Shade tree gunsmithing

[GunnyGene]

Discovered something today while doing a full tear down and cleaning of my old CVA Navy Colt. I noticed that several screws were a little loose, so after cleaning it all up and reassembling, the hammer was sticking. I'd tightened all the screws, but apparently the hammer pivot screw doesn't like being tight. Appears that it pulls the brass frame together and binds the hammer. Backed it off about 1/8th turn and all is good now.

Do y'all think this counts as "technical data" per the State Dept? :wink: I wouldn't want to get in trouble with them. :lol: :lol:

As a side note: 30gr. FFFg behind a .452 ball will yield about 600fps, and the trigger weight on this gun is around 2.5 lbs.

 

[nvbirdman]

That's not a navy Colt, it's an army Colt.

 

[don44]

That's not a navy Colt, it's an army Colt.

+1

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Yep, but the Army didn't have a brass frame.

Gunny I have a Ruger old flat top that will do the same thing. The screw doesn't even need to be that tight.

 

[GunnyGene]

That's not a navy Colt, it's an army Colt.

You're wrong. The engraving on the cyl. is sailing ships. And I have the paperwork from CVA which id's it as a 1861 Navy Colt in .44.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Gunny,
Not to get into a pissing contest with you over a replica shooter.
The Navy was 36 cal with a shorter barrel and a shorter grip frame like the 1873 Colt. The 1860 army was 44 cal with a 1/2" longer barrel and a grip frame similar to the Walker. It also has the sailing ship scene on the cylinder.
I have a Walker and a 1860 Army but no 1861 Navy to compare for you.

The Colt Model 1861 Navy cap & ball .36-caliber revolver was a six-shot, single-action percussion weapon produced by Colt's Manufacturing Company from 1861 until 1873. It incorporated the "creeping" or ratchet loading lever and round barrel of the .44-caliber Army Model of 1860 but had a barrel one half inch shorter, at 7.5 inches. Total production was 38,000 revolvers.

36 Cal 2nd Generation 1861 Navy. Notice the shorter barrel. When the Italians first started making the Replicas they were a combination of all types.

1861 Navy Shipped 1863.

1860 Army

 

[GunnyGene]

Jim you're right of course re: the original Navy Colt. Wish I had one. But I was talking about the CVA replica I own (and which my late father bought the kit in the mid '80's), specifically to do with the hammer pivot screw, and did not expect this to veer off into replicas vs. originals. It was sold as a .44 cal 1861 Navy Colt by CVA, so if anyone has an issue with that, I suggest they take it up with CVA, not me.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Right,
Like in my first post. I also have the same problem with my Flat Top. About all I can do is snug the screw. At first I thought the frame was cracked, but I see no indication of that. A big mystery. I just keep checking the loose screw in both the shooter and the shooter

 

[Fox Mike]

I have a CVA 1860 Army Colt reproduction in front of me as I type this. It is .44 cal. The Colt Navy was 36 cal and didn't have a stepped cylinder or engraving. CVA called their model a .44 navy but there wasn't actually any true Navies in .44
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_M1861_Navy

 

[GunnyGene]

I have a CVA 1860 Army Colt reproduction in front of me as I type this. It is .44 cal. The Colt Navy was 36 cal and didn't have a stepped cylinder or engraving. CVA called their model a .44 navy but there wasn't actually any true Navies in .44
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_M1861_Navy

That's already been pointed out (which I already knew anyway), and I don't care how close the damn thing is to the original Colt model. It's a fun shooter, and they coulda called it a Chiquita banana for all I care.

 

[SAJohn]

Here is my Colt 1860 Army 3rd generation.


The fit and finish is outstanding, actually better than my 2nd generation SAA.

 

[nvbirdman]

Now I'm sorry I started this whole thing.
Let's just agree that CVA was inaccurate and drop the subject right there.