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Colt army & Navy wedges

Hansenw
As Mr. Colt designed them, the barrel wedges on my 2 Italian repro '51 Navies and my 1860 Army '44 have a spring that extends beyond the right side of the barrel lug, apparently to secure it in place. (I note that on the Patterson wedge there is no spring and that on the 1862 Police, Colt returned to the "springless" wedge This leads me to think that Colt decided the spring was not such a good idea.) In disassembly of my Navies over the years, I have managed to break off the wedge springs on both of them. It doesn't seem to matter much, except when you drive out the wedge it comes all the way out. Is there an approved method for driving out these wedges with springs? I use a wooden mallet and just whack it- this is how the springs were shed. How could I have prevented this??
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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • Hansenw
    Where are you Colt Percussion guys out there? it's been almost a month and no replies- hard to believe no one has any ideas on this subject.
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  • allen griggs
    I use a little wooden mallet to what the wedge on my Colt.
    So far, haven't broken that little spring.
    If it works ok without that spring then I would say you are ok.
    The most knowledgable cap and ball guy I know of is over on graybeardoutdoors.com
    Go to the cap and ball forum, ask for Gatofeo
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  • Blckhrn
    I have a Pietta .44 Army and I TAP the wedge loose with a Brass hammer, then remove it with my fingers. Haven't broken one yet.

    "You can build a man a fire and keep him warm for a couple hours or douse him with fuel oil and keep him warm the rest of his life"
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  • Blckhrn
    The spring is only to retain the wedge if it come loose. It will work without the spring as long as there is front to back tension on it.

    I'm pretty careful how i seat the wedge in mine, rotating the cyl. across all chambers and advancing it until one or two stick. Then I back it off a hair. This minimizes pressure loss when firing. Hold it up to a bright light and you'll see the gap disappear. Be sure you hear four clicks when you cock on all chambers and be sure it locks on each by testing the cylinder clockwise and counterclockwise.

    "You can build a man a fire and keep him warm for a couple hours or douse him with fuel oil and keep him warm the rest of his life"
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  • Old hickory
    I love the look and feel of Colt 1851/1860; but I hate the darn wedges! The Remington has a much better system.
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