The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - 1849/1851/1860 Colt models

azredhawk44 · October 4, 2010, 11:31 AM

Some variants of the Colt open-top design do not have a loading lever attached to the barrel. It seems most prevalent with the .31 caliber smaller guns.

Is the cylinder pin always the correct diameter to be used as a loading lever, if the gun is disassembled? The 1851's have approximate .30 diameter pins, the 1860's have 0.40 or larger pins, the 1849's have .25 or so pins?

Or... do you have to buy/make/improvise a loading mechanism for guns that have no loading lever attached to the barrel?

October 4, 2010, 11:31 AM	#1
azredhawk44 Junior member Join Date: September 28, 2005 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 6,465	1849/1851/1860 Colt models - question Some variants of the Colt open-top design do not have a loading lever attached to the barrel. It seems most prevalent with the .31 caliber smaller guns. Is the cylinder pin always the correct diameter to be used as a loading lever, if the gun is disassembled? The 1851's have approximate .30 diameter pins, the 1860's have 0.40 or larger pins, the 1849's have .25 or so pins? Or... do you have to buy/make/improvise a loading mechanism for guns that have no loading lever attached to the barrel?