How Far Do You Go? Uberti 1851 Navy Colt Take Down

[Slowhand]

I just got a Uberti Replica of an 1851 Colt Navy Revolver, ,36 Cal. I read the instructions and decided to take it apart and clean the factory grease out. I suspect they want you to do the following.

1. Remove the wedge. (Mine had the spring, something they neglected to mention).
2. Take the barrel off by using the loading lever.
3. Remove the cylinder and clean it.
4. Clean the barrel. Then clean and lube the rest of the weapon.

Under Cleaning and Maintenance. (I suppose they assume you have fired it)

In line 2. They say "completely disassemble the gun". Next they say wipe off the grips, then soak all parts in hot water and dish detergent, then with a brush use a solvent to scrub off the fouling.

Then its rinse off all the metal parts in boiling water and dry. After cooling you wipe all the parts off with a rust preventative, lightly oil moving parts, grease up the cylinder pin and viola reassemble the gun.

Having read David R. Chicoine's book "Antique Firearms Assembly /Disassembly I took her down to this level...

So my question is how far do you guys and gals normally go in taking this thing apart?

 

[mykeal]

Regular cleaning after shooting: remove grips from grip frame, remove barrel assembly and cylinder.

Complete disassembly depends on how much the gun is used; for the ones I use most it's every ten to fifteen shooting sessions. I tend to judge that based on how it's operating. Every gun gets a complete disassembly no less than annually, however, even if I haven't shot it.

 

[Doc Hoy]

A note of caution

As you read this, please understand that most people on the forum think that I am too fastidious with cleaning. In point of fact, I can't say I disagree with them. I probably put more wear on the pistol by cleaning it than I do by shooting it.

I take the pistol to your level every time I clean it and I clean it every time I shoot it. Lately I have been running off about 60 to 100 rounds distributed over two or three pistols about every third week end. So somewhere around 20 to 40 rounds per pistol. I shoot the ROA every time and then some other pistol(s) go along for the ride.

I don't think I can build a case to support the pistol needing this kind of care. I do it more because I enjoy it. This does not extend to the nipples. I think the nipples MUST come out every time. Then I lube them and put them back in just a little tighter than finger tight.

 

[Slowhand]

Thanks for the Response

Have a nice day DOC.

The Uberti Owners Manual gets no where near all this detail. "Completely disassemble the weapon." hardly hacks it.

I bought David R, Chicone's book, "Antique Firearms Assembly/ Disassembly", great information and illustrations on taking it apart.

Reassembly? "Reassemble the revolver in reverse order of above". Notice a trend? I got it reassembled and it works. So far so good.

 

[Noz]

After shoot cleaning consists of removing barrel and cylinder. Clean as you see fit and replace. Removal of grips generally comes with a repairing a part failure or once a year whichever comes first.

 

[g.willikers]

Me three.
I also take BP guns apart for cleaning.
The one time I did not, after only a week it was like to not ever come apart again.
Maybe folks who live in dry areas won't have to be this fastidious with their BPs, but if there's any humidity, rust will prevail.

 

[Doc Hoy]

Dry Climate

GW.

You just made me realize why I do what I do!

My early days of shooting where I formed all of my habits for better or worse, were done mostly in Guam. There is Summer in which the temperature is 95 degrees with 100 percent humidity and then there is winter when the temperature drops to 93 with 100 percent humidity.

In Guam everything rusts. In Guam aluminum rusts. It took them a long time to decide to build a McDonalds because they were afraid the Big Macs would rust.

Thanks dude. Now I know why I do what I do.

 

[Slowhand]

LOL.. I spent a few few years in SE Asia. Monsoons do tend to bring out those little bits of rust.

 

[Fingers McGee]

After shoot cleaning consists of removing barrel and cylinder. Clean as you see fit and replace. Removal of grips generally comes with a repairing a part failure or once a year whichever comes first.

Pretty much the same here, although teardowns are more frequent. Clean barrel and cylinder and wipe down the frame after each match. Do complete teardown and scrubbing after 6-8 matches or two to 3 months. Nipples come out and are cleaned/lubed/reinstalled after every match. Makes it easier to get all the residue out of chambers when you can run a bristle brush through the nipple holes.

 

[Slowhand]

Thanks

Thanks McGee. Like Noz you seem to be into match shooting. That sound like some experience worth listening to.

 

[Hardy]

Take a 6 to 1 water to ballestol mix and drop gun barrel in it. Take nipples off cylinder and drop cylinder in it but nipples should be placed in a small cup of alcohol. Unscrew grips and trigger guard but stop. Clean frame w/ballestol mix and wipe down residue out of springs and frame without taking them out-- oil then reassemble grip and guard. Clean cylinder and barrel with proper cleaning rod etc. grease threads of nipples and replace. wipe down== presto.

