons a couple months ago I have ordered and received my first smoothbore, a 1777 Charleville. I got the Dragoons to give me diversity in handling and firing the old style guns. Whenever I shoot pistol in competition it will continue to be with the Remington. I have thought about getting a couple holsters and carrying the Dragoons on walks through the woods at times. But I probably won't shoot them enough to cause major damage. Still I take what is being said here to heart. I don't want to risk any damage so in my limited way I try to make them as reliable and accurate as possible. Alot of people here have excellent advice and views for competitors certainly but also for those like me who may only occasionally fire the old Colts.
 
I’m not shooting anywhere near as often as I did only a few months ago. My practice used to be most evenings I would shoot a couple cylinders at my personal range. Clean as noted, dry the chambers and barrel and reload for the next day.

I use copper based anti seize paste. Wonderful stuff.

Yes, I’ve seen it. My plan was to retire, buy a mini mill and a lathe and begin working on these sorts of projects. I’m 77 years old, just retired and my doctor has told me I’m officially on borrowed time. Chemotherapy is no longer an option, I began to bleed internally after the second treatment and so I won’t be undertaking any further projects. Back on topic, grooving the cylinder pin seems to help but the plan was to remove the barrels on my Remingtons and mill the frame and cylinder to provide for a bushing like the Colts, S&W, etc. etc. cartridge revolvers (and Ruger Old Army @SDSmlf) Ah well… so it goes.
I was where you are. Ten years ago and two months to live. It has been a long two months and continues. Philippeans 4:4-7 is the answer. Praying for you also!
 
How? As I wrote last time this came up, the thinnest section of the arbor is at the wedge cutout. Adding a 1/4-28 thread at the end doesn't change that. If the arbor is going to fail, it'll fail at the cutout whether it's been threaded or not. Now, if someone used a 3/8" thread maybe you would have a point, but who would do that?


I don't recall anyone asserting the barrel and arbor will become a single unit. The goal is simply to get rid of the clearance that allows the barrel to move backward toward the cylinder.
1. A drilled and threaded hole even when filled with a screw is not as strong as the solid steel that was removed to make it. Granted, usually the weakest spot is above and below the arbor slot but some of the slot ends are pretty thin in some models to be drilling and tapping for a screw.
The wedge job is to stop forward movement of the barrel only. There is no need to regulate any movement to the rear which in practice is non existent as the pressure vector is always forward. If this were not so then the gap would be continually changing and tying up short arbor guns which doesn't happen any more than when the arbors are end fit.
 
1. A drilled and threaded hole even when filled with a screw is not as strong as the solid steel that was removed to make it. Granted, usually the weakest spot is above and below the arbor slot but some of the slot ends are pretty thin in some models to be drilling and tapping for a screw.
The wedge job is to stop forward movement of the barrel only. There is no need to regulate any movement to the rear which in practice is non existent as the pressure vector is always forward. If this were not so then the gap would be continually changing and tying up short arbor guns which doesn't happen any more than when the arbors are end fit.

Yet again sir, the rear facing side of the wedge is against the rear sections of the barrel slot. That would prevent forward movement of the barrel assembly. Since the front facing side is against the forward section of the arbor slot ( with the barrel slot being further forward), the only thing to keep the barrel assy moving to the rear would be the end of the arbor . . .
thank you . . .

Mike
 
I had a loose arbor (end shake, rattle and roll) due to, as I understand it, it's shortness after what I must assume were many(?) times at the range, don't know bought it used. Anyway, second time out with the short, shakey arbor and I lost the wedge in the weeds. I'm glad I kept an eye on it as I had just reloaded and was about to fire. Went from a 44 Colt to a pepper box in a heart beat.

This thread must be close to being a record for count.
 
I’m not shooting anywhere near as often as I did only a few months ago. My practice used to be most evenings I would shoot a couple cylinders at my personal range. Clean as noted, dry the chambers and barrel and reload for the next day.

I use copper based anti seize paste. Wonderful stuff.

Yes, I’ve seen it. My plan was to retire, buy a mini mill and a lathe and begin working on these sorts of projects. I’m 77 years old, just retired and my doctor has told me I’m officially on borrowed time. Chemotherapy is no longer an option, I began to bleed internally after the second treatment and so I won’t be undertaking any further projects. Back on topic, grooving the cylinder pin seems to help but the plan was to remove the barrels on my Remingtons and mill the frame and cylinder to provide for a bushing like the Colts, S&W, etc. etc. cartridge revolvers (and Ruger Old Army @SDSmlf) Ah well… so it goes.
Wow, that news makes this thread pretty insignificant! I'll be praying for your healing body, soul and spirit! Priorities do look different on this end of our time here on earth, which most of us on here are looking at not to far up the road even if in the best of health currently.
Some words I heard a long time ago that have comforted me, "Settle your eternity with the creator and then you can live your life in peace"
I just gathered my family around and we prayed for your recovery and well being speaking words of life, healing and blessing to you ! I'll be lifting a prayer every time I see your handle but also expecting more sage cowboy advise !
 
Sadly the uberti 1849 that just came in from midway is just........junk.
Doesn't index the wedge doesn't fit the cut out and once it is seated it jams the cylinder too tight to spin at all.
I nave seen some junk colt repros out of the box but this one takes the cake.
Complete waste of money.
 
Back
Top