Cap and Ball Revolver Manufacturers

[Dr_B]

How many companies are currently making cap and ball revolvers? When I shop around on the net, I keep seeing guns available from Uberti and Pietta and really nothing else. I've see revolvers by other companies that seem to have stopped making them. I just got my first one, a Pietta 1851 Navy. If I want to buy another black powder revolver will I be limited to whatever Pietta and Uberti produce?

 

[Gatofeo]

Pretty much.
They're the two leading manufacturers for cap and ball revolvers you can purchase in the states, aside from the Ruger Old Army.
I've heard that a German firm makes cap and ball revolvers, but I"m unsure if it's still in business. Or ever was. Just one of those things I kept hearing, but couldn't verify.
Palmetto is, I believe, out of business. Its quality was -- to be kind -- less than desirable.
In the 1960s there were plenty of cap and ball revolver makers in Spain and Belgium too, but their production of such revolvers ceased in the 1980s and 1990s.
I wish someone would make stainless steel clones of the Colt Navies and Army. Colt offered them in the 1980s for a short while, with its second generation production. I saw a stainless steel 1851 and 1860 in a gun store in Tacoma, Washington about 1987. Wish to heck I'd bought one or both, but money was tight at the time.
Colt stopped offering its cap and ball revolvers in the late 1990s, leaving Uberti, Ruger and Pietta as the front-runners.
(Yes, I know that major parts were roughly made by Uberti, then shipped to the States for final finishing by Colt and its contractors. I know that. You don't have to mention it, I know it.)

 

[EljaySL]

Pedersoli makes a couple of them. I'm not sure how often you'll see them in the US but presumably you could get one special order.

There have been other makers over the years so if there's some historic model that isn't in current production chances are somebody's made a reproduction at some point. But really there were only so many cap and ball revolvers made. It was a transitional technology and only in use for so many years.

The big problem are things like, oh, the Paterson. There were a bunch of sub-models, and Uberti used to make some but don't anymore, and Pietta makes one of the versions and seems to only make them occasionally. So there will be times you can't get one for a couple of years, and then suddenly they're on the market again. But the whole time they're listed on the maker's website, because it's not officially out of production, they're just not making any at the moment. It's a little annoying but basically I'd make a list of any cap and ball revolvers you would like to have and as you get sales at Cabela's get those first and don't worry about the rare ones until you've exhausted the other options.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I have never handled one of these, but I have talked to two who have.

They both reported that Feinwerkbau makes the best cap and ball repro ever, in several ways better quality than the ROA, which is hard to imagine.

http://www.feinwerkbau.de/de/Sportwaffen/Schwarzpulverwaffen/Modell-History-II

 

[rcflint]

Both Uberti and Pietta make stainless steel Remingtons. Neither currently seem to offer Colt types in stainless.

 

[4speed]

Some of the America Remembers/U.S. Historical Society/American Historical Foundation's commemorative revolvers were made by Williamsburg Firearms Manufactory using Uberti parts. That's the reason there are no Italian proof marks or other manufacturers marks. There was also the Virginia Firearms Manufactory that made some of these commemoratives. Their makers mark is the Crown over V.* I believe also that Uberti made a belt model #2 Paterson set for them some years back. As far as anyone actually manufactering from scratch I don't think there are any but Pietta and Uberti.

* Credit this tidbit to Fingers McGee. I got this information from him a while back on a different forum.

 

[rondog]

Ruger still make them?

 

[Cosmoline]

Ruger is out of the Old Army business as of a few years ago I believe.

I've heard rumors that USFA was going to start making some high end C&B's but I never saw one materialize. I'm not sure what the hangup is.

 

[EljaySL]

Yeah, they stopped making them and prices have gotten a little out of hand but you can get a used one easily enough.

 

[Fingers McGee]

If I want to buy another black powder revolver will I be limited to whatever Pietta and Uberti produce?

If you want a currently made one the answer is yes.

On GunBroker & other auction sites, you can find NIB, slightly used, and well used examples of C&Bs that were made by Armi San Marco, Armi San Paolo(Euroarms), Palmetto, USFA, Colt (2nd Gen & Signature Series), BLG, PR, COM, Centennial (Centaure), High Standard, Ruger (ROA) and Pedersoli. Prices range from $150 to well over a grand, sometimes approaching 2.

 

[Dr_B]

Uh oh, I took it to the range for the first time today. Had so much fun, now I know I'm gonna have to get another black powder revolver.

 

[Mike OTDP]

Revolvers are currently made by Uberti, Pietta, Pedersoli, and Feinwerkbau.

 

[EljaySL]

And so it begins. I'd recommend either trying the 1858 design next to see if you prefer that versus the Colt pattern, or just stick with the Colt pattern and get a Walker or Dragoon. (Oh, who am I kidding, if you're going large just go with the Walker).

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I think there is another German company that makes a revolver as well ( In addition to Feinwerkbau). I came across it once and can't find it again.

 

[Mike OTDP]

Hege sells a Remington repro that is outstanding. It should be, Feinwerkbau makes it for them.

 

[72coupe]

Last night I looked at the Fienwerkbau site and they show a very nice looking copy of the Rogers and Spencer revolver. I couldn't find a price for it though.

 

[Mike OTDP]

About $1700, these days. I own one. Great gun.