Colt arbor and wedge?

O

olmontanaboy

New member
I read an article on another forum that said the arbor on colt stlye revolvers should bottom out in the arbor hole in the barrel when the wedge is inserted in the assembeled revolver. The author of the article says that Pietta does this on their colt sylye percussion revolvers and that Uberti does not. In examining the two revolvers (Pietta 1861 Navy and Uberti Walker) I find this to be true, at least in the examples I've examined. If I tap the wedge in very snugly in the Pietta navy the barrel cylinder gap stays the same, but the same is not true of the Uberti Walker. It will tighten to the point of zero gap and bind the revolver up. Does anyone know if the original Colt design had the arbor bottom out in the arbor hole in the barrel or not?
I'm not trying to start a range war here between Pietta - Uberti owners. (I own both)
Here's the article photos 12-13 http://www.theopenrange.net/articles/Tuning_the_Pietta_Part_One.pdf
 
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the arbor "should" bottom out in the barrel hole- but what's more important is, the arbor and barrel centerlines should be parallel- the barrel should not be pointing up or down, when assembled to the frame

having said that, I've seen, owned, and fired many Colt repros, that the barrel pointed up or down on- the guns will still shoot and function, sometimes with amazing accuracy, regardless.

for an occasional shooter, I wouldn't worry about it too much
 
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but the same is not true of the Uberti Walker. It will tighten to the point of zero gap and bind the revolver up
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The arbor is to short and it allows the barrel gap to close up as the wedge continues to pull the barrel and frame together.
Pietta is the only manufacture I have seen that sets up their wedge fit with the wedge bottomed in the slot. Pietta wedges are narrow than the other manufacturers. I prefer to have the nose of the wedge just past the edge of the barrel lug. It leaves room for precision fitting, and most need it.
 
You'll only have to worry about it if or when the wedge gets hammered enough to indent or bend it do to a cylinder gap slammin' the recoil shield and forcing cone back and forth till it breaks the locking pin on the back of your abor and the arbor rotates loose.
Other than that there's not alot to worry about.
 
The Belgian Centaure "1960 NEW MODEL ARMY" has a bottomed arbor, too. Unfortunately, these fine pistols are no longer made but you find them at auctions now and then.
Bootsie aka Long Johns Wolf
 
The Belgian Centaure "1960 NEW MODEL ARMY" has a bottomed arbor, too. Unfortunately, these fine pistols are no longer made but you find them at auctions now and then.
Bootsie aka Long Johns Wolf
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Hi LJW, welcome to the forum. Still looking for my second Centaure.
 
You can drill and tap the end of the arbor and put a screw in it to bottom it out.
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Yeah, I havn't shot it yet and don't know if it will be a problem or not, I was thinking of of assembling it with the barrel cylinder gap the way I want it, with a small soft lead shot in the abor hole in the barrel to chrush to size, then disamble and measure with a mic and make a shim of steel the appropriate size to insert in the arbor hole for a semi-permanent fix.
 
Yeah, I havn't shot it yet and don't know if it will be a problem or not, I was thinking of of assembling it with the barrel cylinder gap the way I want it, with a small soft lead shot in the abor hole in the barrel to chrush to size, then disamble and measure with a mic and make a shim of steel the appropriate size to insert in the arbor hole for a semi-permanent fix.
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That's sort pf what I do. I make a shim for the arbor hole in the barrel lug. You can take the cylinder out, then put the barrel back on rotated about 30 degrees. Bottom it out and measure the distance the frame is past the barrel lug. That is the thickness of shim you need. If the barrel lug does not reach the frame, that's how much you need to remove from the end of the arbor. Then deal with the barrel to cylinder gap.
 
That's sort pf what I do. I make a shim for the arbor hole in the barrel lug. You can take the cylinder out, then put the barrel back on rotated about 30 degrees. Bottom it out and measure the distance the frame is past the barrel lug. That is the thickness of shim you need. If the barrel lug does not reach the frame, that's how much you need to remove from the end of the arbor. Then deal with the barrel to cylinder gap.
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Yeah, why did'nt I think of that, I always over engineer everything, I think I'll do it that way. That's why I like to hang out here:)
 
SMOKIN'GUN- if you have a real frame on the gun, like this vintage steel frame w/factory welded in arbor, you don't have to sweat that small stuff- been shooting full cylinders of pyro and black for 20+ years

you ain't gonna loosen a welded arbor in a vintage hardened steel frame- you could load it full of smokeless, pull the trigger with a 100 foot long string, and blow the cylinder and barrel to bits, that arbor will still be in that frame rock steady

now, if you have a newer gun with soft crayon like metallurgy, or an overpriced, shiny, but smooshy safe queen with a nickel-plated brass or yellow brass POS frame, then yes, the arbor will be going south soon anyway, even with pipsqueak loads trying to baby it along and prolong its pathetic little life

there's much easier ways to tighten up that arbor to barrel hole clearance, and get the barrel parallel to the arbor- without drilling, welding, tapping
 

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[the arbor will be going south soon anyway]

If you gotta go one way, South is the best choice....:D

So, lets say the arbor shoots loose, how do you fix that? Not had it happen yet, had my brasser for only a few years, used to shoot 30gr fff pyrodex in it before i found this forum, now down to 20. Still fun to shoot.
 
What if the arbor shoots loose in the frame, say the frame is brass (which I know everyone loves:rolleyes:) and the arbor is loose in the frame, can that be fixed?
 
What if the arbor shoots loose in the frame, say the frame is brass (which I know everyone loves) and the arbor is loose in the frame, can that be fixed?
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Depending on the damage, it would probably need a new arbor, a custom machined arbor $$$. Cost more to fix than to just buy new. Replace it and sell the old one for parts. Even a broken parts gun is worth 50-75 bucks to some one.
The average brasser runs about $150, that is dirt cheap for a revolver. I have grips for S&W's that cost more.
 
Gotcha...yea, I know the brassies are cheap... I was just wondering, all the talk about brass was making me think about my 1851's future :rolleyes:probly wouldnt get rid of this one even if it broke in half! My grandpa gave it to me and its my first bp rev. anyhow, I'm ramblin....thanks for the info ya'll
 
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