Adjusting cylinder gap on a Colt type BP revolver?

[ClemBert]

Mako,

The precision, attention to detail, and faithful reproduction of the open top revolver in your 3D drawings is ridiculously AWESOME! All the way down to the port in the nipples...WOW! I have a man crush on your artistry and CAD skills!

Thanks for taking the time to give the specific details on how to close the gap on an open top revolver. I think your drawings with instructions should be put in their own thread and kept on top as a sticky thread.

 

[denster]

Makos. My hats off to you that was well done.

 

[Norton Commando]

Beautiful illustration indeed!

Jason

 

[Smokin'Joe]

Personally I like the wedge to fit as shown in Fig. 11

MG, How do you get the wedge to fit like you want it to after all of your modifications? Do you also modify the wedge?

 

[Norton Commando]

makos_goods,

I'm surprised that the lug compresses 0.001"-0.002". Wouldn't you need something on the order of 43,500 psi to get that much compression?

Also, someone should probably make this excellent procedure and drawings a "sticky"

Jason

 

[makos_goods]

MG, How do you get the wedge to fit like you want it to after all of your modifications? Do you also modify the wedge?

Joe,
With a new or unworn pistol you will probably find that the original Wedge works fine with out any work. In the case of Clembert who needs to close the gap on his Pietta .004"-.005" he might want to buy a new wedge. They are always a bit wide. I end up working the sides of them on 400 working to 800 grit wet and dry paper slowly working the size down to get the fit.

With Uberti Wedges I find the gap from the factory is usually a bit tight and they have plenty of meat on them they usually need to be worked down once the arbor length is set.

I have two fresh Uberti wedges I have in my parts bin, but I've only ever used one and it wasn't for my pistol. I keep those and any part that could get lost on hand. I have the wedge that was replaced in my shooting box in the case I lost a wedge at a match. It was abused with a steel hammer so it's not pretty anymore, but it will fit in a pinch.

I only have one pair of Pietta Colt's pattern pistols and I haven't done much with them other than shoot them a couple of times, but the gaps are within the range to be fixed as I described, I would expect to be able to use the wedges that are in them.

If you needed to widen the wedge it could be upset with a hammer or in a press and then cleaned up. I know a few people make their own, and there is a place in Britain you can buy oversize wedges. Actually they have reproductions of original Colt's parts as well .

~Mako

 

[makos_goods]

makos_goods,

I'm surprised that the lug compresses 0.001"-0.002". Wouldn't you need something on the order of 43,500 psi to get that much compression?

Also, someone should probably make this excellent procedure and drawings a "sticky"

Jason

Jason,
That would be hard...

Look at where the force is. It's not inline with the lug, it is off to the side. It's not a direct side load, but you could calculate the vector if you wanted to go to the trouble. In the case of a '60 or '61 it's the lug "extension" that gets deflected. DEFINITELY not compressed. I'm sure some of it is taken up with biasing the components such as the arbor in the hole, etc.

If you can compress steel using a wedge on a Colt's pattern pistol I'm going to start saying "sir" to you in my responses.

Regards,
Mako

 

[A. Walker]

Personally, I think this thread should be a stickie...

Great info and excellent modeling to boot. Thanks!

 

[Norton Commando]

Personally, I think this thread should be a stickie...

I agree!

Great information and illustrations by Makos and clever technique by Smokin'Joe for removing material from the barrel and or frame while keeping surfaces parallel!

Jason