am i being too picky or is somthing wrong?

[shoebox1.1]

ive got a euroarms 1851 brass frame 36 navy. i can take it apart and play with it but when i did tonite i noticed somthing. the barrel to cylinder clearance is weird. tight on the left and ok on the right(viewed from the top). i did have a lower locating pin problem but the barrel to frame matchup down there is perfect. the center shaft that screws into the frame is loose or tight DEPENDING on the amount of turns it has. it cannnnnot be screwed in untill dead stop because the barrel wedge would then not go in (alignment overshot). so if i put the gun together "tight" all alignments are perfect and good in the world except for the barrel/cyl clearance. at half cock or full, i can pull back the cyl and check clearance and its 1 sheet of notebook paper on the right and 0 on the left (see pic). but it still turns free and smooth. i can make the gun "loose" and i have more like a thin credit card clearance there but the barrel wedge fit is affected (loosey goosey). i dont know if the brass frame threads are messed up or the barrel recieving crown is off. i have not shot this gun and the previous owner claimed not too but i think its had a cyl or 2 through it. maybe just couple of test shots from factory. if its a frame problem im going to change it to steel if one will swap in from some other manufacturer. or ill make my own! lol ive got master gunsmith/gun fab man avail. month long email reply is still pending from armi san paolo italy. they did get all my questions about frame swapping and im waiting for a reply. any ideas? http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r141/shoebox1_album/untitled.jpg

 

[marcseatac]

I remember a post you made about the frame pins being uneven and that you drilled down and epoxied the pin forward. May have been a mistake. All my Colts have uneven pins. One is bigger and sticks out further the other looks slightly smaller and is more recessed. My Dragoon, Walker and 1860 Richard mason conversion are all like that. Hope that the repositioning of that pin isn't causing the frame to misalign.

 

[pohill]

I'd be worried about that loose cylinder pin (arbor). If anything, use some Locktite to keep it in place. Is the cylinder pin bent?
Also, check the alignment of the barrel/cylinder -put the gun at full cock and look down the barrel with a flashlight and see if the barrel has a clear shot into the chamber or do you see little half-moon parts of the cylinder.
I'd probably have someone look at that gun. You don't want chunks of lead from the balls splitting off from the bad alignment and smacking back at your face. I'm not a worry-wart but be careful until you know it's safe to shoot.

 

[shoebox1.1]

well i think the problem is in the brass frame threads. the arbor/center shaft is steel. it screws into brass threads and if a brass frame gun "swells" like everyone says that can this is where they would! about those alignment pins at the bottom, i did have to drill and punch down there but the fitment of all the "lines" were perfect before and after that repair. i would surely understand if the barrel to lower frame joint was off or cocked that it would affect barrel to cyl clearance. this one does look ok. im going to take the gun to my gunsmith buddy tonite after work and have him look at it. ill post an update late tonight.

 

[shoebox1.1]

well i went to my gunsmith buddy tonite and he said "run it". the fault is in the cylinder arbor shaft (looseness) im looking for a steel frame to replace the brass. he said its not going to be a big deal with a 36cal and low power loads probably 15gr pyrodex.

 

[marcseatac]

I'm surprised you haven't shot that thing yet!

 

[shoebox1.1]

well.... ive got a bad "car habit"! im a hotrodder and im building a car right now so it takes most of my spare time and money. ive got balls and caps and wads in the mail as we speak... so i think i can actually go shoot soon!!! lol ive im not careful these BP guns could take over my hobbies and my car will be a big dust collector!