Large cylinder gap

[Indian Outlaw]

I have an 1860 Army with a .011 cylinder gap. It's not unshootable but I'd be happier with .006 inches. Can it be reduced or am I stuck with it?

[Coffinmaker]

Depends on how much money you want to spend.  There are a couple of ways to fix it, but you'll need a really talented machinist.  You can also try replacing the barrel, or in some cases, the cylinder. No promises with any. 
My next suggestion would be conicals instead of ball projectiles.
I'd either live with it or get a new 1860.

Coffinmaker

[Indian Outlaw]

I'd either live with it or get a new 1860.

Sad thing is, it *is* a new 1860. It's a Cimarron. Neither Uberti nor Cimarron thought to measure the gap. Or, they measured it and found it acceptable.    Lesson learned. Don't mailorder such a gun if you aren't allowed to return it.

So there is nothing I can try myself? Removing a few thousandths from the barrel, down where it meets the frame, will not help?

[Billy Bristol]

You might be able to remove some from the barrel at mounting area. But it would have to be done by a machinist who can bring it down evenly. Otherwise you may be shooting far right or far left. Also you will have to make sure the wedge will pull it back whatever amount you remove.

[Major 2]

Sad thing is, it *is* a new 1860. It's a Cimarron. Neither Uberti nor Cimarron thought to measure the gap. Or, they measured it and found it acceptable.    Lesson learned. Don't mailorder such a gun if you aren't allowed to return it.

So there is nothing I can try myself? Removing a few thousandths from the barrel, down where it meets the frame, will not help?

Why can't you return it ?   

[Abilene]

Sad thing is, it *is* a new 1860. It's a Cimarron. Neither Uberti nor Cimarron thought to measure the gap. Or, they measured it and found it acceptable.    Lesson learned. Don't mailorder such a gun if you aren't allowed to return it.

So there is nothing I can try myself? Removing a few thousandths from the barrel, down where it meets the frame, will not help?

If you have not fired the gun or otherwise messed with it, I believe you can return it.  If you have fired it, I would imagine you could send it in for warranty repair, although I don't know what gap they would consider acceptable.  (I'm assuming you have pushed in the wedge sufficiently).  Have you called them?

[Major 2]

If you have not fired the gun or otherwise messed with it, I believe you can return it.  If you have fired it, I would imagine you could send it in for warranty repair, although I don't know what gap they would consider acceptable.  (I'm assuming you have pushed in the wedge sufficiently).  Have you called them?

That's what I was thinking ...he said " ...Sad thing is, it *is* a new 1860. It's a Cimarron."

[flyingcollie]

In theory, the cylinder gap is set by the axle pin length. The wedge should draw the barrel up to where the axle pin bottoms in the barrel, wiithout having to drive it in all the way.

In practice, most eye-talian repros have a short axle pin, and the cylinder gap can be "adjustable" depending on how far the wedge is driven in. I have a Uberti '61 Navy I've been shooting for over 40 years that can be "wedged" to the point where the cylinder won't turn . . .

Recently, I acquired another Uberti '61, the barrel wedge is a bit undersized, and does not "firm up" in the slot even when driven in all the way. If this is the case with your gun, probably the quickest fix for an undersized wedge is to sweat-solder a strip of shim stock to the wedge.

If, indeed, the axle pin bottoms in the barrel, you can file off the axle pin a bit far easier than you can face off the receiver, and set the cylinder gap that way . . . of course changes in the gap and the wedge position slightly changes the sight picture, but us'ns who shoot the open tops don't pay that no nevermind.

[Octagonal Barrel]

+1 for what flying collie said re: cylinder axle pin length (also called "arbor" length).  There is a series of articles on tuning a Pietta and Uberti colt-style guns by Pettifogger.  You can find them pretty easily by searching the internet.  They will give you a better understanding of the arbor length problem, along with instructions about how you can check your gun's arbor length yourself very easily and quickly, and a range of several good options for fixing the problem.  They are well illustrated with photos.  I highly recommend them.  You may find them encouraging.