loosy goosy

salvadore · April 16, 2012, 05:27 PM

I own a Colt (Uberti?) '51 Navy with a loose cylinder pin (arbor?) Anyway it moves around a bit and I was wondering if it could be tightened, or if somone does that type of work. Thanks.

farmerted · April 16, 2012, 05:59 PM

It can be tightened. I have an old Centaure that suffered from it's previous owner, everything was loose. I went to a machine shop and very carefully drilled for a number 8 set screw, in the area below where the hammer falls you will see the back of the arbor. The hole has to be part way in the arbor and part way in the frame. Use the machinist's guide as to what bit to use. Anyway, it snugged right up and we've lived happily ever after. Good luck. BTW, sometimes less drastic measures are required, like just driving the pin that holds the arbor in a bit. I ain't no expert, so your mileage may vary.

Doc Hoy · April 17, 2012, 09:14 AM

As I thought it through I came to a coupla conclusions.

1. The position of the arbor in the frame is critical. Perhaps (and I do mean "perhaps" since I don't know for sure) a good way to hold the arbor true during the process is to take the cylinder out but put the barrel back on with the wedge in place. Others who have done this might want to wade in here and either support this statement or tell us I am full of ......

2. I tried drilling a hole for a pin in a scrap frame I had. Frame was brass and the arbor of course was steel. I was afraid that the bit would wander in the brass as it hit the harder steel and indeed it did. The placement of the hole so that it hits the arbor at the right angle is important. I would also start with a smaller bit for a pilot hole.

3. Some folks talk about lock-tite or similar fixes for a loose arbor. I have never tried them but I did buy a pistol with an arbor that was loose and it has lock-tite all over it. So in that one instance it did not work. In this case it was probably done incorrectly.

4. The next time I mess with a loose arbor I will try silver solder.

5. In drilling the hole, you will almost have to have a drill press. That means you will almost certainly put the frame in a drill press vice. Colt frames are hard to hold in place because there are no parallel external surfaces. Before I start I am going to make a jig that scews fast to the frame for holding it in a vice.

It would be thrill to have some more experienced folks come in here and provide actual good advice. (Not knowing what I am talking about never prevented me from contributing my two cents worth.)

sltm1 · April 17, 2012, 10:36 AM

Taking out the set pin at the rear of the receiver is the 1st step. I had a Pietta that the pin was so loose in, I pulled it out with a magnet !!! If you can't do it yourself take it to a reputable machine shop and have them do it. Once you've got that out, unscrew the arbor and degrease both it and the reciever. With a toothpick or small wodden dowel apply JB Weld to the threads in the receiver then re-insert the arbor. Once in place, replace the barrel and wedge to it proper depth where all is tight and the bottom edges of both parts match. Make sure the set pin hole is clear and put the gun away for at least 24hr's for the JB Weld to cure., Last step, redrill out the set pin hole slightly larger and pit in a new one. Not a "period correct" fix...but I bet if they had JB Weld back then they would have used it !!

Smokin'Joe · April 17, 2012, 11:18 AM

I ran across this three year old thread started by Rifle. He revitalized a Belgian Colt including tightening up a loose arbor. He does not give info on how he accomplished this but I would like to know. I recently acquired a beautiful but well used Belgian Colt with a loose arbor. Check out Rifle's post.

http://www.1960nma.org/BB/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23

Doc Hoy · April 17, 2012, 12:55 PM

Nice Belgian,

Rifle went over mine some years ago and I am pretty happy with it.

sltm1 · April 17, 2012, 01:16 PM

He fixed mine this year, the bbl to receiver fit was sloppy and it needed a new wedge. Smokin Joe, I can give you his Ph# if you PM me....his computer fried itself some time ago.

farmerted · April 17, 2012, 10:22 PM

Doc Hoy's comments are more correct than my original response. I did have a machinist assisting me, he did have a jig that we set up to hold the arbor vertically. We used a milling machine, a drill press will usually have too much "slop" or movement. I had to do the actual process, with guidance from the machinist, as he did not want to dink up my pistol. My Belgian was probably not the best choice for me to practice new skills on, but I had researched and called several cowboy action gunsmiths for advice, all very nice men who gave information freely, and I was able to communicate to the machinist what needed to happen. If I can find my contact info, one gentleman in central CA. was particularly helpful.

April 16, 2012, 05:27 PM	#1
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	loosy goosy I own a Colt (Uberti?) '51 Navy with a loose cylinder pin (arbor?) Anyway it moves around a bit and I was wondering if it could be tightened, or if somone does that type of work. Thanks.

