Fixing my '51 Pietta

dlbarr · January 15, 2012, 02:42 AM

Or should I say trying to....

The hand spring broke so I tried the bobby pin fix but didn't work for me. Bought a new hand from DGW and installed it today. Put it all together today, cycled the action once only and then it locked up on me. Have no idea what is causing this, but am sure somebody here has had that happen before.

Also, I looked at the "Tuning the Pietta for Competition" project to try and figger this out, but not yet...I inspected the hammer cam and it sort of looks chewed up. Could this be my problem or part of it?

Doc Hoy · January 15, 2012, 06:50 AM

Taking the cylinder out and watching the pistol cycle with the cylinder out.

To get the thing unlocked, try pulling the trigger guard off and then with a wire hook, pull the bolt out of the cylinder notch.

Make sure the bolt is not trying to engage the cylinder notch when you pull the cylinder off of the arbor because the bolt will put a longitudinal scratch on the cylinder from the notch back toward the nipples.

Then with the cylinder out of the revolver, cycle the revolver and watch the action of the bolt.

One thing you will note with the cylinder removed is that the bolt may stick in the fully extended position. If this happens, just psh the bolt back into the frame with your finger.

The reason is that the cylinder prevents the bolt from moving up all the way and with the cylinder removed the bolt can travel further up or more fully extended than it does when the cylinder is in place. So in some revolvers the bolt will stick in the extened position and just ride over the cam without moving.

So you should not make any adjustments on the bolt based upon the fact that it may stick in the fully extended position when the cylinder is removed.

Man, This is fun!

dlbarr · January 16, 2012, 01:46 AM

...but I think maybe I didn't explain it right. The action will cycle once and then I can't cock the hammer. So maybe what you say is still what needs to be done, I don't think so however... the gun's laying in pieces in a box and I didn't have a chance to fool with it today. I'll try what you say tomorrow and see....

dlbarr · January 20, 2012, 07:59 PM

Got it fixed. Finally got a free couple minutes after the entire family was in bed... Din't take more than 20min at most, just filed a little of the top of the hand and back in bizness.

Doc Hoy · January 21, 2012, 06:58 AM

Do they still say "Tubular"?

Hawg · January 21, 2012, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Do they still say "Tubular"?

You do.

Ultravox · January 21, 2012, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Hoy

Do they still say "Tubular"?

I think they have all moved on to "Rad" now.

Doc Hoy · January 22, 2012, 07:51 AM

Okay...That is it.

I am moving to....what was it? "Rad"?

January 15, 2012, 02:42 AM	#1
dlbarr Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2011 Posts: 162	Fixing my '51 Pietta Or should I say trying to.... The hand spring broke so I tried the bobby pin fix but didn't work for me. Bought a new hand from DGW and installed it today. Put it all together today, cycled the action once only and then it locked up on me. Have no idea what is causing this, but am sure somebody here has had that happen before. Also, I looked at the "Tuning the Pietta for Competition" project to try and figger this out, but not yet...I inspected the hammer cam and it sort of looks chewed up. Could this be my problem or part of it?

January 15, 2012, 06:50 AM	#2
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	You might try.... Taking the cylinder out and watching the pistol cycle with the cylinder out. To get the thing unlocked, try pulling the trigger guard off and then with a wire hook, pull the bolt out of the cylinder notch. Make sure the bolt is not trying to engage the cylinder notch when you pull the cylinder off of the arbor because the bolt will put a longitudinal scratch on the cylinder from the notch back toward the nipples. Then with the cylinder out of the revolver, cycle the revolver and watch the action of the bolt. One thing you will note with the cylinder removed is that the bolt may stick in the fully extended position. If this happens, just psh the bolt back into the frame with your finger. The reason is that the cylinder prevents the bolt from moving up all the way and with the cylinder removed the bolt can travel further up or more fully extended than it does when the cylinder is in place. So in some revolvers the bolt will stick in the extened position and just ride over the cam without moving. So you should not make any adjustments on the bolt based upon the fact that it may stick in the fully extended position when the cylinder is removed. Man, This is fun! __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

January 16, 2012, 01:46 AM	#3
dlbarr Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2011 Posts: 162	Thanks Doc... ...but I think maybe I didn't explain it right. The action will cycle once and then I can't cock the hammer. So maybe what you say is still what needs to be done, I don't think so however... the gun's laying in pieces in a box and I didn't have a chance to fool with it today. I'll try what you say tomorrow and see....

January 21, 2012, 06:58 AM	#5
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Tubular! Do they still say "Tubular"? __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

January 22, 2012, 07:51 AM	#8
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	UV et al. Okay...That is it. I am moving to....what was it? "Rad"? __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

January 20, 2012, 07:59 PM	#4
dlbarr Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2011 Posts: 162	Got it fixed. Finally got a free couple minutes after the entire family was in bed... Din't take more than 20min at most, just filed a little of the top of the hand and back in bizness.

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