Spare parts kit?

[JayC]

I recently posted a thread about a broken barrel wedge for a '51 Navy. I was able to shape the old wedge using an electric sharpening wheel. I think the gun will be fine now, but because it belongs to a friend, I will be ordering a replacement Pietta wedge assembly. If I have to shape the new one, I will.

My question is this: while I'm at it, what other parts should I order to have on hand for my Pietta Remington New Army in .44 or my EMF/Uberti Winchester '73 in .357? What parts are most likely to break or disappear that could be replaced without the services of a gunsmith?

 

[James K]

For percussion revolvers and Colt/Remington single actions in general, the parts most likely to break (as opposed to wear) are the hand spring, the trigger/cylinder stop spring, and the cylinder stop itself. The mainsprings (hammer springs) rarely break, and most other parts will not break unless tampered with. The hand spring is usually hard to replace by itself, so a spare hand should be (pun intended) at hand.

Also at least one of each size screw (some can be made to work in more than one position) because they often are lost. A broken wedge spring is of no importance; the gun works fine without it.

For the Merwin & Hulbert, the most often broken parts are the cylinder stop spring and the hand spring, but on the M-H the hand spring is not attached to the hand. Replacement will require shop tools, though.

On the big S&W revolvers, the barrel catch spring and cylinder stop spring are often casualties, but parts for originals are hard to get and repro parts often need fitting.

For percussion revolvers, spare nipples are always a good idea; they rarely break, but they can become clogged or rust shut.

Jim