Issue with a Navy Arms 1851 Colt Navy...

[sean69]

I've got an issue with a Navy Arms 1851 Colt Navy revolver.

The bolt and trigger spring broke at one point and when I went to replace it I noticed that the bolt also had one of it's spring arms broken off [the outside one - it still functioned well enough without it!]

No problem, I ordered some parts from Marstar, but for Pietta. the bolt does not fit properly but I did get the trigger/bolt spring to work after a bit of fitting.

Again - no problem, I set it aside, broke down and ordered the correct bolt [and some spare trigger/bolt springs] from Numrich.

bolt fits - great! springs don't ~ oh well no biggee I have one that works & could make these work again with fitting.

No problem.

The problem showed up when I reassembled everything.

The hand [which wasn't replaced] now appears to advance the cylinder too far when fully cocked. The nipple will advance past the hammer by about 5mm - far enough that the hammer will hit the back of the cylinder and not the nipple [which is probably good because the chamber is no longer in line with the barrel [indexed?]]

So, pulling the hammer back to half #### seems fine, cylinder is free to move & won't rotate backwards

Pulling the hammer to full #### appears fine as well the notch and nipple line up

BUT

Pulling the hammer back for that little bit of play it was AFTER full #### advances the cylinder to about half way to the next chamber.

As best as I can tell the only thing moving that cylinder is the hand. Which was not replaced or modified.



Any thoughts as to what is going on here? Can the hand be put in backwards or something? It worked fine before [for several hundred rounds] though I did notice that the hand spring is weak.

-thanks
-sean

 

[rgbai]

The new bolt usually comes oversize to compensate for wear so the width may need to be filed slightly on the sides of the tab of the bolt where it goes in the cylinder.
try it first out of the gun to see if the bolts tab is going into the cylinder slots properly and compare it to your old one for fit.

 

[Waba]

It sounds like the bolt is not being tripped soon enough. The arm of the bolt that interacts with the cam on the hammer is likely a bit long, to allow for fitting/timing.

 

[BCRider]

If the bolt is too thick as mentioned and you're cocking the hammer fast the cylinder will "coast" past where it should stop. Try rotating the cylinder back onto the hand and if it moves then it's the bolt which is too thick to fit into the stop groove.

When you work the bolt down keep in mind that how you work it down will also affect the timing. In fact in these guns everything from the bolt to the hand to the sear and the final full #### position of the hammer affects the lockup timing of the cylinder.

 

[sean69]

Took it apart again & compared the new bolt to the old with a pair of calipers ... it's significantly thinner and the holes for the mounting pin are also much larger - it's a pretty sloppy fit on the pin.

I think as mentioned it must not be getting tripped soon enough when the hammer is all the way back as it will lock up correctly in the other positions.

arrgh.

 

[Skinny 1950]

If the old bolt was working try using it again,it only needs the one arm to engage the cam on the hammer (lay the bolt on a surface with the bolt on the left,the arm closest you is the one that is needed the other one is nice to have as it prevents side to side movement of the bolt when it is in the cylinder).

 

[Ruger1962]

I order most of my parts from the State side. The exchange rate and shipping is hurtful, but the places I deal with specialize in cap and ball. VTI gun pars, Dixie gun works or Track of the Wolf will ship most parts to Canada. Even with the exchange prices are reasonable. I have ordered parts for an old Gregorelli Uberti form VTI several times. They are extremely knowledgable in this field. They all have excellent web sites. Give it a try.

 

[sean69]

Am familiar with TOTW - but hadn't tried either of the other two . thanks!

 

[maliboy67]

The problem with the reproductions and most of the antiques is not all parts are a standard fit. Even if you order from somewhere else. You may not only have to thin the bolt locking lug down but file the bolt where the locking lug protrudes to make it stick out of the frame farther. I had to do that to an 1851 navy and I got a spare cylinder for a Remington new army that was very slightly smaller in diameter and had to modify the cylinder locking bolt slightly to work with both cylinders. Good luck, take your time and you will get things to fit properly.