Need Help. Broke my pistola

[Don Nix]

 i Have a couple of 1858 and after joining this group I have found that this a gathering of genuises on the Remington Revolver so I am certain some one here can help me.
Last week I decided to "antique" my pistols after reading  the posts here and they came out great and now look all of 100 yrs old.
The problem is that my oldest has always occasionally skipped a time or two and failed to turn the cylinder.
I figured it was the hand spring but I have never been able to get it out because the screw is siezed and I buggered the head up trying over the years to remove it.
Anyway, after working on the revovler last week I re assembled it and it was really bad and would only turn the cylinder if held muzzle down. I forgot to say that I once again had been jacking with it trying to remove it .
Yesterday I decided to apply a little heat and try again ,with no luck.
I finally took my Dremel and using a thin cutting disc cut the hand spring retaining screw off between the hand and the hammer.
After i got them out of the frame  I still cannot remove the screw.
I have tried to dril out the screw but I gave up as I was going to cause more damage.
Any way now I either need some one to tell me how to remove the cut off screw or tell me where the best place is to get a new Hammer assemblly amd hand assembly.
What I found after I got the hand out was that the hand was badly worn.
I forgot to mention that the pistol is a Navy Arms (uberti) 1858.
I tried Dixie gun works today because they listed a hammer for $15 but it turns out its for a Pietta and will require some fitting.
I tried VTI also but the hammers assm. seemed awful pricey almost $70. I thought that was a little high.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[Pettifogger]

I just checked the VTI site and the hammers are $48.00.  If you've already buggered up the old hammer by trying to drill out the hand screw $48.00 doesn't seem to bad.  The hammers seldom fail.  The hands are soft and the springs of poor quality.  So, once you get the old screw out or buy a new hammer get a couple of spare hands.

[Don Nix]

I mispoke on the price.
the hammer are $48 but with hand ,spring hammer roller ,pin and hand screw the total comes to $72.70.

The total at Dixie gun was $33.48 but I'm not sure the Pietta hammer would work.
  I guess I'll try Navy Arms tomorrow. Gotta try to save a dollar when I can.

[hellgate]

I haven't actually laid a Pietta & Uberti hammer on top of each other but I doubt they would "require some fitting". I would not be surprised they are way different. Do your best to get the right make of hammer. The hands, grips,  & cylinders don't interchange either and take major reshaping or machining to work.

[Flint]

The Pietta and Uberti hammers are NOT interchangable.  The price for a hammer,hand and spring are not going to go down as you wait, they are escalating fairly quickly. (especially the Pietta, which parts have recently more than doubled).  You are well advised to just go to VTI and buy what you need.

[Bull Schmitt]

Don,

Sent you a PM.

Bull Schmitt

[Daniel Nighteyes]

I haven't actually laid a Pietta & Uberti hammer on top of each other but I doubt they would "require some fitting". I would not be surprised they are way different. Do your best to get the right make of hammer. The hands, grips,  & cylinders don't interchange either and take major reshaping or machining to work.

It has been done (see Flint's response above), and they don't just "drop in".  There's a lot of work that has to be done.

The only "problem" with ordering a new hammer assembly from VTI is -- they're not always in stock.  VTI is at the mercy of Uberti in that regard.  I've been waiting for a R-M Conversion hammer assembly for several months now.

[Don Nix]

WEll,Thanks to Bull Schmitt ,My pistol is back together. Bull graciously offered to remove the stubborn screw and I sent him the hammer  and he fixed it right up.
I ordered a new hand assembly and hand screw from VTI and it came in todays mail.
I put everything together and now I have a new problem,
When I pujj the hammer to full cock slowly , the cylinder does not rotate completely. It likes just a tad locking up. If i rapidly pull the hammer as you would ,say as you bring it up to aiming position, the cylinder locks up perfectly, Its just when you casually pull the hammer back that the cylinder does not index properly.
Is there some way to adjust the timing.How  hard is it to do.
Thanks again Bull. I really appreciate your help.
Don

[Don Nix]

I found the answer to my own question,
I had set the oold hand assembly next to the one I just got from VTI and ut looked like a match. But the longer I studied the problem I decided to taer it down and look at everything again,
When I set the two hands together the problem was solved. The new hand is just a tad shorter than the old one.. It is also a bit thicker.
I also noticed that the spring on the  old assemlby was compressed so I bent it backwards and reaasembled the pistol using the Old hand assemblly.
This time it works like a charm. The very slight difference in length made the difference.
I wasnt able to check it untilnow because of the isse with the bound hand screw.
Now my question is why didnt the new hand assebly fit.
The 58 is an older Navy Arms and I was told that it was manufacturd by Uberti,But I have no way of knowing. Several years ago I broke a cylinder pin  and a laoding lever broke at the swivel screw.
I called Navy Arms and they sent me a new Cylinder pin and loading lever BUT the loading lever was just a tad too short also, It fits and works fine but it is a little loose when it is secured under the barrel. looks like it needs just a 32nd in longer  to fit snug like my other  navy arms 58 .
Could this  pistol be something other than uberti and how can I tell the difference.