Pietta 1851 Navy problem

M14MSgt · May 25, 2009, 06:02 PM

Loading lever keeps falling during firing. Any ideas???

Fingers McGee · May 25, 2009, 06:34 PM

The notch in the catch isn't deep enough to secuely hold the loading lever. Square up and deepen the notch & it should stay up better.

That's one of the reasons why I shoot '61 Navies now days. The catch has a different profile with a deeper notch than the '51s.

M14MSgt · May 25, 2009, 07:02 PM

not being gunsmith savvy...not quite sure what you mean, "square up the notch"...

CaptainCrossman · May 25, 2009, 07:15 PM

what he said, ditto

had the same problem with my newest Remington, and my old 1851 Navy-

file the notch deeper on the retaining latch groove

that's the little thing that hangs down under the front of barrel, and when you press the spring loaded latch in on the loading lever, it catches in the groove in that round part under the barrel

that notch that the latch catches into- take the thin side of a file, and grind it deeper so the spring in the loading lever, can fully push the latch into it

that fixed my 1851, but my newest 1858 still drops the lever

another thing you can do, is put a stronger spring in the loading lever latch assembly

M14MSgt · May 25, 2009, 07:22 PM

thanks much - will give that a try.

olyinaz · May 26, 2009, 01:36 PM

Milder loads help as well. Not sure how many grains you're shooting but my 1851 seems to like no more than 30-32 grains for best accuracy and functioning.

Cheers,
Oly

M14MSgt · May 26, 2009, 04:48 PM

i shoot 30 grains in mine.

knight0334 · May 27, 2009, 09:14 AM

30gr is max for the 1851 design, Pietta lists 15grs as max for their guns. Might be part of the problem.

25gr may fix your situation, and prolong the life of that revolver.

M14MSgt · May 27, 2009, 09:45 AM

of course, I should specify...that's 30 gr. of Pyrodex...not BP.

knight0334 · May 27, 2009, 10:55 AM

Pyro, FFFg BP, T7 or whatever it be - 30 volumetric grains is a max charge for the 1851 design. And a double charge for the Pietta design by their specs. Back the charge off a bit and see if the lever drops still.

You are doing a volumetric charge right? If you're weighing out 30gr of PyroP, the charge would be equivalent to about 38gr of real blackpowder.

M14MSgt · May 27, 2009, 12:15 PM

i use the brass powder measure and fill it to the 30 capacity. i have also noticed i cannot hit the broad side of a barn with this Pietta Navy. I am a fair shot with my 1873 SAA, 1872 Open Top, etc...but even at 7-10 yds, I miss the steel completely with this Pietta.

Fingers McGee · May 27, 2009, 12:59 PM

Reduce your amount of powder. Unless I'm blind, you havent said what Caliber your '51 is. If it's a .36, 20 grains is all you really need. If it's a .44, 25 grains is more than sufficient. Big, chamber full charges are fun; but they aren't very accurate.

M14MSgt · May 27, 2009, 01:45 PM

no - i neglected to mention the caliber. it's a 44...so i put .454 sized hornady balls through it.

May 25, 2009, 06:02 PM	#1
M14MSgt Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2007 Location: Lancaster CA Posts: 105	Pietta 1851 Navy problem Loading lever keeps falling during firing. Any ideas???

May 25, 2009, 06:34 PM	#2
Fingers McGee Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2008 Location: High & Dry in Missouri Ozarks Posts: 2,113	The notch in the catch isn't deep enough to secuely hold the loading lever. Square up and deepen the notch & it should stay up better. That's one of the reasons why I shoot '61 Navies now days. The catch has a different profile with a deeper notch than the '51s. __________________ Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee - AKA Man of Many Colts - Alter ego of Diabolical Ken; SASS Regulator 28564-L-TG; Rangemaster and stage writer extraordinaire; Frontiersman, Pistoleer, NRA Endowment Life, NMLRA, SAF, CCRKBA, STORM 327, SV115; Charter member, Central Ozarks Western Shooters Cynic: A blackguard whose faulty vision see things as they are, not as they should be. Ambrose Bierce

May 27, 2009, 09:14 AM	#8
knight0334 Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2006 Location: Brookville, PA Posts: 442	30gr is max for the 1851 design, Pietta lists 15grs as max for their guns. Might be part of the problem. 25gr may fix your situation, and prolong the life of that revolver. Last edited by knight0334; May 27, 2009 at 09:23 AM.

