Colt 1860 - The infamous wedge problem

[BlackPowderBen]

Well I have a brand new cabelas 1860 army and the wedge just will not budge. I have a colt navy and it came out fine, but this one feels like its cemented to the frame. How do I get this out? I know most every colt owner has this problem

 

[maillemaker]

If I had a stuck wedge, I would spray it down with penetrating oil, and try to tap it out with a block of wood or plastic.

If that failed, I would chuck up the thing in my machinist vice, using an oversized socket with some leather to prevent marring on one side, and some leather to prevent marring on the other side, and attempt to press it out.

Steve

 

[Hawg]

A plastic hammer or a wood hammer handle or a brass punch if its really that tight. I never had one that a plastic screwdriver handle wouldn't get out(knock on wood).

 

[45 Dragoon]

Hawgs right!
You may haf ta smack the heck out of it but it won't hurt the finish. SMACK THAT THANG!!

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com

 

[dr1445]

i had the same problem last year. try tapping the wedge side to side a few times before attempting to dive it out.. i made a flat punch from a piece of aluminium. maybe i got lucky but it worked on my cabelas 1860.

 

[Hellgate]

Guido the Italian gorilla is still at it working for Pietta. I brace the barrel up with a wood block and pad the cylinder and then use a brass drift to drive it out. You may want to leave the penetrating oil on overnight and give it another try. I use the edge of a brass house key as my drift. It is narrow and I can hold the toothed end and whack on the part you hold to turn the key.The other suggestions are very good too. Especially tapping it side to side a few times. That also might help get oil in there where it counts. Once you get it out, put some grease on the sides of the wedge so it won't lock up again.

 

[BlackPowderBen]

I put some Ballistol on it a few hours ago (though its not really a penetrating oil) I'll go for it in the morning

 

[BlackPowderBen]

Good news, I got the wedge out. I took Hawgs advice and Put up 2 blocks of wood and a rag on top of that, then I laid the gun on that and took a clothespin and a hammer and hit the wedge and it came out after a few hits. Thanks guys!

 

[44 Dave]

Good job! Now shine the slot and don't put it in with a hammer.

 

[Tinbucket]

Colt 1860-the infamous

On mine all I had to do was loosen the screw, on the frame right side with head of screw on wedge spring or latch. It puts pressure on the wedge.
Notice there is a small latch on the wedge, on the right side of the revolver.
The screw releases pressure on the wedge latch so that you can push it out from the right side or jsut pull it from the left or large side.
After a while it looses up and jsut push it out. I prefer it tight.
This is if we are talking about the same gun and several others and I am talking about the same thing.
Backing the screw up also pushes the wedge back as it is in a kind or trough on the wedge. the head of the wedge buts up against the head of the screw.
I have taken a precision or small screwdriver and pushed the spring latch down on the right side of the frame and pulled the wedge out from other side or give it a light tap with wood screw driver handle head.
You want to keep it tight and not so loose it is real easy to get out.

 

[Hawg]

The screw doesn't do anything but keep the wedge from coming all the way out on disassembly.

 

[Tinbucket]

Colt 1860 the infamous wedge

This is just friendly exchange with fellow Black Powder shooter.
I went and got the two that I have and sitting at the computer.
All I have to do is a slight sharp erap with wood or plastic screw driver handle head to get the wedge clear of the little latch.
However I took screw driver and screwed the screw backwards our out a bit and it backed the wedge up enough to clear the little latch.
The head of the screw lies in the little channel right up against the wedge.
I don't want to do it often as it would undoubtedly mark the screw head.
It's a CVA marked made in Italy as all ar I guess and about 30 years old.
Only thing I don't like about it is the cylinder is marked by the latch very easy and bluing on cylinder is not that great.
I love the feel and heft and way it shoots. It is pretty accurate with 40 grainsTriple seven and 454 round balls and two CVA lubed wads. I like 40 grains in it but I'm told it is too much on brass frame.
No grease up front. One reason for large ball is to make a bigger seal area in cylinder and longer bearing in the barrel.
When I first got one of them, Don't remember which I had a tougher time of getting the wedge loose than necessary and used the screw to back it out a bit and then pulled it out. Might have done it then with just a slight blow with plastic or wood screwdriver head end.
Not being familiar I was concerned when I saw the small latch.

 

[Hawg]

Only thing I don't like about it is the cylinder is marked by the latch very easy and bluing on cylinder is not that great.

You lost me unless you're talking about the bolt ringing the cylinder. That's easy to prevent. Don't let the hammer down from half cock. Always bring it back to full cock before letting it down. Most cylinders are ringed on single actions because the owners don't understand how they operate. When you let the hammer down from half cock the cylinder is between chambers with the bolt resting on the cylinder. Any movement of the cylinder will leave a scratch. The more it's done the deeper the scratch. I've seen people let it down from half cock and then deliberately turn the cylinder until it locks. The exception is Rugers. They're going to ring it no matter what. It's the way they were designed.