Late bolt pickup?

[LonesomePigeon]

I have a couple cap n' ball revolvers with what I think would be called late bolt pickup. It's where sometimes when you cock the gun the bolt seems to not go back down into the frame soon enough and you have to wiggle the cylinder a little bit as you cock the hammer. Is there an easy fix?

[45 Dragoon]

Hey LP,
  First check to see if you have any displaced metal that would be interfering with the bolt head. If the edge of the lock notch is upset, the bolt head may not clear it. If so, you can peen it back in place with a small hammer.
  If the bolt arm and/ or cam has worn and delayed pickup is the result, you may regain it. Check to see if the bolt stop (shelf that extends forward of the bolt head) is contacting the frame. If not, you can remove material from the bolt head (maintaing the angle). This will bring the bolt arms down (when in lock-up) and should restore your pickup.
  Some Smith's remove that stop (Eddie Janis) which requires manual resetting (pushing it down with a finger) when the cylinder is removed. This pretty much guarantees full engagement of the bolt and locking notch.  The main thing is bringing the bolt arms back into contact with the hammer cam with hammer down/ cylinder locked. Bolt pickup should be immediate when the action is cycled.

Mike

[August]

 

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[LonesomePigeon]

"Check to see if the bolt stop (shelf that extends forward of the bolt head) is contacting the frame. If not, you can remove material from the bolt head (maintaing the angle). This will bring the bolt arms down (when in lock-up) and should restore your pickup."

I think I get it. The cam then is what pushes the bolt back down into the frame. Thanks.

[Coffinmaker]

If what you are describing is what I think your describing .......... The Bolt is not retracting into the frame soon enough to allow the cylinder to turn??

A.  The hand may be just a scooch too long and is trying to turn the cylinder too soon > > Adjust the length of the hand just a tiny bit.

B.  The bolt is not "resetting" when the hammer falls???  > > > May need to adjust the bolt leg to drop off the cam a tad sooner.

You mention several of your guns are doing this ??  Kind of unusual for several guns to do the same thing at the same time unless "something" about the guns has changed.  What is the most recent thing you have done to them??  Changed the nipples perhaps??

[LonesomePigeon]

Coffinmaker, it is "A". These are all used guns that were like that when I got them, an old Gregorelli & Uberti 1851 Navy and two circa 1980 - 82 Armi San Marco Walker's. They are all shootable but I never shot them much because it's a pain having to occasionally wiggle the cylinder or turn it by hand. I've had them for a while and I'm just now thinking I ought to get them running better.

[Coffinmaker]

Ah So Deska (Japanese for "oh really")

Easy fix unless you screw it up.  Need to scrub just a tiny amount off the top of the hand.  This will be a PITA 'cause you have to scrub a little, try it, scrub a little, try it repeating as necessary.  As soon as the cylinder carries up (turns) without a hiccup ..... STOP!!  It is actually fairly common problem when the Hand (Pawl) hasn't been properly fit by the assembly puke at the factory.

[45 Dragoon]

Ok, before you cut Dr. .  .  .  

 Reducing bolt head height wont change timing. All it will do is move the bolt arms closer to the hammer cam so they can be picked up sooner (of course, checking for burrs on the edge of the notches should be done first).
Cylinder carry-up won't change nor will bolt drop or lockup.

 On the other hand, shortening the hand will retard cylinder carry-up which will cause earlier bolt drop (in relation to cyl position) and latter lockup (Possibly after sear/full cock notch engagement. The 3rd click).

One caveat, there could definitely be a burr on top of the hand which is raised by repeated spinning (Hollywood style!!) of  the cylinder. Of course, the same thing will happen to everything else as if shortening the hand but, it should/would be a return to the original timing.

Just something to think about.

Mike

[LonesomePigeon]

Hi. Revisiting this thread because I finally got around to trying to fix one of my revolvers that had late bolt pickup. It was an Armi San Marco Walker that was pretty bad. As suggested, I filed down the shelf that is on the front part of the bolt. It did the trick, so thanks!