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View Full Version : Tuning the 1858


RPrather
July 28, 2008, 11:11 PM
What in your opinion is the best way to go about tuning this model, specifically a Pietta?

Raider2000
July 29, 2008, 04:22 AM
If it is a new in the box gun, I usually total strip mine down to clean it & grab my fine stones to smooth up the internal recesses of the frame especially where the hand rides in it's recess because almost all of the C&B revolvers that I've seen has this area with a lot of tool marks which can make the hammer feel rough.

Then I'll take a stone & smooth up the sear area of the hammer to make it like glass this helps in the feel of the hammer when you pull it back but it also sometimes improves the feel of the trigger when firing, now this process is not intended to take away any metal just smooth up the area in which the trigger rides against because they are usually left kinda rough but serviceable.

I then assemble the parts except the trigger guard & grips & rotate the hammer back a slowly as possible, what you want to do is look for when the hammer is pulled does it lower the bolt stop before it tries to rotate the cylinder, when you get to the first click of the hammer sear "loading position" you should be able to totate the cylinder freely in a clockwise dirrection "viewing from the rear" but not in the opesite dirrection.
Rotating the hammer twordes it's firing position slowly does the bolt stop pop up just prior to or just as the hammer engages the trigger in it's firing position sear if it does then so far so good, is the lock up solid as in can you rotate the cylinder any & then the bolt engages the stop in the cylinder?

If all is well in the lockup then you want to shoot it for about 100 - 200 rounds to break her in, then after that if the trigger is still a little stiff then you may want to stone the sear a little more to smooth it up a little more & shorten the creep some.

Oquirrh
July 29, 2008, 04:07 PM
I see a lot of 58s with cylinders scratched by the lock up bolt--I bought two second-hand that have the mark.

what causes it and is there a way to avoid it?

Raider2000
July 29, 2008, 07:24 PM
That could be a sign of the bolt coming up too soon, not completely droping out of the way, having the hammer placed on the safty notches on the cylinder or some one playing with the revolver.

My cylinder on my 23 year old Pietta has that scratch on one spot because I used to place my hammer on the safty notches & I would index it the same way every time "Anal I guess" but that is why mine has the scratch.

The Bolt should drop completely out of the way before the cylinder starts to rotate if it does not drop completely try loosening the trigger/bolt spring screw 1/4 turn to see if that helps, worse case scenerio will be a replacement bolt & timing it to the gun.

coming up too soon mostly means that the bolt was timed incorrectly & a replacement is necessary.

This is why you want to look at the action as the hammer is pulled back slowly to see what is going on till it is in complete lock up & ready to fire.