Positive progress with the 1862.

[Ugly Sauce]

After another garage session, where I did some "clearance work" to make sure the mainspring was not hanging up on, or rubbing on anything, I installed kind of a "reverse strain screw" as on a Remington or modern S&W, etc. Except, it was a stud, and not a screw, and I put it in the inside of the grip frame, then filed it down until I thought it was "right".

I then fired the group on the left, with Remington #11 caps, and got a little hammer blow-back still, and cap jams. So I loaded her up again, but this time with a dry felt wad over the powder, then a lubed wad over that. Well you can see from the second target she likes the lube for sure.

I also switched to Remington #10 caps on the second round, and got no jams. !! I did flick the pistol up and back when cocking. I have a feeling that different caps might have different tendencies to jam. Trouble is, I'm about out of the Remington #10's.

So, I'm happy. Her accuracy is great, no problem "rolling a bunny" out to 25 yards at least. And dead grouse for sure at 15 yards or less...or a little more with a lucky shot, and depending on how big the grouse is!

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Well, to "roll this up", (different than rolling the bunny) the pistol is working good enough. There is still a little blow back on the hammer, but with the increased spring tension it will fire even the CCI magnum caps. Being of heavier construction, they seem to blow apart less, which "seems" to keep them from following the hammer back. Having said that, I did get one cap between the hammer and frame. So, Remington #10's are probably best in this gun, but dang...I'm running low on them.

Once again there certainly is nothing wrong with the accuracy of this thing. Tried a different wad combination, and the group opened up, so the lubed wad/dry wad combo is the way to go, in this pistola, for sure.

 

[LightninST]

I have had good luck with Treso nipples for #11 caps
https://possibleshop.com/s-s-nipples.html

 

[Ugly Sauce]

This pistol will not fire any cap, with a Treso nipple. !!! (or not with the ones I bought) I have done some work on the gun since the last time I tried, and increased the mainspring pressure, so possibly it will now. But trust me, I tried, and tried, and tried. !

 

[44 Dave]

I check hammer strike with a punch out of card stock. You can tell how the cut is from the hammer strike. If the hammer spring is not it the problem the hammer may not be traveling far enough, check the cylinder slop to see if the hammer is getting close enough (FIRST thing what kind of cylinder/barrel gap is there). I just finished having to take down the inside of the hammer and smooth the hammer slot in the frame on an ASM pocket to get positive cap detonation. I used lay out dye and with the cylinder out snapped the gun enough to find the shiny spots.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Yes, I have corrected hammer travel, as you mentioned, I had to relieve the inside of the hammer where it contacts the frame. I've got all that pretty perfect now. Cylinder lock up is nice and tight.

The "funny" thing now is that it will fire the with the Tresco nipples, but the hammer blow-back, or bounce back, with the Tresco's is pretty severe. With the Uberti nipples, bounce back or blow back usually only once out of four. Sometime none out of four. ??

I have not measured the cylinder gap, but she looks about perfect to me.

Next time I have it apart, I'm going to pay my attention to the bolt, per Mike's suggestions. She's working "good enough" at the moment that I'm not afraid to carry it for small game purposes. Wolf repellent? Nope.

 

[44 Dave]

I assume you are doing your bounce back test with out a powder charge and bullet. Ampco nipples have about a .03 vent (Slix have .04 plus side vents) these nipples will have less blow back from a powder charge but more pressure when only "cap snapped" for comparison.
I carry for wolf repellent here in Northern Wisconsin