Tricky Remmy Cylinder Insertion?

[arcticap]

I recently had trouble reinserting a Remington cylinder back into the frame after I had removed it with a veteran C&B'ers guidance. It even took the visually impaired but experienced C&B vendor a couple of minutes of fidgeting before he could reinstall the cylinder too.
What do you suppose made it so difficult to reinstall this SS Pietta cylinder even thought the hammer was supposedly in the proper position? (I noticed that the tip of the hand was sticking out just a little bit.)
Does reinstalling a Remmy cylinder routinely cause people this kind of difficulty?
It certainly seemed to be trickier than simply reinserting a single action revolver cylinder, and the negative experience probably discouraged me from considering to buy one ever again.

 

[Steve499]

I'm not sure what the 'rule' is for replacing Remington cylinders. With mine I have to play with the hammer a little as I do it. I start with the hammer down and start the bottom of the cylinder by putting a locking cut onto the protruding bolt in the bottom of the frame. Then I roll the cylinder inward using that bolt with bolt cut engagement as a pivot. When the cylinder contacts the hand, a little back travel of the hammer lets the hand retract enough for the cylinder to go the rest of the way in.


Steve

 

[mec]

One thing that helps if it gets kind of crosswise is to lower the hammer. This moves the hand down out of he way and you can push the cylinder out through the left side of the frame and start over again.

 

[DaveP (UK)]

I would ask:
From which side did you attempt to insert the cylinder?
I have noticed that many people seem to be naturally inclined to insert the cylinder from the left (hand) side of the frame. I certainly did, it just seemed to be a more comfortable way to hold things.
Then I read somewhere that it was easier to insert the cylinder from the other side. It felt strange, but the advantage is that the cylinder can be inserted further into the frame before having to deal with a hand or a bolt that may not be fully retracted. Now, when you raise or lower the hammer a tad to ease its passage the cylinder tends to slide easily into place.
I also found it tempting to hold the gun muzzle up while fiddling with it. Safe perhaps, but the cylinder pin tends to slide down a little...

I still normally insert from the left, but now I know what to do if I have an attack of "10 Thumbs Syndrome"

 

[arcticap]

It was the tip of the hand that interfered the most as I tried to insert it from the right side by "rolling it in". I did try the left side unsuccessfully too. I guess that I should have manipulated the hammer a little as suggested since the bolt was down.
Thanks for the help. For some reason I don't feel quite so bad about it now.

 

[Old Dragoon]

One more time.....
To remove the Remy cylinder.
Place pistol on Halfcock to drop the bolt. Drop the rammer lever and pull the pin. I trap the pin between the bbl and the rammer latch and hold the pisytol in my left hand(I'm right handed.) I roll the cylinder clockwise out the right site with my right hand.

Reinstalling the Remy cylinder.
Put or leave the pistol on Halfcock to drop the bolt. Roll the cylinder clockwise as you insert from the right. This will roll back the tip of the hand. align with the cylinder pin and push the pin home. close the rammer lever, lower or full cock, (depending if you are shooting or carrying), the hammer and you're good to go.

I have tried the "move the hammer a little" trick and could never get it to work the same way twice.

 

[Riot Earp]

Remingtons are a pain. Inserting from the right and rotating clockwise while the hammer is at half cock is the "Pale Rider" method. If you can do it, it's the best way, as there is no risk of gouging the cylinder with the bolt. Playing with the hammer might make insertion easier, but you will most likely produce a pockmarked cylinder eventually (those cylinders are soft). I turned a brand new cylinder into a mine field in about 40 seconds.

 

[BigBlock]

I had a little trouble getting the cylinder in too when I bought mine, but after a little while I got the hang of it. It's not something anybody can really explain to you, you just kind of have to play with it a little bit until you figure it out. I thought something was wrong at first too. Now I can change it in just a few seconds. It's certainly alot easier in and out than any colt.

 

[rifle]

Well, installing the cylinder by rolling it to move the hand kinda up and back out of the cylinders way gets easier as you practice. It takes a second or two once you get the hang of it. It doesn;t do it itself and you have to make it work by mechanical manipulation. Make it work by using your hands and fingers once you figure out the actual mechanical movements the parts should make. Once you get it down you could take your cylinder in and out more than 20 times in the time it takes me to type this.