Accurizing 2nd Generation Colt 51 Navies

[Dusty Morningwood]

Can someone recommend a good gunsmith who specialized in C&B revolvers?  Thinking of having my pair of 2nd Gen. 51 Navies modified to get decent accuracy out of them.  Since I shoot 'em, they are no longer collectables.

[St. George]

There really isn't a whole helluva lot you can 'do' to a revolver whose rear sight is a notch on the hammer, and whose barrel's held in place by a wedge.

A trigger job and a de-burring will surely benefit the overall 'feel' of the piece - but you can do that, if you're careful and take your time.

The percussion Colts were often shot by instinct - rather than by deliberate aim - hence the importance of balance.

Try de-burring and smoothing where indicated - and then - figure out a 'very' consistent load.

That consistency should bring rewards of increased accuracy.

Another thing that may help is a new pair of one-piece 'faux Ivory' grips.

They're heavier than the walnut - as were original Ivories - and may give you something by way of improved handling characteristics by giving you weight at the rear of the piece.

Good Luck.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[River City John]

These are some things I did to improve my Leech & Rigdon, a copy of the '51 Colt.

I took a small triangular file and opened up the notch on the hammer to help give a better sight picture. Touched up with some cold blue. I disassembled the revolver into it's basic sub-assemblies, put the hammer on full cock and wrapped my hand around the housing with my thumb going underneath the hammer and pressing down into that gap created between the inside hammer curve and across the back of the recoil sheild. This helped support the hammer and take some of the pressure off the internals so that I wasn't transferring too much force. Then I went slowly with the file, making sure it was aligned straight and parallel to what the plane of the barrel would be.
Above procedure was only because I did not want to take it all apart to put the hammer in a vice. There wasn't that much to cut and it helped to visualize the angle of hold on the file when I was using it.

The L & R had a newer mainspring that Uberti has been using that was on the light side and was allowing some rebound of the hammer. Since I had an older production of one of Uberti's Open Tops that had a heavier mainspring, I just swapped them out. Perfect solution for both revolvers as the OT is easier to cock now yet still reliable in setting the cartridge primers off.

Then I changed out the nipples with Treso designed for #11 caps. They hold the cap tighter and have smaller aperatures that reduce blowback and cause spent caps to get into the works or fall on your skin.

Then I glued some abrasive paper onto a large tapered hardwood dowel and chamfered the cylinder mouths so that a lead ball is squeezed down when ramming home rather than shaving off a ring of lead. Still seals the chamber well.

Then play around with charges and cap combinations, as St. George mentioned.

RCJ