ROA straighten a bent Base Pin ?

[CapnBall]

Got a new-to-me 1979-built ROA in Stainless.

Didn't realize until I got to 'know it' a bit, that the Base Pin is bent, making the rammer and lever feel sloppy loose and jiggly even when latched.

http://i58.tinypic.com/nwinmc.jpg

The bend is really only at the immediate join between the pin where it comes out of the Frame and joins the concave-milled area that fits close with the barrel profile, no bend in any part of the pin that the Cylinder rotates on.

Could this bend be bent back true? And if it is 're-bent' to where it should be, will the metal be weaker, or need some kind of tempering?

My first post - hello you y'all

I also have a Uberti Walker and 2nd Model Dragoon.

[tacfoley]

Got a new-to-me 1979-built ROA in Stainless.

Didn't realize until I got to 'know it' a bit, that the Base Pin is bent, making the rammer and lever feel sloppy loose and jiggly even when latched.

Could this bend be bent back true? And if it is 're-bent' to where it should be, will the metal be weaker, or need some kind of tempering?

Welcome to the forum [Mods, have I been here long anough to say that?]

This is where they ALL bend - it is the weakest part, after all. Yes, it can be straightened, but you'll need access to a lathe to do it properly.

1. Chuck it in the lathe with the base-end first, so that about 10mm of the pin is exposed BEHIND the cut-out.

2. Get a close-fitting piece of brass tubing about 25/30cm long and run it over the pin until it gets to the location of the bend.

3. VERY gently correct the bend - a very little amount at a time, and I mean a very little - no more than a couple of mm deflection at the end of the tubing.

4. When you think that you are done, place it in between two pieces of angle dural or similar in a large-jaw vice, and gradually rotate it and squeeze it.

Eventually it will be straight.

DO NOT TRY to 're-temper' it, it is NOT a type of s/s that likes to be locally heated the way that you might think. These parts are usually untempered, relying on their inherent material strength and resilience to resist wear, but not the highly localised stress of the kind that you imposed on it by bending. If it had been heat-treated or tempered in any way during the manufacturing process, it would have shattered rather than just bent.

Other folks will be along directly with more advice - take that which suits you best.

tac

[Turnup]

Happened to me shortly after I got my ROA

It was caused by ramming a ball with the locking cam in the unlocked position - my bad

I was at Bisley so I took it to Fultons. The gunsmith held it in a soft jaw vice (thin end down with the bend just clear of the vice jaw) and gently tapped it straight with a soft faced hammer, little bit at a time and removing from vice to check straightness after each tap. No heat treatment. I could have done it myself.

Has been fine ever since (more than 15 years).

Mine had a much more severe bend than appears in your photo, but not is the same place - mine was bent right on the semi-circular cut out for the cam lock - the pin is very thin there. I suppose that there is a chance it will break but the bend does not look to be very severe so should be OK.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT STRAIGHTEN IT TOO FAR AS THIS WILL VERY LIKELY CAUSE CRACKING.

[CapnBall]

Thanks folks, will try the tips above. Cheers!

Another Q. The Barrel-Cylinder Gap on my '79'er is 0.005" - Anyone advise what the gap is on younger ROA's ?

Can't wait to fire it, didn't get a nipple-wrench in the sale

[lostcat]

Gap of 0.003" is usual from my experience,any less and the fouling drags,0.005" shouldn't cause any problem,I hear of those that open the gap up to reduce binding and deepen the chambers to take more powder but there's no substitute for the right charge.
Also found CCI magnum 11 and the right nipple size for them to be important for 777,not so with BP and Pyro P is not worth trying imo.
Shoot it lots and don't be disappointed if it's not 6 in the black first time out.
Maybe try 6 caps to make sure they all go before loading.

[tacfoley]

there's no substitute for the right charge.

A shooting pal of mine uses his ROA to shoot hogs in NC, and stokes it up with as much as will fill the chamber, and compresses the charge with the rammer. Needless to say, he also shoots a conical bullet, at ranges of 20 yards or less [did I mention that he's crazy?]

Here in UK, shooting mine at 'charging paper', a good load is just 25gr of FFFg. The paper doesn't suffer, either.

tac

[tim56]

Just got back from the range with my 51/2" ROA, Haven't shot it for ages so was really nice to have a blast.
30 grns TS2 and a small scoop of semolina filler. Love it. Tim