Pet Project

[Will Dearborn]

Howdy.  I just picked up a V E R Y used Pietta 1851 Navy.  Whoever had it before had... removed all the blueing.  And screwed the cylinder pin in a little too much.  It's a brass frame, so the over tightening job scored the frame and made things... loose.

So... since there was no blueing to screw up, I defarbed the barrel.  Now I'm finishing that up, preparing to reblue it.

My question is this...  I've noticed that there is a little play in the cylinder.  It moves back and forth as you work the action.  Now, I've always fired 58 Remmys in BP... BUT it seems to me, through working the action and paying attention to how everything moves together that there SHOULD be a little movement.  It seems to me that that was part of Sam Colt's whole design.  Am I right?  I'd rather fix something now than have something hideous occur.

Long days and pleasant nights,
Will

[Will Dearborn]

Okay.  Fixed the play in the pin.  Reblued it.  Smoothed the grips and am refinishing them as we speak.  2 coats on and polished... bout ten to go.

The defarb, with the new blueing, is unnoticable.  Very happy with that.

The walnut grips have a nice, deep shine to the grain.  I'll post pics when its done.

Long days and pleasant nights,
Will

[Flint]

One thing I noticed in the Pietta made Colt is the lack of a locking pin in the frame/arbor joint at the rear fof the frame.  I can understand it where the hole would be difficult to drill splitting on the steel arbor and brass frame, but I have seen the lack of the pin on steel framed Piettas as well.

That contributes mightily to developing a loose arbor.  If the threads in the brass get peened from recoil, things loosen up quickly.  Locktite will help cure the situation, but assemble the barrel and wedge to align the arbor while the locktite sets.  (or JB Weld, if you're brave).

The replacement pin is the same part as used to index the barrel to the frame (2), but if you drill out the pin to remove the arbor, it is best to tap the hole and replace the pin with a set screw.

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[Will Dearborn]

*snicker*  I DID JB Weld it, actually.  I use that stuff for most things.  It's my secret weapon.  I blame about thirty farmers I've had to work with over the years.

It has held many a riverboat I piloted together, too.

Thank you for the info.

8 coats on the grips, atm.  I'll post pics tomorrow, most likely. 

Long days and pleasant nights,
Will

[W.T.]

Lotta folks out here waitin' to see them pictures, Will - bet she's lookin' gooood...

[Jubel]

Will - what the heck is "defarb"?

(DEFARB) That means removing all modern marks, names and proof's. Defarbing if done properly, well even old Saml Colt might be fooled. Many reenactors do it for period correctness.