Anyone tuining colt type revolvers?

[ian45662]

I went against my better judgement and bought a new Uberti 1860 army. Well accuracy and reliability leave room to be desired. I get atleast 2 fail to fire each cylinder and sometimes 6! Caps are seeted properly on replacement stainless steel nipples so I'm not sure why this is going on. I was also expecting maybe 2" or so at 25 yards but I have not been able to get any.457 round balls to do that. I have tried 2 and 3 f all the way from 17 grains up to 27. Before I do something drastic I thought I would see if anyone out there can work some magic and get it to shoot halfway descent.

[Southron Sr.]

Give Peacemaker Specialists in California a call at: 805-238-9100

While they specialize in Colt Peacemakers, the lock work in your Uberti replica M1860 Colt is identical to that found in a Peacemaker-so I see no reason why they can't work on your gun. The company does have a very good reputation for their gun smithing work.

[Eggman]

Well before you send it off and pay a hundred dollars here's what I would do. First try a different cap. I use the Winchester super hots from Walmart. I don't think there is much hotter out there.
Is the cylinder tight - does not have any slack forward and back when in full cock mode. If there is any slack you're in gunsmithing mode.
Look close at the alignment of the hammer to nipple(s) when the hammer is down. There should only be a slight gap. If there is a too large gap you probably need to change out nipples - again. I had what I considered too large a gap on my primary revolver so I had my welder tac weld a small glob on the business part of the hammer and then I shaped it to suit.
When I still got occasional misfires I went to Lodgewood and got a new stiffer mainspring. No misfires since.
In my opinion and this is only my opinion I think folks are too quick to hand off problems.

[Maillemaker]

Another thing you can easily do yourself is mike the bores of the cylinder and then push a ball down your barrel with a wooden rod and mike that.

If your cylinder bores are smaller than your barrel bore you will have accuracy problems, as your ball will be undersize to your barrel after it leaves the cylinder.

Steve

[Mike Stein]

Do a google for Larsen E. Pettifogger SASS # 32933L as he has about 6 or 8 articles on the tuning of open top Colts. Don't have any names of smithys but his articles are complete enough you may be able to convince someone local to look at his process.

Mike

[Bullseye54]

I have a 40 year old 36 cal colt navy and was wondering why very few people use them.. I know less sturdy with open top, sight on the hammer.. But with a reduced load in our target shooting they should hold up well.. As a matter of fact I'm looking for 2 to rework intoa ubertack driver... What do you think? Anyone have a all steel 36 cal they would like to sell with all the support equiptment?? Thanks joe 15th Conn CVI

[ian45662]

I have been tinkering with it and I have been able to see improvements. It likes conicals over round balls and 2F over 3F. I do need AMPCO nipples and a stiffer main spring. Best I could tell the chambers are about .003 smaller than groove diam. If I take the screw out that holds the wedge in and push the wedge in as far as it can go barrel and everything locks up solid. The arbor is a little short and if I can maybe put a washer or a little spring or piece of rubber on the end of the arbor so that it make it a little longer. In doing that there will be a little more forward pressure on the barrel and the wedge will have a better fit. I will do the arbor after nationals but I am at a point with the gun where I think it will shoot better than I can so that is good enough for me at this point.

[Rebel Dave]

You are on the right track with the arbor. The Arbor should be fitted to the bbl assy. You don't want more than .010 clearance between the cylinder and the bbl forcing cone. Clearance sould be measured with the hammer at full cock, by pushing the cyl. back and forth, you need this clearance so the pistol does not jam up from fowling, while firering. Do not use a spring or any soft matterial. brass is good to sil solder on the end of the arbor, then fit it with trial and erra filling. With the arbor fitted, it will keep the bbl wedge in the same place when it is reinstalled. Their is no need to pound the wedge in with a sledge hammer. You will probably have to refit the wedge after you get the arbor fitted. File it slow and keep checking for proper fit. File it so that the little spring on the back, just sticks out.

Hope this helps

Rebel Dave aka Dave C. 14th Miss