Wedge removal

[longcruise]

Ok, it's settled; for over 10 years I thought I had an 1851 Navy and turns out it's an 1860 Army. All is good!

Now, about the removal of the wedge. Any body have any techniques for this job. I get so klutzy doing it that it just seems there must be a better way.

I found this video on the Pietta site. Maybe it's just my twisted humor, but by the time it ended I was dang near rolling on the floor. The contrast is so bad that it's hard to figure out what the technique is. Here's the vid;

Wedge pin removal

 

[RickD]

Seems pretty straight forward to me..The video pretty much covers it

 

[David Teague]

Yep...

That's how you do it.

Here is the thing, you can hold the firearm in one hand and strike the wedge with a non marring "hammer" and then pull it clear of the cylinder pin with your fingers on the opposing side.

Once the end of the wedge clears the cylinder pin there is no need to remove it any further.

Put your revolver on half cock and line up the wall between two chambers so you can use your loading rod to lever the barrel off.

Cheers,

David

 

[longcruise]

Clear as mud to me! Like I said, the video is impossible to see, at least on my screen, due to the high contrast.

I find that holding the little retaining clip that is part of the wedge clear in order to drive the wedge out to be a three handed deal. Maybe I'm making this too complicated. Are you guys saying that you make no effort to depress that little clip thingy for clearance? You just whack the wedge?

 

[cowpoke1955]

That's it! I just tap the right side of the wedge with a brass drift. The retaining screw will keep it from falling all the way out. Simple :thumbsup:

 

[David Teague]

Don't remove the screw that pushes down on the wedge retaining spring, don't depress the spring...

Just

whack

the

wedge.

Use a non-marring hammer.

 

[Kadmos]

Yep, just whack it with a non marring hammer, preferably a dead blow with the plastic on one side and rubber on the other...seems to be one of the most useful tools for BP stuff to me.

Being left handed, I put it to half cock, put it on my left leg, at my lap hold it with my right hand and hit the wedge directly with the hammer, one sharp hit will usually do the trick.

Not taps for a tight one, just a good whack.

 

[David Teague]

Not taps for a tight one, just a good whack.

Yep, if tight just one firm whack... it you don't drive it out far enough with your first attempt, just re-seat it and hit it a little harder.

Oh, one more thing, when you put the wedge back in DON'T hammer it back in till it stops. :shocked2:

The wedge controls the gap between the cylinder and barrel, most greenhorns will hammer the wedge back in like driving a nail into a board, binding the pistol by forcing the barrel onto the cylinder face.

As a side note, I fitted the wedge on my 1861 Navy so a bit of steady pressure from my thumb will "pop" the wedge out for quick field cleaning and maintenance. The fitting didn't effect accuracy in any way that I can tell as this pistol shoot better than I can hold it.

Cheers,

David

 

[tg]

", I fitted the wedge on my 1861 Navy so a bit of steady pressure from my thumb will "pop" the wedge out for quick field cleaning and maintenance."

That was likely the method used when changing cylinders in the field of battle, I have not seen a reference to such but it works, I did this with my '51 navy and '48 Pocket pistol & a Dragoon the modle I cannot recall.The butt of a second pistol/knife handle also works but will scratch things a bit unless a piece of leather is placed betwixt the two.

 

[fredrader]

I just use the screwdriver handle to whack it then just push it thru with the screwdriver..

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I'm a screwdriver kind of guy myself!

One some Colts, I use the edge of the screwdriver's handle to push the spring tab down as I push the wedge partially through. This method works well.

Dave

 

[madcratebuilder]

The wedge controls the gap between the cylinder and barrel, most greenhorns will hammer the wedge back in like driving a nail into a board, binding the pistol by forcing the barrel onto the cylinder face.

Only if the arbor is to short. When the arbor is the correct length it well stop the barrel at the correct gap. Then insert the wedge with firm thumb pressure only.

 

[David Teague]

The wedge controls the gap between the cylinder and barrel, most greenhorns will hammer the wedge back in like driving a nail into a board, binding the pistol by forcing the barrel onto the cylinder face.

Only if the arbor is to short. When the arbor is the correct length it well stop the barrel at the correct gap. Then insert the wedge with firm thumb pressure only.

Yep, yep, yep... but not all C&B "Colts" are fitted that well.

I had a greenhorn out with me 2 summers ago shooting early style cartridge open top "Colts" with black powder laods and while my back was turned shooting, he hammered his "loose" wedge like a nail into a board, jamming his revolver.

He ended up marring the finish trying to get it out with the wrong tool for the job... :youcrazy:

Better to warn the new guys that it can happen. :thumbsup:

 

[Zonie]

I don't like to use a screw driver blade to remove the barrel wedge from a Colt opentop because the steel blade us harder than the wedge.

It can scratch or indent the end of the wedge very easily.

Normally, I use a small piece of hardwood against the end of the wedge and then tap it with my plastic headed mallet.
If that won't knock the wedge loose I use an old section of a aluminum cleaning rod as the piece that is resting on the end of the wedge.
Any marks left by the aluminum rod is easily wiped off.
No, I don't use a nice usable aluminum rod but most folks who have been shooting for a while have an old rod laying around waiting for a use. :grin:

By the way, I know you old timers already know this but for the newcomers:

Once the wedge has been knocked loose from the cylinder arbor, put the gun on half cock. Then rotate the cylinder so that the wall between the chambers is in line with the loading lever ram.
Lower the loading lever and use a light force on it and the ram will jack the barrel assembly off of the frame.

 

[David Teague]

By the way, I know you old timers already know this but for the newcomers:

Once the wedge has been knocked loose from the cylinder arbor, put the gun on half cock. Then rotate the cylinder so that the wall between the chambers is in line with the loading lever ram.
Lower the loading lever and use a light force on it and the ram will jack the barrel assembly off of the frame.

Beat you to it in my first post.

"Put your revolver on half cock and line up the wall between two chambers so you can use your loading rod to lever the barrel off."

:blah:

 

[madcratebuilder]

The wedge controls the gap between the cylinder and barrel, most greenhorns will hammer the wedge back in like driving a nail into a board, binding the pistol by forcing the barrel onto the cylinder face.

Only if the arbor is to short. When the arbor is the correct length it well stop the barrel at the correct gap. Then insert the wedge with firm thumb pressure only.

Yep, yep, yep... but not all C&B "Colts" are fitted that well.

I had a greenhorn out with me 2 summers ago shooting early style cartridge open top "Colts" with black powder laods and while my back was turned shooting, he hammered his "loose" wedge like a nail into a board, jamming his revolver.

He ended up marring the finish trying to get it out with the wrong tool for the job... :youcrazy:

Better to warn the new guys that it can happen. :thumbsup:

To bad the Italians don't take the extra 10 minutes it would take during the manufacturing process to fit the arbor. I bet it would reduce the returns by 95%. This one small detail is like the difference between a Vega and a Corvette.

 

[CaptainKirk]

I keep a 18" hunk of 2X2 deck wood about...a smart rap with this pops the wedge out every time, with no marring, scratches or problems.

 

[Happydog]

I found a physician's reflex checking hammer in stuff I bought at a estate sale. Two rubber heads one hard enough to get the wedge started. Also in the handle are a pin and the other end is a small brush. Both useful tools.