Stepped in it now…

[Tazman1602]

…..oh boy, I was warned.

45 years ago being young with small children I had a 44 mag I couldn’t afford to shoot. A mentor, “friend” introduced me to bullet casting and reloading because “it wouldn’t cost me that much….” That bugger LIED.

Now I have unexpectedly, despite I have a few wallhangers, gotten into BP. Just bought my first new revolver (I have a MONSTER 10””) or so barrel “oh lord I don’t know exactly what it is” 44 revolver I’ve cleaned up and been afraid to shoot.

I have now DOH….don’t know how to say it, dived deep into BP and have bought my first new Pietta 1860 44 revolver, Pietta 5.5” Sheriffs model. It_is_ROUGH. TRIGGER PULL NICE! Action is just rough.

Can I cycle and dry fire this to smooth it out as I did YEARS ago with with Rossi 92 rifles or will it hurt it?

Waiting for percussion caps and should I just shoot it to smooth things out? Oh my word guns are an addiction, big time..

I will, of course, disassemble, clean and lube but I see more in my future. Any BP advice appreciated…

Art

[HWooldridge]

Remove the nipples then you can dry fire.

[GregLaROCHE]

If what you mean by rough is tight, that’s good. You want a gun to wear in, not out.

[FLINTNFIRE]

Dryfire will deform nipples causing issues

[Tazman1602]

If what you mean by rough is tight, that’s good. You want a gun to wear in, not out.

Yes that’s the one, just very tight. I think the best course is to clean it thoroughly and shoot it a bunch. Used to have to do that with Rossi 92’s back in the day along with cycling the action as I sat in my chair and then use Steves Gunz spring kit.

Beautiful pistol though, out to look good in my Doc Holliday holster too. Thanks for all the advice guys..

Art

[Gtek]

If you are comfortable completely disassembling this is what I do to them once in pieces. 320-600 sandpaper or crocus. Bolt usually has very sharp 90 degree edges everywhere and if timing is good stay out of radius on right leg and off end of rear legs face dimensions. Break/soften/chamfer all edges including area that locks into cylinder, more so on leading edge. End of right fork that contacts hammer cam (only look at hammer cam) polish well the area behind radius cut to top tip and clean up inside edges of the fork. This type of cleaning up in my mind also hopefully removes little stress/machining fractures along edges maybe making it live a little longer. I also do top trigger area and hammer below frame line, these are hardened and do not sand easy but removing knife edge is goal. Inside frame where hand spring rides, cut popcicle stick to width and wrap over long strip and polish back wall. Break all the edges on hand and I also do the spring. Re-springing of trigger/bolt spring by either narrowing, shimming or replacing can really help also. In frame all internal edges broken including internal bolt window, flats with sandpaper wrapped over large popcicle stick and then all lubed and put all back together. Then the good chair and a TV show you can tolerate, grease in cylinder slot cuts and cock, squeeze, return hammer till your hand says it is time to stop. Then go get it noisy and dirty!

[dondiego]

If this is a used pistol and the nipples already show abuse, go ahead and dry fire but place an order for 6 new ones from Track of the Wolf. You'll want a set of spares around anyway.

[Tazman1602]

If you are comfortable completely disassembling this is what I do to them once in pieces. 320-600 sandpaper or crocus. Bolt usually has very sharp 90 degree edges everywhere and if timing is good stay out of radius on right leg and off end of rear legs face dimensions. Break/soften/chamfer all edges including area that locks into cylinder, more so on leading edge. End of right fork that contacts hammer cam (only look at hammer cam) polish well the area behind radius cut to top tip and clean up inside edges of the fork. This type of cleaning up in my mind also hopefully removes little stress/machining fractures along edges maybe making it live a little longer. I also do top trigger area and hammer below frame line, these are hardened and do not sand easy but removing knife edge is goal. Inside frame where hand spring rides, cut popcicle stick to width and wrap over long strip and polish back wall. Break all the edges on hand and I also do the spring. Re-springing of trigger/bolt spring by either narrowing, shimming or replacing can really help also. In frame all internal edges broken including internal bolt window, flats with sandpaper wrapped over large popcicle stick and then all lubed and put all back together. Then the good chair and a TV show you can tolerate, grease in cylinder slot cuts and cock, squeeze, return hammer till your hand says it is time to stop. Then go get it noisy and dirty!

Thank Gtec, I am completely comfortable doing that and willco. Was planning a full disassemble in the first place, I’ve had a great many rifles/pistols non black powder I’ve had to do this to.

I also just ordered a few jugs of triple seven to try with this.

Many Thanks,

Art

[Maven]

Maybe learn how to disassemble the guns, look for burrs or metal shavings, even spent cap fragments and then gently polish those surfaces. Also, while I like TOW's offerings, I'd go with Slix Shot replacement nipples (Badman Products) myself. (You won't be sorry!)

[SSGOldfart]

Check out www.geojohn.org :bigsmyl2:

[dondiego]

Maybe learn how to disassemble the guns, look for burrs or metal shavings, even spent cap fragments and then gently polish those surfaces. Also, while I like TOW's offerings, I'd go with Slix Shot replacement nipples (Badman Products) myself. (You won't be sorry!)

I agree with the Slix Shot nipples. I thought that Track carried them.

[Hellgate]

You might want to see if the mainspring tension screw is functional. It is on my Uberti Remingtons and all I needed to do was back it all the way out and then give it 1/4 turn once it touched the mainspring and the action was considerably lightened. I'm talking about the little screw on the front of the grip frame. Screwing it in further will increase the strength of the hammer fall to prevent hammer blowback with heavy loads. I have found that the hammer face deforms before the nipples mushroom if I accidently drop it on an uncapped nipple. Again, I'm referring to Ubertis. The Pietta Remmies I owned many years ago did not have functioning tension screws but the newer ones might be functional as I've heard the newer guns are superior to the older Piettas.

[Sixgun Symphony]

This might help.


https://youtu.be/4g5Qfo-yFq0

[Sixgun Symphony]

Get this book (https://www.amazon.com/Black-Powder-Hobby-Gunsmithing-Fadala/dp/087349153X/ref=pd_sbs_1/139-4038889-8954525?pd_rd_w=pefA4&pf_rd_p=690958f6-2825-419e-9c16-73ffd4055b65&pf_rd_r=7D3AVYQN5FFCYHRM6EJ9&pd_rd_r=c824e49e-cc85-4d00-9715-ba8c464170a1&pd_rd_wg=tpVAb&pd_rd_i=087349153X&psc=1)

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