1860 Loading lever latch

[foolzrushn]

I have read about loading levers that unlatch when the pistol is fired. I don't have one, but it sounds like the Walker is particularly bad about this, even causing some to use a rubber band to secure the lever.

Here is a lever latch on a 1860 Pietta Colt. As you can see the latch barely engages the stand (name?) on the barrel.

I was thinking that I could perhaps drive out the pin holding the latch in the end of the lever, and then file the slot deeper in the latch release. This should cause the spring to move the latch release forward more.....right??

Have any of you a better solution? Will there be enough meat on the latch release to file enough? This would sure beat bending the barrel 'stand' for the latch rearward if it will work.

Comments? Better ideas??
FRN

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

The reason the loading lever on the Walker tended to pop open was there was no latch at the front of the lever. The lever was held in place by a spring mounted under the barrel. This design proved unsatisfactory, and when the Dragoon series was designed, the latch at the front of the loading lever was a new feature. Remember, there were only 1100 Walkers ever made, and the Dragoon series included several improvements not seen on the Walkers.

I just checked my Pietta 1860s, and the latch does indeed engage the barrel stud completely. Yes, you could file the slot deeper. But have you fired them yet? Is there a problem?

 

[Smokin'Joe]

An easy fix for the 1860 latch is to push it in all the way and let it snap out sharply. I use a flat-blade screw driver to push the latch in and then slide the screw driver out of the way quickly. Do this a few times and the latch should move forward slightly.

 

[foolzrushn]

Smokin' Joe

I don't think that it's sticking, but that it's at the end of it's travel.

 

[Hawg]

You can lengthen the slot but I wouldn't unless there's a problem. I've never had a 51 or 60 Colt lever drop from recoil.

 

[Smokin'Joe]

foolz, My advise is not for a sticking latch. The procedure I described will get the latch to stick out farther.

 

[44 Dave]

I lengthened the notch on my '51, don't remember if I had to use new pin stock, cause I have that stuff around for other hobbies.
I carry my Navy and would not stand for it rattling, not that it would unlatch.
Also knocked off all the sharp corners and got the crud out of the spring.

 

[James K]

Extending the slot is a perfectly good way of giving the latch extra "bite"; it is also possible to install a stronger spring as long as it isn't too strong.

But the latch usually isn't prone to come undone from recoil since recoil tends to drive the gun backward and Mr. Newton says the latch should try to stay in place, not come loose.

Jim

 

[maillemaker]

If the slot is limiting forward travel, then a small rat-tail file will fix that in a heartbeat.

Steve

 

[Smokin'Joe]

GUYS!!! Stop over thinking this. Simply follow the advice in post #3 and be done with this issue.

 

[foolzrushn]

Joe- Your fix isn't a fix. The latch is at the end of it's travel ! It might not drop, but I will get 'warm fuzzies' if the latch engages the barrel stud fully.

This is on a Colt 1860, and upon closer examination I see that the gear-like teeth on the loading lever have enough play, that the latch can't overcome it.

Do any of you know which way the latch retaining pin drives out? Toward the top or bottom of the lever? Also I would like advice on the best way to remove it and what to replace the pin with. A Dremel will probably scar the lever. Would a small brad be too hard to brad in place? I thought about going in the end of the lever and cutting the pin...tight fit though

 

[Smokin'Joe]

Foolz, Do yourself a favor and follow my advice. It is a fix. I've done it multiple times. It takes all of five minutes and won'the cause any damage to the lever.

 

[James K]

Try Joe's fix and if it doesn't work, you can drive out the pin (bottom to top) and lengthen the slot. You can re-use the same pin. And please put away the Dremel tool; they are a great invention but not for that job.

Jim

 

[foolzrushn]

been there, done that

Well, I snapped the latch and it's spring plenty before I even opened this thread, to see if a burr or perhaps some debris was holding the latch back. That is a good possibility the way these are made, and fixing sharp edges and other things on these kits is part of the challenge ( fun??).

The spring is nice and strong, but the lever didn't grow any. That's when I noticed that I could grab the lever and move it forward when it was latched. At first, looking from the side with it latched, I thought the top of the lever would hit the barrel stud, but there is a recess for it.

So the choices would be: Either to tighten up the round gear-like teeth in the corresponding holes in the barrel, probably by welding and shaping the teeth to fit the holes tighter. Or to see if the latch can be extended ( much easier but not as good ).

I am thinking now, of using a very small pointed needle file in the end of the lever, to cut the pin holding the latch. I don't think the pin would be long enough to peen again anyway.

So now I'm thinking about what to use for a replacement pin. It needs to be soft enough to peen and hard enough to hold..........unless I decide to weld.

Has any one used a small brad ( nail ) to replace this pin? Or something else?

 

[Doc Hoy]

On almost every replica.....

Without regard to the source, I have seen poor finish on some of the parts. Means they have to wear in a bit.

They look great externally but they don't stand up to close scrutiny or internal review when compared with domestic pistols. One might challenge, "Sure, but at one third the price, what do you expect!?" I guess that is exactly what I am saying.

The pettifogging articles are testament to the idea that these pistols are all a work in progress.

 

[Smokin'Joe]

Procedure with Photos

Before performing procedure described in Post #3 latch protrudes .082" from loading lever

An easy fix for the 1860 latch is to push it in all the way and let it snap out sharply. I use a flat-blade screw driver to push the latch in.

And then slide the screw driver out of the way quickly. Do this a few times and the latch should move forward slightly.

After procedure latch protrudes .104" from loading lever. A gain of .022".

 

[foolzrushn]

Joe

I really do appreciate the process (it's great, really easy!), however mine does not respond to the treatment. I understand how you did it, but mine just won't change and get any longer.

Thanks for the pictures though, and the effort, but in my case I think I am going to have to get the latch out, and file away enough of it to let the latch move forward on the retaining pin. I just hope that there is enough material to do that and still leave the latch as a strong piece.

After looking at the teeth on the lever, I have given up the thought of welding, because the teeth are very nicely formed, as are the depressions in the barrel bottom.

I was hoping that someone who had replaced a broken latch spring might chime in about the thickness of the latch where it meets the pin. And also what they might have used for a new pin. But I will find out about the latch when it comes out and will find a pin material.

 

[Hellgate]

Is the latch actually holding the ram in place when the gun is fired? If so, who give a rat's a$$ if the tip is barely touching? As long as the ram stays in place when the gun is fired it is functioning as designed. I've had several ASM Colt's revolvers that needed a little filing on the ram catch to allow a deeper seating of the rammer. But if the ram stays in place when the gun is fired I don't mess with it. You may be making a big issue out of nothing. If the ram falls when the gun is fired than do something. If it says put then FAGETTABOUTIT!!

 

[foolzrushn]

Hellgate

Well, I haven't fired this one, and choose to not have any trouble with it ( that I can help ), when I go out to shoot it. I thought that it might be something of interest...perhaps not. I just figured that surely someone had already done this and would have some tips. And some have.

But I am quite able to fix it regardless, and fixing is part of the 'fun'. I may have the wrong idea about how forums work, things seemed kind'a slow to me.

 

[Hellgate]

There's is a saying that Italian replicas eventually make gunsmiths of us all and I am finding that to be true. I've owned about 38 of them over the years and still have about 15 or 16. Just about all needed some kind of tweeking to make them reliable and some never did get reliable. I'm no gunsmith but consider myself an "advanced tinkerer". Looks like you are on your way too.