Uberti 1860 problem

[Trigger Mike]

my son wanted to shoot black powder after watching The Blue and the Grey.  We fired 5 rounds out of the 1860 and by the end the wedge was loose and it took a while to get it out but can not take the barrel off.   It pulls out so the end piece it sits on comes half way through the hole for the wedge but no further nor will the wedge go back in to fire it. Any thoughts?  

 

If not I may let it go cheap.  

[J-BAR #18287]

Put some penetrating oil where the arbor (the end piece the barrel sits on) and the barrel meet, and also lube the two alignment pins at the bottom front of the frame where the barrel assembly meets the frame.  Put the gun on half-cock and align the cylinder so the web between two chambers is under the rammer, and see if gentle pressure on the ramming lever will help push the barrel assembly off.  GENTLE pressure; you don't want to bend a ramming lever.

 

Wiggle, coax, tap, re-lube, etc.  It may take a while to work it off.  

 

You may need to polish the end of the arbor to make it fit in the barrel assembly better.  Or maybe you just need to clean out rust and re-lube.

 

Good luck.

[Trigger Mike]

I tried that with ballistol  but maybe wd40 will free it up.   I do not see rust as I kept it clean but wondered if the wedge coming loose warped something.   

[Kid Rich]

1 hour ago, Trigger Mike said:

my son wanted to shoot black powder after watching The Blue and the Grey.  We fired 5 rounds out of the 1860 and by the end the wedge was loose and it took a while to get it out but can not take the barrel off.   It pulls out so the end piece it sits on comes half way through the hole for the wedge but no further nor will the wedge go back in to fire it. Any thoughts?  

 

If not I may let it go cheap.  

Is that the first time you've fired the gun? Or have you fired it before with something other than BP?

kR

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Remove the grips and soak it overnight submerged in a pan filled with automatic transmission fluid. 

Dex/Mec would be best. 

OLG 

[Sedalia Dave]

3 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Remove the grips and soak it overnight submerged in a pan filled with automatic transmission fluid. 

Dex/Mec would be best. 

OLG 

 

A 50/50 mix of ATF and Acetone works even better.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

2 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

 

A 50/50 mix of ATF and Acetone works even better.

Acetone evaporates to fast.

Mix with kerosene.

Makes a great bore cleaner too.

OLG 

[Sedalia Dave]

Some questions for clarification.

 

I assume the barrel will not budge or move any at all.

 

Will the screw that retains the wedge come out so that the wedge can be completely removed?

[Sedalia Dave]

1 minute ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Acetone evaporates to fast.

Mix with kerosene.

Makes a great bore cleaner too.

OLG 

 

Yes the acetone evaporates but when mixed the evaporation is slowed down. 

 

By mixing the two you create a binary solvent. The mixture is significantly more effective than ATF alone. 

[Trigger Mike]

I got the screw and wedge out and barrel moved just enough for a flat head screw driver, the wedge only goes partially back in.  I used the pistol in a much years ago,cleaned it and it sat until now

[Blackwater 53393]

If the barrel assembly will pull out past the alignment pins in the frame, gently twist the barrel back and forth on the arbor while pulling  the barrel and frame apart. Some solvent like Balistol will help. Do this a little at a time and when you get it apart, dress any burs on the arbor and in the arbor bore. By an appropriate new wedge. They come in different sizes, so you can get one that fits properly. 

 

It has worked more than once for me!!

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

11 hours ago, Trigger Mike said:

my son wanted to shoot black powder after watching The Blue and the Grey.  We fired 5 rounds out of the 1860 and by the end the wedge was loose and it took a while to get it out but can not take the barrel off.   It pulls out so the end piece it sits on comes half way through the hole for the wedge but no further nor will the wedge go back in to fire it. Any thoughts?  

 

If not I may let it go cheap.  

How cheap?  I'm always looking for another Uberti 1860.

[Sedalia Dave]

46 minutes ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

By an appropriate new wedge. They come in different sizes, so you can get one that fits properly. 

 

Where do you buy these over size wedges?  So far I have had no luck in finding one to buy

[Cat Brules]

Why do you think the revolver has jammed/hung up after firing only a few rounds?  Did you mix black and smokeless?  Sounds like it might have been overloaded, causing it to be “stressed” to one degree or another.  Try soaking it as suggested in the lubricant solution, but that likely won’t help, unless the weapon is “corroded up”.

 

I hope you get it working again.

 

Cat Brules

 

[Blackwater 53393]

I bought different sized wedges from VTI.

[J-BAR #18287]

9 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

 

Where do you buy these over size wedges?  So far I have had no luck in finding one to buy

A wedge for a Dragoon is bigger than the original wedge for an 1851 or 1860.  I used a Dragoon wedge once upon a time to fit an oversized slot in an 1851’s arbor.  Not ideal, but functional. 

[Trigger Mike]

I keep a powder measure on each flask based on the gun I use it for.   The 1860 has its own as does the walker and muskets.  I'm going to get out all of them and see if I grabbed the wrong one.   It has been a long time since I fired them.