Pietta 1851 Wedge Removal
- Thread starter ClemBert
- Start date
Smokin' gun
New member
Hawg I wasn't thinkin clear. You're right. That wedge ain't budged. A claw hammer won't get that job done but turn a thumb nail blue. OUCH---but it'll come out tommorrow. I got a giood friend that sells industrial power tools for big time jobs. He'll get that dang thing out!
So the replacement 1851 showed up today. Guess what....same problem. That wedge ain't gonna move.
Big surprise, right!
I'm just gonna shoot the living crap outta that thing with the biggest loads I can force in it. That outta loosed her up a bit. The wedge will probably just drop in my lap then....hehehehe.....
p.s. Mr. Samuel Colt can still bite me on the arse as well as that gorilla at the Pietta factory.
I'm just gonna shoot the living crap outta that thing with the biggest loads I can force in it. That outta loosed her up a bit. The wedge will probably just drop in my lap then....hehehehe.....
p.s. Mr. Samuel Colt can still bite me on the arse as well as that gorilla at the Pietta factory.
olmontanaboy
New member
Aw man that bites. Check the serial # and make sure it aint the same one
Good luck.
LOL! First thing I did was check the serial number. The one they sent me is 12 units past the first problem one. Probably both of them were beat on by the Pietta gorilla on the same day when they didn't feed him enough bananas.
No problemo though. I was very tempted to shoot the crap outta the first one to loosen it up. Now that the replacement is the same as the first I won't have a problem with that procedure. And if that wedge still doesn't want to come out I will introduce Mr. Wedge to Mr. Steel Chisel.
robhof
Did you notify them of the problem with the 1st gun? If so; their customer service dept is seriously in need of an adjustment. Man that's a real bummer. Ihope the shooting works, at least it'll get out the frustration. I always feel better after a range session, it got me through 20 years in the USAF.
Did you notify them of the problem with the 1st gun? If so; their customer service dept is seriously in need of an adjustment. Man that's a real bummer. Ihope the shooting works, at least it'll get out the frustration. I always feel better after a range session, it got me through 20 years in the USAF.
I think this is a well documented problem with new Pietta products. I did inform Cabella's customer service why the first one was being returned. As a courtesy they sent me a new replacement before they had a chance to inspect the original. This is a Pietta problem that Cabella's should have a discussion with Pietta to address it. My next purchase will most likely be a Uberti product. I do like this particular 1851. The finish isn't as good as I've seen on Uberti's but it is reasonable given the $229 paid for it....if that wedge just popped out I'd give it a 9 out of 10 on fit and finish.
robhof
Hasve you thought about using a gear puller? Pad the contact areas well and place center on wedge and tighten. They can be found in varying sizes at auto parts stores and they may even loan the tool. They can be tightened and left for awhile then additional pressure added for particularly stubborn gears or in your case wedge.
Hasve you thought about using a gear puller? Pad the contact areas well and place center on wedge and tighten. They can be found in varying sizes at auto parts stores and they may even loan the tool. They can be tightened and left for awhile then additional pressure added for particularly stubborn gears or in your case wedge.
seriously use a good solid steel punch if it mars the wedge just buy a new one, sounds like you will need it anyway.Well, I took your suggestion to do it "the easy way". I bought two of those fancy schmansee brass punches from Track of the Wolf. I thought I'd share my findings:
Question: Remind me again...how hard am I trying to make this?
Gorilla 4 ClemBert 0
p.s. This punch bent on the wedge of the replacement 1851 I received since the first 1851 obviously had the wedge in too tight.
Last edited:
olmontanaboy
New member
Have you managed to get the wedege out yet?
Nope...the Pietta gorilla is kicking my arse. My last attempt was a few days ago with the fancy brass punch pictured above. I only went through that process because someone suggested I was going about this the hard way and the easy way was to use the appropriate punch made for the job.
I get the feeling from a lot of people on here they don't have an appreciation for how stuck the wedge is on both of those Pietta 1851's. Their assumption is that either I'm doing it wrong or using the wrong tools. Quite honestly, tapping it with a penny should have popped it right out.
I've officially given up on it until after I load and shoot it with max loads of 777. Hopefully that will loosed it up. I had hoped to clean it before shooting it for the first time. I'll give an update when shooting day passes. It could be a while since my shooting range is closed right now.
I get the feeling from a lot of people on here they don't have an appreciation for how stuck the wedge is on both of those Pietta 1851's. Their assumption is that either I'm doing it wrong or using the wrong tools. Quite honestly, tapping it with a penny should have popped it right out.
I've officially given up on it until after I load and shoot it with max loads of 777. Hopefully that will loosed it up. I had hoped to clean it before shooting it for the first time. I'll give an update when shooting day passes. It could be a while since my shooting range is closed right now.
Don't use a vise or a puller
A vise or a gear puller or any other such thing is the wrong way to go.
A well placed blow with a hammer imparts thousands of pounds more force than from a vise.
Force = mass X acceleration.
The vise has verrrry slowwww acceleration, hence no matter how hard you twist the handle, the hammer will beat it (literally) every time.
A vise or a gear puller or any other such thing is the wrong way to go.
A well placed blow with a hammer imparts thousands of pounds more force than from a vise.
Force = mass X acceleration.
The vise has verrrry slowwww acceleration, hence no matter how hard you twist the handle, the hammer will beat it (literally) every time.
A vise or a gear puller or any other such thing is the wrong way to go.
A well placed blow with a hammer imparts thousands of pounds more force than from a vise.
Force = mass X acceleration.
The vise has verrrry slowwww acceleration, hence no matter how hard you twist the handle, the hammer will beat it (literally) every time.
But a vice can do jobs a hammer often can't. Or do them neater and with less damage.
Smokin_Gun
New member
ClemBert where exactly is the end of the wedge at this point in relation to the barrel slot?
can you depress or dremel away the wedge catch(lip) that is spring loaded?
Just a thought that the spring lip is caught up on the inside of the barrel frame or on the outside..
can you depress or dremel away the wedge catch(lip) that is spring loaded?
Just a thought that the spring lip is caught up on the inside of the barrel frame or on the outside..
The wedge is basically flush with the barrel or I should say just barely protruding. This is the case with both of those 1851's they sent me. Just about identical. The catch is barely sticking out as you point out. I wouldn't doubt if the problem is what you pointed out. I think I should just shoot the hell outta that bad boy then come home and attempt to tap it out. If it still is a beast then probably a dremel tool or blasting caps are in order.
Smokin_Gun
New member
Hell at this point I think I would too...jus' try takin' the wedge out a cylinder full at a time.
Is yours an 1851 Lawman .44 white grips and engraved some?? I have forgotten.
One other thing I had thought about was ...if the wedge screw on the bbl fits up good against the wedge I've used thethat screw to help remove a wedge when i had no mallet...put a lil tension on the screw as to attempt forcing the wedge out and tap or smack it hard with a dead blow hammer...and keep tension on the wedge with the screw.
Just a thought.
Is yours an 1851 Lawman .44 white grips and engraved some?? I have forgotten.
One other thing I had thought about was ...if the wedge screw on the bbl fits up good against the wedge I've used thethat screw to help remove a wedge when i had no mallet...put a lil tension on the screw as to attempt forcing the wedge out and tap or smack it hard with a dead blow hammer...and keep tension on the wedge with the screw.
Just a thought.
