Pietta 1851 Navy
- Thread starter mark day
- Start date
bedbugbilly
New member
The "set screw" that you mention is actually a retaining screw to keep the wedge from falling out of the barrel assembly when it is pulled out for disassembly. Wedges can become "stuck" - there are lots of posts on here regarding that. You need to take a soft hammer, such as a brass hammer or a brass punch and tently tap it until it loosens and can be pulled by hand. Don't use anything that will "peen" the end of the wedge - you want to tap on it on the opposite side of the retaining screw.
If you get it loosened and pulled - you may also experience some troubles in getting the barrel assembly off - maybe not. If you do, rotate the cylinder by hand until a web between cylinder chambers lines up with the loading lever ram. Then take the loading lever and gently pull it down like you are loading - the ram against the web between chambers will usually push the assembly off of the cylinder pin.
If you get it loosened and pulled - you may also experience some troubles in getting the barrel assembly off - maybe not. If you do, rotate the cylinder by hand until a web between cylinder chambers lines up with the loading lever ram. Then take the loading lever and gently pull it down like you are loading - the ram against the web between chambers will usually push the assembly off of the cylinder pin.
BBB + 1.....
.....And that wedge will eventually become loose enough that you can press it out with finger pressure. It is the position of that wedge which establishes gap between the cylinder and the barrel. A standard business card (business card...not credit card) is about ten thousandth of an inch in thickness. If you can slide a business card between the cylinder and the forcing cone of the barrel, the gap is near the high end of correct.
.....And that wedge will eventually become loose enough that you can press it out with finger pressure. It is the position of that wedge which establishes gap between the cylinder and the barrel. A standard business card (business card...not credit card) is about ten thousandth of an inch in thickness. If you can slide a business card between the cylinder and the forcing cone of the barrel, the gap is near the high end of correct.
Doc,
You are wrong about the wedge establishing the B/C gap. The arbor establishes the gap. The wedge holds the barrel on. Recent Piettas have been pretty good on the correct arbor length. Uberti still makes them too short. We have gone over this many times on all the forums that you frequent. Please re-read the Pettifogger articles.
You are wrong about the wedge establishing the B/C gap. The arbor establishes the gap. The wedge holds the barrel on. Recent Piettas have been pretty good on the correct arbor length. Uberti still makes them too short. We have gone over this many times on all the forums that you frequent. Please re-read the Pettifogger articles.
Doc's right. There has been lots of discussion, much of it ignoring the practical side: on many Colts the wedge is effective in setting the cylinder/barrel gap. It shouldn't work, but it often does. And when it does, why not use it?
We've neglected to mention one thing: occasionally the wedge protrudes far enough that the lip of the tension spring in the wedge catches on the far side of the frame. It may be necessary to depress that spring with a screwdriver tip to ensure it isn't hanging up on the frame.
We've neglected to mention one thing: occasionally the wedge protrudes far enough that the lip of the tension spring in the wedge catches on the far side of the frame. It may be necessary to depress that spring with a screwdriver tip to ensure it isn't hanging up on the frame.
Just to check myself...
... I started pulling out my Colt revolvers. I measured how much I could change the gap simply by using the wedge.
The revolvers I checked included an FIE in .44 brass frame, a Hawes in .36 brass frame, and a Euroarms .44 in steel frame. All of the revolvers have wedges I can remove with my fingers. All of them have about .002 overlap between the barrel lug and the frame. I pushed the wedge in until it was snug (about there I put it to shoot the revolver) on each pistol and measured the gap. Then I pushed it in further with only finger pressure but with as much as I could comfortably apply. Then measured the gap once again.
On these three revolvers the average I was able to change the gap was .006. The gaps started at .009, .010 and .009 and went to .004, .004 and .002. The three revolvers were the first three in line. When I was able to change the gap on all of the first three revolvers I pulled out (Three revolvers pulled and three revolvers changed) I stopped checking them. I would add that .010 (the highest gap I measured) is about as loose as you want the barrel gap to be. Also, .002 (The closest gap measured) is probably as tight as you want it to be. All of the revolvers could be set with the wedge to nearly every desirable gap.
