Wedge Issue: Any pointers for getting the wedge out of a Pietta 1851 Navy for the first time.

[pacanis]

http://www.goonsgunworks.com/Somewhere I don't remember in the great state of Georgia
I have 5 guns done by him and he does good work. He is a one man shop and busy as a one legged man at a rat stomp, so don;t expect overnight service.
A gun wise friend said
"send you guns to the gunsmith when you are young so you can enjoy them in your old age"
Respectfully
Bunk

Thanks. I appreciate it.

 

[pacanis]

I personally won't send $1000s worth of my property to unknown locations and unknown timeframes after having work done to my $1600 Pedersoli musket and the "gunsmith" shipped it to someone else without my knowledge.....so instead of keeping my weapon within my local area so I know where it's at, this guy ships it probably across the country and I had to wait for it.

I'd rather be shooting my "imperfect " guns than have them haunting some guys bench for 8 months.

I've spent 20+ years getting good enough to service my own weapons, I needed something soldered so I figured I'd just pay someone.....mistake #1

I've also had too much stolen out of UPS, FedEx etc that I don't trust these people handling my guns

If I can't drive to go get it, I don't send it.

I'm the same way.
The more information on someone's website, the more comfortable I am with them. IMO it's just part of being in business and not doing it as a hobby or under the table.
But it's always a gamble.

I replaced a part on a gun that was recalled by the manufacturer because one, I didn't want to lose it for who knows how long. And two, It never had to leave my home.

 

[45D]

http://www.goonsgunworks.com/Somewhere I don't remember in the great state of Georgia
I have 5 guns done by him and he does good work. He is a one man shop and busy as a one legged man at a rat stomp, so don;t expect overnight service.
A gun wise friend said
"send you guns to the gunsmith when you are young so you can enjoy them in your old age"
Respectfully
Bunk

Yessir, that was years ago and I was taking what I could get !! Things are much better these days . After you've seen "most" things and figured out exactly what your services are going to be along with execution, it helps with the time element.
No JUNK from my shop!!!
Mike

 

[TDM]

Little brass hammer and/or half of a spring type clothespin.

That’s what I use too Dale.

 

[Stantheman86]

I'm the same way.
The more information on someone's website, the more comfortable I am with them. IMO it's just part of being in business and not doing it as a hobby or under the table.
But it's always a gamble.

I replaced a part on a gun that was recalled by the manufacturer because one, I didn't want to lose it for who knows how long. And two, It never had to leave my home.

I would actually trust Lodgewood in the extent that they have an established, obviously stable business with many people involved and a physical address. And they've been around forever. I feel like they won't hold my gun for 3 years or decide to just fold up and keep everyone's stuff. But nothing is 100%

A single person who provides vague location info or a PO Box , even though they have a good reputation , is basically just saying that he's a home gunsmith who doesn't want face to face customers, and would rather just work on your stuff, take your $$ and ship back, rinse and repeat. There's a lot of them out there. They don't want to sit down with you and go over what you want done , over a cup of Jack and coffee or something, they'd rather just exchange emails. Which is whatever, but you have no idea where your property is or when you're getting it back.

I'll just continue to keep my own stuff running

 

[TDM]

I would actually trust Lodgewood in the extent that they have an established, obviously stable business with many people involved and a physical address. And they've been around forever. I feel like they won't hold my gun for 3 years or decide to just fold up and keep everyone's stuff. But nothing is 100%

A single person who provides vague location info or a PO Box , even though they have a good reputation , is basically just saying that he's a home gunsmith who doesn't want face to face customers, and would rather just work on your stuff, take your $$ and ship back, rinse and repeat. There's a lot of them out there. They don't want to sit down with you and go over what you want done , over a cup of Jack and coffee or something, they'd rather just exchange emails. Which is whatever, but you have no idea where your property is or when you're getting it back.

I'll just continue to keep my own stuff running

Lodgewood does good work.

 

[Stantheman86]

Lodgewood does good work.

I had wanted to see how one of their defarbs looks on my Pedersoli CS Richmond and I have been buying enough stuff from them over the years, and communicated with them to feel like they are legit. Lodgewood is one of those "go to " names I've always heard about since forever.

