Problem with Pietta Navy

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  • jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    I finally got to shoot my BP pistols Friday. As I was reassembling the Pietta Navy revolver the hammer wouldn't drop. So I disassembled it even more. Turns out the main spring snapped in half :mad54: Anyone have a line on a replacement? Anything specific I should get?
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,480
    Fairfax, VA

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    Thanks, gents. I'll call Taylor's and have them bring the spring with them since the show's going to be in a couple of weeks. May as well pick up some extra primers while I'm there.
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,480
    Fairfax, VA
    Piettas are also more prone to being lemons than Ubertis are. Probably a good idea to buy from a retailer who will take them back.
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    This particular Pietta is 10 years old and was purchased, with spiffy wood case, for $150 last month. When I took this one and my Pietta 1860 Army out on Friday, the Army did very well, no issues. The Navy wouldn't pop CCI caps on the first try. I guess this is why.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,733
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I have shot just about every model of BP reproduction since Val Forgett got me into the stuff in the sixties. While there was a time when Uberti had the best QC, for BP revolvers, but that time is past.

    Pietta reproductions today are better fitted and, more importantly, made closer to spec. I can change out parts on my Pietta's routinely and the revolver will function. Conversion cylinders will also drop in with no hand fitting.

    Uberti's on the other hand, have to be fitted if swapping parts.

    You don't have to believe me, just buy a few and try it for yourself.

    John
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    I ordered the spring and a couple of pins from VTI since they had both items in stock. They should ship out today, I may get them Saturday, which means I get to do some more BP shooting.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,733
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I ordered the spring and a couple of pins from VTI since they had both items in stock. They should ship out today, I may get them Saturday, which means I get to do some more BP shooting.

    Jim,

    Did you call or use the email check stock system? The reason I ask is that the last couple of times I "checked stock", no one ever got back to me. At that time I bought the stuff I needed from a guy on fleabay since I didn't know if VTI was having problems or what.

    Regards,

    John
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    I just put the order in. I got an email from someone there saying the pins I wanted were out of stock, and suggested two substitutes. I called them and got a live person, fixed the order, and the parts are on the way now.
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    Of course, between when I put the spring in the basket and when the order went through, it changed from the main spring to some pin that goes somewhere else :( I need to order two springs for my two Uberti Bisleys, so I have to order again, but still.
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    The spring came in the mail yesterday, and I managed to install it. However, it's not shaped correctly, so when I pull the hammer back, the hammer goes past where it's supposed to and pushes the hand up too far, which makes the cylinder shoot past the next round. Any ideas on a fix?
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,733
    Socialist State of Maryland
    Jim,

    The mainspring doesn't act as a stop of any kind. The cylinder rotation is stopped by the cylinder bolt, the little shiny piece coming up in the frame. The hand pushes the cylinder until the cylinder bolt comes up and locks the rotation. This is controlled by the legs on the bolt. As the hammer is pulled back, a ramp on the hammer causes the bolt to pull down and then the hand starts to move the cylinder around. When the ramp slips by the bolt leg, it jumps up to catch the cylinder notch. If the bolt engages too early, it causes rings to form from dragging on the cylinder.

    When the hand and bolt are adjusted properly, the cylinder will stop just as the hammer clears the full cock notch.

    It sounds like the timing is off on your revolver.

    Regards,

    John
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    Per information I received from another forum, I filed down the end of the main spring so it stopped rubbing on the hammer. Now the cylinder is not overshooting the next round. When the main spring was too long, it caused a hitch when I pulled the hammer back, screwing up the timing. Weird, but it's working now.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,733
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I just noticed that the last two triggers I got from VTI have shorter legs than my other guns. When you cock the hammer, your finger tends to rest on the point of the trigger and doesn't feel right. I bought them as spares some time ago and have no idea where the sales slip went. I guess I will take a chance and see if they have the longer versions now.

    John
     

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