joachim slim Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I have a Remington 1858 made by Pietta. The trigger pull is fine. The problem is when ya cock it the hammer feels stiff and seems harder than it should be. Is there any cure besides adjusting the screw? Ive tried that but it doesnt help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Stephen D Hill, SASS #56151 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I'm no 'smith, but when I had a similar problem, my headspace was to tight! Just saying!!?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flint 976 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 The mainspring on a Pietta is particularly strong. A cap & ball revolver needs a stronger hammer strike than a cartridge gun. If the hammer face is hitting the nipple cone squarely (they often don't) and centered, then the spring can be lightened. If the angle of the hammer nose is not hitting the cone evenly top and bottom, it needs to be adjusted. Narrowing the spring will reduce its strength, but have a spare ready in case you go too far and it doesn't reliably fire a cap. If a cartridge conversioncylinder is installed, the mainspring can be lightened a lot and still pop a primer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Kiowa Jones #6765 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 The mainspring on a Pietta is particularly strong. A cap & ball revolver needs a stronger hammer strike than a cartridge gun. If the hammer face is hitting the nipple cone squarely (they often don't) and centered, then the spring can be lightened. If the angle of the hammer nose is not hitting the cone evenly top and bottom, it needs to be adjusted. Narrowing the spring will reduce its strength, but have a spare ready in case you go too far and it doesn't reliably fire a cap. If a cartridge conversioncylinder is installed, the mainspring can be lightened a lot and still pop a primer. I would add, another reason it's so stiff is to help hold the fired cap on the nipple because you have some pressure flowing back through the flash hole that tends to blow the caps off. Plus, if you continue to use the stock nipples the flash holes tend to wash out only making the blowback worse. Change those to the better quality Treso type nipples. One of the benefits to replacing them with the Treso nipples is they have smaller precisely machined flash holes that don't readily wash out. This allows the hammer spring to be reduced without dealing with the blown off caps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunClick Rick Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Just need to have the internals slicked up,a smith did mine and it was nice and smooth after 40.00,traded that one for my Buff hunter 58 with long barrell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Don't need ta be cocked when used fer a boat anchor ...... Had a pair ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Junk is the word that comes to mind ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, when I think of them .... Reamed Cylinders,replaced or reground all the springs, replaced Hands (too short & too soft),Hardened cylinder ratchets,polished and refitted bolt stops and frames, cut the barrel and rethreaded it ( the barrel was pointed at the sky) recut the threads in the frame (oversize, so the barrel would fit straight), Squared up the barrel face on the frame ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, then sold them to someone that thought they would look pretty on display in his mansion ..... Saved me using them as anchors ,,,,,,,, by the time they were done they were fine pistols ,,,,,,,,,, but I was sick of them .... Hunderds of dollars of smithing into $99 dollar guns was poor value ,,,,,,,,,,,, even if I did all the work myself .... Have "Uberti" 58s now ... Jabez Cowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordyce Beals Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 joachim slim: Flint 976 and Nate Kiowa Jones #6765 have the good advice. My $.02 of experience on Pieta New Model Army’s is unlike Jabez Cowboy SASS # 50129, several hand springs in 7 years didn't upset me. With both revolvers out at the same time I do have a strategy for cap jams but it is only needed once every few months. Adapt to the hammer pull for the reasons Nate pointed out. I found out at the start that dual dualist and gunfighter spread the work from the strong side thumb. Fordyce Beals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joachim slim Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 Mine shoots great. I will just adapt to the way it cocks and live with it. Thanks to everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Coconino Pistolero, SASS # 72432 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I put the VTI lightned springs in mine, these guns were produced in 2007. With Treso nipples and Rem #11 caps it is very reliable. Nothing has broken so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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