Timing issue-1858 Remington replica

[Poodleshooter]

Well, I've decided to torture my soul again by attempting to get my 1858 Remington Pietta copy running once more.
After a year or two of ownership, I started noticing that the cylinder was advancing past the nipple/cap notch when fouled. Then the hand spring broke. I ordered a replacement, hoping for a drop in fit. Since then, the cylinder has always revolved too far, with the bolt stop failing to rise in time to catch the cylinder notch. I had to rotate the cylinder back by hand in order to get the bolt stop to engage. I found that this was caused by the bolt stop catching on a rough spot on the base of the hammer. I smoothed this out with a crocus cloth,and finally the bolt stop will rise smoothly,and just a bit early-not a problem except for drag marks on the cylinder. Anyway, it engages the notch just fine. Now the problem is that for a few dry fire shots, the cylinder will advance properly. However,after two or three shots, the hammer cannot be withdrawn to full cock. It's almost as if the hand is keeping the hammer from making that last fraction of an inch to where it catches the trigger in the full cock notch. How the heck do I fix this? Do I just shave down the top of the hand more (the engagment surface with the cylinder)?

 

[Jim K]

If the gun has done that since the hand was installed, yes, take a bit off the hand. Do so slowly, cut and try, and you will find the right point. After many repetitions of file, assemble, try, file some more, assemble, try, you will learn why it costs money to have a single action revolver tuned.

Of course you don't need to completely assemble the gun. Just install the hand and hammer unit, then the trigger and the double spring. Ideally, the bolt drops into the leade so the cylinder is not marred, and the hammer hits the backstrap just as the bolt drops into the notch. That way, the hammer stops and takes the strain off the hand and bolt as the cylinder locks. If the bolt drops while the hammer is still being cocked, the hand is trying to force the cylinder around against the bolt, wearing both hand and bolt.

Jim

 

[Poodleshooter]

Thanks Jim.
I ground it down slowly. It seems to be timed properly now. It locks up just as the nipple moves under the hammer. The hand may still be a touch long,as every couple of shots I feel resistance in getting the hammer to full cock. I could probably shave down a touch more,but I don't want it to come up short.
The hand actually sticks out so far that I can grind it's surface simply by bringing the hammer to full cock and filing on the exposed surface.