Cap and Ball

[DeanWinchester]

My first BP gun, a little cabela's pietta 44 caliber cap and ball revolver. I can't get te wedge out. Tapping it with a wood mallet won't budge it. Its on half cock with the ram loose. The little screw above it is out and it won't budge. Its a brand new gun. I know its something that will make me stupid.

[R.M.]

Don't feel bad. This is a common occurrence. It will come out.
What might work better would be a piece of brass. Be sure the gun is supported well, and give it a good swat with like I said, brass or aluminum. A slow hit with a heavy hammer will work better than a heavy hit from a little hammer.
They don't need to be in that tight, but however they do it from the factory by machine maybe.

[David LaPell]

What I used to use was a rubber wrapped hex tip for a screwdriver. This fit on the wedge perfectly. All you should need is a couple of taps and it should come out this way. When putting it back in, you dont need the wedge hammered in supertight. The more it is tapped in the harder the action will be to work. I had an 1860 Army and the wedge was in not that far and I shot hundreds of rounds out of it. The screw does not need to be taken out to have the wedge removed.

[eljefe]

That is a common problem with Pietta revolvers.
We have had to lightly stone or file the sides of
the wedge to get it to easily pop out. The screw
is supposed to stay in, by the way, at least once
the wedge is fitted properly.

I like to take the barrel off and remove the cylinder
to charge with powder and ball. That requires a
wedge that is easy to pop out and back in.

To get it out, use a brass punch that only makes
contact with the wedge. Take care to not dislodge
the spring...a few light taps should do it.

[DeanWinchester]

Thank you guys.

[Wayne Smith]

Actually, if everything fits like it should, the screw catches the pin and prevents it's complete removal. That way you don't loose the pin.

[DeanWinchester]

It came out. A brass punch and a 3lb hammer. Laid it in my lap and one good thud.