Suddenly curious about wedges.

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Beagle333

New member
I'm looking over the auctions today (because it's pouring rain here :mad:) and have just noticed that the wedges on the rifles are inserted apparently randomly from both sides. Does that matter? Being new to sidelock ownership, I hadn't thought about it. Both of mine are from the left, but that's just because that's the way they came to me. But I see them both ways on GB.
 
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mykeal

New member
It matters on some rifles but not on others.

My GPRs both require them to be inserted from the right side, but my CVA and other guns don't seem to care. The GPRs also care which one is in front.

I pinned the wedges on my GPR's so they would always be in place and on the correct place since I couldn't ever remember.
 
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Pahoo

New member
I have questioned this as well !!

I pinned the wedges on my GPR's so they would always be in place and on the correct place since I couldn't ever remember.
Click to expand...
Do you mean "peened" as opposed to "pinned"? I have done the same, using a small center punch and even denote top and bottom orientation. I also feel that being right handed, I'd rather have the head on the left side, as opposed to the right. .... ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
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Beagle333

New member
I have a small Ziplock snack bag in my cleaning kit marked for each rifle, and the nipples and wedges are put in there while cleaning, since I usually clean more than one at a time. Same with pistols, even when they are both Piettas, they get the original nipples and screws back in the respective pistols.
 
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mykeal

New member
No, I mean pinned.

Cut a slot lengthwise through the wedge. Remove the escutcheon from the side where the wedge is inserted. Scrape a small groove in the escutcheon inlet, top to bottom across the wedge opening; the groove should be the depth and thickness of about a 20 ga wire. Run the wedge through the escutcheon, then a piece of wire the length of the groove through the slot in the wedge. Insert the wedge into the slot, making sure the wire lays in the groove and screw the escutcheon into place.

The wire 'pins' the wedge in place so that it's captured in the wedge hole; it can be pushed out of the barrel tenon but cannot be removed from the slot.

I got some pictures around here someplace; I'll post them if I can find them.
 
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Hawg

New member
"Most" but certainly not all original guns were pinned from the left side. I've seen pics of original Hawken rifles done both ways but traditionally they go in from the left. This is mine.

100_3906.jpg


100_3903.jpg
 
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zullo74

Moderator
Interesting Hawg. I always assumed they went in from the lock side. I guess it was really up to the maker then.
 
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