April 16, 2012, 05:59 PM	#2
farmerted Junior Member Join Date: March 11, 2012 Location: Southern California Posts: 5	Been there It can be tightened. I have an old Centaure that suffered from it's previous owner, everything was loose. I went to a machine shop and very carefully drilled for a number 8 set screw, in the area below where the hammer falls you will see the back of the arbor. The hole has to be part way in the arbor and part way in the frame. Use the machinist's guide as to what bit to use. Anyway, it snugged right up and we've lived happily ever after. Good luck. BTW, sometimes less drastic measures are required, like just driving the pin that holds the arbor in a bit. I ain't no expert, so your mileage may vary.

April 17, 2012, 09:14 AM	#3
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	I am getting ready to fiddle with this myself As I thought it through I came to a coupla conclusions. 1. The position of the arbor in the frame is critical. Perhaps (and I do mean "perhaps" since I don't know for sure) a good way to hold the arbor true during the process is to take the cylinder out but put the barrel back on with the wedge in place. Others who have done this might want to wade in here and either support this statement or tell us I am full of ...... 2. I tried drilling a hole for a pin in a scrap frame I had. Frame was brass and the arbor of course was steel. I was afraid that the bit would wander in the brass as it hit the harder steel and indeed it did. The placement of the hole so that it hits the arbor at the right angle is important. I would also start with a smaller bit for a pilot hole. 3. Some folks talk about lock-tite or similar fixes for a loose arbor. I have never tried them but I did buy a pistol with an arbor that was loose and it has lock-tite all over it. So in that one instance it did not work. In this case it was probably done incorrectly. 4. The next time I mess with a loose arbor I will try silver solder. 5. In drilling the hole, you will almost have to have a drill press. That means you will almost certainly put the frame in a drill press vice. Colt frames are hard to hold in place because there are no parallel external surfaces. Before I start I am going to make a jig that scews fast to the frame for holding it in a vice. It would be thrill to have some more experienced folks come in here and provide actual good advice. (Not knowing what I am talking about never prevented me from contributing my two cents worth.) __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

April 17, 2012, 11:18 AM	#5
Smokin'Joe Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2010 Posts: 211	Does Anyone Know Rifle? I ran across this three year old thread started by Rifle. He revitalized a Belgian Colt including tightening up a loose arbor. He does not give info on how he accomplished this but I would like to know. I recently acquired a beautiful but well used Belgian Colt with a loose arbor. Check out Rifle's post. http://www.1960nma.org/BB/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23 Last edited by Smokin'Joe; April 17, 2012 at 01:23 PM.

April 17, 2012, 12:55 PM	#6
Doc Hoy Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: Naples, Fl Posts: 5,440	Joe Nice Belgian, Rifle went over mine some years ago and I am pretty happy with it. __________________ Seek truth. Relax. Take a breath.

April 17, 2012, 10:36 AM	#4
sltm1 Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Location: Idaho Posts: 353	Taking out the set pin at the rear of the receiver is the 1st step. I had a Pietta that the pin was so loose in, I pulled it out with a magnet !!! If you can't do it yourself take it to a reputable machine shop and have them do it. Once you've got that out, unscrew the arbor and degrease both it and the reciever. With a toothpick or small wodden dowel apply JB Weld to the threads in the receiver then re-insert the arbor. Once in place, replace the barrel and wedge to it proper depth where all is tight and the bottom edges of both parts match. Make sure the set pin hole is clear and put the gun away for at least 24hr's for the JB Weld to cure., Last step, redrill out the set pin hole slightly larger and pit in a new one. Not a "period correct" fix...but I bet if they had JB Weld back then they would have used it !!

April 17, 2012, 01:16 PM	#7
sltm1 Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Location: Idaho Posts: 353	He fixed mine this year, the bbl to receiver fit was sloppy and it needed a new wedge. Smokin Joe, I can give you his Ph# if you PM me....his computer fried itself some time ago.

April 17, 2012, 10:22 PM	#8
farmerted Junior Member Join Date: March 11, 2012 Location: Southern California Posts: 5	Re: loose arbor Doc Hoy's comments are more correct than my original response. I did have a machinist assisting me, he did have a jig that we set up to hold the arbor vertically. We used a milling machine, a drill press will usually have too much "slop" or movement. I had to do the actual process, with guidance from the machinist, as he did not want to dink up my pistol. My Belgian was probably not the best choice for me to practice new skills on, but I had researched and called several cowboy action gunsmiths for advice, all very nice men who gave information freely, and I was able to communicate to the machinist what needed to happen. If I can find my contact info, one gentleman in central CA. was particularly helpful.