Pietta good years/bad years

[Jason313]

I have read over and over that Pietta has had some quality issues in the past, which have been fixxed in recent years, but I am going to be ordering online probably from EMF since them and taylor are only ones i find selling these, cabellas doesnt carry them, so i need to find out what were "good years" and bad ones, and also if you guys could look at this pic from the EMF site of the weapon in question, in the pic, when i zoomed in real close, i can see what looks like pitting and some crappy looking machining, is what got me thinking about the bad years vs. good. Ill post the blown up pic with this.

 

[Jason313]

If that is the best looking one they have then IDK, when i examine my 1858 i see nothing like this, it is actually a damn fine gun IMO, question is whether this pic is representative of their product, or is a stock image from the internet or something like that. The one in the pic shows some marks on the screws from taking it down and putting it back together. That's a very odd way to advertise a new gun with what seems to be a picture of a used one. Any thoughts?

 

[Mizar]

Pietta uses cast frames for their Cap & Ball revolvers - what you see is a leftover from the cast that is not finished well. As for good vs bad years for Pietta - they use CNC machining since 2004 (If I remember correctly) and are constantly improving their quality. Most of the times you will receive a good product, but sometimes imperfections like this will be present. But with that low price point you really cannot expect a gun that is on par with Colt, or even Ruger.

 

[TTv2]

As long as you buy a new one, it will have been made during a "good year." I think all the bad opinions you hear about Pietta's are from old guys who had one 25 years ago and they still think that Pietta's are bad in the year 2018. They're out of touch.

I can say the two 1858 steel frame Pietta's I've bought have been fine, no issues. The 1851 I bought did have an issue, but that was to do with the loading lever latch; I'd go to lock the lever in place and it was so loose because the latch wasn't in the right spot.

I bought all my stuff from Cabela's. They have a free shipping deal going right now, but in September they're probably going to have sales on the 1858. BTW, for you, I'd recommend the 5.5 inch barrel, unless you plan to only shoot black powder and round ball then you should go for the 8 inch.

 

[Jason313]

Yes I have the 1858 nma 5.5 from cabellas and as I mentioned I am very imoressed, but sadly they don't seem to offer the cap and ball 1873, just every other 1873 pietta, probably not enough interest here in the states, most folks would just get the real deal if the want a '73, at least cabellas doesn't list them, or f you look up the pietta 73 they have several different models but not BP, maybe I'll call and inquire, I like being able to inspect the gun before buying.

 

[Tommygunn]

I have Piettas from the 1990s and new ones. It is true that the newer ones since cnc machining came in are an improvement in quality. But even the 1990 versions were often quite good.
One thing in their Colt 1860/61 models I do think isn't as good is how the loading port below the arbor on the barrel is milled out on the new ones. This isn't quality, per se, it's a different manufacturing technique. In this one area the old way was better.
But it remains true that Pietta has upped their overall quality.
Mizar has correctly pointed out that at Pietta's price, you're just not going to be able to do a super fine job on these guns, such as on a more expensive firearm.

 

[Jason313]

Does anyone know if the collar case hardening is genuine case hardened or just a finish? I was thinking even the one in the pic could be cleaned up with a file, but if it's real case hardened steel I would not want to file away the "case". I was also curious about bluing over it, I don't like the look, prefer a uniform blue with a good shine, like the barrel.and cylinder in the pic, so would I need to sand it down or just go over it or is it not a good idea?

 

[Jason313]

Was also considering the Brownells home stove top parkerizing treatment, anybody use it before? How is parkerized finish for BP guns? I like the look how it doesn't smudge up with fingerprints and whatnot, never tried to do it myself tho.

 

[paul harm]

Maybe EMF hasn't updated their site in a number of years. I just bought three Pietta NMA's and none of them look like that. All of them look just great, inside and out. Just what model exactly are you looking for ? What is the 1873 C&B ? Remington went from what we call the NMA to I think a 1875 cartridge gun. And if you don't like CC you could always op for a blue one. I rather doubt if you bought one it would look like the one you pictured. Just return it. Are you buying a new or used gun? A new gun, of anybodies, isn't going to have messed up screws and pitted finish.