 

[dracer]

I just use a screw driver and tap it with the plastick end seems to work well

 

[TDM]

I had wanted to see how one of their defarbs looks on my Pedersoli CS Richmond and I have been buying enough stuff from them over the years, and communicated with them to feel like they are legit. Lodgewood is one of those "go to " names I've always heard about since forever.

Well I thought I had a photo of the Spiller & Burr that Lodgewood did on this new phone. I’ve posted them in the past. They did an outstanding job IMO.

 

[Packrat]

I received a new, to me, Pietta 1860 Army a couple days ago. The wedge was tight, little brass pin and plastic hammer and out it came. Barrell was also tight, a good thing, a couple taps and it too came off. Then I removed all the nipples and coated them with never seize and then I put some on the Cylinder pin. Never have used never seize there, always grease the pin. Has anyone else tried this.

 

[Jedidiah]

Well I thought I had a photo of the Spiller & Burr that Lodgewood did on this new phone. I’ve posted them in the past. They did an outstanding job IMO.

do you have any info on Lodgewood, web site etc?

 

[smoothshooter]

I'd suggest sending it off to Goons Guns if you don't already have a trusted gunsmith. Goons Gun Works.

What is the turnaround time now?

 

[45D]

What is the turnaround time now?

Depends on what service , condition of revolver, parts availability if needed ( especially out of production parts).

Mike

 

[bang]

Had a Dragoon like that. Had to mallet the wedge out then same to get barrel off.
Once apart I colored the arbor and found the interference areas causing the too tight issue. Using a fine file I smoothed those areas and then checked and fixed the arbor fit and it's doing very well.

 

[bang]

I received a new, to me, Pietta 1860 Army a couple days ago. The wedge was tight, little brass pin and plastic hammer and out it came. Barrell was also tight, a good thing, a couple taps and it too came off. Then I removed all the nipples and coated them with never seize and then I put some on the Cylinder pin. Never have used never seize there, always grease the pin. Has anyone else tried this.

I use aluminum anti seize on threads, cylinder pin and internals. Smooth as silk, very good cohesive quality plus 1600 degree rating.

 

[ZUG]

Had a Dragoon like that. Had to mallet the wedge out then same to get barrel off.
Once apart I colored the arbor and found the interference areas causing the too tight issue. Using a fine file I smoothed those areas and then checked and fixed the arbor fit and it's doing very well.

I recently purchased a Walker that had that issue. Did the same fix - which should not have needed to do it but because of shoddy workmanship and poor QC things have changed over the years.

 

[Kevin Berry]

Some say we should be able to just use two thumbs to put the wedge in and take it out. I filed my wedge to fit half way so it looks balanced, there's less to hang up on in a holster, and I can push the wedge in and take it out with two thumbs, no mallet needed. After I shoot it for the first time soon, I'll know if thumb pressure alone is workable. I also removed the screw so the wedge would sit half way through the barrel. The spring still holds the wedge all the way through the barrel while loose.

 

[Ed C.]

Some say we should be able to just use two thumbs to put the wedge in and take it out. I filed my wedge to fit half way so it looks balanced, there's less to hang up on in a holster, and I can push the wedge in and take it out with two thumbs, no mallet needed. After I shoot it for the first time soon, I'll know if thumb pressure alone is workable. I also removed the screw so the wedge would sit half way through the barrel. The spring still holds the wedge all the way through the barrel while loose.

Be careful. Shooting with a loose wedge will quickly beat up your gun.

 

[Packrat]

I recently purchased a Walker that had that issue. Did the same fix - which should not have needed to do it but because of shoddy workmanship and poor QC things have changed over the years.

Thanks for your reply

 

[Crow Choker]

Stubborn wedges---Plastic tipped hammer and half a spring clothes pin trimmed down a bit works every time if thumb pressure doesn't. Most of the time if not all, a wack with the hammer is all it takes to get things going, easy push by thumb to finish. I also have used a plastic punch that I shaped years ago to fit into the barrel wedge slot to drive the wedge out of stubborn wedges. Haven't used that for quite a few years since I learned how to tune things up right.