I said one thing wrong in my post which Zullo correctly pointed out. I implied that the function of the wedge is to establish the gap. It is not the function of the wedge to establish this gap. By design that is the function of the arbor and barrel interface. The control that the wedge has over gap is by accident.
... I started pulling out my Colt revolvers. I measured how much I could change the gap simply by using the wedge.
The revolvers I checked included an FIE in .44 brass frame, a Hawes in .36 brass frame, and a Euroarms .44 in steel frame. All of the revolvers have wedges I can remove with my fingers. All of them have about .002 overlap between the barrel lug and the frame. I pushed the wedge in until it was snug (about there I put it to shoot the revolver) on each pistol and measured the gap. Then I pushed it in further with only finger pressure but with as much as I could comfortably apply. Then measured the gap once again.
On these three revolvers the average I was able to change the gap was .006. The gaps started at .009, .010 and .009 and went to .004, .004 and .002. The three revolvers were the first three in line. When I was able to change the gap on all of the first three revolvers I pulled out (Three revolvers pulled and three revolvers changed) I stopped checking them. I would add that .010 (the highest gap I measured) is about as loose as you want the barrel gap to be. Also, .002 (The closest gap measured) is probably as tight as you want it to be. All of the revolvers could be set with the wedge to nearly every desirable gap.
I said one thing wrong in my post which Zullo correctly pointed out. I implied that the function of the wedge is to establish the gap. It is not the function of the wedge to establish this gap. By design that is the function of the arbor and barrel interface. The control that the wedge has over gap is by accident.
Last edited:
OutlawJoseyWales
New member
Wow, thanks guys.
Being new to BP shooting in the last couple of years, I've used the wedge to adjust the gap on several revovlers. I just naturally assumed that was the point of the whole thing, since that's what it did when I put the wedge in.
I recently got a great price on a '51 and the wedge was so loose, I think from someone sanding it down loose that it didn't do anything to close the gap, which was too wide. I mean this wedge almost rattled around.
I was going to post and ask if this was going to be a problem, but a new wedge was very tight, so I was releaved for sure.
I put the new wedge in and had to tap it in to make it go across.
It totally closed the gap and tightened up the cylinder just like it supposed to be.
I'm not a gunsmith in any way, but love the history and shooting of BP revolvers. This site has given me all the answers I've needed to enjoy this great hobby.
How about that though, now I know.
Thanks, OJW
Being new to BP shooting in the last couple of years, I've used the wedge to adjust the gap on several revovlers. I just naturally assumed that was the point of the whole thing, since that's what it did when I put the wedge in.
I recently got a great price on a '51 and the wedge was so loose, I think from someone sanding it down loose that it didn't do anything to close the gap, which was too wide. I mean this wedge almost rattled around.
I was going to post and ask if this was going to be a problem, but a new wedge was very tight, so I was releaved for sure.
I put the new wedge in and had to tap it in to make it go across.
It totally closed the gap and tightened up the cylinder just like it supposed to be.
I'm not a gunsmith in any way, but love the history and shooting of BP revolvers. This site has given me all the answers I've needed to enjoy this great hobby.
How about that though, now I know.
Thanks, OJW
Most copy paper is .0035" thick. You can fold a piece of paper in two and set it between the barrel and cylinder before you tap in the wedge. Tap the wedge until it grabs the paper then remove the paper for a .007" (lucky number too) gap. That is not the best way to set the gap but virtually all of my Colt copies (ASM, Pietta, & Uberti) are "adjustible" that way.
A while ago....
....I made this cleaning rod which doubles as a light mallet that I use to knock out a stubborn wedge.
The shank is quarter inch brass with ferrols cut in the end. It is long enough to work on everything but a Walker.
The knob end is threaded to quarter twenty
The knob is from a hunk of mahogany.
Of course when I use it I am holding the revolver in my hand. Took the photo this way because I don't have a thrid hand to take the photo.
....I made this cleaning rod which doubles as a light mallet that I use to knock out a stubborn wedge.
The shank is quarter inch brass with ferrols cut in the end. It is long enough to work on everything but a Walker.
The knob end is threaded to quarter twenty
The knob is from a hunk of mahogany.
Of course when I use it I am holding the revolver in my hand. Took the photo this way because I don't have a thrid hand to take the photo.