? re: Bolt Cam on 1860 Colt Clones

[TheOutlawKid]

Thank you sir! So what is the reason of making the leg longer?

 

[45 Dragoon]

Longer length means less stress. Less stress means longer life.

A shorter arm would have more stress passing over the same cam.

So a shorter cam combined with a long, thin, flexible arm will have the least amount of stress and will give much less resistance for the mainspring to overcome. It's great insurance for a reliable cap gun. It also gives back some lost lock-time for a lightened mainspring. Theoretically you could have a much lighter action with a faster lock-time than with the factory setup with the "thumb buster" mainspring.

Mike

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

Are you lengthening the leg by removing material toward the bolt head?

 

[45 Dragoon]

Are you lengthening the leg by removing material toward the bolt head?

Yes.

Mike

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

Thanks Mike, sounds like a project that's not for the faint of heart, I imagine you keep a small supply of bolt stops in stock.

 

[45 Dragoon]

Thanks Mike, sounds like a project that's not for the faint of heart, I imagine you keep a small supply of bolt stops in stock.

Ha!! It's not really that bad!

Mike

 

[entropy]

What did I do that deserves the **psycho** routine??? Anyone?

I asked a simple, friendly question, hoping to gather info from the experienced here. Including Mike Brackett. My revolvers were disassembled, and it reminded me of the cam issue. The hammers were in shipment via the US Postal service, thus, I can't take pictures. I don't need to have pictures to get my question answered!

I don't know if Silver Wolf Wild West Creations is well known, or not, but they offer to turn down the hammer spurs on Colt clones, among other services. I'm trying to ease arthritis issues while shooting one handed.

randys, go to that website highlighted in his sig line, you'll understand why your dismissing him such caused that reaction. Goon is well known and respected in the BP community.

It'd be like asking for help on a cooking forum, and Wolfgang Puck offering it, and you snubbing him.

 

[45 Dragoon]

Not necessarily. It was mostly my misunderstanding of "no pics" . I figured for a min. that it was a refusal to post pics. Then followed with " off for some other work" which I thought he meant he was dropping this to work on something else . . . after several of us had been trying to help! I didn't figure it out until after I re-read the post about his hammers being sent out . . . then the "missed 'um by a day" made since!! For that I apologize.

But when your trying to decipher a problem that is caused by misfit or ill-fitting parts, a picture of the wear patterns can tell a lot!

No problem here Randys, my apologies.

Mike

 

[TheOutlawKid]

Im about to thin out a leg from one of my bolts to see how much of a difference it helps. Wish me luck

 

[45 Dragoon]

Outlawkid, you'll want to keep the material at the tail end (that rides the cam) pretty much stock thickness. Unless you set it up for tracking. There's a lot of things that can be done to a bolt that makes it last much longer and leads to a reliable revolver.
We probably should start another thread. We are highjacking this one!! Lol

Sorry randys !!

Mike

 

[TheOutlawKid]

Outlawkid, here's a comparison .View attachment 908676
The bolt on the right has the corner rounded already. Bolt on the left is done (as far as thining the arm). You can also see that these bolts arms are a little longer than normal.

Mike

Im not sure if im seeing this right but is only the lower portion of the leg thinned out while the tip that touches the hammer cam is left almost the same original thickness or is it all thinned out?

 

[45 Dragoon]

All of it. Just keep the meat at the very end (contact patch) that actually rides the cam a little thicker.

I do a thing called tracking which allows me to shorten the cam to not much thicker than the bolt arm. This makes everything that's been posted above even better.

Mike

 

[TheOutlawKid]

Mike...when the gun barely goes into half cock...or like u cant hear or feel the "click"...but still goes into half cock...what is the usual cause for that?

 

[45 Dragoon]

A too light trigger spring.

Mike

 

[TheOutlawKid]

Really?! That simple eh? Thank u sir!

 

[45 Dragoon]

Yap, as long as there's no "ill play" between the bolt arm / trigger. Make sure the arm doesn't bow over against the trigger during the cycle.

Mike

 

[TheOutlawKid]

Mr.Mike, thank you so much for your help and advice on the bolt arm adjustments and also on tightening up my cylinder gap. My set up to adjust the arbor wasnt as "fancy" as yours...but i got it done with some stones and files. Worked great. Now i have no use for them .002 washer rings and all my guns now have .002-.0025 cylinder gap WITHOUT any washers. Thanks again sir. If possible please send me a PM with the pics of the tracking set up. Thank you!

 

[45 Dragoon]

Your quite welcome Outlaw Kid.


Mike

 

[Ephraim Kibbey]

entropy: That is the part, BUT is it The Part? Is it drop-in compatible? (Listing infers original Colt fit.) I'll have to spend 5 & shipping to find out. I used to check Dixie frequently, just for gp. Surprised i missed that one. Always the only catalog in the duck camp outhouse with all its pages at the end of each season!

Note that in old EMF catalogs they advertised ASM reproductions as using the same parts as first gen. Colts and recommended ASM parts for repairing originals. The question is then whether 2nd Gen.'s used 1st.Gen. (and ASM) sized cams. For $5 bucks it might be worth a try!