Author Topic: Dry fire with 1858 Remington  (Read 1884 times)

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Offline brpc

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Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« on: October 29, 2009, 09:30:40 AM »
What method is there to do practice dry fire with this type revolver?  I thought about doing it with the cylinder removed, but the weight differance is dramatic and I'm not sure if this wouldn't harm the hammer.

Anyone have a solution?

Offline mcwoodduck

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Re: Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2009, 10:06:14 AM »
Get a 2nd set of nipples and use them.
Dry firing will hammer out the nipple and make it hard to get a cap on them.
Don't ask how I know   :-[

Offline coyotejoe

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Re: Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2009, 11:19:30 AM »
If your revolver is set up perfectly the hammer should bottom out in the frame recess a few thousandths short of touching the nipple.  But one can't expect perfection from a two hundred dollar revolver so the safest bet is to remove the nipples, which should be done every time you clean the gun anyhow.
The story of David & Goliath only demonstrates the superiority of ballistic projectiles over hand weapons, poor old Goliath never had a chance.

Offline madcratebuilder

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Re: Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2009, 04:04:33 AM »
What cj said.  Another thing to watch for on the Remmie replicas is the hammer not hitting the nipple square.  This is very prominent on the Pietta's, the hammer hits the top of the nipple and well peen it over very quick.

Offline Old No7

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Re: Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2009, 04:47:33 PM »
Not sure if this works on a Remmy...

...but for my 1861 Colt Navy, I cut thin strips of masking tape and build up many layers in the hammer slot -- enough to keep the hammer nose from hitting the nipples (maybe 1/16" thick?).  This works slick for me!

Previously, I had a rough Uberti, and by dry-firing it A LOT this way, the action really smoother up quite a bit.

Tight groups,

Old No7
"Freedom and the Second Amendment...  One cannot exist without the other."  © 2000 DTH

Offline El Gringo

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Re: Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2010, 12:27:00 PM »
Get a 2nd set of nipples and use them.
Dry firing will hammer out the nipple and make it hard to get a cap on them.
Don't ask how I know   :-[
So here's a question...
Would it be appropriate to stone the face of the hammer a bit at a time till it just makes the slightest contact with the nipples?

Please say 'yes' because I did it last night.

BTW I too need a new set of nipples. :-[

Offline mcwoodduck

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Re: Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2010, 12:44:10 PM »
UMMM
It's OK.  i had to mentaly picture a 58's hammer vs. the colt hammer that has a fang.
Depending on the make you should be able to order the spare nipples from the company you purchased the revolver from.
I got my 1858 and 1860 from Cabela's they use the same nipples and they are easy to order.  You just call customer service and tell them.
When we broke the hammer on my roomates 1858 brass frame.  I told Cabela's and they sent me a new hammer.  One my first try at gun smithing and installed the hammer.

Offline buffgun

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Re: Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2010, 12:50:12 PM »
take one of your nipples to  a auto parts store ( a real one not a box store ) and pick up six vacumme caps that fit snug ! you might want to pick up 12 as thay will wear out !  hope this helps   John

Offline Flint

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Re: Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2010, 05:55:23 PM »
El Gringo, yes, you can reshape the hammer nose, but make sure you match the angle of the nipple face.  If the hammer hits it high or low rather than square, you won't have reliable firing.
Flint, SASS 976, NRA Life

Offline stewswanson

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Re: Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2010, 07:36:27 AM »
Just put a small strip of leather in the notch. You will have to pull it and allow the hammer to bottom before recocking.
Stew

Offline El Gringo

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Re: Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2010, 11:21:32 AM »
Thanks for the replies. ;)

Offline coyotejoe

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Re: Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2010, 06:33:23 AM »
Get a 2nd set of nipples and use them.
Dry firing will hammer out the nipple and make it hard to get a cap on them.
Don't ask how I know   :-[
So here's a question...
Would it be appropriate to stone the face of the hammer a bit at a time till it just makes the slightest contact with the nipples?

Please say 'yes' because I did it last night.

BTW I too need a new set of nipples. :-[


YES, that is the way they really should be set up from the factory. However, your new nipples may not be exactly the same as the ones you are now using.
The story of David & Goliath only demonstrates the superiority of ballistic projectiles over hand weapons, poor old Goliath never had a chance.

Offline Flint

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Re: Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« Reply #12 on: January 22, 2010, 01:13:30 PM »
One note, if you have spare cylinders, or cylinders with different brands of nipples in them, check all of them for hammer reach, as a short nipple set, or deeper nipple wells (as in older Piettas) can affect the length you need for the hammer nose.  Fit it to the shortest (deepest) nipples, or that cylinder may not fire.
Flint, SASS 976, NRA Life

Offline BGRooster1

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Re: Dry fire with 1858 Remington
« Reply #13 on: January 22, 2010, 05:35:31 PM »
Get some rubber air hose,like that for a fish aquarium and cut yourself a bunch of nipple protectors.Will last a long long time and is inexpensive.You may have to experiment for length ,but when you get it right your golden.

If you have a St.Vincent de Paul or other second hand store.They sometimes have the tubing.