Sixgun Symphony #62632 Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 I am finding it very hard to pull back the hammer on my reproduction Colt Dragoon. I am thinking the wedge pin might need to be adjusted, but it's not going past the screw. I wonder what gives? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440 Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 First, take the barrel and cylinder OFF and see how the hammer effort is then. SOME of these guns are sprung very stiff. Now use a doubled over bit of printer paper (ideally 3 thicknesses), as a gauge between the barrel and cylinder when you set the wedge. When the paper us snug, but you can still turn the cylinder by hand to get the paper loose, yer bout there for barrel-cylinder gap. You ought never have the cylinder bind against the barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mustang Gregg Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 A shred of a fired cap didn't fall into the guts, did it? MG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Coles SASS 1188 Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 The hole in the barrel for the cylinder pin is usually bored too deep on Italian guns, which will allow you to tighten the wedge to the point that the barrel can bind the cylinder. Carefully measuring the depth of the hole and making a properly sized plug so that the end of the pin is stopped in exactly the correct position when the wedge is driven in takes the guess work out of assembling the gun and will insure a consistent and proper cylinder gap every time. I am not sure if this is the root of your problem, but it is a common one with Italian cap and ball guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lefty Dude, SASS # 51223 Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Many think C&B revolvers can be shot out of the box. Not so, they take much work to get them to the shooting reliable stage. If you are not a tinker person, C&B revolver's are not for you. A spent cap fragment can clog up the works quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubious Don #56333 Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 My first set of C&B's were ROA's. With the right caps they worked 90%. Treso nipples.....100% My current set is a pair of Cabela's eye-talian 1851's and they were sw...double E..t right out of the box...Except the factory nipples sucked! Treso nipples and they are 100%. If you get a piece of a cap in the innards, they'll gum up so check for that. Some guns are real heavy sprung, my 51's are real nice though, not tinkering with them. You don't want to go too light on the hammer spring, will cause failures to fire and or contribute to the caps blowing off on firing and guess where the pieces go? Take the cylinder out and see if the action is still stiff. If it is, now you know where the problem is. Install cylinder and such, not the wedge, hold it in place and see if it binds then put the wedge in and see again. Bet ya can figure it out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingers McGee Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Some makers of Dragoons use 3/4 ton truck springs for the hammer springs. I've got an ASM 3rd model that took two hands to cock the hammer until I replaced the spring. You don't say whay make or model Dragoon it is; but, if the cylinder isn't binding, a replacement spring may be what the Dr. ordered. Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pay Dirt Norvelle #90056 Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Plus 100 on it being a heavy mainspring. One of my 1858 Remingtons (Italian) is like that an I have to really work at it to make it cock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Symphony #62632 Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 It's not a cap as I have not fired it in a long while. I am very sure the problem is the wedge pin and I will try some of the solutions posted above. If that don't fix the problem then I will have a gunsmith check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six-Shot Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Take the cylinder out and look for rotational drag marks on the front of the cylinder facing the mouth of the barrel. If there are drag marks the wedge is too tight. If not, either the mainspring is too stiff or something (burrs on the locking bolt, hammer, or hand) is binding the action internally. You have to completely take it apart and inspect the internal parts to find out. Blackpowder revolvers aren't that hard to disassemble or reassemble. Get a good set of gunsmithing screwdrivers. Go on-line and look for "take-down" instuctions. Sand or file the burrs and polish the parts very lightly until they are smooth. VTI Gunparts has schematics and parts (including reduced mainsprings) for just about every blackpowder gun made. Good luck and have fun! What's the worse that could happen? You might learn something from the experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Most gunsmiths do not have a clue about the care and feeding of cap and ball revolvers. You'll have to find a cowboy specialist to get any joy. Look for Larsen T. Pettifogger's articles either in old Chronicles or on line for "how to" help on percussion guns. He has two series, one for Pietta guns and one for Ubertis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 I fix a few "Uberti's" ,,,,, as for C & B "pietta's" I think they serve best as boat anchors ..... Though they are a bit light fer that job... With "Uberti's" you have a sound platform on which to build a gun for this game ... Jabez Cowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Most gunsmiths do not have a clue about the care and feeding of cap and ball revolvers. You'll have to find a cowboy specialist to get any joy. Look for Larsen T. Pettifogger's articles either in old Chronicles or on line for "how to" help on percussion guns. He has two series, one for Pietta guns and one for Ubertis. That's for sure! Keep it away from a guy who only works on Glocks, 1911s and ARs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazarus Longshot, SASS #44254 Life Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Most gunsmiths do not have a clue about the care and feeding of cap and ball revolvers. You'll have to find a cowboy specialist to get any joy. Look for Larsen T. Pettifogger's articles either in old Chronicles or on line for "how to" help on percussion guns. He has two series, one for Pietta guns and one for Ubertis. Larsen's articles, along with more stuff from Hedley Lamarr and John Boy, are posted over on The Open Range. http://www.theopenrange.net/forum/index.php?board=17.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc McGee, SASS #51213 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Larsen's articles on modifying the Italian cap an ball revolvers are top notch. Modified two of my Uberti Walkers that had draggin cylinders (wedge driven in too far). I did get em cheap because they wouldn't cock without turning the cylinder by hand wile pullin the hammer back. Reworked a Pietta that had the same problem. They all work fine now. Doc McGee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tennessee Stud, SASS# 43634 Life Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee Fingers McGee <-- and this... my good friend... is the MAN... Also... if the Brasspounder chimes in... for all these years... these are THE go-to men for info. ts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brasspounder Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 Yup... Check out Larsen Pettifogger's articles on how to work over the Uberti and Pietta percussion revolvers...pretty much says it all. Arbor length and wedge fit particularly are "required proper" on these revolvers. A related factor in cylinder gap dimension is nipple cone size/length and the relation thereof to cap fit. All are important for 100 % reliability. Bp In Fairbanks Alaska where it's been 35 and 40 below for a week...Brrrrr! Not me, I ain't goin shootin in THIS weather!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six-Shot Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 Larsen's articles, along with more stuff from Hedley Lamarr and John Boy, are posted over on The Open Range. http://www.theopenrange.net/forum/index.php?board=17.0 Thanks for the link Lazarus. Awesome information! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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