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Uberti NMA mainspring tension

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Rfp10000

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I have an Uberti Remington New Model Army. I also have some CCI 11 magnum percussion caps.
The CCI caps take a pretty strong hit from the hammer to fire. I adjusted the spring pressure to the maximum. In fact it’s to the point that the spring occasionally hops off the roller on the hammer.
Im wondering if anyone has this problem or found a fix.
Remington caps seem to go off with less pressure but I cannot find any for sale.
 
If the caps go off on a second strike it’s most likely that the caps aren’t fully seated on the nipples. Might try #10 caps. If you don’t have #10s buy some nipples for #11 or pull each nipple and twist them in some sandpaper until your #11s will fit. Your nipples could be beat up and flattened from use. I’d almost bet that is the issue and not the spring.
 
If #11 caps need double strikes to go off switching to smaller #10 caps will only make matters worse. I had a Ruger Old Army and the feller I got it from included some #10 caps. They simply would not go off on the first strike. I'd run them around once to seat the caps and the next time they'd fire never did one go off on the first strike but they always fired on the second strike. In my case a simple switch to #11 caps solved the problem.

New nipples likely is your best bet if you can't find better caps. Or try TreeMan's sandpaper fix.
 
Check that the main spring is straight. Even at max tension it shouldn't fall off the roller. If it's crooked it could be dragging and even at max hammer is not hitting hard enough.
If spring is straight make a pusher from wood dowel to push the cap to seat it.
Mag caps I have have a pleated skirt. I find the pleated skirt more difficult to seat.
 
Magnum caps have more priming compound. My (XXI) 1965 date coded EuroArms 1858 was designed to dry fire by having the hammer strike the frame but not the nipple cone. As a result the cones are short. #11 CCI caps would not fire no matter how many strikes of the hammer. CCI #11 Magnum caps fired every time. I would try #11 CCI or Winchester Magnum caps to see if the addition of extra priming compound would help. In most cases, if it requires two hammer falls for the cap to fire, the problem is with the nipple. Two solutions exist. 1. Turn the nipples so tht the tip of the cone is slightly less than 0.165" in diameter. 2. Replace the nipples with #11 sized and longer cones.

I replaced the nipples on my Remington with longer #11 cones and it now fires with every hammer fall on #11 RWS caps.
 
I will check spring position... I went from stock nipples to Treso 11s... I had the double strike issue with every CCI Mgnum cap while Remington’s fired fine.
So I tightened the mainspring more than I ever had & it has worked well.
The issue is that the spring is tightened to the point that it occasionally .. but rarely ...jumps off the roller on the hammer.
it’s workable at this point but yesterday I had to take the handles off to realign the spring ... one time in about 25 shots ...
I’m just a little skittish at tightening like this and if Remingtons ever come back I will get some ...I’ve never tried RWS so I don’t know if they fit or ignite easier than the CCIs ....
I was just curious if anyone experienced this or if there is a stronger spring etc ..
 
I used to keep the screw that increases tension on the mainspring with the head almost flush with the frame when using Remington caps.
To use the CCI MAGNUMS I need to screw it in much further. With the handles off I can see 2 to 3 rings of the screw threads that have passed through the frame . This works with the CCI caps.

I am curious how far in other Uberti Remington New Model Army 1858 owners set the mainspring tension screw.
 
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