Pietta 1858 RNA Cylinder Quit Turning

C

ConRich

New member
My Pietta 1858 RNA has less than 100 rounds through it and worked fine 'till this afternoon now the cylinder doesn't advance when the hammer is cocked. Any ideas about what caused this and how to fix it ?

TIA,
Rich:confused:
 
The hand is not pushing the ratchet. Not sure why. Broken spring, jammed cam, full of crud, or something similar.
 
Point it at the floor and cock it. If the cylinder turns the hand spring is broken. If it doesn't something is blocking the hand. Its not hard to tear it down and see what's going on.
 
As stated in my original post, the gun has been fired under 100 times. I have cleaned it after each session of about 18 rounds.

WOGPOTTER, The owner's manual doesn't show any spring other than the mainspring (hammer spring) ????

HAWG, I think that you're on to the problem, I can get the cylinder to rotate by holding the gun in different positions. I still don't see any spring in the diagram that came with the gun though.

What is this spring called, and where can I order a replacement ?

Thanks for your help,
Rich
 
Shown: Replacement Pistol Parts Kit


This didn't copy right but the part # is there, you can view the parts at their web site.

Hope this helps.

It's the third part from the top, seems the hand spring is broken on yours.
























































































Pietta Replacement Pistol Parts Kit











Regular Price: $41.99 Sale Price: $34.99


Qty: Item: IK-214052


Step 1: Select CAL/GAUG1851/1860 NAVY PARTS - $34.99 - In Stock1858 ARMY PARTS - $34.99 - In Stock





Add Multiple Items at Once | Check Availability

View All Restrictions That May Apply
Cabela's offers a "parts kit" that will most probably have the part you need.
 
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You can't buy just the spring. The hand and spring come together as a single unit plus the new hand will have to be fitted to the gun. This is not difficult to do but it is much cheaper to make a replacement spring with a bobby pin. The spring fits into a slot in the hand and then peened. You can take a small screwdriver and carefully open the slot up enough to get the old spring out. Cut and shape the bobby pin to the contours of the old spring. Slide the new spring in and peen the slot back down and you will have a spring that will likely last the life of the gun.
 
If you have never taken the hammer and hand out it would be a good idea to watch a few You Tube videos on disassembly of the New Model Army.
 
buy just the hand or fix?

There are two hands listed as 'buy now' on Ebay for $14 ~ $16. That's less than the kit, but you would get more spare parts for your money in the Cabella's kit.

There is a June 29th post by maillemaker, on a thread about 'a bent ear on an 1851 Colt Pietta', that shows what the hand ( number 7) looks like on the Colt. The hand/spring assembly looks similer on the Remington. Basically a chunk of steel with a flat spring in a slot.

I would first disassemble it to be sure what you've got. Maybe your spring just came out of the hand slot and can be reinserted and peened or soldered in place as mentioned. Watch for a small flat piece when you take it apart. Try to use as little heat as necessary if you solder.

If the spring is broken, then you might as well try Hawg's fix before needing to possibly fit a new hand. Remember part of the 'fun' is making it your own. As has been said here before, these pistols are just kits.

And I would not throw the old part away, but would save it for a pattern to fit the replacement hand, or just keep it to fix as a spare if you get a replacment hand.

You also may want to try to figure out if you did anything to break the spring ( if it's broken), to keep it from happening again. There are several things that will stress the hand spring, like turning the cylinder backwards.

When you get more than one BP revolver you will need to poly bag your junkbox parts so you can mark and remember which parts are for which pistol.:)
 
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Auto feeler gauges are pretty good hand spring material, too.
If you replace the hand instead of repairing, be sure to keep the old one as a pattern for the new one.
Saves a lot of whittling time for the new one.
 
Thank You

Thanks for all the suggestions, after watching a video on how to disassemble the gun I got into it and found the hand spring still attached, but just barely.

The hand looked pretty rough and crude, considering that this gun has less than 100 rounds through it, QC at Pietta isn't great, but I guess you get what you pay for.

Anyway, I ordered a new hand with spring. I will still try to fabricate a spring and solder it into the original hand, if that works it'll become a spare when I install the new one.

Thanks again for your help,
Rich
 
The hand looked pretty rough and crude, considering that this gun has less than 100 rounds through it, QC at Pietta isn't great, but I guess you get what you pay for.
Click to expand...

I have found the heat treatment on lock components to be spotty at best. I have had to re-harden springs and hands before on different guns.

I firmly believe that short-shrift on heat treatment is the primary reason why BP revolvers cost 1/2 the price of modern cartridge revolvers.

The manufacturers assume these things will be shot maybe 30 times and then put away on a shelf as too much trouble to shoot.

Steve
 
The hand is plenty hard enough, just very crudely ground where it contacts the cylinder. I see that as an inevitable problem down the road, it has just got to be doing damage to the rear of the cylinder.

BTW, I made a spring, I used a Dremel tool to cut a piece from one of those binder clips used by office workers to hold papers, I then soldered it into the hand, worked fine.

I still have a new hand on the way, I plan to fit that one to the pistol in a manor that won't cause undue harm to the cylinder.

Thanks for all the advice,
Rich
 
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