Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Colt 1860 Army

  1. #1
    beagle6 is offline
    Team:
    120th New York Volunteer Infantry
    Member
    12166
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Catskill, NY
    Posts
    2
    Region:
    New England - New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Massachusetts

    Colt 1860 Army

    I Have a Umberti replica 1860 Army.While I like the gun and it is quite accurate, it has given me fits with the fired caps falling off the nipples and down into the mechanism when the hammer is cocked. This happens with both #10 and #11 caps. I thought this might be due to hammer lift so I replaced the mainspring with a replica for an original Colt Army from Lodgewood and fitted it which made the hammer a lot stiffer to cock. I also replaced the nipples. The problem persists. The charge is 21 grs. of 3f and a round ball, well below the service load. Was this a problem in the Civil war or were caps stronger then? Modern caps look like stars after firing. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
    Beagle6

  2. #2
    Will is offline
    Team:
    Visitor (non-N-SSA Member)
    Member
    NA
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    59
    Region:
    Visitor

    Colt 1860 Army

    Beagle6; what you describe is a common problem with cap and ball revolvers. I have seen a pin installed in the hammer mortice that deflects the cap. I had a picture of this installation at one time but can't find it now. I remember there was a fine line for the pin to deflect the spent cap and still clear the full down hammer.<br><br>Will

  3. #3
    Mike Stein is offline
    Team:
    Visitor (non-N-SSA Member)
    Member
    NA
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    West Coast
    Posts
    72
    Region:
    Visitor
    I'm using microsquish exploder so dont' have the ability to make paragraphs so bear with me. Firefox, Chrome and Opera follow a different set of rules so don't have this problem. Do a Google search on this: MAKING A COLT CAP AND BALL REVOLVER WORK

    By Utah, SASS #11601 The document will be a six page PDF with pictures showing the pin modification half remembered above. The other things you can do is the Tom Mix style of fire, bring over the shoulder, cock and bring back to battery but this will get you bounced off of most shooting ranges for safety violation or the more acceptable twist the pistol to the right with muzzle down range as you cock to dump the spent cap and return to battery.
    Also do a Google search on Tuning the Uberti Open Top Revolvers

    By

    Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Life
    There are four parts and are in PDF as well.
    Last edited by Mike Stein; 06-18-2013 at 02:01 AM. Reason: Another source

  4. #4
    beagle6 is offline
    Team:
    120th New York Volunteer Infantry
    Member
    12166
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Catskill, NY
    Posts
    2
    Region:
    New England - New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Massachusetts

    1860 Army

    Thanks to both Will and Mike for the information. The 2 videos were great,watched the one on making a Colt work 3 times and will try it. Wonder if John Wesley and Wild Bill knew about this? I'm always amazed at the ingenuity of the shooting fraternity.

  5. #5
    Southron Sr. is offline
    Team:
    24th Georgia Volunteer Infantry
    Member
    3002
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Gorgia
    Posts
    1,319
    Region:
    Carolina - North Carolina and South Carolina
    That slot cut in the nose of the Colt hammer (that is meant to rest on the pins in the rear of the cylinder as some sort of "Safety") tends to mangle caps pretty badly when it strikes them during the firing cycle. Some SASS shooters fill that slot with a metallic epoxy obtained from an auto parts store.

    The Metropolitan revolver, which was a "Colt Clone" utilized a circular shield that fit over the rear of the cylinder-the only openings in the shield was for the hammer nose to hit the cap of the chamber that was aligned with the barrel and, of course, at the "cut out" in the frame where the caps were placed on the nipple. The flat shield was mounted on the revolver's arbor.

    Apparently, this system was pretty effective in keeping cap fragments out of the action. It was patented-so Colt could not copy it!

  6. #6
    Mike Stein is offline
    Team:
    Visitor (non-N-SSA Member)
    Member
    NA
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    West Coast
    Posts
    72
    Region:
    Visitor
    I've got Colt Colts with hammer as described by Southron and el cheapo made in Italy,Spain,Brazil sack of doughnut Colts with flat-face hammers. All can fragment a cap well enough it no longer holds to the cone, falls off and jams the action. Two surest ways to prevent the spent cap jam on an unmodified colt pattern is the safety violating where is the muzzle now Tom Mix flip over the shoulder, cock and repoint or the twist, cock and realign. The rest is doing something physical gunsmith-wise option to the pistol as is suggested in several of the above posts . I'd love to see the Manhattan shield that Southron mentions. Can you post a picture?

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 3
    Last Post: 05-21-2013, 01:26 AM
  2. Wtb 1851 colt navy or 1860 .44 army
    By Scott Lynch 1460V in forum Wanted/For Sale Items
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 03-03-2013, 12:37 PM
  3. Colt model 1860 "Army" inspection marks
    By cannonmn in forum Small Arms
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 06-25-2010, 09:02 PM
  4. 44 mag virginian dragoon & 1860 army colt replica stainl
    By jim2622 in forum Wanted/For Sale Items
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 09-23-2009, 01:15 AM
  5. Colt 2nd Gen 1860 Army
    By Dennis Kurowski 10555 in forum Small Arms
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 04-18-2009, 01:25 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •