Recoil plate on original Colt 1873 SAA's.

[Skinny 1950]

I recently bought a Great Western Arms Single Action .45 Colt which was made in 1954, when I got it my first impression was that it had been shot very little, turns out it has been shot a lot. The problem is with the recoil shield shown in the picture: when fired is seems that the primer blows back and takes on the concave shape of the worn shield and when I try to index the cylinder for the next shot the now protruding primer drags on the frame. This is not a minor annoyance it is a full blown jam and makes shooting the gun very difficult.
I am wondering if original Colt SAA,s had the same set up for the recoil shield, I have a Uberti Cattleman and it doesn't have one.
The gun is worth the effort as it is very solid and a straight shooter....best group ever.

 

[dingus]

That is a simlar set up to orignal SAA colts if it were mine id just drive that one out from the back with a punch then put in a new hardened bushing.
looking at that one you have it must not be hardened bushing like the SAA colt ones have. ive had 130 year old colts that were shot way more than that gun and all that happens to there bushings is the hole can get abit bigger but i never seen one sink in like that.

Try and get a new hardened one to replace that one.

 

[vagrantviking]

Certainly looks worth some effort! Nice gun.

I would agree with Dingus that it shouldn't be too difficult to replace the bushing. Not sure how that one goes together exactly but I've seen a few guns that didn't have a bushing to start get drilled out and one threaded or soldered into place.

 

[41 Colt]

ive had 130 year old colts that were shot way more than that gun and all that happens to there bushings is the hole can get abit bigger but i never seen one sink in like that.

Try and get a new hardened one to replace that one.

Same here, the hole gets a little bigger and I've had one chip. I'll measure mine later so you can check that it's the same as the originals and I may have an extra one I can sell you. They are fitted with a tool that crimps along the perimeter, I made the tool because I had to replace a chipped one once.

I'm going to the range shortly but will check my stash after.

This is not a minor annoyance it is a full blown jam and makes shooting the gun very difficult.

This will also put extra wear on your hand & ratchet.

 

[41 Colt]

Okay, I have a few spares and can part with one, it's .329" or 21/64".

 

[Skinny 1950]

Thanks 41 Colt, I will try to knock the old one out to get an accurate measurement from the outside perimeter and PM you on Monday.