USFA Base Pin Bushings??

VoyPescado · July 18, 2018, 11:39:11 AM

Hey folks, had a question for the resident USFA aficionados that I can't seem to lock down an answer for after some pretty arduous googling! Just recently picked up a USFA SA premium of later production, and upon disassembly discovered that it didn't have the removable base pin bushing that my USFA Nettleton does. Question is, does anybody have a good read on which models and production date ranges incorporated the removable bushings and which ones didn't?
-Thanks

Dave T · July 19, 2018, 10:44:44 AM

You might give that a re-think and re-examination. One of the USFAs I have came with a very, very tight cylinder bushing. I eventually had to drive it out with a plastic dowel and mallet. Even now it is still tighter and harder to get out than the bushing on any of the other USFAs I have.

Dave

VoyPescado · July 19, 2018, 12:45:51 PM

Ha! Thanks Dave. The more I think about it the more I want to break it down and check it again. I'll post an update tomorrow!

Abilene · July 19, 2018, 02:19:18 PM

Ubertis used to be the same way. The bushing often had to be forced out the first time.

VoyPescado · July 19, 2018, 08:22:10 PM

Alright, upon closer inspection I've concluded that the bushing is in fact removable...but I use the term removable pretty lightly. That bad boy is in there! I'm not going to bother with removing it right this minute as the cylinder rotates and locks up flawlessly with no need to correct any endshake but wouldn't mind pulling it for cleaning purposes in the near future. May try the punch idea. But still a little curious about the question I posed earlier...did USFA ever offer guns with fixed bushings? Also, anyone else have issues adding images to their posts via iPhone? Was trying to throw up a few pictures of the new gun.

Dave T · July 20, 2018, 10:30:36 AM

As far as I know USFA never offered a single action with a fixed cylinder bushing. If someone knows more about this than I do I am happy to be corrected.

Dave

LonesomePigeon · July 20, 2018, 11:32:58 AM

I still just have the one USFA Custer Battlefield that I have posted about before. The cylinder bushing was tight but removeable, it has the serial number scratched in by hand. My only other SAA replica is a new Uberti Flattop Target, the cylinder bushing appears to be a separate part but it is in there really, really tight. I'm not sure it's meant to be removeable.

Coffinmaker · July 20, 2018, 02:00:24 PM

As a point of reference, cylinders with solid "bushings" obviously appear wait a solid protrusion at the front of the cylinder. Normally without any machining. Really really obvious the thing is not really a bushing, just a machined extension fo the cylinder. Looking at the star (ratchet) end, you will not see any form of "seam." Removable bushings will have a groove machined in front of the cylinder that is intended to deflect gun gas. Correctly fitted, the bushing will turn freely and smoothly in the cylinder.

I do not know of Andy USFA guns produced without removable bushings.

Abilene · July 20, 2018, 03:21:01 PM

Quote from: Coffinmaker on July 20, 2018, 02:00:24 PM
As a point of reference, cylinders with solid "bushings" obviously appear wait a solid protrusion at the front of the cylinder. Normally without any machining. Really really obvious the thing is not really a bushing, just a machined extension fo the cylinder. Looking at the star (ratchet) end, you will not see any form of "seam." Removable bushings will have a groove machined in front of the cylinder that is intended to deflect gun gas. Correctly fitted, the bushing will turn freely and smoothly in the cylinder.

I do not know of Andy USFA guns produced without removable bushings.

Well, mostly right. Some Colts (my brother's 1st gen 32-20 for example), have a shorter bushing that only goes halfway into the cylinder. So you don't see any seam in the rear of the cylinder.

VoyPescado · July 20, 2018, 04:31:42 PM

Thanks for all the info guys. And thanks for the detailed description of the fixed "bushing" cylinder coffinmaker. Had I an example of a gun without the removable bushing I guess I wouldn't have misread this one. Still going try to post a few pictures of the USFA for ya'll. Appears solidly all "U.S." and is serial numbered in the 23xxx's. Great looking gun. Been interesting comparing it to my early Italian Nettleton.