 

[Slowhand]

Ballistol

Brownings has Ballistol. What kind of oil are you using? I have been using Break Free CLP and REM OIL on my other weapons.

Thanks for the response.

 

[Fingers McGee]

I use copious amounts of Balistol when cleaning and lubing my C&Bs. After a match, I'll spray it in the chambers, around the nipples, and down the barrels of the revolvers. Usually let them sit a couple days before actualy getting around to cleaning. The Balistol loosens the fouling and makes it easier to remove. I've found that in Birchwood Casey BP solvent dissolves cap residue better than anything else I've tried, so I'll soak the nipples in it while cleaning the rest of the pistol, and use it with a nylon bristle brush to scrub off any stubborn cap residue on the hammer nose and frame. The only lube I use on my C&Bs is Bore Butter on the arbor and Balistol everywhere else.

 

[Hardy]

Slowhand, a bunch here are goin to form a posse after me but here is a simple way to clean it. Get a plastic pale that holds abput a quart. Fill it with distilled water and about 4 ounces of ballestol. remove barrel and drop it. Take oy cylinder and drop it. Don't take down the rest. Leave it all intact and drop it in there to. Let soak for 20 minutes and clean it out with you mix. swap out everything and then swab barrel out with a pur ballestol finish after getting out residue. Get all residue out of chambers and dry w/qtips. Pipe cleaner or nipple pics are necessary to clear them ut. I prefer a nichol wrapped 26 to 30 guage guitar string --But this doesn't require a whole lot of work and little mechanics. I haver never used soap or water.

 

[Hardy]

Sorry bout all the mispelling and broken sentences --I was in a hurry

 

[Slowhand]

Swinging from the same tree




Fingers..... We might be hanging from the same tree, but.....I somehow have it in my mind that water and guns don't mix as well. Maybe in diluting a chemical or cleaning substance ballestol perhaps but somehow the idea of boiling water and running it on a weapon

Crisco .... Until I got it into my head is a natural oil had me wondering too at the beginning.

Birchwood Casey BP Solvent is a new one to add to the list though.

Thanks.

 

[Hawg]

I use hot tap water and dish washing liquid. Remove grips and cylinder. All metal parts go in water with action assembled. Once it's clean action is shaken out and sprayed with WD-40 to displace water and liberally sprayed out with Remoil. Bore and chambers get a light coat of bore butter and once assembled whole thing gets a wipe down with 3n1 oil.

 

[mykeal]

I somehow have it in my mind that water and guns don't mix as well. Maybe in diluting a chemical or cleaning substance ballestol perhaps but somehow the idea of boiling water and running it on a weapon

I see no issue with using water to clean a bp gun. We've been doing it for a few hundred years (well, in my case just 35) and it works just as well as any of the modern bp solvents. The key is to thoroughly dry it out; if you do that you'll have no problems.

 

[ClemBert]

Slowhand,

I don't always do a complete disassemble...kind of like what mykeal does in frequency. However, there is that occasion where the entire firearm is disassembled similar to your picture except that the grips are the first thing that are taken off.

For cleaning: hot water, liquid dishsoap, hot water rinse, shakeoff, dry with paper towel to remove most water, bake in oven at around 175 degrees for 20 minutes, cool off for 20 minutes. Like Hawg, I generally spray Remoil on all the parts including the bore. I'm experimenting with Ballistol too. When I don't do the complete disassembly (action left assembled) to the lockworks/clockworks, again...like Hawg, I blast the inside of the lockworks with WD-40 through every opening.

I'm not buying into the WD-40 conspiracy story about it gumming everything up. Perhaps, in time I suppose its possible that WD-40 might gum up. However, how long does that take? 2 years....5 years? I completely disassemble my BP firearms at least once a year and give them a good cleaning so perhaps I'm not giving the WD-40 even time to mess things up. For my non-BP firearms I use Remoil since I don't use water to clean them and therefore don't need to displace any water.

 

[Slowhand]

The Hot Bath Works

So I have learned since starting my research project..... that water is commonly used by loads of people who have been shooting for decades and of course have no issue with it. After the grips come off, some disassembly, a hot bath and rinse, followed by a good drying out with lubrication there is no doubt in my mind it works. I plan of trying it after my first outing with the new pistols I have bought.

Thanks for the polite and matter of fact responses and comments received so far. I'm researching how it's done, individual methods used, with preferences and appreciate the information. I realize some of you have been at it for decades and that I have to respect.

Thanks guys.