Uberti Pocket Issue

[Navy Six]

Took three guns to the range yesterday. Two were new, unfired Uberti Pockets('49 & '62 Pocket Navy). Both Pockets exhibited the same
issue--hammer blown back. In both cases the hammer was blown back to about where the safety notch would be-- if there was one--and stayed stuck in that position. Both guns still had the factory nipples(will change to slix-shots eventually) and caps were fresh Remington #10s. Here's the funny part. The 49 Pocket was fired with 12 grs FF Olde Enysford(forgot the FFF at home) and a 323 round ball. The first couple of fired caps stuck to the hammer face and I thought that was what caused the hammer to stick in position. The next shots the caps stayed on the nipples so I knew something else was happening. Then the 62 Navy did the same thing--but without any powder or ball! I was simply snapping caps to clear the nipples and the darn hammer was blown back in the same manner as the 49. Forgot to look if the cylinders were rotated at all. I disassembled and cleaned inside both guns prior to shooting and there was no apparent issue with large burs, etc., but the timing is off a bit on the 62--the bolt locks up a little before the trigger engages the full cock notch.
Not knocking the guns(still like them) but I'm glad I was in a good mood while this was going on. I'm thinking maybe a problem with the bolt leg on the hammer cam? Anyway, the hammer blowing back with no load--just snapping caps--is a new one on me.

[Lefty Dude]

In my humble opinion they have one use, Boat Anchors for model Boats.

[Gabriel Law]

I shoot my Uberti '49 Well's Fargo pocket pistol with both the c & b cylinder, and my cartridge conversion cylinder.  I have reduced the stiffness of the mainspring a bit to make cocking easier for my grandson, and do not get blowback whatsoever.  So I don't know why you are having issues?  Sorry - not much help I know.

[Galen]

Must have been made on a Monday.

[Navy Six]

The thing that gets me is I had two similar guns of the same configuration about 15 years ago. Neither was a problem.

[Coffinmaker]

I have no clue how you could get hammer blow-back and the cap stay on the nipple.  Makes no sense.  Weird.

As far as the caps sticking to the hammer face, that is caused by the sharp edges on the safety pin notch.  In addition, the caps may even stick with the edges eased and even with the hammer face polished.

I just finished work on an 1851 Uberti that exhibited hammer blow-back with the stock Uberti nipples and a reduced Main Spring.  After
switching to Slix nipples, the problem went away.  I don't like stock Uberti nipples.  Come to think of it, I don't like stock Ubertis.  Actually,
I don't really like Ubertis.

My first suggestion would be to replace the OEM Uberti nipples with Slix.  I don't remember if Uberti uses a different nipple on the little
guns.  I might add, the Blow-Back I experienced was with Cap only.  No powder nor ball.

Coffinmaker

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I have an Uberti 1862 Police. It takes the same nipples as the 1849 Pocket. (The last ones I bought were TRESOs.)

[Lefty Dude]

You can machine the OD collar of the slix shot cone to fit the Pocket revolvers. We chucked them in a drill press, and with a file custom fit the little devils to fit.
Much better than the factory nipples.
Then you must remove the sharp edges of the Hammer safety notch. I use a small taper stone in my Dremel.
They will still blow off, and jam up the works, with .07CC of APP.
We are still trying to get 100% reliability with a pair of 62 Uberti's.

I have been experimenting with a Rat-Rod 61/36 CVA Kit gun that I have. I rebuilt the piece and she is functioning and shooting properly. I left the Hammer face safety notch as is. Except I stoned the sharp edges. The Cylinder is a Pietta that I fitted to the piece, and installed Treso cones. This piece is 100% reliable, and will not suck Caps. I have shot the piece with 25 gr. of APP and no cap jams.
The cylinder to Barrel gap is .013". With a cap on a cone there is no play in the cylinder/barrel gap.
We are going to increase the gap of a 62 to .010" and see if this makes a difference with the caps jamming up the works.

[45 Dragoon]

Hey Lefty,

When the gun is fired, the cyl is driven back so your .010 and .013 bbl/cyl clearance is what it is regardless of the cap. Its been my experience that the smaller the clearance, the better the ignition (cylinder can't move "outta tha way).  Mine set at .002 seem to do fine and the gun stays cleaner as well as the cylinder not being a " slide hammer".

I will say that just recently I've noticed the nipples on some Piettas weren't allowing caps to "grab on" as normal. I don't know if Pietta changed vendors or CCI had some (even worse) bad caps.  Oh well, .  .  .  . 

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks

[Lefty Dude]

Yep, I guess you are right.

[Navy Six]

I will try to keep this brief but have done a lot of experimenting on the Pocket Navy, in between other projects (did two Uberti 1860/Kirst swaps--boy did they come out nice)
Anyway, after the usual initial stuff like cleaning up the action, setting the arbor to bottom out, cleaning up, polishing and removing sharp edges from the hammer safety notch, i went back to the range and still experienced cap sucking/jams. load wa 15 grs FFF Olde Enysford, .375 ball, lube wad, Rem #10 caps.
Had an extra packet of Slix-Shot nipples and turned down the shoulders to standard Uberti size--about .291/.292 so they would fit in the cylinders nipple well. Back to the range with more of the same results.
Back home again and took a new stock mainspring, cut it in half and installed it underneath the original spring so I now have one and a half springs. Had to slightly relieve the inside grip to clear the now "taller" mainspring screw. Installed the original Uberti nipples, maybe out of a little frustration.
Back to the range and here are some results, all with the above mentioned load except for different caps:
1)Rem # 10s--first 20 rounds with no jams
2)New Rem #11s--couple cap jams in 10 rounds
3)Old Rem #11s--couple cap jams in 10 rounds
4)Hy-Score#11s--every cap blew off and into the hammer channel. Don't even know where I got these things. Says made in Finland and they are larger in diameter but shorter in lenght than Rem # 10s.
5)Went back to load #1 and had two slight jams that easily cleared when cycling the action in another 20 rounds
I will go back and do a little more "clean up " on the hammer face, but so far the extra half mainspring along with the Rem # 10s has made the biggest difference. I may even re-instsall the Slix-Shots and see if it helps and if there is no improvement I can't see wasting them and will install in another gun. Too stubborn to quit!