Loading lever retainer 1860 colt

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eagle24

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Last night I had my Pietta 1860 Army out and noticed the loading lever retainer was cocked in its dovetail. It was barely caught on one side and would have eventually fallen out. I took a copper drift and tapped it out. The retainer to dovetail fit is pretty bad and it does'nt fit the dovetail the way it should. I cleaned the dovetail up and the fit is better, but it is not as tight as it should be. I was debating about how to remedy this problem. Option A: I could use a punch and slightly peen the overhangs of the dovetail with the retainer installed. Option B: I could make another retainer from a piece of keystock which would probably take me several hours. Option C: Order a new retainer with the hope it is oversized and needs to be file fitted. Anyone replaced this part? Just wondering if they are oversized. Three bucks for a replacement is no big deal, but if I'm going to have to make one I did'nt want to wait a week before I find out it's not going to work.
 
You can take a center punch and put a divot in the barrel dovetail notch under where the retainer thingie slides in. That will lift up some metal and probably tighten the fit up and it will be an invisible repair.
 
You can take a brass punch and polish the working end, remove the retainer and smack the edges, remove the brass transfer on the bluing, and re-drive the dove tail in place.

Do not stake the dove tail in place unless you do use a steel center punch which will leave dents.

If you use method 1 and the dove tail is in place the part will get looser.

Of course if dents don't bug you, a center punch will work just fine as it will move more metal instantly.

It is also possible to use shim stock and build up to a tight fit, as it is possible to 'upset' the dove tail, and also get a tighter fit.

It is just as possible to J B Weld the part in place, if you are not a purist. I am so I wouldn't choose that choice.
 
I think BigG's suggestion is good. I am at present cutting a dovetail to fit a loading rod retainer to a shortened Uberti Colt barrel. So far things look OK, but if I get a slightly loose fit I will use BigG's method to invisibly tighten it up.
 
That is how a gunsmith tightens a loose sight in a dovetail. Like a Colt Goverment Model rear sight.
 
A bit of solder on the bottom of the retainer will raise it up to a snug fit.

Soldering a piece of shim stock to the retainer will do the same thing.

The originals show these kinds of repairs and also the use of punches.

Most guys fixed their own guns with what they had. Taking a repair to a dedicated gunsmith was not that common.
 
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