Need help. Colt won’t fire

[skeeterfogger]

I tried the 7mm nipples but they have a different thread pattern so that’s a no go. The next thing I’m going to do is change out the main spring. If that doesn’t work I will try the 319 cones

Depending on the year of manufacture it's most likely a 6x.75mm or 12x28.

 

[Russell13]

So would this work.......

I can take the mainspring out of the pistol and put it in a vise, leave it there over night. It would then be at less of an angle and put more pressure on the hammer. That would make the hammer hit harder and help pop the cap.
What do you guys think???

 

[troy fairweather]

So would this work.......

I can take the mainspring out of the pistol and put it in a vise, leave it there over night. It would then be at less of an angle and put more pressure on the hammer. That would make the hammer hit harder and help pop the cap.
What do you guys think???

Nope springs spring back of break, try the rubber band trick to rule out a weak spring.

 

[Russell13]

Nope springs spring back of break, try the rubber band trick to rule out a weak spring.

What the rubber band trick?

 

[skeeterfogger]

So would this work.......

I can take the mainspring out of the pistol and put it in a vise, leave it there over night. It would then be at less of an angle and put more pressure on the hammer. That would make the hammer hit harder and help pop the cap.
What do you guys think???

It might. Have you done the paper check to insure the hammer is making contact? In my experience even at half pressure caps still pop. You have to know if and how much gap at the hammer there is. On my revolver you can see light using a very bright light between the hammer and nipple. You would not be able to see it without a bright light. That means with a primer the hammer is striking the primer.

 

[troy fairweather]

What the rubber band trick?

Use some bands around the hammer and barrel, like a rubber band gun. It will give some more power and maybe you can rule out a weak spring.

 

[Russell13]

How can you check the gap with paper?

 

[Russell13]

I’ve ruled out the nipple. I thought that was it but turned out not to be the case. So I’m guessing it has to be the mainspring or the hammer

 

[troy fairweather]

How can you check the gap with paper?

Cut a strip of paper so it fits in the hammer channel, with the hammer down the paper should rip when pulled out.

 

[Russell13]

Cut a strip of paper so it fits in the hammer channel, with the hammer down the paper should rip when pulled out.

I will try it now

 

[Russell13]

So I took a small strip of paper and placed it on the nipple, then closed the hammer. I can pull the paper out without the paper ripping it. It has tension on it but not enough to rip the paper

 

[skeeterfogger]

It must tear. If it slides then tears then the gap is too much.

 

[skeeterfogger]

Ok put 2 layers. And add till it traps it. Then measure the thickness and measure th cone length on the nipple. If the paper thickness is at .020 and cone length is .300 then you need the .319 nipple. If cone is .284 the you need .300.

 

[Russell13]

This is the hammer . I can see where it touches the nipple.

 

[skeeterfogger]

Do the rubber band trick.

 

[skeeterfogger]

A weak spring will cause a floppy hammer. Floppy in the sense that there will be more movement of the hammer before tension. If you can move the hammer more tha .050-.080 before tension then I would suspect spring. The rubber band trick will tell the story. But make sure what amount of paper traps first.

 

[Russell13]

So when I put the paper in, even if I push down on the hammer with my thumb it still won’t rip a piece of paper

 

[Russell13]

I’m guessing my nipples were stock from Uberti. Does anyone know what the cone size are on them?

 

[skeeterfogger]

Measure what you have first. Overall length minus thread area. Best place to start. Highly possible previous owner put wrong nipples in. The older revolvers use shorter .284 cone length. Newer use .300. The older were Pietta standard regardless if Uberti. They changed to have there own and to improve commonality with non metric systems. Thus came the 12x28 threads. Old ones were 6x.75mm newer are typically 12x28. You can get both .284 and 300 in both. Like a newer spare cylinder might need a .284 in 12x28 where it use to be 6x.75mm but the newer revolver will need the .300. Really must know the year of manufacture and the cone length of what the nipple is you have.

 

[Russell13]

The year is 2005. It’s a Uberti

 

[Russell13]

The nipples are the exact same as the ones on my 1858 Pietta Remington

 

[Russell13]

Just measured. The nipples are .300
So a .319 would give me less gap between the hammer and the nipple.

 

[Russell13]

I don’t know if they’re 12x28 or 6x.75. I know they are the same as my Pietta Remington 1858 that was made in 1990

 

[skeeterfogger]

You should take the cylinder to either an LGS or hardware store with really good selection of all varity of bolts. I would lean to an LGS because they deal with the odd sizes as well as standard.

 

[skeeterfogger]

A 6 x .75mm outside thread measurement should be 0.23-0.24.
A #12 should be around 0.195-0.200.
Could not find exactly what #12 is but the drill size is like 0.186 so the outside thread dia should be just over that.
1/4 x 28 should be 0.2425-0.250.