Ahoy everyone, first serious post here. I'd been thinking about BP for a while, so I just traded for a Pietta .44 Colt repro. A few years old and never fired, but no box or stuff. Traded about $180 worth of knives, I know probably too much, but after you figure the time it takes to find a buyer for oddball stuff it's even. Now for the questions, if you'll forgive a hapless newbie.
1. I was told it was an 1861, but it's a .44 and has a brass trigger guard. I assume this is an 1860? Don't think Pietta made .44 '61s. It seems to be machined for a shoulder stock.
2. Proof mark has "PN" in a box, serial starts with P71xxx. 2001 date, right? Is this of the vintage when Pietta was supposed to making junk or quality? The level of finish looks great to me. Cylinder turns smoothly with not enough barrel clearence to see light through.
3. Couple of timing issues. First is that the locking bolt snaps home less than one width (it's own width) too soon. The very little fooling around the gun has enjoyed has already created impressions in the lead-in ramp. Normal? Not normal but OK? Problem?
4. Second is that by looking down the muzzle with a bright light, I can see a slight crescent of cylinder on the right side. As in, it looks to be traveling just a hair too far. Again, how big as issue is this?
5. If the above are problems, what work does the action need? I've never messed with wheelguns before, but I do machining and metalworking as a hobby.
6. Anything else I should check? Probably won't get around to shooting until the weather warms up.
Again, sorry for the rambling and thanks for any info you can provide. Just hope I didn't get reamed in this deal. Looks like a lovely gun. Should have fun getting used to the sight picture.
1. I was told it was an 1861, but it's a .44 and has a brass trigger guard. I assume this is an 1860? Don't think Pietta made .44 '61s. It seems to be machined for a shoulder stock.
2. Proof mark has "PN" in a box, serial starts with P71xxx. 2001 date, right? Is this of the vintage when Pietta was supposed to making junk or quality? The level of finish looks great to me. Cylinder turns smoothly with not enough barrel clearence to see light through.
3. Couple of timing issues. First is that the locking bolt snaps home less than one width (it's own width) too soon. The very little fooling around the gun has enjoyed has already created impressions in the lead-in ramp. Normal? Not normal but OK? Problem?
4. Second is that by looking down the muzzle with a bright light, I can see a slight crescent of cylinder on the right side. As in, it looks to be traveling just a hair too far. Again, how big as issue is this?
5. If the above are problems, what work does the action need? I've never messed with wheelguns before, but I do machining and metalworking as a hobby.
6. Anything else I should check? Probably won't get around to shooting until the weather warms up.
Again, sorry for the rambling and thanks for any info you can provide. Just hope I didn't get reamed in this deal. Looks like a lovely gun. Should have fun getting used to the sight picture.