Pietta 1858 Inaccuracies

[jmar]

I just bought a 1858 Remington made by Pietta. I know that many Piettas suffer from the "Pietta Tail" and i'm wondering if 1858s have that issue. I'm also wondering if there's anything else that's different than the originals, i want mine to look authentic.

 

[Blackpowdershooter44]

No, the 1858 model doesn't have have the tail issue. As far as historical accuracy, the pietta 1858's tend to be just slightly larger. Here's a video that shows a side by side of a pietta and uberti '58

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER92PbAss4c

 

[swathdiver]

If you want a spot on repro, get a new Uberti. The cylinders interchange with the originals and they weigh exactly the same.

However, most people will never know that you're trusty Pietta is slightly oversized and lacks first growth American Walnut grip panels and dovetailed german silver front sight and loading lever catch. Or the ones with the same sight as yours albeit shorter and was screwed in and not dovetailed.

Enjoy your sixgun.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Originals came with a German silver front sight? I didn't know that... interesting.

OP: The Piettas do not have quite the correct frame dimensions and are heavier than the real thing. The Ubertis match the originals more closely, and can sometimes have better fit and finish (though not always). I do know Uberti, or at least Cimarron (made by Uberti) advertise their 1858's can exchange parts with the originals.

Still, the Piettas are good guns. Tell us how she shoots!

 

[jmar]

Thanks for the info i only bought it because it was on sale. I've been waiting to buy this one: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/89...-44-caliber-8-barrel-steel-frame-in-the-white
But it's been out of stock for a long time unfortunately. I have issues with all the markings Pietta puts on their guns so i'm going to try and burnish them off with a socket wrench handle. I also plan on browning it with some Birchwood plum brown. If i don't like the gun i'll just sell it and give someone else a deal. I will post some pics when the gun arrives.

 

[swathdiver]

It's less expensive to buy a completed gun and rework it to your liking.

Stripping off the bluing takes minutes with no mess if you use Apple Cider Vinegar. Mollasses mixed right with water also works and both are far less messy than petroleum jelly.

Get an Uberti if you don't like the markings, Uberti puts them on the underside of the barrel.

 

[jmar]

It's less expensive to buy a completed gun and rework it to your liking.

Stripping off the bluing takes minutes with no mess if you use Apple Cider Vinegar. Mollasses mixed right with water also works and both are far less messy than petroleum jelly.

Get an Uberti if you don't like the markings, Uberti puts them on the underside of the barrel.

I wish i new about those tricks earlier i already ordered some Birchwood Rust and Blue remover. Do you know a good place to buy a completed Uberti 1858?

 

[swathdiver]

Last time I checked, Texas Jacks had the best price.

You can rust brown with salsa and mustard too. I like doing it that way for a natural worn look but for real rust blue and brown, Laurel Mountain Forge is what I use.

 

[Blackpowdershooter44]

You can buy a new uberti 1858 at dixie gun works for $285

 

[jmar]

Only $5 more for a completed gun? Midway really needs to step there game up. I'll still probably buy it just for the fact that i wont have to rough up a pretty gun. I have my pietta to hold me over until it's back in stock if ever.

Does anyone have experience with burnishing or defarbing markings? I don't want them to be visible at all, i'm wondering if i should just skip hours of work and file them off.

 

[LonesomePigeon]

I heard the Pietta Shooter's Model actually has the Remington & Sons barrel address on the top flat. I called Dixie Gunworks and they confirmed this. However the picture on their website shows they also have the Pietta markings on the left side flat of the barrel. They cost $950 though.

 

[kituwa]

If you want to do a great job of removing the writing on the barrel then you will need to remove the barrel first. Its not real hard to do. Then get you a new Nikkolson 8 or 10 inch flat mill bastard file and draw file it. Draw fileing is hold the file by the tail with one hand and the other end with your other hand and just pull the file straight toward you.It will seem like the file would not cut that way but it will just fine. You will need to be able to keep the file flat on the barrel so you dont round it off any. If it doubt mark over the barrel flat with a sharpie every once in a while to show that you are holding the file nice and flat.When the righting is gone then you can wrap the file with some wet or dry paper and smooth it up some or use spray contact glue and glue the paper on a block of smooth wood.It is not a hard job at all and does not take a long time. I would do a little on all the other flats too just to keep things evened up good and looking the same. If you are good at all with draw fileing you will find out the the flats on the barrel are far from truely flat to start with. Would be cool to have a stamp made with something close to what an original had marked on it. Some will freak out at that because it makes it a counterfit but anyone that knows much about a real Remington will know there are many other things that show it to be a fake. Some of the earlier repo's were stamped right for a while, the colts anyway, but Colt fussed about it. But if its your gun you can mark it any way you want,lol. You may know already, but there are several versions of the 1858 Rem. The Beal, and the New model 1858 and some that are a bit of a cross between the two. If your interested in checking that out there are those here that can steer you to some pics of what the beal and others look like.

 

[piettakid]

You can buy a new uberti 1858 at dixie gun works for $285

Cabela's has an online only sale right now of pietta 1858s for just $200. And yes it's steel frame.

 

[D. Buck Stopshere]

I have the older Pietta "Shooters Model" which was made in 1986 and known as the "Deluxe Model", NAC#DRR 044. They were introduced and sold by Navy Arms Company, whose name sits on the top flat. Val Forgett, founder of Navy Arms, was a huge supporter of the US Muzzle Loading Team for the International Muzzle Loading Championship matches. He introduced the "Deluxe Model" as a full-frame revolver. When a regular Remington was $125, the "Deluxe Model" was $350.

To some degree, it was like comparing a Colt "Gold Cup" .45 ACP with its "plain-Jane" sibling, the standard out-of-the-box Colt Government Model.45 ACP.

Prior to the introduction of this model, I believe all the Remington copies made in Italy were made to the same dimensions. It was referred in some circles as the "two-finger" grip-frame back prior to 1986. The Remington "Deluxe Model", was popular with competition shooters. It more closely resembled the dimensions of the original Remington grip-frame AKA "the three-finger" grip.

When Val brought out the Remington-style revolver in 1960, he purposely had the grip frame altered to a smaller size to give collectors a relief, spotting a counterfeit Remington.

After the Remington Deluxe Model came out in good numbers for the competition crowd, Uberti decided to match the Pietta's frame size to theirs, so probably after 1990, most all of the Remington-style revolvers made by the Italian makers sported the larger grip-frame that we all know today.

The reason for the high price on the Pietta "Shooters Model" is the manufacturing & labor costs. Internal parts are smoothed out, cylinder has cutouts around the nipples for a Tedd Cash capper, front-sight is dovetailed for windage adjustment, and the barrel has a gain-twist barrel designed for the .457 RB. Among competition shooters, this model ranks third or fourth in the world behind the two German-made Hege Revolvers, selling between $1,200 & $1,700. The Pietta "Shooters Model is usually identified by the dovetailed front sight and the silver-plated triggerguard.

AFter 15,000+ rounds, it still holds a good group at 25 yards offhand with 18 grains of Schuetzen 3FG black powder, cream of wheat, a Hornady .457RB topped off with T/C Bore Butter.

 

[1KPerDay]

nice!