May 27, 2009, 12:59 PM	#12
Fingers McGee Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2008 Location: High & Dry in Missouri Ozarks Posts: 2,113	Reduce your amount of powder. Unless I'm blind, you havent said what Caliber your '51 is. If it's a .36, 20 grains is all you really need. If it's a .44, 25 grains is more than sufficient. Big, chamber full charges are fun; but they aren't very accurate. __________________ Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee - AKA Man of Many Colts - Alter ego of Diabolical Ken; SASS Regulator 28564-L-TG; Rangemaster and stage writer extraordinaire; Frontiersman, Pistoleer, NRA Endowment Life, NMLRA, SAF, CCRKBA, STORM 327, SV115; Charter member, Central Ozarks Western Shooters Cynic: A blackguard whose faulty vision see things as they are, not as they should be. Ambrose Bierce

May 27, 2009, 01:45 PM	#13
M14MSgt Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2007 Location: Lancaster CA Posts: 105	no - i neglected to mention the caliber. it's a 44...so i put .454 sized hornady balls through it. Last edited by M14MSgt; May 29, 2009 at 11:46 AM.

May 25, 2009, 07:02 PM	#3
M14MSgt Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2007 Location: Lancaster CA Posts: 105	not being gunsmith savvy...not quite sure what you mean, "square up the notch"...

May 25, 2009, 07:15 PM	#4
CaptainCrossman Junior member Join Date: April 2, 2009 Posts: 381	what he said, ditto had the same problem with my newest Remington, and my old 1851 Navy- file the notch deeper on the retaining latch groove that's the little thing that hangs down under the front of barrel, and when you press the spring loaded latch in on the loading lever, it catches in the groove in that round part under the barrel that notch that the latch catches into- take the thin side of a file, and grind it deeper so the spring in the loading lever, can fully push the latch into it that fixed my 1851, but my newest 1858 still drops the lever another thing you can do, is put a stronger spring in the loading lever latch assembly

May 25, 2009, 07:22 PM	#5
M14MSgt Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2007 Location: Lancaster CA Posts: 105	thanks much - will give that a try.

May 26, 2009, 01:36 PM	#6
olyinaz Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 877	Milder loads help as well. Not sure how many grains you're shooting but my 1851 seems to like no more than 30-32 grains for best accuracy and functioning. Cheers, Oly

May 26, 2009, 04:48 PM	#7
M14MSgt Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2007 Location: Lancaster CA Posts: 105	i shoot 30 grains in mine.

May 27, 2009, 09:45 AM	#9
M14MSgt Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2007 Location: Lancaster CA Posts: 105	of course, I should specify...that's 30 gr. of Pyrodex...not BP.

May 27, 2009, 10:55 AM	#10
knight0334 Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2006 Location: Brookville, PA Posts: 442	Pyro, FFFg BP, T7 or whatever it be - 30 volumetric grains is a max charge for the 1851 design. And a double charge for the Pietta design by their specs. Back the charge off a bit and see if the lever drops still. You are doing a volumetric charge right? If you're weighing out 30gr of PyroP, the charge would be equivalent to about 38gr of real blackpowder.

May 27, 2009, 12:15 PM	#11
M14MSgt Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2007 Location: Lancaster CA Posts: 105	i use the brass powder measure and fill it to the 30 capacity. i have also noticed i cannot hit the broad side of a barn with this Pietta Navy. I am a fair shot with my 1873 SAA, 1872 Open Top, etc...but even at 7-10 yds, I miss the steel completely with this Pietta.