New Pietta 58 Remington problem

preboomer · March 4, 2016, 12:55 PM

Arrived yesterday evening. Looks great but hammer will not fully cock. Everything else, 1/2 cock, loading lever all work as they should. I took the grips off and tried changing the spring tension but that didn't have any effect. Is there an easy adjustment that will take care of the problem or should I send it back?

noelf2 · March 4, 2016, 01:24 PM

I would send it back. New gun shouldn't need work to work...

Driftwood Johnson · March 4, 2016, 03:03 PM

Yes, there are adjustments, but they involve some pretty careful file work.

I would send it back. You should be able to cock a brand new gun.

Hawg · March 4, 2016, 03:30 PM

I'll bet the hand is a smidge too long. Take the cylinder out and if it will go to full cock with it out that's your problem.

g.willikers · March 4, 2016, 04:24 PM

If that is the cause, it's still better to send it back unless you know how to work on it.
An improperly made hand can cause timing issues.

Hawg · March 4, 2016, 04:53 PM

If the hammer wont go to full cock then the bolt is locking in at the right place. It probably won't take but a thousandth or two off the end to fix it but any concern about it send it back.

BlackPowderBen · March 4, 2016, 06:31 PM

If you're having problems, just send it back, I've done it before

deerslayer303 · March 4, 2016, 10:31 PM

Yep, send that sucker back. How in the world did that thing get through to the customer. I would think, when they put the things together they cock the hammer.

Bishop Creek · March 4, 2016, 11:20 PM

Send it back.

preboomer · March 5, 2016, 11:18 AM

Sent it back. What Hawg said, it will cock with the cylinder out.

I asked Cabela's to check the replacement before sending it. Hopefully they don't have a whole batch like that.

virtualmachine · March 8, 2016, 01:06 AM

i have been having a similar problem with my brand new pietta 1858 from cabela's. i have the 1858 with an included spare cylinder. i have zero experience with black powder guns although i have some other shooting experience.

with one cylinder everything seems fine. cylinder revolves, locks, unlocks when it should. hammer cocks and half cocks. loading lever seems fine. it all looks pretty sweet too. i haven't had a chance to shoot it yet with all the lousy weather we've been having.

now the other cylinder is weird. almost everything thing seems ok except the hammer will not stay at full cock. cylinder revolves ok and locks when i pull the hammer all the way (or seems like all the way) back. but the hammer won't stay at full cock and sinks back to half cock.

funny thing is the bad cylinder is the one that came installed. the good cylinder is the included spare. the only difference i can see is the good cylinder has some proof marks, bad cylinder has no markings at all.

if there is any easy fix i wouldn't mind doing that. i figure it's all part of the adventure. at least i can play with the good cylinder until i work up the courage to do some fixes. if it's the hand length, any other tests to try? what would i need to do to fix it?

Hawg · March 8, 2016, 08:25 AM

It probably won't take more than a couple of file strokes across the top of the hand. Just don't change the angle. It can be time consuming fitting a hand. Take a few strokes and put it back together far enough to try it. Take it apart and file a couple more and so on but as close as that one is and working with the other cylinder a couple should do the trick. Just remember if you take too much the good cylinder won't go into full lockup without help.

44 Dave · March 8, 2016, 08:52 AM

You can check the hand by removing the cylinder, cocking it then cocking it just a little past full cock to see if the hand continues a little further.
I a perfect world (a Goon tuned gun) the action stops at full cock and there is no further stress on the hand.

Hawg · March 8, 2016, 10:12 AM

Quote:

You can check the hand by removing the cylinder, cocking it then cocking it just a little past full cock to see if the hand continues a little further.
I a perfect world (a Goon tuned gun) the action stops at full cock and there is no further stress on the hand.

No, you can't, it's going to do that regardless of hand length(unless Goon worked on it). If the hand is too long once the bolt locks in the cylinder won't turn any further thus preventing the hammer from going into full cock. If the hand is too short the cylinder won't turn far enough for the bolt to lock in. The hammer will go into full cock and take up any over travel the hammer has but you will still have to turn the cylinder a smidge by hand until the bolt locks. In the case of a too short hand you can cock the hammer fast and momentum will carry the cylinder into full lockup which isn't a good thing to do because it causes stress and premature wear on the bolt and cylinder notches.

44 Dave · March 8, 2016, 04:29 PM

Hawg is right.
Thinking was if the gun is getting to lock up to fire too soon in the cycle and there is still hand travel left you can afford to carefully shorten it a few thousands.
Wonder if our assembly people "over the pond" have a bench cylinder they use for setup and after all is cleaned up and blued, and re assembled the guy who does the final check was on a lunch break.

virtualmachine · March 8, 2016, 08:32 PM

my suspicion is the gun was test fired with one cylinder. that cylinder was removed and put in the box as the spare. then a second cylinder was installed and it looked like it fit. good to go!

right now since the gun looks good with one cylinder it's on the "keep" side of the keep/return line. $250 for gun, spare cylinder, and an intro to gunsmithing. are there any other common problems i should look for which would push it over to the return side?

