Question on Pietta 1851 Navy plunger

[Smiling Bob]

Picked up a Pietta 1851 barrel and complete loading lever with plunger from Dixie Gunworks for my Pietta 1861 Navy. The barrel fits great, but the plunger rattles at both ends is this normal ?

Smiling Bob

 

[Doc Hoy]

Yup!

About half of my Colt clones have a rattling plunger.

With the loading lever latched in the firing position, grab hold of the plunger with your thumb on the near side of the pistol and your forefinger on the far side. (You are holding the revolver grip in your right hand with the muzzle pointed to the left...at a Democrat).

Now wiggle the plunger and you will see where the rattling comes from. Once you see that, you can accept that a little bit of rattle is probably okay.

If the plunger travels into the chamber under load without binding you have an additional indication that all is well.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Bob, you must have some excessive side clearance at the plunger pivot, while this pivot point needs to be able to slide it should not rattle. Can you tighten the pivot screw? Maybe press the plunger slot on the lever to close up some of the gap. Use a wave washer, a thin steel washer that has a wavy shape to stop rattling but still allow some movement. Out of a couple of dozen Colts with the pivoting lever the only loose one I have is a .44 Navy from Pietta and it's not so loose as the rattle.

How tight is the plunger body in the barrel lug? It should be a fairly tight fit, easy to slide in and out but not sloppy.

 

[Fingers McGee]

The plungers on about half of my '51 Navies rattle - especially the Piettas; although one of the 2nd Gens does too. Tightening (torquing down) the screw helps some, but, if you tighten it too much, the plunger binds when you try to seat a ball. I just let them rattle.

None of my '61 Navies rattle.