The venerable Colt 1851

[Desert Scorpion]

I was on cabelas and saw that neet looking brass confederate 1851, for sale for only $99.00. And got one and it is very well made for the price. I have many balckpowders, including a remington and walker. And this cheep priced gun is great. It is perfect for me to go hunting with and is very accurate. I recommend it to anyone wanting to try balck powder. However it is made of brass and brass tends to be very soft and eay to scratch. I also ordered a uberti 1851 from cabelas that was color case harded civilian model for twice the price. This model was horible:banghead: it had a barrel so crooked to the left it made me nuts, and could not figure out what to bend to fix it, so I returned it for a credit certificate. Cabelas was very nice and work with me well.

 

[SeanSw]

I also just came into a brass Colt 1851. I've read all about avoiding brass frames but it doesn't matter much to me. If I can find the time and money to shoot it loose then I won't feel bad about upgrading. Cheap way to start off in blackpowder too.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

HI.

Where on Cabelas website did you find this? The only one I could find was $124.99.

 

[Desert Scorpion]

Yes it is now over $100.00 I got mine on sale a while back for 99. That isnt to much of a price diffrence though. I recommend it, it has a good western look to it, and fits right into your hand with it's goo looking wooden grip, and dont listen to the brass talk it is just fine being made in brass. Just wear out faster.

 

[rifle]

A brass framed revolver can be made to last almost indefinitely if used juduciously and not over loaded. By over loaded I mean the same loads that would be an over load for a steel framed revolver. A brass framed revolver can handle the same manufacturer recommended loads as the equivilent revolver in steel framed. The revolver has to have a small modification to it to increase it's longevity.
The modification is to acquire a "thin rimmed bushing" from an auto store or tractor repair store or a good hardware store. The size to get that usually fits with less filing is 7/8ths by 1 3/8ths in 14 gauge. This thin steel bushing can be made to closely fit around the recoil shields "ring of brass" that the cylinder recoils into on it's rearward travel when the gun is fired. That ring the Colts have is to insure the capped nipples don't contact the recoil shield(frame behind the cylinder) and cause chain fire. If that thin ring is bolstered or protected by the bushing then the gun doesn't acquire the peens in the ring that dent(six dents in the ring where the cylinder area between the nipples contact the ring when the gun fires and the cylinder recoils) and give the gun the overly large cylinder gap the brass framed revolvers are known to acquire easily. The thin steel bushing is installed around the frames recoil "ring" to protect it. The steel bushing doesn't deform and thus protects the frames ring from deforming. The bushing has a large hole in it like a large thin washer. It's installed on the recoil shield of the gun around the recoil ring by soldering it in place. The procedure for fitting and soldering the steel bushing "backplate" takes maybe an hour. Just the bushing and a small file and a means to solder( 60/40 acid core solder works really easy and does a good job but low temp silver solder is good too) is all you need. With that thin steel backplate installed(the size mentioned above is actually a couple of .001's thicker than the standard ring on the brass framers(Ubertis and San Marcos) so until the gun breaks in(takes a long time) the brass recoil ring is never contacted by the cylinder recoiling into it since the cylinder recoils into the steel backplate made and soldered on the frame. The only thing to be sure to do if you install the thin steel backplate around the frames recoil ring of brass is to shorten the nipples some. The capped nipples can't contact the new thin steel backplate or they can cause chain fire. There is usually enough hammer nose to reach the shortened nipples. Shorten and reshape the nipples cones by putting them in a drill and filing them. Shortening the nipples can be easily facilitated by simply rebating the shoulder or "seat" more that the nipples seat down onto.

 

[rifle]

Fuzzy but gets the idea across. The thin steel backplate can be seen around the frames recoil ring. So with the recoil shield thin steel backplate installed a person can buy a cheaper Colt and make it last as long as a steel framed as long as it isn't overloaded or the wedge installed incorrectly and the arbor is pulled loose.

 

[dispatch55126]

Both of my pistols are from Cabela's. I bought the Model 1851 first then bought the Model 1862 later that summer. I shot the 1862 twice and haven't shot it since. I don't know why, the 1862 has cleaner lines and being a steel frame would be more durable but there is something about the 1851 that I really like.