Author Topic: Recommendations on a Good Gunsmith for Replica 1860 Army? (Read 990 times)

SoloKane · « **on:** August 09, 2004, 04:23:11 AM »

Can anyone recommend a good gunsmith that specializes on replica cap and ball revolvers? I have a Uberti 1860 Army that needs some tuning.

Thanks for any recommendations you can give!

Flint · « **Reply #1 on:** August 10, 2004, 09:16:37 AM »

Not a lot, if any gunsmiths really specialize in cap & ball tuning, but it is essentially the same as a SAA Colt, depending on what you need done. What is the problem with the gun? I can either help, do it, or recommend a smith.

SoloKane · « **Reply #2 on:** August 14, 2004, 01:35:20 PM »

I have a slight timing problem, where the cylinder lock-up block is hitting just outside the cylinder lands, and scraping of a thin bit of metal.

Flint · « **Reply #3 on:** August 15, 2004, 08:34:16 AM »

The timing might be reset fairly easily, if the problem is just the tension of the fork at the rear of the bolt. Remove the bolt and see if the rear "wings" are parallel or not. Preferred is a slight spreading of the forked wings to put tension against the hammer at the hammer's cam, this will prevent premature falloff as long as the cam is sharp and the rear surfaces of the bolt are not too worn.

Hold the bolt in a vise and take a screwdriver and carefully spread the wings a bit, do't break them. It is a lot more work to refit a new one. Also helping would be to reduce the bolt spring's tension with either a Wolff SAA spring or flattening it slightly in a vise. (careful, too much is easy to get).

Any gunsmith who can do Single Action Colts can properly do the job, the parts are essentially identical. New bolts can be had from VTIgunparts.com.

SoloKane · « **Reply #4 on:** August 17, 2004, 01:47:16 AM »

Flint, thanks for the advice! I'm learning that these guns are a tinkerer's dream. I'll try your suggestions.

Flint · « **Reply #5 on:** August 17, 2004, 05:40:43 AM »

A great book to get is "The Colt Single Action Revolvers A Shop Manual" by Jerry Kuhnhausen. Published and distributed by Heritage Gun Books.

It costs $30 something, but if it relates to SAA Colts or clones, repairing and tuning, or rebuilding as well as modifications, it's in there with illustrations and descriptions of all the variations, dimensions and repro makers. The internal workings of an 1851/60/61 cap & ball Colt are the same as the Peacemaker SAA except for the number of teeth on the pawl.