1860 wedge spring pin broke: can it be replaced?

[1KPerDay]

Trying to get the wedge out of this Pietta 1860 and it was driven in by Guido’s Big Hammer, so I give it a whack and I hear stuff hit the other side of the room and the spring is out but the wedge isn’t.

Is it worth trying to find and replace the pin with a new one or should I just get a new wedge and spring?

 

[hawg]

I wouldn't worry about it. Just tap it in good and snug. All the spring really does is catch the head of the wedge screw so the wedge doesn't fall out when you remove the barrel. Of course without the spring the wedge will fall out every time you remove the barrel.

 

[44 Dave]

You don't have to be a gunsmith to rivet a pin in. Don't use anything that is too hard, a small nail filed to fit would be my choice.

 

[noelf2]

I'd use it without the spring. Sometimes the spring is a PITA anyway.

 

[1KPerDay]

Thanks guys. The wedge is obviously quite snug so it will work without the spring. I might try to drive out the stub and find something.

 

[hawg]

It will probably be better to just drill it out.

 

[Eyrie G. Dogg]

I’d just get a new wedge assembly from VTI Gun Parts and be done with it.

 

[hawg]

I’d just get a new wedge assembly from VTI Gun Parts and be done with it.

$20.90 plus shipping. I wouldn't do it.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

If you can find the spring it can be re installed. It's most likely broken where it is pinned into the wedge. It should be a firm fit anyway and shouldn't be a problem without the spring. What I am suspicious of is if the arbor slot is too narrow and the wedge is stuck. When you get it out be sure to look at. The wedge should be a loose fit in the arbor with the barrel off.

 

[hawg]

He has the spring. Or at least he did when he took the pic. It is broken where it's pinned.

 

[1KPerDay]

If you can find the spring it can be re installed. It's most likely broken where it is pinned into the wedge. It should be a firm fit anyway and shouldn't be a problem without the spring. What I am suspicious of is if the arbor slot is too narrow and the wedge is stuck. When you get it out be sure to look at. The wedge should be a loose fit in the arbor with the barrel off.

Thanks, I got the wedge out, and the spring pin sheared off and left most of itself in the wedge. Should be pretty easy to drive that bit out the bottom (where it appears to be wider) and find something that will replace it. It is a very tight fitting wedge though. that's probably not ideal, but I guess it's not too loose.

 

[Big Bore 44]

It may not be a rivet,,the originals used a screw.

 

[44 Dave]

If you have been down on your hands and knees in the dirt at the out door rang looking for an escaped wedge you will appreciate the little spring to keep the wedge from "taking off".

 

[44 Dave]

If you have been down on your hands and knees in the dirt at the out door range looking for an escaped wedge you will appreciate the little spring to keep the wedge from "taking off".

 

[hawg]

If you have been down on your hands and knees in the dirt at the out door rang looking for an escaped wedge you will appreciate the little spring to keep the wedge from "taking off".

Drive it in hard enough and you wont have to worry about it.

 

[Just4FunOldGuns]

Dixie Gun Works, Wedge & Spring, Spring and screw (have to drill and tap to size)
https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index/page/search?FullText=1860+wedge

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

Thanks, I got the wedge out, and the spring pin sheared off and left most of itself in the wedge. Should be pretty easy to drive that bit out the bottom (where it appears to be wider) and find something that will replace it. It is a very tight fitting wedge though. that's probably not ideal, but I guess it's not too loose.

Was the wedge loose in the arbor slot or did it go in and stop before hitting the shelf on the under side of the wedge? You should have somewhere around a 1/16 inch free play between the arbor and wedge with the barrel off. In other words the only thing stopping the wedge from going through and falling out the other side is the shelf on the thick end of the wedge. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Mizar]

You hit that wedge right on the lip of that spring, didn't you? I believe that some water hardening drill rod will be the perfect candidate for a pin, or you can even anneal the tail end of some HSS drill with a butane torch and use it for a pin, if you don't want to bother ordering a drill rod.

 

[1KPerDay]

Was the wedge loose in the arbor slot or did it go in and stop before hitting the shelf on the under side of the wedge? You should have somewhere around a 1/16 inch free play between the arbor and wedge with the barrel off. In other words the only thing stopping the wedge from going through and falling out the other side is the shelf on the thick end of the wedge. Hope that makes sense.

The wedge is loose in the arbor slot with the barrel off, and is loose in the barrel slot when installed without the arbor. I think it’s fine; it’s just very snug when installed. I got the stub of the broken pin out with a punch and am looking for a suitable finish nail or something to replace it.

 

[1KPerDay]

It may not be a rivet,,the originals used a screw.

This one is a pin with a thin flat lip around the bottom and a press/fit expanded head on top

 

[1KPerDay]

Yo hit that wedge right on the lip of that spring, didn't you? .

Yeah, the spring is a little longer on this one than some of the others I have and I was using a brass hammer so the force was definitely transferred through the spring to the pin. I’ll try to be more accurate in the future

 

[1KPerDay]

Was the wedge loose in the arbor slot or did it go in and stop before hitting the shelf on the under side of the wedge? You should have somewhere around a 1/16 inch free play between the arbor and wedge with the barrel off. In other words the only thing stopping the wedge from going through and falling out the other side is the shelf on the thick end of the wedge. Hope that makes sense.

Reading your post again: when installed in the complete gun the wedge gets tight about when the right side edge of the wedge gets flush with the right side of the barrel assembly, and I tap it with a mallet until it’s just a bit proud of that right side. It won’t go through anywhere close to getting stopped by the ledge on the left side of the wedge, or at least I don’t want to bash it in that far to see LOL

 

[Mizar]

May I suggest a solution? Make a pin that fits snug in the holes and cut it so it sits proud on both ends by about .02". Put just a tiny drop of CA glue on the assembly - it's only purpose is to hold it together until your first hammer blow. Stake it, level it with a fine file and then apply cold blue to blend it in.

 

[1KPerDay]

Glue to hold it for assembly is a good idea thanks.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Compress in vise and tap it in. We used nails to make rivets. Cut to fit, push in (perhaps with vise) and then peen over the nail head to rivet.