Though I've shot a BP rifle for quite a while, my kids (bless their hearts) gave me something for Fathers Day that I'd always wanted - a black powder revolver. This one is a Pietta 1851 Navy in .44. Makes quite a spectacle when one of those nails a full, well-shaken can of Keystone Light. It's about all that stuff is good for anyway...
So far I have learned not to use Crisco on top of the balls; what a mess. By the time we'd fired the first few rounds, the remaining blobs of Crisco were melted. Well, it's all I had handy; I'll be using lubed wads UNDER the balls from now on. My .38 S&W brass holds around 14 gr. of FFFg, which was remarkably well behaved in this gun. We fired one cylinder full, and had a ball (pardon the pun, I suppose) at it. My 30 year old supply of Goex and Navy Arms caps are still bright & work perfectly.
So here is my question. I have read the manual, of course, and understand how to disassemble the gun for cleaning. Problem is, I have not been able to drive out the wedge pin! I've tried whatever pieces of plastic (shattered) and wood (splintered) I could find around, as well as an old brass .22 cleaning jag (bent). None have budged the pin. I'm afraid to use too much force or a steel drift for fear of marring the finish. I also notice the end of the wedge has a springy part that seems to be stepped on the end to keep it from sliding through the frame. I tried using a thin piece of steel to hold that down while I smacked the end of the wedge; no joy.
How much is it going to take to get this SOB apart? What kind of tool(s) do I need, and how hard am I going to have to whack it? And should I be using the rubber mallet, plastic body hammer, 18 oz, claw or the 3 pounder? Full swing, or chip shot? I'd really like to clean this puppy.
So far I have learned not to use Crisco on top of the balls; what a mess. By the time we'd fired the first few rounds, the remaining blobs of Crisco were melted. Well, it's all I had handy; I'll be using lubed wads UNDER the balls from now on. My .38 S&W brass holds around 14 gr. of FFFg, which was remarkably well behaved in this gun. We fired one cylinder full, and had a ball (pardon the pun, I suppose) at it. My 30 year old supply of Goex and Navy Arms caps are still bright & work perfectly.
So here is my question. I have read the manual, of course, and understand how to disassemble the gun for cleaning. Problem is, I have not been able to drive out the wedge pin! I've tried whatever pieces of plastic (shattered) and wood (splintered) I could find around, as well as an old brass .22 cleaning jag (bent). None have budged the pin. I'm afraid to use too much force or a steel drift for fear of marring the finish. I also notice the end of the wedge has a springy part that seems to be stepped on the end to keep it from sliding through the frame. I tried using a thin piece of steel to hold that down while I smacked the end of the wedge; no joy.
How much is it going to take to get this SOB apart? What kind of tool(s) do I need, and how hard am I going to have to whack it? And should I be using the rubber mallet, plastic body hammer, 18 oz, claw or the 3 pounder? Full swing, or chip shot? I'd really like to clean this puppy.