I picked up an unfired pietta 1851 Navy .44 brasser a few weeks ago, for a song, and decided I would convert it to .36 caliber with some other spare parts I had around. Already had a cylinder and sheriff barrel in .36, so tried it fit it together. All goes well except the barrel and cylinder bind with the wedge in, and the wedge is really tight. I cut some aluminum foil disks to drop in the barrel's arbor hole, to see if I could fill the obvious gap. After about 6 pieces, it went together and cycles fine. The foil will only last so long, I'm sure, so what should I use as a more permanent spacer? Where can I get metal spacers that are thin enough? Also, should I shape the wedge or leave it that tight? It will come out tapping with a brass punch.
Fitting a different barrel and cylinder to 1851 Navy
- Thread starter noelf2
- Start date
And, will it magically shoot cartridges when you are done? 
bedbugbilly
New member
If it took 6 pieces of aluminum foil to get it spaced right - then take six layers of the foil and put them together and measure total thickness with a micrometer -simple enough do. Once you know the total thickness as measured with a micrometer - try undefined some shim stock that is the same thickness - check an auto parts store or a mill supply store - then cut a disc out of the shim stop and try it with a dry fit. If it works - then a very small droplet of locket on the shim stock inserted into the arbor hole should hole it in place just fine.
If you are going to keep the revolver so you can switch back and forth from 36 to 44 - ghdn I wouldn't alter the original wedge in any manner. Get a new wedge and fit it to the 35 cal set up. Keeping it tight so it can be tapped out with a brass hammer is not a sin. I hone mine with an oil stone until they can be put in and removed with thumb pressure as the originals were intended to do. A Pietta or even a Uberti does not equal an original Coltl It's well known that cylinder pins can be shorten the repros.
Good luck and enjoy!
If you are going to keep the revolver so you can switch back and forth from 36 to 44 - ghdn I wouldn't alter the original wedge in any manner. Get a new wedge and fit it to the 35 cal set up. Keeping it tight so it can be tapped out with a brass hammer is not a sin. I hone mine with an oil stone until they can be put in and removed with thumb pressure as the originals were intended to do. A Pietta or even a Uberti does not equal an original Coltl It's well known that cylinder pins can be shorten the repros.
Good luck and enjoy!
45 Dragoon
New member
The originals were intended to be "driven in" and "driven out" as per Colts own instructions.
This "thumb pressure" install is a "modern" (probably started with the cowboy action crowd) thing for ease of cylinder removal. Fitted correctly, there's no real need to remove the cylinder until cleaning. Thumb pressure simply doesn't impart enough of a load to remove all of the clearances that the open top has between the two assemblies. I would submit that if those that do the "thumb pressure" technique would measure the bbl/cyl clearance and then "smack" the wedge in with a plastic head hammer would have a tighter clearance with the latter (even with the Pietta's that have a more correct arbor length).
Not trying to be difficult, just adhering to Colts instructions (I would think they would know).
In defense of the CAS community, I understand that since they shoot quite mild loads, it's not as detrimental to the revolver as those that shoot heavy loads with heavy bullets. But still, the instructions say what they say, . . . . I'm just saying ! (Lol, see what I did right there? Lol!! You can't write this stuff . . . . . oh . . . . I just did!! Geeez!!! )
Ok, I'll shut up now . . . .
Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks
This "thumb pressure" install is a "modern" (probably started with the cowboy action crowd) thing for ease of cylinder removal. Fitted correctly, there's no real need to remove the cylinder until cleaning. Thumb pressure simply doesn't impart enough of a load to remove all of the clearances that the open top has between the two assemblies. I would submit that if those that do the "thumb pressure" technique would measure the bbl/cyl clearance and then "smack" the wedge in with a plastic head hammer would have a tighter clearance with the latter (even with the Pietta's that have a more correct arbor length).
Not trying to be difficult, just adhering to Colts instructions (I would think they would know).
In defense of the CAS community, I understand that since they shoot quite mild loads, it's not as detrimental to the revolver as those that shoot heavy loads with heavy bullets. But still, the instructions say what they say, . . . . I'm just saying ! (Lol, see what I did right there? Lol!! You can't write this stuff . . . . . oh . . . . I just did!! Geeez!!! )
Ok, I'll shut up now . . . .
Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks
Search for the thickness required:
https://www.superiorwasher.com/cate...Iveuas6-32gIVkP5kCh3cdwNTEAAYASAAEgKJePD_BwE#
https://www.superiorwasher.com/cate...Iveuas6-32gIVkP5kCh3cdwNTEAAYASAAEgKJePD_BwE#
Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I'll try to custom fit a brass washer first. Might take a bit of stoning, but should be able to get a perfect fit. I really do need to get a micrometer. Just have a digital caliper now. I don't plan to use the .44 barrel or cylinder in this gun since I'm just trying to make a light loads rabbit/plinking gun out of it, but I don't want to ruin the frame for future mods either.