Got my tools, ready to disassemble, any words of warning?

Bunk · Feb 21, 2023

SOLANCO said:
Two items I have found helpful:
A gun cleaning mat. It protects my table top and the gun. Also, small parts don't bounce or roll around on it.
A magnetic bowl for small parts. It has a weighted bottom which keeps it stable and tip free.

Personally I use the back of a magnetic sign to work over. It is better to have a "where did that come from" moment than a "where did that go" moment.
Experience here talking. Shag rugs and dust bunnies eat small parts.
Have a bunch of small boxes and put parts in them in the order of disassembly. keep parts and screws with the part. Be careful and take pictures as you go to see how things go back together
Go to the web site of Duelist 1954 he has videos showing how to do all this.
It is not a complex mechanism it is 1847 technology. Good luck
Respectfully
Bunk.

user 48679 · Feb 21, 2023

IME, C&B revolvers are fairly easy to dis & re assemble, but one can also scrounge around for a side of a cardboard box, then sketch a pencil outline of the gun on it before disassembly.

When a part is removed, place it on the outline/cardboard near it's original position for re-assembly reference.

FishDFly · Feb 21, 2023

Bunk said:
Personally I use the back of a magnetic sign to work over. It is better to have a "where did that come from" moment than a "where did that go" moment.
Experience here talking. Shag rugs and dust bunnies eat small parts.
Have a bunch of small boxes and put parts in them in the order of disassembly. keep parts and screws with the part. Be careful and take pictures as you go to see how things go back together
Go to the web site of Duelist 1954 he has videos showing how to do all this.
It is not a complex mechanism it is 1847 technology. Good luck
Respectfully
Bunk.

"Go to the web site of Duelist 1954 he has videos showing how to do all this."

One of the learnings from videos is put the screw back where it came from so you do not have to figure it out later. Makes re-assembly much easier and less stressful.

Blitz · Feb 21, 2023

Old-Duckman said:
All good suggestions. I learned to always place a large bath towel on my lap when I am disassembling any firearm.

You would be amazed what path a dropped part can take once it hits the floor. I've had parts not hit the floor and end up in my shoe and I must admit there have been parts that went into another dimension...I know they did because they seemed to no longer exist in this one!

Amen.
Buzz

david w · Feb 21, 2023

Small parts fly the farthest!

TDM · Feb 21, 2023

david w said:
Small parts fly the farthest!

I keep one of those telescoping antennae magnets handy to grid search the floor.

SDSmlf · Feb 22, 2023

nine7one said:
Well, I got all my basic gunsmithing tools and I'm ready to take apart my new 44 cal Pietta 1851 Navy to learn what makes it tick. I still plan to send it to a real gunsmith to smooth out the terrible action and make a few other adjustments I want. I know my way around non black powder handguns, but the work this one needs are way beyond my ability and comfort level for me to even attempt them.

Before I start taking mine apart I just wanted to check in here to see if there are any things I should avoid doing or require more than the basic gunsmithing tools I purchased. Thanks in advance for any assistance! David

My suggestion, before you loosen the first screw, is to get an exploded view with disassembly/assembly instructions from a reputable source of the gun you are dealing with. Did a 10 second search for an 1851 exploded view and this popped up. Imagine assembly instructions would be easy to locate. Print them out and add your annotations, then save with the info on the particular gun, though at some point, disassembly/assembly will become second nature and instructions will not be necessary.

To carry my observation a bit farther, for modern guns I have copies of the various editions of the NRA’s two volume firearm assembly books. I have at least the first three editions (would have to check to be sure), with the older copies having many more grease and smudge marks in them. Folks think I a genius because I can take apart and reassemble about any gun. I am definitely not a genius, but I can read and follow pictures, and when given time, most mechanical devices are not that difficult to figure out.

And with a flat surface, some fine wet/dry sandpaper and honing stones, you can smooth up most any replica handgun or rifle action, although, I would recommend staying away from a Patterson revolver until you have some experience with some less complicated examples.

SOLANCO · Feb 22, 2023

Be realistic about your wants and needs. There is a difference between field stripping and disassembly. As a child I took a clock apart. Far as I know, that clock is still in pieces. I will field strip a firearm for cleaning/maintenance. But I am not tearing it down to individual pieces. The exceptions being an unmentionable bolt assembly or magazine. Certainly, I will not take a revolver down to component parts. I am 75 with age related eye disease and 5 thumbs per hand. I would wind up taking the revolver parts in a bucket to a gun smith.

Bunk · Feb 22, 2023

SOLANCO said:
Be realistic about your wants and needs. There is a difference between field stripping and disassembly. As a child I took a clock apart. Far as I know, that clock is still in pieces. I will field strip a firearm for cleaning/maintenance. But I am not tearing it down to individual pieces. The exceptions being an unmentionable bolt assembly or magazine. Certainly, I will not take a revolver down to component parts. I am 75 with age related eye disease and 5 thumbs per hand. I would wind up taking the revolver parts in a bucket to a gun smith.

And I am 92 with bad eyes and a pacemaker but I can take an open top Colt down to a stripped frame.clean and oil it and have it back together in about an hour (not counting bath room breaks).
Percussion guns get pretty nasty inside and do need a complete tear down every seventy five to one hundred rounds.
I started shooting these things back in the early 50's and had an expert for a teacher.
But you do what you think best I am going to go shoot my Sharps carbine.
Respectfully
Bunk

Loyalist Dave · Feb 22, 2023

Campbell said:
Yeah, a cheap little magnetic bowl from Harbor Freight - very convenient

YES...., I have several sizes for different size projects...

