Butt Screw

[Eutycus]

Reached for my ASM revolver yesterday and noticed the screw missing from the bottom of the butt. I'm pretty sure I put it "where I wouldn't forget it" when I last cleaned this gun and promptly forgot where. It's a brass framed 44. Is this a brass screw or brass coated steel? Can a replacement be purchased? And what harm would occur if this revolver was

shot without it?

 

[hawkeye2]

It's a blued steel screw. There is no standardization among manufacturers as to thread diameter and pitch which are of course metric so the same screw from another mfg. may or may not work. Since the mainspring is attached to the front strap it probably won't hurt anything to shoot it sans screw but I wouldn't make a habit of it.

 

[Eutycus]

Come to think of it I now recall seeing it as a blue steel screw . That's one of my questions taken care of, thank you.

 

[Zonie]

Shooting it might not cause a problem but, that missing screw that holds the rear grip strap to the front strap is there to keep the rear strap from bending when the gun is fired.

The wood grips are relying on the rear strap to keep them in position. Of course, your hand is gripping the wooden grips, so as the gun is fired and it tries to rotate upward and rearward during recoil, the wooden grip takes the force. This force tries to bend the rear grip strap and without the missing screw, it could be successful.

If you shoot the pistol without replacing the screw, I would recommend that you keep the powder loads light.

 

[Eutycus]

It being brass framed, light loads are just about all this gun gets.

 

[Eutycus]

I realize Hawkeye said a screw from another manufacturer may or may not fit, has anyone had any luck with "differant" screws fitting in okay?

 

[IdahoMatt]

Numrich gun parts has replacement screws for ASM revolvers. They also have dimensions available for most screws.

 

[Eutycus]

Is this the proper term "butt screw"? I got a chart for Colt Revolvers and this is what that particular screw is listed as.

 

[IdahoMatt]

VTI Gun Parts also provides a fair amount of replacement parts for ASM revolvers, although I feel like they tend to be on the pricier side.

 

[IdahoMatt]

@Eutycus , I believe that is called the mainspring screw.

 

[Eutycus]

I am fairly new to Cap and Ball Revolvers, what exactly does this screw accomplish? Is this the one that increases or decreases tension on the mainspring?

 

[IdahoMatt]

@Eutycus, It gives a third point of contact/attachment of the back-strap to the frame. Without it, the two back-strap screws next to the hammer are the only thing holding it together.

 

[Eutycus]

Gotcha , thanks

 

[IdahoMatt]

From what I can see on the ASM 1851 schematic the backstrap screws and the mainspring screw are all the same screw. Under either name, it should work.

 

[hawkeye2]

I realize Hawkeye said a screw from another manufacturer may or may not fit, has anyone had any luck with "differant" screws fitting in okay?

An occasional screw will fit. I just tried to replace some abused screws on a used Euroarms Navy with those from a Pietta and only the trigger and hammer screws would interchange. The grip/trigger guard screws will not interchange between Pietta and Uberti and so on. Wouldn't it be wonderful if every manufacturer listed the screw's diameter, pitch and length?

 

[Eutycus]

Before I get real desperate and call Numrich or VTI, I'm gonna look in a few places for my missing screw. Like I stated earlier I probably placed it in some place where I could easily locate it. Senior moment! Now it's missing.

 

[IdahoMatt]

Good call. I like to wait until I need a few things from a shop before I buy if possible, to avoid paying that flat rate shipping on something that weighs less than an ounce...

 

[Eutycus]

I feel it will show up, and I'll probably stumble across it. But I thought the same about my wife's car keys. They are still missing after 5 months.

 

[Zonie]

When I'm missing some small steel part, I get out an old 8" loudspeaker I have from back in the days of my interest in hi-fi. It has a large powerful magnet on the back of it. Held magnet side down and moved around an area, it can suck little steel parts out of a shag rug or where ever it is hiding.

Dixie Gun Works shows a couple of different screws for the screw in that location. They call it a "Butt Screw".

follow the link

https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index/page/search?FullText=Butt+screw

 

[azmntman]

Is this the proper term "butt screw"? I got a chart for Colt Revolvers and this is what that particular screw is listed as.

Google it and let us know what you find