Colt Revolver Barrel Wedge Question

[tpelle]

I have a Pietta 1860 Army that I am putting back into commission. I thoroughly cleaned this revolver, using a brass brush to get rid of fouling on the front and rear cylinder faces, and on the forcing cone.

Prior to this cleaning, the barrel wedge could only be inserted so that the right end was approximately flush with the side of the breech end of the barrel. Otherwise the cylinder would drag, or not turn at all.

After cleaning, the wedge can be tapped in so far that the leaf spring hook on the wedge comes through the slot and hooks on the right side. The cylinder turns free and the action cycles smoothly.

On another site I read that the wedge should not be driven in that far. They specifically state that the wedge should only be flush with the frame:

http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/shenandoah/Choy.html

In examining the wedge design, it appears to me that it was intended that the leaf spring should, in fact, hook itself on the right side. This prevents the wedge from loosening up under recoil, and backing itself out. (One doesn't want to convert one's revolver to a pepperbox on the fly, so to speak.)

So, what does the group here think? Why would the other site maintain that the wedge not be tapped in so far? Is there something I'm missing?

 

[madcratebuilder]

In examining the wedge design, it appears to me that it was intended that the leaf spring should, in fact, hook itself on the right side. This prevents the wedge from loosening up under recoil, and backing itself out. (One doesn't want to convert one's revolver to a pepperbox on the fly, so to speak.)

That small spring hooks the wedge screw so it does not completely fall out of the barrel lug when disassembling.
In a perfect world the nose of the wedge well just protrude slightly from the barrel lug. When you cleaned your revolver the barrel lug fit the frame closer. If you can change barrel gap by pushing the wedge in farther that is a sign of a short arbor. The arbor is not bottoming out in the barrel lug hole.

 

[pohill]

According to the original Colt patent, the spring should latch on the outside of the exit slot. The screw on the left side of the barrel over the wedge acted as a depth set for the wedge. You have it right.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=bN...d=0_1#v=onepage&q=Samuel colt firearms&f=true

 

[tpelle]

pohill, I see! Thinking about it, the screw would not only act as a retainer for the wedge during disassembly, but would also serve to set the depth! That's pure genius on Mr. Colt's part, isn't it?

I love the way firearms designers manage to get the same part to perform multiple functions. It really gives an appreciation to the talent and vision of these designers.

Of course, the best example of this is the 1911 Colt as originally designed by John Browning. Did you know that a 1911 in its mil-spec configuration requires no tools to completely disassemble? Each part that you remove provides you with the tool that you need to remove the next part! You can take one of these all the way down to the last spring and pin, just using the parts you previously removed! Pure, unadulterated genius!

 

[pohill]

I just added the link to the patent. The last paragraph of the first page and the first paragraph of the second page talk about the wedge (key).