Pietta 1851 Navy wedge

[Elix1r]

Bought this 1851 navy with intentions of converting it to .38 special and the wedge is flat and doesnt seem to come out. Is this the wrong model or am i just doing it wrong? Does it come out?

 

[Phil Coffins]

You’re doing some thing wrong, it does come out. Try to wiggle it and use a brass or copper drift to help it along.

 

[CaptainKirk]

You’re doing some thing wrong, it does come out. Try to wiggle it and use a brass or copper drift to help it along.

...or, half of a wooden clothes pin.

 

[user 48679]

You might have to depress that little (locking?) tab in the end of the wedge while tapping it out.

 

[denster]

You are the victim of the notorious Luigi the Pietta gorilla wedge setter. Give it a small shot of oil then a sharp rap with a nylon or brass faced hammer and it will come out.

 

[tommygun]

it just takes a little practice.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The barrel wedge isn't necessarily going to come out using the fingers. As the others have said, use a nylon faced hammer to tap it out. Sometimes the wooden drift is needed. The tab is there to catch the screw on the other side of the barrel.

 

[wb78963]

you are going to have to reline the barrel to shoot .38 special in the Navy. There is a different bore diameter and .38's will rattle down the bore. Perhaps a modicum of accuracy might be achieved using hollow base hand cast bullets. See the Duelist1954 video on his '51 Navy conversion.
Good luck
Bunk

 

[wb78963]

View attachment 100496
Bought this 1851 navy with intentions of converting it to .38 special and the wedge is flat and doesnt seem to come out. Is this the wrong model or am i just doing it wrong? Does it come out?

here is some information it is NOT EASY

 

[Candymancan]

Not easy.. all my pietta have this issue.. all 5... unfortunatly.. my first two my 1851 navy have small dents in the metal when my brass punch slipped.

Which is another thing.. the steel on these guns is soft.. a brass punch shouldnt even ding solid steel but it did.. ao im not halpy i have nicks in the barrel near the wedge to knock it out.

I suggest you get a plastic hammer. And bash the manure out of it. That worked better with my other 3 piettas.

Once you knock it lose it became easier to get in an out. Like someone said Mario in Pietta in italy used a sledge hammer to pop the wedge in all the guns

 

[Elix1r]

Welp, ruined my gun trying to get it out. It looks terrible now and the thing still didnt budge. Not even with a metal hammer. I assume it just doesnt come out.. this must be a weird model or something.

 

[Candymancan]

Howed you ruin it ? Why did you use a metal hammer

 

[springfield art]

you are going to have to reline the barrel to shoot .38 special in the Navy. There is a different bore diameter and .38's will rattle down the bore. Perhaps a modicum of accuracy might be achieved using hollow base hand cast bullets. See the Duelist1954 video on his '51 Navy conversion.
Good luck
Bunk

I assume they make the bore diameter correct on the ones that are made and sold as ctg. shooters? The so-called "Conversion" versions as done in the 1870's?

 

[CVA Enthusiast]

I got an 1851, wedge clears barrel area and get hung on arbor, looks similar I have to push/pull the spring down with whatever thin I have around on hand I found tweezers that were broken already work awesome gotta push that spring by the catch.

 

[hawkeye2]

Welp, ruined my gun trying to get it out. It looks terrible now and the thing still didnt budge. Not even with a metal hammer. I assume it just doesnt come out.. this must be a weird model or something.

Could you show us photo of the damage and the wedge from both sides?

 

[hawkeye2]

I assume they make the bore diameter correct on the ones that are made and sold as ctg. shooters? The so-called "Conversion" versions as done in the 1870's?

Yes the factory "conversions" have the correct bore for .38 special and the C&B versions have a larger bore. There are several gunsmiths out there that will line the barrel to the correct size after conversion.