Had an attack of stupid... now what?

[K_W]

Had an attack of stupid...

Last month I picked up my first black powder gun, a Pietta replica Colt 1851 Navy in .36

In learning and practicing with it in preparation for my first range trip with it I figured I had better learn how to take it down for cleaning. I watched a few videos and learned how it went together and how to take it apart clean and reassemble it. One afternoon last week I decided to try it... That's when things went wrong.

I did not have a brass punch or a piece of copper rod lying around so I went looking for a softer than steel tool to drive the barrel wedge out of the frame. I started thinking to my self, what would soilders have used that they would always have on hand?

I did not find anything until I looked in my safe and spotted my meager coin collection. They would have a coin. I looked in my coin box and found a 1970's silver dollar. It looked perfect, copper and nickle are softer than steel, it's easy to hold steady, cheap enough to tap on, and the ridges will grip the wedge so it won't slip off and scratch the gun.

It worked perfect except when the wedge popped out on the second tap the ridges of the coin left marks in the steel of the frame. Not just scratched off the blue, but full coin width imprints...WTFBBQ?

Copper and nickel are both softer than steel and I barely hit the coin. The marks are tiny but you can see them. How do I have impressions in the steel?

 

[actaeon277]

I'm not exactly sure, but I think it has to do with the ridges.
You are applying a large force, but over a small area.
You needed something flat, and wide.

 

[red_zr24x4]

Use a piece of wood next time

 

[PGRChaplain]

Those little ridges add a lot of Strength! Get some Oak dowel rods.

 

[Old Dog]

Give the '51 to me, go buy yourself a new un-skinned one. No one will ever see your error and I won't tell.

 

[sloughfoot]

Next time use a wood hammer handle. The Pietta is now truly yours. It has been peed on. I have one too.....

 

[K_W]

Found out some grades of mild steel can be softer than some types of nickle (like that used in coins). Must be some really soft steel.

 

[Alpo]

It's Italian steel for inexpensive reproductions. Italian gun screws from Pietta and Uberti suck.

I used to shoot Uberti's in competition. Don't worry about the scratches.

Helpful hint: When driving the wedge back in, put a .006" or .008" feeler gauge between the barrel and cylinder and tap in the wedge only to the point the feeler gauge can be withdrawn. Gives you a good barrel/cylinder gap without having to guess.

 

[55fairlane]

oh yes the famous " stupid attack" there a way of life for this tool maker ...... my guess is the coins edges were " work hardened " from the drawing/coining / stamping operation , plus those small ridges can really multiply the amount of force something is struck with, as it focus all that force down threw very small cross sections of the ridges, I have seen guys do things like this in the past when working on unhardened plastic injection molds, use a 3 OZ hammer, and still mare up a mating surface with a piece of brass

if you need / want a custom punch turned out on my lathe hit me with a PM I will see if I can help ya out

 

[2in1evtime]

they make and sell wedge pin pullers too.

 

[BogWalker]

The wedge will loosen up to finger tightness after shooting for a while.