Help! Broken loading lever lug!

[drftrman]

I have a Pietta 1858, that the loading lever catch retainer popped off. I understand that these lugs are silver soldered in place. The question I have is, should I solder it back in place, or upgrade to a dovetail? Can I use 60/40 acid core, or will it have to be silver solder, and If I solder it will the blueing be effected by the heat?

 

[FiveStrings]

Whenever Pietta quality is discussed, this is a good example of where they still fall short. I've had the exact same issue with a new Pietta 1860 Army. Twice that lug has popped out and I've not been able to find it. Like the OP, I too am interested in ideas on reinstalling and reinforcing this part. JB Weld, by the way, didn't hold up to the task in this case.

 

[brushhippie]

No adhesive is going to hold it, been there. Dovetail is the only way to go, a buddy of mine fixed mine in less than an hour, and that was with building the catch. Any smithy should be able to hook you up.

 

[pghrich]

Both of my pietta 1851's are dovetailed the 1858's are not, so far so good with the 1858's, perhaps it helps that i do all of my loading with a cylinder stand, pghrich

 

[Chawbaccer]

Soldering heat won't have much effect on the blueing, however the flux will.
Like others say, dove tail it.

 

[drftrman]

Well after consulting my extremely busy gunsmith, who tells me he will be happy to make me a new dovetail latch, he can't do it for for several days. As I really wanted to do some shooting this weekend, I decided to try some 60/40 solder. So far it is holding well and I have emptied seven cylinders through it. I am still going to have it fixed properly, when time permits.

As a side note I would like to say that the latch popping off was not a flaw from pietta. I dropped the gun on the concrete floor of my shop The latch was the only damage to the gun. I wasn't trying to spin it I promise!

 

[shunka]

I usually use cheap "hardware store" silver solder for sights and latches, it is inexpensive, lowish melt and holds well. As true "lead solder" is disappearing I have found that the replacement plumbing solder is hard, remarkably strong, easy to use , and is holding up quite well for such tasks.

yhs
shunka

 

[BHP FAN]

VTI gunparts has the Uberti dovetailed part, and you can hacksaw and file like my brother did, or have it dovetailed by a smith.

 

[RaiderANV]

Lodgewood has the part and can do the work.

262-473-5444

www.lodgewood.com