Is there a proper

[litl rooster]

way to set the head space on the OT's and or any of the C&B revolvers? I know when the spacing is too tight the clyinder doesn't turn properly.  I recently was "plinking" with my OT's and found too many times I had to retap the round. I tighten the wedges (pushed them in) and the problem disappeared.
  I guess my question is when I clean them, is there a proper way of telling that they are set properly before I get to the range?

[Flint]

The minimum headspace is set by the height of the rachet teeth above the rear face of the cylinder, so with the cylinder pulled all the way to the rear, the space between the rear face of the cylinder and the breech is, or should about .060, or, with cartridge cases in place, about .006 inch.  With the endshake set, the headspace should not exceed .066/067.

When fitting a cylinder, the minimum headspace is set first, before the endshake is adjusted.  On the Opentop, the endshake should be no less than .001, and probably no more than .002 with the wedge properly set.  The endshake is set by adjusting the length of the gas ring, as it contacts the barrel lug and that will also set the cylinder gap.  If the cylinder is pinched between the barrel and the frame before the wedge is in it's proper place, the gas ring is too long.

The proper wedge position is to drive it in untill the retaining screw can just be turned to drop the uncut portion of the screw head into the wedge's pocket..  Then the wedge is eased back outward with a light tap until the screw head face touches the pocket wall.  The wedge should never be driven in further than that, as it will pinch the cylinder.  If the wedge is loose enough to push past that point with your thumb, it should be replaced with a new wedge.  See VTI gunparts for wedges.  If you forget to turn the screw before driving out the wedge, you will break the screw head, see VTI gunparts for replacement Opentop Wedge screws.

I reset my headspace and endshake on 45 Schofield cylinders I fitted to my 44 Opentops.  With the headspace set by adjusting the height of the rachet, there was excessive endshake, which allowed the cylinder to move forward too far, effectively increasing the headspace, and the firing pin could not reach the primer properly.  The shank of a 7/16" drill bit fit the opening in the gas ring tightly, so I used that as a mandrill and hammer stretched the gas ring in a small anvil with a small machinist's hammer to get in close.  I protected the face of the cylinder with masking tape, so the hammer could only hit the gas ring tube.  I was able to add enough extra length to the gas ring to reface it square and corrected the endshake to almost zero, and now they fire every time.

Headspace and endshake is much more critical on the Opentop or conversion (or any cartridge gun) than it is the cap & ball, as the cartridge case is positioned by the rear face of the cylinder, and excessive endshake will move the primer, or cap forward out of reach of the hammer or firing pin.  Driving in the wedge on the cap & ball will close the cylinder gap and pinch the cylinder, as well as mis-align the barrel vertically.  If the wedge is worn or crushed (common on a heavy loaded Walker or Dragoon), replace it.  If the nipples are too short, find longer cone nipples, or get shim washers to boost them up toward the hammer face.  Dry firing a cap & ball can cause mushroomed nipples and an indented hammer facem causing misfires.

[litl rooster]

Thanks Flint, I'll play with it the next couple of evenings and see what I come up with.  One of the 2 seems to be okay the other is off somewhere.<sort of like the owner/operator.