58 Cylinder Indexing for Loading Question

[Scorpion]

Pards,

I just picked up a Pietta 58 and noticed what I think is an indexing issue. When I prepare to load,  I put the hammer at half cock, and the cylinder spins clockwise freely like it should. When I back the cylinder up until it stops, the ram is not in line with the chamber. I have to stop the cylinder before it "clicks" and stops in order for the ram to line up. When at full cock, everything lines up fine. This could be an issue in the field trying to ram the ball. I have another Pietta 58 that, following the same procedure, stops in line with the ram.

Anyone else come across this issue, and what's the fix?

Thanks - S

[Daniel Nighteyes]

First, I'm not yet a cap-and-ball shooter, so take my words with a LOT of salt.

From what I remember, though, the half-cock notch is used to fill the chambers (and later to cap them), but not to tamp them.  When the hammer is down, the topmost chamber aligns with the barrel and the bottom-most chamber aligns with the rammer.

So, again as I recall, one  half-cocks the hammer to load the chamber(s) with powder, wad and ball.  Then one rotates the cylinder until each of the filled chambers, in turn, locks into place beneath the rammer before actually tamping.  I've been told this ensures accurate alignment and prevents a lot of seating problems.

But again, take my words with a lot of salt.

[Flint]

A cylinder chamber does not line up with thrammer at half cock on either a Colt or a Remington, and it was not designed to do so.  At full cock the hand has driven the cylinder to align with the barrel.  At half cock the hand is part way up, so the cylinder cannot be backed up to alignment, but is short of that position.  (If you have one that does, it probably has timing issues).

Ramming a ball with the cylinder rachet against the hand would not be a good idea, anyway, as it could damage the hand and the rachet.  As it is, the cylinder is free to rotate a bit to properly align the chamber with the rammer without interfering with  other  mechanical components.  The only trouble comes when you've placed a ball to ram, rotate the cylinder too far and the hand manages to click into the rachet, and cannot be rotated back in line.  The ball must be picked back out or the cylinder removed to clear the "jam", as the ball cannot pass the barrel extension on its way around.

The half cock position does align a chamber with the ejector rod on a cartridge revolver, but I'm sure the position of the ejector housing was chosen for the cylinder's stop, not the opposite.

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[Raider2000]

I'm in agreeance.
I load mine in this manner.

Pull hammer back to half cock.
Pour powder into chamber closest to window.
Place a wad "if used" then a ball or conical over the powder charge.
pull hammer to full cock then lower down.
Ram projectile home.
Fully cock & lower hammer to skip chamber.
Load 4 more in similar fashion to first.
Crisco over ball if wads were not used.