Remove the wedge screw, drive in the wedge. Is the cylinder locked up? You have a short arbor. That's the test.
Thank you all for the advice. Here's what I did.
Once the barrel was seated the cylinder gap was down to about .01, with the wedge screw out and the wedge hammered all the way in.
It sounds like the pistol is coming along better.
I only have 4 years experience with Pietta 1851 Navy type .36 pistols, and a lot of you folks have a
lot more experience than I do. I just have one observation/question:
Many used replica C&B pistols I see on GB have good slots on the frame screws. The most damaged screw slot is the wedge screw.
IMO, one should
never have to remove the wedge screw during any cleaning/maintenance routines. The sole purpose of this screw is to catch the lip of the wedge spring when removing the barrel from the frame, capturing it in the barrel lug. If one wants to remove the wedge from the lug in this position, all one has to do is lift up the wedge on the left side and wiggle slightly. To replace it after maintenance, just reverse the procedure.
Since mine are Piettas with the sufficiently correct arbor length, I have slightly fitted the wedge (cylinder side) for a thumb-press fit just so the wedge spring lip barely protrudes on the right side of the barrel lug. I have 3 newer Pietta 1851 Navy type .36 pistols that I can swap barrels, cylinders, and frames, and all have an approximate .002" cylinder/barrel gap no matter the combination, but I do keep the original wedge with the original barrel.
I can understand why talented pistol smiths would do that when repairing a gun, but that is a different story it seems.
If I am wrong here, I am all eyes/ears for rebuttals/corrections.
LP, hope it all works out for you, sir.
Regards,
Jim