What Is The Fix?

[N.Y. Yankee]

I appreciate all of your knowledge and experience guys.

 

[denster]

As an interesting asside on this discussion. Uberti has recognized there is a problem and made a half assed attempt to address it. They increased the arbor diameter to just in front of the cylinder by a few thousandths so that at that point the abor is slightly larger than the arbor hole in the barrel assembly preventing it, at least for a time, from going in further. This is the reason new in the box Ubertis are hard to take apart because driving in the wedge forces the arbor hole onto the oversize area of the arbor and it sticks. After a number of dissasemblies the abor hole becomes wallowed out and the short arbor problem rears its head again.

 

[45D]

And, as another aside, the original title of this thread is "What is the fix?"

There are several techniques so I'll just describe mine. I've said it in a lot of other places so may as well here in answer to a question.
I use S.S. Philips head sheet metal screws - #12's for belt pistols, #14's for horse pistols.
Cut off the shaft flush with the screw head. (That's what you see in my photo about witness marks)
With a Philips head bit in a drill motor, hold the screw head against a bench belt sander and remove a small amount of material. Drop the head in the arbor hole and check to see if your frame and barrel lug are meeting when you assemble the revolver (no twisting, just straight on . . . ). AS SOON AS THEY TOUCH, drive the wedge in and check the Endshake or barrel/cyl clearance. If it's greater than .003", you can risk taking more from the spacer OR ( WHAT I DO ) remove material from the end of the arbor and slowly "sneak up" on the clearance you want (.0025"- .003") (it's easier to get to your number removing arbor material because spacer material will close the clearance faster than arbor material (because of control).

When I get to the frame meeting the barrel stage, I go ahead and afix the spacer in the arbor hole (another reason I remove from the arbor !!!).

It's actually fast and easy.

Since I fix the arbor length with a spacer, I drill and tap the arbor and install a 1/4 x 28 set screw for wedge adjustment depth and wear.

Mike

 

[Bad Karma]

Some “fixes“ are downright elegant… simple…

 

[45D]

My goodness!!! That is one rough revolver!!

That may be a fix for keeping a wedge from jumping but it does nothing for a short arbor (just so folks don't get confused)!! Lol !!!

Mike

 

[Bad Karma]

My goodness!!! That is one rough revolver!!

That may be a fix for keeping a wedge from jumping but it does nothing for a short arbor (just so folks don't get confused)!! Lol !!!

Mike

Looks like it was made by a teenage afghani gunsmith in an open air market…

 

[hawkeye2]

My guess is that someone tried to build it from a kit. Interesting wedge and washer but did you notice he used the actual wedge screw

 

[zimm28]

I have a cimarron uberti 1860 army that does not have a short arbor. My walker is also good. But I have a new uberti 1851 that is obviously short. I shimmed it but I couldn’t believe it as my first 2 Uberti’s were good. I have 2 Pietta 1860’s that have proper arbors. I wonder if Cimarron uberti’s are worked over because that arbor is perfect

 

[45D]

I have a cimarron uberti 1860 army that does not have a short arbor. My walker is also good. But I have a new uberti 1851 that is obviously short. I shimmed it but I couldn’t believe it as my first 2 Uberti’s were good. I have 2 Pietta 1860’s that have proper arbors. I wonder if Cimarron uberti’s are worked over because that arbor is perfect

Nope, Uberti doesn't fix short arbors for Cimarron and your Uberti's have short arbors.

Mike

 

[Bunk]

NY Yankee. I am no expert but I do know Uberti arbors are short. 45D, on TMF, Mike of GoonsGunworks is a bonafide expert with these. He is also very helpful with explaining the issue and offering advice. I have a couple of Walkers and Dragoons myself that suffer from short arbor syndrome. If you want an 1860 without a short arbor then a modern Pietta 2010 forward 2022 do not have short arbors. If you are set on Uberti? Good choice by the way, but the short arbor is an issue. I’ll let the other more experienced chime in. Thanks Tim

other than a gun smith like Goons a quick fix that sometimes works is a #10 split (lock) washer held in place in the arbor hole in the barrel.
I have a Uberti 1861 that has been fixed permanently and whether the wedge is thumb tight or driven tight the barrel/cylinder gap never changes.
Good luck
Bunk

 

[smoothshooter]

I often hear that Uberti made Colt clones have a "short arbor" and that it is a "pretty easy fix". Can someone explain this for me as I am looking to buy one, maybe an 1860 Army or Dragoon.

I hear one or more shim washers can be glued on the end of the arbor to fix the problem. Have not tried that myself.
I had a dovetailed taller front sight put on where the tiny factory pin looking sight was.
Worked great. Looks great too because I chose a sight in the style used on Kentucky rifles and 19th century cartridge rifles.