Colt 1851 Navy Barrel Stuck

[RichSenecal]

I have a brand new in the box, never been fired Uberti 1851 Colt Navy London model. It is a beautiful gun and feels wonderful in my hand, but I cannot remove the barrel to prepare it for firing.

This is a gun that I recently purchased from Midway USA. I can remove the wedge without any difficulty but I cannot get the barrel to separate from the frame. I have tried every trick that I know, including penetrating oil and using the loading lever and rammer to leverage against the cylinder in an attempt to slide it forward but so far nothing works.

This is not my first Uberti and not my first Colt reproduction but this is the first time I have experienced this problem. I would appreciate any advice from anyone who may have had a similar experience.

Thanks

 

[desmobob]

My Uberti 1861 was the same (and it still sticks, but now I can force it off using the loading lever). I used penetrating lube and a soft-faced hammer to persuade it.

 

[expat_alaska]

My Uberti 1861 was the same (and it still sticks, but now I can force it off using the loading lever). I used penetrating lube and a soft-faced hammer to persuade it.

Agreed. The frame locator pins and their recesses are too tight and is easily rectified. Pietta revolvers sometimes come the same way.

Jim

 

[Old Stumpy]

I suppose that you could fully remove the wedge and judiciously clamp the barrel between leather-faced jaws in a bench vise. Then, with the hammer on half-cock and the cylinder free to rotate, push the cylinder rearward and gently tap each side with a rubber-tipped hammer.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Either pins as above or (and?) unfinished machining *flash* on the wedge-cut.

I see it a lot.

Slide your best fitting dowel or screwdriver here and let the weight of the pistol gently fall on each side equally.

About 5/16 inch.

Todd.

 

[RichSenecal]

Many thanks to all of you who have responded to my request. I will be giving one or more of your suggestions a try.

 

[skeeterfogger]

If the barrel comes off easy once pins are clear it's the pins.
When you get it apart look for spots of interference on the pins and along the arbor. Give those spots just a few swipes with a fine file. Black the arbor with a marker and install barrel just till interference is felt plus slight pressure. Remove and file spots. Repeat till barrel installs with very slight tightness at end of install.
My Uberti Dragoon was so tight I had to use firm plastic face mallet and even then it was a beotch.

 

[Old Stumpy]

Many thanks to all of you who have responded to my request. I will be giving one or more of your suggestions a try.

You could also load one chamber and fire it with the wedge removed.
That should remove the barrel.

(Yes, I am kidding. Really, don't do it.)

 

[RichSenecal]

Right at this moment I think that it is the arbor binding things, but I guess that I won't know for sure until I can get it loose. I am looking to find some padded jaws for my vise as well as a wooden or plastic dowel or two.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Here's a pic of what I was trying to describe above.

I've found dowels to often be energy absorbing.

So, the best diameter steel and if you're concerned, maybe a wrap of electrician's tape.

You can see they hang, and consequently drop, almost dead vertical with the bore.

I usually only have to lift with my right hand an inch or so. Couple of drops usually is all it takes.

Keep your right hand ready to grab the barrel It'll immediately spin away from you, and your left to catch the frame.

Todd.

 

[denster]

It likely is not the pins but rather Uberti's attempt to not have to have the correct length arbor. What they do is increase the diameter of the arbor slightly at the point where the barrel is almost fully fitted on the frame then use the wedge to force it on the rest of the way. Of course not the barrel is press fit on the arbor. Some gentle tapping a little penetrating oil and it will eventually break free using the loading lever against the cylinder with a protective shield on the cylinder. After a little use the arbor hole will be wallowed out and it will come apart easy. Of course then you can deal with short arbor syndrome.

 

[woodnbow]

Here's a pic of what I was trying to describe above.

I've found dowels to often be energy absorbing.

So, the best diameter steel and if you're concerned, maybe a wrap of electrician's tape.

You can see they hang, and consequently drop, almost dead vertical with the bore.

I usually only have to lift with my right hand an inch or so. Couple of drops usually is all it takes.

Keep your right hand ready to grab the barrel It'll immediately spin away from you, and your left to catch the frame.

Todd.
View attachment 897613

Nice bench!

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Nice bench!

Thanks.
Do you believe I got that at an estate sale for $150 bucks with all the fittments and chisels?...

Todd.

 

[woodnbow]

Thanks.
Do you believe I got that at an estate sale for $150 bucks with all the fittments and chisels?...

Todd.

That’s robbery! ;-)

 

[RichSenecal]

Well I finally got the barrel free of the frame. I ended up doing something very similar to what ApacheCoTodd described, but I ended up having to put pretty much my whole body weight on it to get it to come loose.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[.38 Special]

Please let us know when you figure out what the underlying problem is.

 

[merwin]

Well I finally got the barrel free of the frame. I ended up doing something very similar to what ApacheCoTodd described, but I ended up having to put pretty much my whole body weight on it to get it to come loose.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

"Pin" problems that would cause sticking in place means an alignment that forces unnecessary pressure against the base pin. Try de-burring the wedge slot on the base pin and clean both the base pin and the well thoroughly with solvent to get rid of any preservative residue. If the sticking problem doesn't go away, you'll just have to shoot it enough to wear it down. A couple hundred rounds of pressure sizing might re-calibrate the gun to a pleasant fit. Good luck -

 

[Catman42]

i have several uberti colts and one was like that when i got it. put a tapered wooden wedge in from each side between the barrel and the action tap on each side sliding the two tapered wedges together and it will pop the barrel off with out damage. the polish all parts and it will work fine after that. been their, done that and resoulved that. have fun with your gun.

 

[LonesomePigeon]

What denster said: "What they do is increase the diameter of the arbor slightly at the point where the barrel is almost fully fitted on the frame then use the wedge to force it on the rest of the way".

That how my Walker was and I've read of several others with the same issue. To get the barrel off I put the gun on half cock then put a wooden dowel down the barrel and tapped the dowel with a mallet.