Pittsburg Automotive Magnetic Parts Holder

AND I also have a "magnet tool" so that IF something steel or iron drops and doesn't get grabbed by the bowl..., I can find it. Like if my high magnifying "reading glasses" that I need to look at tiny parts up close drops off and bounces under the bench....

Magnetic Retrieving Tool

LD

bronko220002 · Feb 22, 2023

Take lots of pics with your phone as you progress with disassembly and do it on a white sheet on your work bench. Be very careful of "flying" screws.

waksupi · Feb 22, 2023

I disassemble things with small parts over a tupperware bin. Saves a lot of crawling around on the floor looking for parts.

LME · Feb 22, 2023

sheriff john said:
Don't do it in a room with a shag carpet. Once disassembled, unless you reassemble in a short time, it's sometimes hard to remember what order to put the pieces back. Phil Coffins reassembled mine that I'd taken apart maybe 20 years earlier. Thanks again, "Phil".

Some things go back differently than the way they were taken apart.

rhart · Feb 22, 2023

My technique is to have all tools handy, find the videos (with the best views of the internal parts of special interest) for the assy/disassy of the gun I'm working on, have each/all video(s) queued up and ready to go on the 'puter, watch/pause as needed and go to town until finished. Helps to have a small laptop you can take to your workspace. Take your time and take deep breathes and short breaks as needed to fend off frustration.

Pierre009 · Feb 22, 2023

SOLANCO said:
Two items I have found helpful:
A gun cleaning mat. It protects my table top and the gun. Also, small parts don't bounce or roll around on it.
A magnetic bowl for small parts. It has a weighted bottom which keeps it stable and tip free.
Edit: Good lighting plus a penlight. And a magnifying glass. Cel phone for camera. Notebook and pencil.

Plus a large magnetic pick up magnet is very useful

FishDFly · Feb 22, 2023

Large beats small.

ord sgt · Feb 22, 2023

On my work bench, I made some cuts in the wood under the table top. I made the cuts wide enough and just deep enough for a "Jewlers drawer". It's a thin drawer with a white cloth stretched across it. It's there to catch any small screws, washers and any other little parts that want to go missing during a disassembly or reassembly process. I also have magnetic base cups and a soft mat.

Clint Meier · Feb 22, 2023

I used to manage a large camera store in Colorado with an in-house camera repair department. The technicians used the bottoms of egg cartons and placed the parts in the individual partitions as things came apart. It made reassembly in reverse order much easier.

BP Addict · Feb 22, 2023

SOLANCO said:
Two items I have found helpful:
A gun cleaning mat. It protects my table top and the gun. Also, small parts don't bounce or roll around on it.
A magnetic bowl for small parts. It has a weighted bottom which keeps it stable and tip free.
Edit: Good lighting plus a penlight. And a magnifying glass. Cel phone for camera. Notebook and pencil.

Great Advice!!!!

Walt

nine7one · Feb 22, 2023

Dale Allen Raby said:
The first complex mechanical device I ever took apart was a Japanese Minolta-16 II camera. I cleaned lots of dust and other crud out of it, lubed a few things with CLP and put the camera back together. In the end I had one part left over. Didn't seem to matter and 45 years later, the camera still works... when and if I can find film for it.

My suggestion is to put a video camera on a tripod and train it on your work area. If you can't figure something out, you can usually look at the video and figure it out. Also, don't work on a flimsy TV table! Years ago I took a Colt Model M17 revolver apart. Thumped the table by mistake and parts flew everywhere. Took me hours just to find all the little screws and other parts. A strong magnet was very helpful.

Another time a Sergeant Major who shall remain nameless kicked the table I and other soldiers were working on because one private was "sleeping". Again, parts flew everywhere. I grabbed a rifle barrel and started after the offending NCO, but got my feet tangled in the chair legs and stumbled long enough for me to get hold of my temper. Probably just as well.

bn

rhart said:
My technique is to have all tools handy, find the videos (with the best views of the internal parts of special interest) for the assy/disassy of the gun I'm working on, have each/all video(s) queued up and ready to go on the 'puter, watch/pause as needed and go to town until finished. Helps to have a small laptop you can take to your workspace. Take your time and take deep breathes and short breaks as needed to fend off frustration.

SDSmlf said:
My suggestion, before you loosen the first screw, is to get an exploded view with disassembly/assembly instructions from a reputable source of the gun you are dealing with. Did a 10 second search for an 1851 exploded view and this popped up. Imagine assembly instructions would be easy to locate. Print them out and add your annotations, then save with the info on the particular gun, though at some point, disassembly/assembly will become second nature and instructions will not be necessary.
View attachment 200515
To carry my observation a bit farther, for modern guns I have copies of the various editions of the NRA’s two volume firearm assembly books. I have at least the first three editions (would have to check to be sure), with the older copies having many more grease and smudge marks in them. Folks think I a genius because I can take apart and reassemble about any gun. I am definitely not a genius, but I can read and follow pictures, and when given time, most mechanical devices are not that difficult to figure out.

And with a flat surface, some fine wet/dry sandpaper and honing stones, you can smooth up most any replica handgun or rifle action, although, I would recommend staying away from a Patterson revolver until you have some experience with some less complicated examples.

The first thing I did after I read your post was make a full size print out of the diagram above. It's already helped me out quite a bit!

Got my tools, ready to disassemble, any words of warning?

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