Hawg · March 8, 2016, 09:22 PM

Quote:

are there any other common problems i should look for which would push it over to the return side?

If everything looks good(sights aligned etc) and functions like it's supposed to I can't think of anything. They can all use a little tweaking to make them better.

deerslayer303 · March 8, 2016, 09:31 PM

Get em tuned and they feel like a gun that would cost 3 times what you paid.

virtualmachine · March 11, 2016, 12:17 AM

i looked at the gun again this time with my glasses on. still looks pretty sweet to me. it takes me around 10 minutes to swap cylinders so i can live without a spare for now. clint eastwood made it look so easy.

so i'll keep the gun. now i just need the el nino rains to stop so i can shoot it!

Hawg · March 11, 2016, 12:32 AM

Quote:

it takes me around 10 minutes to swap cylinders so i can live without a spare for now. clint eastwood made it look so easy.

The easiest way to do it is pull the hammer back just enough for it to clear and the cylinder will fall in or out from either side.

Model12Win · March 11, 2016, 12:38 AM

I've heard that during the Civil War, the whole "reloading with spare cylinder" thing was a myth, and the Remington New Model Army would have been reloaded with paper cartridges just like any other cap and ball revolver during the conflict. Any truth in this?

Branko · March 11, 2016, 03:36 AM

Pretty true. I have never heard of the practice of carrying pre-loaded cylinders or selling spare cylinders, and it'd be pretty damn tricky to do on horseback, unlike, eg. grabbing the other pistol.

Quote:

i looked at the gun again this time with my glasses on. still looks pretty sweet to me. it takes me around 10 minutes to swap cylinders so i can live without a spare for now. clint eastwood made it look so easy.

so i'll keep the gun. now i just need the el nino rains to stop so i can shoot it!

When I bought my first NMA, it took me and the guys at the gun store 10 minutes to put it back in. Now it takes me a couple of seconds to put it back in.

Put the hammer on half-cock (or just lightly pull it) and then spin it to the right while pushing it out or in. Turning the cylinder guides the hand in the slots at the back of the cylinder and it goes smoothly. Once you learn the "Remington handshake" it's pretty easy to do.

Once you get around to making it work with both cylinders. what Hawg said - file a tiny bit off the top of the bolt.

Hawg · March 11, 2016, 07:20 AM

Quote:

what Hawg said - file a tiny bit off the top of the bolt.

The hand, not the bolt. There is no evidence of spare cylinders being carried during the war. There is ample evidence of carrying multiple revolvers. But some folks just have to believe it and will argue about it til the cows come home.

Gavlan · March 11, 2016, 08:25 AM

Yer changing cylinders while riding a horse seems like it would be a chore most folks wouldn't want to do, but carrying a couple more revolvers in their belt would be..

Hawg · March 11, 2016, 01:13 PM

Quote:

changing cylinders while riding a horse seems like it would be a chore most folks wouldn't want to do

It would be difficult on a horse that's walking. Doing it on a galloping horse would be next to impossible and add the fear and adrenaline rush of being under fire. There would have been dropped cylinders being found on every major battlefield but there's not. However there are hundreds of pictures similar to this one.

March 4, 2016, 12:55 PM	#1
preboomer Member Join Date: February 9, 2016 Posts: 31	New Pietta 58 Remington problem Arrived yesterday evening. Looks great but hammer will not fully cock. Everything else, 1/2 cock, loading lever all work as they should. I took the grips off and tried changing the spring tension but that didn't have any effect. Is there an easy adjustment that will take care of the problem or should I send it back?

March 4, 2016, 01:24 PM	#2
noelf2 Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2008 Location: Stuart, VA Posts: 2,473	I would send it back. New gun shouldn't need work to work... __________________ Liberty and freedom often offends those who understand neither.

March 4, 2016, 04:24 PM	#5
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	If that is the cause, it's still better to send it back unless you know how to work on it. An improperly made hand can cause timing issues. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

March 4, 2016, 06:31 PM	#7
BlackPowderBen Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2015 Posts: 380	If you're having problems, just send it back, I've done it before __________________ "If you have to shoot, shoot! Dont talk"

March 4, 2016, 10:31 PM	#8
deerslayer303 Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2011 Location: Leesville SC Posts: 2,654	Yep, send that sucker back. How in the world did that thing get through to the customer. I would think, when they put the things together they cock the hammer. __________________ "I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery." - Thomas Jefferson

March 4, 2016, 03:03 PM	#3
Driftwood Johnson Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2014 Location: Land of the Pilgrims Posts: 2,033	Yes, there are adjustments, but they involve some pretty careful file work. I would send it back. You should be able to cock a brand new gun.