 

[expat_alaska]

Does anyone know if the collar case hardening is genuine case hardened or just a finish? I was thinking even the one in the pic could be cleaned up with a file, but if it's real case hardened steel I would not want to file away the "case". I was also curious about bluing over it, I don't like the look, prefer a uniform blue with a good shine, like the barrel.and cylinder in the pic, so would I need to sand it down or just go over it or is it not a good idea?

View attachment 795794 My latest Pietta 1851 Navy in 36 caliber.

As far as Pietta is concerned it is just case colors. No case hardening like Kasenit. I have no idea why you would want to blue the frame, but you could probably use white vinegar on a disassembled gun to remove it down to the white, and reblue it in some fashion. Your call.

Jim

 

[expat_alaska]

Was also considering the Brownells home stove top parkerizing treatment, anybody use it before? How is parkerized finish for BP guns? I like the look how it doesn't smudge up with fingerprints and whatnot, never tried to do it myself tho.

Why in the world would someone want to park an ACW replica? I have a parked 1911 .22 and it holds oil very well, and the finish works very well.

I cannot imagine an 1851 Navy replica that was parked. If you do it I want to very much see pictures, and I am not trying to talk you out of it. That would be a new one for us!

Good luck with your project!

Jim

 

[Choctaw]

As far as Pietta is concerned it is just case colors. No case hardening like Kasenit. I have no idea why you would want to blue the frame, but you could probably use white vinegar on a disassembled gun to remove it down to the white, and reblue it in some fashion. Your call.

Jim

That's correct. It is just like the case coloring on the Ruger Vaqueros.

 

[bannockburn]

Jason313

I just checked and saw that Dixie Gun Works also carries the Pietta Model 1873 BP revolver for $360. I have received a couple of Pietta BP revolvers the past two years as Christmas presents and I have to say the quality of both of them is excellent. The overall fit and finish is first rate and the Model 1860 in particular has nice case coloring on the frame along with a deep, lustrous bluing on the barrel and cylinder.

 

[DeeTV]

Fit and finish are indeed good, but bores, chambers and timing are hit and miss. I got 3 Piettas over the past year and got burned on 2 of them.

 

[whughett]

I have an early 1860 Army, Traditions, its loose, rattles like an old Ford truck and has lost a good deal of its finish, I've replace one its its frame to barrel pins with one made from a nail it looks defarbed but isn't, but it shoots and it holds groups, its the perfect rainy day at the range gun. I received it as a birthday gift in 1998 or so.
Keep thinking I'll send it to Goon, maybe I will once I get the Pietta pocket 31 back.

 

[Jason313]

Why in the world would someone want to park an ACW replica? I have a parked 1911 .22 and it holds oil very well, and the finish works very well.

I cannot imagine an 1851 Navy replica that was parked. If you do it I want to very much see pictures, and I am not trying to talk you out of it. That would be a new one for us!

Good luck with your project!

Jim

Yes I was hard pressed to find any pics to look at, but the idea was inspired by the simple fact that it offers a higher level of protection than bluing, and holds oil real well which is all the more important with BP. Also I have seen a couple examples, more common on modern revolvers it seems, but look good with grey park finish and black grips. I'll post the pics I found when I get home (on my PC), there was only a couple exaomles but they looked good.

Why in the world would someone want to park an ACW replica? I have a parked 1911 .22 and it holds oil very well, and the finish works very well.

I cannot imagine an 1851 Navy replica that was parked. If you do it I want to very much see pictures, and I am not trying to talk you out of it. That would be a new one for us!

Good luck with your project!

Jim

 

[paul harm]

So someone explain to me how a CC finish is put on a gun without doing the actual CC process. On old SxS shotguns I have dabbed browning and bluing on with my finger to give a old discolored receiver some color, but it never looks as good as the pictures on the EMF web site. I'd have trouble believing any manufacture would try and fake it. Case colors only go in a couple of thousands deep. Some processes would go deeper than others, but they can all wear off depending on how much they're handled and how deep the finish went. So, how is a finish put on without heating the parts and quenching ?

 

[expat_alaska]

Yes I was hard pressed to find any pics to look at, but the idea was inspired by the simple fact that it offers a higher level of protection than bluing, and holds oil real well which is all the more important with BP. Also I have seen a couple examples, more common on modern revolvers it seems, but look good with grey park finish and black grips. I'll post the pics I found when I get home (on my PC), there was only a couple exaomles but they looked good.

