1849 arbor length

[ironcharlie]

I have just received a new Uberti 1849 pocket model. How do I determine if the arbor is the correct length?

 

[Tommygunn]

Get some tiny washers, and insert one into the arbor hole and assemble. If it closes repeat process with 2 washers, repeat as necessary.
Washers aren't the perfect solution. IIRC, it's 45 Dragoon who will fix the thing permanently. Some people use Bondo or similar to keep the washers in place and file to fit.

I've shot Uberti revolvers for 25 years that have this short arbor syndrome and they show no sign of a problem.
But it IS a real thing, and I suspect maybe people who shoot their revolvers heavily do have problems.
Keep in mind that despite having no problem in 25 years, my Ubertis have washers in there .... except one, which mysteriously seems well fitted. But that is the EXCEPTION.

 

[ShotgunDave]

Hopefully I can relate this without it being confusing. I saw this elsewhere and it seems to be a good indication of arbor length.

Remove the barrel and cylinder from the pistol. Now, put the barrel back on 90 degrees to how it should go on. Once the arbor is fully seated in the barrel, turn it down to meet frame. If the arbor is good, the lug at the bottom of the barrel, should just clear the frame and come to rest on the alignment pins. Like in this picture of mine.



If the arbor is short, the lug will come to rest on the frame and not touch the pins. I hope I explained that well!

 

[expat_alaska]

Hopefully I can relate this without it being confusing. I saw this elsewhere and it seems to be a good indication of arbor length.

Remove the barrel and cylinder from the pistol. Now, put the barrel back on 90 degrees to how it should go on. Once the arbor is fully seated in the barrel, turn it down to meet frame. If the arbor is good, the lug at the bottom of the barrel, should just clear the frame and come to rest on the alignment pins. Like in this picture of mine.

If the arbor is short, the lug will come to rest on the frame and not touch the pins. I hope I explained that well!

Dave, I am glad that you posted that as I was going to do the same. You have stated it very well. Even though I have a bunch of .002" shim washers for the 1851 Navy .36, most folks do not have a stash of shims as Tommygun suggested, even though you will need them if Dave's approach shows a short arbor to arbor recess. My source:

https://www.superiorwasher.com/washers/6/Shims.html

Regards,

Jim

 

[45 Dragoon]

The problem with Dave's ( Larson Pettifogger's ) test is that it isn't a reliable test. New revolvers from Uberti and Pietta won't allow the arbor to fully enter the barrel assy unless it's correctly oriented. Therefore, the shim or washer test is the definitive test.

Mike

 

[expat_alaska]

The problem with Dave's ( Larson Pettifogger's ) test is that it isn't a reliable test. New revolvers from Uberti and Pietta won't allow the arbor to fully enter the barrel assy unless it's correctly oriented.

Mike, why is that so?

 

[mh2000]

The arbor on the pockets have a shoulder that is wider so it jams in the hole before the arbor bottoms out. It will start loosening up pretty soon though. Washers are kind of a pain, but as long as you have a few spares in case you lose one, it's a super easy *fix*. Or maybe it won't matter much when you're shooting yours!

 

[45 Dragoon]

Jim, not sure why but it may have something to do with the operation of cutting the wedge slot. I haven't used that "test" though since I did my Dragoons (didn't work then either lol!!). So, it's never bothered me as to the why but more so the best way fix "their" problem. Just knowing it is short, it's a how thick of a disk will it take to correct. There doesn't seem to be a consistent measurement so each revolver gets a unique single S.S. disk or shim, permanently mounted in the barrel assy, and then the arbor is dressed to give a bbl / cyl clearance of .0025" - .003".

Any time you remove material from the end of the arbor, the wedge slot will get wider and will take more wedge to assemble. The adjustable wedge bearing is an excellent way to maintain your wedge position.

Mike

 

[ShotgunDave]

Well shoot, I thought I was helping. LOL! I hate passing along misinformation. I sure don't want to do that.

Thanks for clarifying things Mike.

 

[expat_alaska]

The problem with Dave's ( Larson Pettifogger's ) test is that it isn't a reliable test. New revolvers from Uberti and Pietta won't allow the arbor to fully enter the barrel assy unless it's correctly oriented. It may have something to do with the operation of cutting the wedge slot.

Mike

Mike, not that I ever doubt you, but I know it worked with my Pietta 1851 Navy CM date code (2014) years ago. Just to satisfy my curiosity I tried it again this morning and it still works. I tried it with my other Pietta Navies [CN (2015), CP (2016), and CT (2018)] and it does not work! I substituted the barrels from the post 2014 guns on the CM arbor and it works. I substituted the CM barrel on the post 2014 arbors and it did not work without a lot of effort.

My conclusion is that Pietta changed more things with the post 2014 guns than just the grip profile, as you stated about the arbors.

Jim

 

[45 Dragoon]

Thanks Jim and I agree, the 1995 ASM that I worked on the last couple of days is 1995 vintage and it didn't want to do the test either. About half of what I get to work on is new, some slightly used and some half worn out (these bring out the "creative" side of me !!)
So, rather than "check to see" , I just dress down a new insert and fit it.

Thanks again,
Mike