• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

Shimming a Hammer

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Brutus09

32 Cal
Joined
Feb 23, 2022
Messages
19
Reaction score
19
I'm a proud new owner of an Uberti 1858 new model army in S/S and target sights. While going over the gun I see the hammer hits heavy on the left side of the frame. I've read many posts saying you put a shim on the hammer but I can't find a video of someone doing it. Also where does someone find the shims and what are some tips and tricks for installing them.
 
First remove grips and see that the hammer is riding center on the spring.
Remove spring or block it to take off pressure. Start by backing out the tension screw.
Shim can be made of a washer if it's thin enough.
Remove hammer screw and put shim in appropriate side.
 
The shim goes on the left side of the hammer and should not be so thick as to cause drag on the hammer. The shim can be made of most anything that you can cut and thin, if necessary, easily.
 
Thank you. I'll get brave and start by taking off the grips and see what it looks like. Then go from there. Is there a source for shims and what thickness should I start with?
 
I would use brass shim stock, brass shim stock , brass is soft and with a dab of oil will be a pretty fair bearing. Stainless might create galling. If you have a machine shop locally they just might comp you a piece.
Good luck!!!
Robby
 
I typically use a combination of feeler gauge blades (they already have a hole in them too!!). The thicker of the 2 (or if just using 1 ) goes on the left side. The reason the left side gets most of the attention is because the left bolt arm (which is usually much too thick) forces the hammer to the left as the cam passes by the bolt arm during hammer fall.

Mike
 
I use feeler gauges too, cheap ones when I can find them but they are getting expensive, sticker shock. My limited experience but I have found Piettas usually can get by without them but a Uberti will drag on the left recoil shield enough to slow the hammer fall somewhat.
 
Back
Top