March 4, 2016, 03:30 PM	#4
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	I'll bet the hand is a smidge too long. Take the cylinder out and if it will go to full cock with it out that's your problem.

March 4, 2016, 04:53 PM	#6
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	If the hammer wont go to full cock then the bolt is locking in at the right place. It probably won't take but a thousandth or two off the end to fix it but any concern about it send it back.

March 4, 2016, 11:20 PM	#9
Bishop Creek Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Posts: 566	Send it back.

March 5, 2016, 11:18 AM	#10
preboomer Member Join Date: February 9, 2016 Posts: 31	New Pietta 58 Remington problem Sent it back. What Hawg said, it will cock with the cylinder out. I asked Cabela's to check the replacement before sending it. Hopefully they don't have a whole batch like that.

March 8, 2016, 01:06 AM	#11
virtualmachine Junior Member Join Date: March 7, 2016 Posts: 4	i have been having a similar problem with my brand new pietta 1858 from cabela's. i have the 1858 with an included spare cylinder. i have zero experience with black powder guns although i have some other shooting experience. with one cylinder everything seems fine. cylinder revolves, locks, unlocks when it should. hammer cocks and half cocks. loading lever seems fine. it all looks pretty sweet too. i haven't had a chance to shoot it yet with all the lousy weather we've been having. now the other cylinder is weird. almost everything thing seems ok except the hammer will not stay at full cock. cylinder revolves ok and locks when i pull the hammer all the way (or seems like all the way) back. but the hammer won't stay at full cock and sinks back to half cock. funny thing is the bad cylinder is the one that came installed. the good cylinder is the included spare. the only difference i can see is the good cylinder has some proof marks, bad cylinder has no markings at all. if there is any easy fix i wouldn't mind doing that. i figure it's all part of the adventure. at least i can play with the good cylinder until i work up the courage to do some fixes. if it's the hand length, any other tests to try? what would i need to do to fix it?

March 8, 2016, 08:25 AM	#12
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	It probably won't take more than a couple of file strokes across the top of the hand. Just don't change the angle. It can be time consuming fitting a hand. Take a few strokes and put it back together far enough to try it. Take it apart and file a couple more and so on but as close as that one is and working with the other cylinder a couple should do the trick. Just remember if you take too much the good cylinder won't go into full lockup without help.

March 8, 2016, 08:52 AM	#13
44 Dave Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2013 Posts: 584	You can check the hand by removing the cylinder, cocking it then cocking it just a little past full cock to see if the hand continues a little further. I a perfect world (a Goon tuned gun) the action stops at full cock and there is no further stress on the hand.

March 8, 2016, 04:29 PM	#15
44 Dave Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2013 Posts: 584	Hawg is right. Thinking was if the gun is getting to lock up to fire too soon in the cycle and there is still hand travel left you can afford to carefully shorten it a few thousands. Wonder if our assembly people "over the pond" have a bench cylinder they use for setup and after all is cleaned up and blued, and re assembled the guy who does the final check was on a lunch break.

March 8, 2016, 08:32 PM	#16
virtualmachine Junior Member Join Date: March 7, 2016 Posts: 4	my suspicion is the gun was test fired with one cylinder. that cylinder was removed and put in the box as the spare. then a second cylinder was installed and it looked like it fit. good to go! right now since the gun looks good with one cylinder it's on the "keep" side of the keep/return line. $250 for gun, spare cylinder, and an intro to gunsmithing. are there any other common problems i should look for which would push it over to the return side?

March 8, 2016, 09:31 PM	#18
deerslayer303 Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2011 Location: Leesville SC Posts: 2,654	Get em tuned and they feel like a gun that would cost 3 times what you paid.

March 11, 2016, 12:17 AM	#19
virtualmachine Junior Member Join Date: March 7, 2016 Posts: 4	i looked at the gun again this time with my glasses on. still looks pretty sweet to me. it takes me around 10 minutes to swap cylinders so i can live without a spare for now. clint eastwood made it look so easy. so i'll keep the gun. now i just need the el nino rains to stop so i can shoot it!

March 11, 2016, 12:38 AM	#21
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	I've heard that during the Civil War, the whole "reloading with spare cylinder" thing was a myth, and the Remington New Model Army would have been reloaded with paper cartridges just like any other cap and ball revolver during the conflict. Any truth in this?

March 11, 2016, 08:25 AM	#24
Gavlan Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2015 Posts: 108	Yer changing cylinders while riding a horse seems like it would be a chore most folks wouldn't want to do, but carrying a couple more revolvers in their belt would be..