Fixing a loose Colt arbor

[madcratebuilder]

Lets hear some different techniques of repairing a loose arbor.

The rear of the arbor has a tapered seat the contacts a taper in the recoil shield. You can machine the taper on the arbor so it seats tight with an additional half turn. Getting the wedge slot in the arbor in perfect perpendicular position takes careful measuring. This method moves the wedge slot back in relation to the barrel lug and shortens the arbor. Welding the arbor end, then refitting adds considerable labor, plus you need a lathe and welding equipment. I think this gives you the best repair, but requires the most in equipment and labor, I know most don't have a lathe and mig/tig welder in their shop.

I have drilled the pin at the rear of the recoil shield and tapped it for a set screw. If the threads in the frame are not damaged that seems to be a good fix.

Lets say you have a brass frame that the threads have been damaged. Has anyone used Devcon or possibly soft solder to fill any void in the threaded area?

Any other ideas lets hear them.

[missuramoss]

I'm glad you started this MCB...I've been readin some other posts on this subject and am tryin to absorb all and any info I can get on this. I bought the book..GUNSMITHING GUNS OF THE OLD WEST the other day and am reading about what they have to say about it. I'm kinda new at this home smithin gig, and have a few of the tools to do simple jobs...but a lathe and welder and other high dollar machines are just out of the question right now.

Anyways, I'm hopin ya get some good responses here.

[madcratebuilder]

Chicoine's book is a good one with a lot of information to absorb. Table top gunsmithing does not require a lot of tools, some quality screw drivers (tips) files, punches, a rawhide or plastic face hammer, small ball peen hammer, dial calipers and your pretty well equipped.

You'll find their are several techniques to achieve the same results. What works for one may not work for another.

Hopefully we can get some different ideas here and not a this way is better thing going on.

If you have not had a lot of metal fab experiences in the past buying a beat up brasser to practice on would be a good thing.