Author Topic: Worn Bolt  (Read 641 times)

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Offline Elijah Gunn

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Worn Bolt
« on: September 02, 2007, 11:35:09 AM »
Hi, I was shooting my Whitney today and the bolt would keep popping up at the halfcock position. I took it apart just now and there does seem to be a lot of wear on the bolt where that nub on the hammer engages it. Is this something I could fix myself? If so how do I do it? I am a machinist by trade and would like to do it myself. It's the timing of the gun I don't want to mess up.
If I remember right there are basically two ways to repair this.
1. Build up more metal onto the worn area (silver solder?) and reshape it.
2.Get a new replacement part and fit it to the gun.
Just as I'm finally starting to shoot more accurately this happens.Sheeese!
Thanks, Mark
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Offline mykeal

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Re: Worn Bolt
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2007, 12:51:35 AM »
It's much easier to get a replacement part; they cost about $12 at VTI Gun Parts (I'm assuming a Walker bolt will work). It will likely be a bit oversize and require some polishing to get perfect, but that's gotta be easier than welding more material on a small, thin, curved piece of metal. And I think silver solder will not be hard enough to last in that application. The mating surfaces of the bolt and hammer need to be fairly hard to withstand wear. That's probably the reason yours is worn out; many older Italian repros had action parts that were not sufficiently hardened. So did the originals, BTW.

Offline Elijah Gunn

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Re: Worn Bolt
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2007, 03:27:47 AM »
Thanks mykeal, I'll checkout VTI, and also probably Dixie GW .Along with the bolt I'd like to get a good how to book, and maybe even a how to DVD.Does anyone know of a good DVD on gunsmithing these type of guns? I'd like to invest the money I would otherwise spend at the gunsmith on expanding my own smithing abilities.
Regards, Mark
What will you say on Judgement Day?

The BANKERS win every war.

When gardening for food is outlawed, I'll BE an outlaw.

Offline mykeal

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Re: Worn Bolt
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2007, 12:30:04 AM »
Quote
Does anyone know of a good DVD on gunsmithing these type of guns?

Now that's a damn good question. I've not come across one, even a bad one.

The best reference on assembling/disassembling one of these guns is the sticky note at the top of this forums. As far as the more esoteric subject of refining, repairing and adjusting the action parts, one is probably best served by searching this and other forums, or by just asking the question. The graybeards are always into helping. You might consider expanding your internet reference material with:
http://www.thehighroad.org/index.php
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=6
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showforum.php?fid/19/