The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - 1860 Army

enyaw · June 13, 2011, 10:24 AM

It isn't difficult to set the cylinder gap,which is smaller than need be, when it's too tight in a Colt that is right with the wedge/barrel fit and all. Simply take the right amount off the breech end of the barrel. Best way is to use a piloted chamfering reamer that faces the end of the barrel concentric with the bore.
You can doit with a file and stone too ifin yer good with a file and stone. Being a little off concentric on the breech end ain't gonna ruin the gun though. It's best for the breech end face to be concentric with the bore though.
You do have to pull the cylinder backwards tocheck the gap because of the hand spring pushing the cylinder forward. That's why a stiff hand spring can exassperate the dragging problem.
I apologize if what I typed up above is not easily readable or too much in a short space.
I try though. When it comes to cap&baller Colts I've shot so many and fixed so many for so long.
Last one I did for an old man with a hankering to shoot an old abused Belgian Colt that was even too bad to be a wall hanger all that arbor/barrel/wedge/frame stuff came into play(like so many of the old Centennials that were made in the 60's and fired till they bled tears),
The gun actually had the arbor,which was in a sorry state to begin with, wrenched out of the frame (by a gunsmith that didn't find the arbor lock pin) without the lock pin removed. That gun was a nightmare to fix and end up tight and sound and aligned and tuned and all. I loved fixing it. ha ha ha ha
It ended up with the pieces well fit back and was described by the owner as being better than new.
The old man was a real shooter that fired many many rounds of 45acp a year(in his eighties). He point shot targets with the Colt Army revolver during testing as he would his 45acp. Point shoot as he had done for decades for not being able to see the sights well. He fired 2 inch and less groups at 27 yards with the Belgian Colt after I put it together. That done by point shooting...not looking at the sights. I only dream of being able tomshoot that well.
I'm just relating that to show that if a Colt is right it'll fire right and as good as any Remington there is. You know...all the checking about the arbor bottoming and the wedge fit right and the chambers aligned well and the gap set and all that stuff. It pays off in the end.
Anywhoooo........It's true that a cap&baller likes good ole petro grease on the arbor and innards and all. Liberally. Just not in the chambers and barrel. The barrel and chambers annd cylinder face should be degreased(like with alcohol) when it's ready to shoot the gun. The lube pills will splash wax/lube on the cylinders center hole in front and the arbor pin from the first shot.... it's visible. It keeps fouling out of there. After awhile,many shots, the wax/lube gets in and causes a little drag but not make the gun non-functional.
I know one thing my old mind remembers.....The spirals around the arbor screw towards the front of the cylinder so lube on the arbor gets moved forward. The spirals grooves of most Colts repos today are only a mockery of what they should be.They aren't deep enough to carry any lube forward. Some judicious filing can make the spirals more functionable. Ole Sam put those there for a reason.

June 13, 2011, 10:24 AM	#14
enyaw Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2008 Posts: 134	It isn't difficult to set the cylinder gap,which is smaller than need be, when it's too tight in a Colt that is right with the wedge/barrel fit and all. Simply take the right amount off the breech end of the barrel. Best way is to use a piloted chamfering reamer that faces the end of the barrel concentric with the bore. You can doit with a file and stone too ifin yer good with a file and stone. Being a little off concentric on the breech end ain't gonna ruin the gun though. It's best for the breech end face to be concentric with the bore though. You do have to pull the cylinder backwards tocheck the gap because of the hand spring pushing the cylinder forward. That's why a stiff hand spring can exassperate the dragging problem. I apologize if what I typed up above is not easily readable or too much in a short space. I try though. When it comes to cap&baller Colts I've shot so many and fixed so many for so long. Last one I did for an old man with a hankering to shoot an old abused Belgian Colt that was even too bad to be a wall hanger all that arbor/barrel/wedge/frame stuff came into play(like so many of the old Centennials that were made in the 60's and fired till they bled tears), The gun actually had the arbor,which was in a sorry state to begin with, wrenched out of the frame (by a gunsmith that didn't find the arbor lock pin) without the lock pin removed. That gun was a nightmare to fix and end up tight and sound and aligned and tuned and all. I loved fixing it. ha ha ha ha It ended up with the pieces well fit back and was described by the owner as being better than new. The old man was a real shooter that fired many many rounds of 45acp a year(in his eighties). He point shot targets with the Colt Army revolver during testing as he would his 45acp. Point shoot as he had done for decades for not being able to see the sights well. He fired 2 inch and less groups at 27 yards with the Belgian Colt after I put it together. That done by point shooting...not looking at the sights. I only dream of being able tomshoot that well. I'm just relating that to show that if a Colt is right it'll fire right and as good as any Remington there is. You know...all the checking about the arbor bottoming and the wedge fit right and the chambers aligned well and the gap set and all that stuff. It pays off in the end. Anywhoooo........It's true that a cap&baller likes good ole petro grease on the arbor and innards and all. Liberally. Just not in the chambers and barrel. The barrel and chambers annd cylinder face should be degreased(like with alcohol) when it's ready to shoot the gun. The lube pills will splash wax/lube on the cylinders center hole in front and the arbor pin from the first shot.... it's visible. It keeps fouling out of there. After awhile,many shots, the wax/lube gets in and causes a little drag but not make the gun non-functional. I know one thing my old mind remembers.....The spirals around the arbor screw towards the front of the cylinder so lube on the arbor gets moved forward. The spirals grooves of most Colts repos today are only a mockery of what they should be.They aren't deep enough to carry any lube forward. Some judicious filing can make the spirals more functionable. Ole Sam put those there for a reason. Last edited by enyaw; June 13, 2011 at 10:44 AM.