1860 Army question

[Mad Dog Jack]

I just bought an Uberti version to occaisionally shoot with one of my Open Tops. Brought it home and tried to take the wedge out. Geeze Louise! Not at all like taking the wedge out of my OTs! It has some sort of spring thingy that latches on the far side, once out it's a PITA to get it back in I envision taking this apart a lot to load and clean. Do you back the screw out to force the wedge out? Are there replacement wedges to be done with that issue? I sure don't remember this issue from the last time I shot this type of gun in the late 70s, and yes, there IS stuff I have forgotten, just can't remember what. Anyway, let me know what ya'll do, and thanks...
MDJ

[Angel_Eyes]

Hi MDJ, the springy thing has always been in C&B Colts as far as I know and you don't have to remove the wedge completely to do routine cleaning.
Just pull it out until it catches the spring on the back of the securing screw and you should be able to remove the barrel from the action.
(I just love teaching Grannies to suck eggs)

Hope it helps, regards, UKshooter

[Major 2]

exactly right, the spring is designed to catch the screw and retain the wedge..
unlike the OT that requires the screw turned to the flat to unlock the wedge.

I use a wooden mallet , about $2.00 at the Grocery store in the houseware or seafood asile,
or arawhide mallet from a leather craft store
a plactic mallet also works tool dept. ...Home improvement or Hardware store

[Rusty Spurless]

 I use a plastic faced mallet.

A gentle rap knocks the wedge out & a similar rap puts the wedge back in on assembly.

[Mad Dog Jack]

Thanks, guys. CRS musta struck!

[Alabama]

The man that asks the questions , is the wise man . 
Better to be humble , than to be falsley proud of knowing it all .   
Everybody forgets , unless they are liers .

Sincerely, Alabama

PS. I have often thought about but never done a nice little Hammer thong or Frog for my holster rigs when I am out shooting my Colts ?
It would be a real simple operation making one out of leather and Brownells carries some really nice weighted small hammers with removable nylon heads too . Heavy and small , they would be absolutely perfect for that . Just a thought , I have one a day thats it and there it was.   

[Mad Dog Jack]

Oh, I can, and probably will, ask lots of questions. Asking directions... that's another thing .....
MDJ

[Alabama]

Ha ha ha , that's a good one Mad Dog Jack 
The only directions I ask for too is " where's your Black Powder Pistols in this store , please point me the right direction " ...

Alabama

[Black Powder]

I took a dremel to my wedge so I can now pop the wedge out without a hammer.  Before I did, though, I bought another wedge just in case it turned out to be a stupid idea. 

BP

[Flint]

The catch on the spring hooks on the inside of the screw head, so the wedge does not come all the way out.  THey are indeed a PITA to re-install if you knock them conpletely out of the gun, usually have to remove the screw to get the spring inserted again.

Be careful when you whack them with a mallet not to hit so hard as to completely drive the wedge out of the barrel.

The proper insertion is to have the spring's hook just snapped over the right edge of the barrel slot, no further or you can crimp the cylinder with the barrel and freeze the rotation.  If it's way too loose in that position, you need a new wedge.