I recently returned to Texas after being in England for 5 years. While I was gone I had let my brother-in-law use some of my guns, including my Pietta. When I got back I discovered that he had not cared for my pistol very well, and there are now 2 problems:
1) a light coat of rust in some patches on the barrel. In at least one place it looks like a rust "fingerprint", which you can make out in the 3rd photo.
What would you recommend for removing this rust layer? I am hesitant about sanding it, as that will likely strip the gun black off the metal, but if there is no other way then that is what I will do, and buy some gun black to refinish it.
2) The gun no longer "locks" at half cock. It will half cock fine and stay there, but now when you pull the trigger at half cock it will fire. It used to lock in that position and not fire. I am not sure what part of the pistol is broken or out of adjustment, but I did find this break down online:
http://www.vtigunparts.com/store/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=67&cat=Pietta+1858+Remington,+Tiro
Can anyone tell me which part of the pistol is supposed to keep it locked at half cock?
Hard to imagine I bought this thing more than 17 years ago from Cabela's, and it still shoots fine. Even harder to imagine I only paid about $100 for it, plus maybe $25 for the BP "shooting kit" they sold back then.
Anyway, thanks for looking at this, and hopefully someone can point me int he right direction
1) a light coat of rust in some patches on the barrel. In at least one place it looks like a rust "fingerprint", which you can make out in the 3rd photo.



What would you recommend for removing this rust layer? I am hesitant about sanding it, as that will likely strip the gun black off the metal, but if there is no other way then that is what I will do, and buy some gun black to refinish it.
2) The gun no longer "locks" at half cock. It will half cock fine and stay there, but now when you pull the trigger at half cock it will fire. It used to lock in that position and not fire. I am not sure what part of the pistol is broken or out of adjustment, but I did find this break down online:
http://www.vtigunparts.com/store/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=67&cat=Pietta+1858+Remington,+Tiro
Can anyone tell me which part of the pistol is supposed to keep it locked at half cock?
Hard to imagine I bought this thing more than 17 years ago from Cabela's, and it still shoots fine. Even harder to imagine I only paid about $100 for it, plus maybe $25 for the BP "shooting kit" they sold back then.
Anyway, thanks for looking at this, and hopefully someone can point me int he right direction