At the risk of offending the mods as this is not a BP gun, it is just to show the parkerizing. It is a grey park to match the Ciener barrel but there are many recipes for parkerizing depending upon the chemicals used and the color can be anywhere from green to light gray. At any rate it is parked and holds oil very well. It was done at the Olympic Arms factory, and they had a batch of parts to park and just included my frame and MSH in the batch. Got them back via UPS the next day. I was more than pleased.

Jim

 

[paul harm]

My understanding of color case colors is color case hardening. The only way you can get the colors is to case harden the part. The colors are a result of the hardening process, that only goes a couple of thousands deep. The part is put in a container with bone, leather, and material with carbon in it and sealed. It's then heated to a high heat, opened and quenched. When using Kasenit the part is heated to a red heat, the Kasenit applied, reheated to a red heat and quenched in water. So how does Pietta or Ruger case color their guns without hardening ? Some guys will use a torch to blue parts or frames to fake CC's, but it's easy to see and they're only blue, not blue with brown colors. At Taylors web site the Pietta 1858 Remington is advertised as a " case hardened " revolver. It would be false advertising to just paint the colors on instead of actually hardening the frame.

 

[LonesomePigeon]

The case colors on the Italian repros are done with a "chemical bath" or "acid bath". There is a video on youtube in which a Taylor's employee states such.

 

[Jason313]

At the risk of offending the mods as this is not a BP gun, it is just to show the parkerizing. It is a grey park to match the Ciener barrel but there are many recipes for parkerizing depending upon the chemicals used and the color can be anywhere from green to light gray. At any rate it is parked and holds oil very well. It was done at the Olympic Arms factory, and they had a batch of parts to park and just included my frame and MSH in the batch. Got them back via UPS the next day. I was more than pleased.

Jim

View attachment 795913

How much did they charge for the park job?

 

[Jason313]

Why in the world would someone want to park an ACW replica? I have a parked 1911 .22 and it holds oil very well, and the finish works very well.

I cannot imagine an 1851 Navy replica that was parked. If you do it I want to very much see pictures, and I am not trying to talk you out of it. That would be a new one for us!

Good luck with your project!

Jim

I was thinking not of the 51 navy but rather the 1873 SAA black powder version, which is obviously not a piece one would get for a historical piece since to my knowledge they never made a cap and ball 73', so it's a shooter not collector piece, the idea being that it's the closest to a conventional firearm that I am able to own. (Had a few non violent juvenile offenses punishable by a year or more in prison had I been charged as an adult, and for which I was a ward of the court (on supervised release)
when I turned 18, so I was denied my right as an American citizen to bear arms forever and always. I'm just putting it out there because it gets tiresome explaining why I can't possess a firearm as does dancing around it and avoiding mentioning it, so to get back to the topic, I was thinking of parking it simply because it is the most durable finish and holds oil better than all others, both of which are obviously even more essential on a BP guns than conventional ones, and I have seen pics if newer model revolvers in grey park with black grips and they looked real nice, but most who have a 73 have it as a historical piece so would not give a civil war gun a WWII gun finish.

 

[expat_alaska]

How much did they charge for the park job?

The frame and mainspring housing were $45 total, and since it was an Oly pistol it was shipped to my house the next day, free. That was in 2013.

Jim

 

[paul harm]

Well, I just learned something new. Back in 2012 right here on this forum it's explained how case colors are put on a gun without the bone hardening process. Very interesting.
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...se-hardening-not-color-case-hardening.674047/

 

[Jason313]

I was thinking not of the 51 navy but rather the 1873 SAA black powder version, which is obviously not a piece one wouldn't be get for a historical piece since to my knowledge they never made a cap and ball 73', so it's a shooter not collector piece, the idea being that it's the closest to a conventional firearm that I am able to own unfortunately.
I was thinking of parking it simply because it is the most durable finish and holds oil better than all others, both of which are obviously even more essential on a BP guns than conventional ones, and I have seen pics if newer model revolvers in grey park with black grips and they looked real nice but only one pic of a SSA parked that I could find.View attachment 796112