Stuck Wedge

D

David13

New member
1860 Pietta Army 44.
I read a real long wedge thread here. No mention of my issue.
My wedge (got the gun today, new, Cabelas) has a spring type lock on it.
To drive the wedge out, I had to hold the spring lock down. Not easy, but it did not defeat me.
I used a hammer to drive a Bic pen top in, under the wedge lock, holding it in the clear the frame position, then put a wood block on the wedge and banged it out with a hammer (on the wood).
It is one super tight wedge.
I saw a video online and he used his thumb fingernail to hold the lock down, and wiggles the wedge out by hand.
My gun will have to loosen up a lot before I can do that.
dc
 
Of the revolvers I own, ......

.... None of them have a wedge spring which interferes in any way with the removal of the from the barrel lug as far as the screw on the port side of the barrel.

When the wedge clears the arbor freeing the barrel for removal, the spring engages the screw in a way that prevents the wedge from comig completely out of the barrel.

About half of the times it does not work and the wedge winds up in my hand to be placed aside unitl I put the barrel back together.
 
I see how the tab holds the wedge against the screw. However, when the wedge is fully inserted, the top of the tab springs out, onto the surface of the barrel. I did try banging it with a piece of wood, and this time it did come out. However, it did gouge into the barrel a little.
The same way the tab catches on the screw, it also catches onto the far side of the barrel when the wedge is inserted all the way.
I thought maybe it was designed to hold the wedge in, to lock it in.
dc
 
David...

You are right.

The spring on the wedge will rise up if the wedge goes far enough through the barrel and appear to catch on the barrel.

Your use of the pen cap to hold it down was smart in that the pen cap is soft and won't mark the finish of the revolver.

But the wedge very likely would have come through the barrel for removal just by using the wooden piece.

Eventually the wedge will loosen to the point where it can be removed with thumb pressure only. Until then, you have to use a soft tool to get it out. The thing I use is a small piece of brass round stock that is filed in such a way that can be pushed into the wedge slot up to about an eighth inch. The best way to dscribe it is that it looks like a screwdriver with a very thick tip.

I support the pistol with the wedge side (left side or "port side" for us Navy guys) down. Hold the brass tool against the wedge, then lightly tap it with the smallest ball peen hammer I own.

Wedges on new revolvers can be very stubborn the first time they are removed. I own more than thirty cap and ball revolvers and only a few of them still require the use of anything but my thumb to remove the wedge.

Other members will shortly wade in with other ways to get the stubborn ones out.

And sooner or later someone will tell you how to tell when the wedge is at the proper depth in the slot.

You are going to love this stuff and this forum too.
 
What part if the pen? I used the plastic part that goes into the tube on the same end that you write with. I didn't have to pinch the spring in my case.
 
The cap. The top. It has a point that is meant to hold the pen into a shirt pocket.
I did drive the wedge without the cap, without anything pushing the lock down, and it chipped a tiny bit off the opening.
Nothing of any concern.
But it did come out easier the second time.
Thanks
dc
 
As Doc said you don't need to depress the spring or remove the screw to remove it. When you reinstall it on a new gun it should go thru the off side just a smidge. After a couple of installs it should go in and come out with thumb pressure.
 
Wedge problem

The only type of wedge problem I've ever had, was in regard to temperature change. The 1st BP revolver I ever owned was/is a Uberti/Walker. I was so excited to take it deer hunting during the Michigan BP season. It was freezing cold outside and when I pulled it out to take a shot, I couldn't pull the hammer back as the temperature had effected the pistol to the point, I had to pull the wedge out (just a bit) to free the cylinder. As my old Dad would say, "Life long learning"!
 
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