THR Spiller & Burr Club

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The Frazier International History Museum in Louisville, KY is in the club. Unfortunately, all I had is my cell phone camera.
 

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The spring in my gun has far too much bending load in it to be removed by forcing it sideways out of the slot in the grip frame. And putting it back that way is just not doable, even with a patternmaker's vise and hammers. I just suspect mine is a much stronger spring.
 
I've had three or four of these over the years [I still have two] and every one of them required pliers and a mallet to re-install the spring.I don't think it's just your gun mykeal, I think it's the design.
 
Barrel length and safety slots

Reference the safety notches on the Spiller and Burr originals. I have never had one in my hands so I don’t know and the pictures posted on this site surely do not appear to show notches, but I borrowed a book through interlibrary loan- a real nice service by the way at your local library- “The Confederate Brass-Framed Colt and Whitney” by William A. Albaugh III, 1955, reprinted by Broadfoot, 1993.
In this book the author quotes the “Inspection report on the sample Spiller & Burr Revolver” by COL J. Gorgas, Confederate Chief of Ordnance, Dec. 26 1862. An overall favorable report, however Col Gorgas recommends some changes; one to adopt a “spring and catch like that of Colt’s pistol” for the lever of the rammer. Further he states: “ I would recommend a slot cut in the base of the cylinder between the cones in which that face of the hammer will fit, holding the cylinder at a half revolution and making a safeguard from accidental explosion.” Also “the adoption of the caliber of Colt’s Navy Revolver for the sake of uniformity in ammunition.” Finally the rounding of the muzzle “as is less apt to cut the holster…”
As far as I know, all of these “recommendations” were adopted by Spiller & Burr prior to the contract with the CS government of March, 1863.
Albaugh also gives the specifications of the revolver in part as follows:
Barrel- Octagon…Barrel length 6 and 1/8th inches. End of barrel rounded.
Safety device- Hammer engages a slot between the cones on the cylinder.
Given this information, it seems like the Gorgas recommendations were adopted. I would really like to learn from an original Spiller & Burr owner the barrel length and if it has the safety notches between the “cones” as stated by Albaugh.
 
I, too, have been eyeballin' a S&B from Cabelas. Does the cylinder remove in the same fashion as the 1858 Remmy, that is, with a sliding cylinder pin? I noticed Cabelas doesn't sell spare cylinders, which is the reason for my question.
 
Sleazy...
The S&B is different in it's breakdown for removing the cylinder. There is a protruding, flat, "switch" on the forward side of the frame which has to be turned 180 degrees to unlock the arbor which is a part of the lever arm and bullet ram. Once unlocked, the lever is dropped down then pulled forward and out. The cylinder can then be removed to the right.
 
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This just in ... Cabelas is offering 5-dollar shipping on orders over $150.00. Not sure if it applies to BP guns, but if it does, this is mighty enticing.

The S&B is lookin' better and better!
 
I have just fired my new Pietta S&B from Cabelas and it shoots fine- high to POA as most of the C&B revolvers tend to be. I would hold off on the extra cylinder. I have an e-mail response from Pietta in Italy that they are now making and will soon be shipping the more authentic cylinders for the S&B that will have the safety slots between the nipples. Unless of course you don't care about this point.
 
Bill Hansen said:
I have an e-mail response from Pietta in Italy that they are now making and will soon be shipping the more authentic cylinders for the S&B that will have the safety slots between the nipples.
Click to expand...

I always wondered about this point. My S&B doesn't have them; I bought it around 1991-92ish .... maybe '93. I've seen pictures of Pietta S&B with and without the safety notches.
If I see one of these new cylinders I will be trying to obtain one or two.
 
more authentic cylinders for the S&B that will have the safety slots between the nipples.
Click to expand...
The originals had hammer safety notches on the cylinders?

Madcratebuilder posted pictures of an original on the first page of this thread that does not have the notches.

I'm confused.

My Palmetto S&B has the notches - I hope nobody assumed it was a Pietta.
 
The spare I ordered from Dixie didn't have the safety notches, but I have seen picture of originals that did...I wonder if at some point they were left off, as a wartime expedient?
 
Mine has the notches...made by Pietta and was sold through Navy Arms a few years back.
 
Ah, it has arrived. Caught the BBT after a short chase. (frustrating when they have to deliver to the home as opposed to the office) :banghead:

Just got it cleaned up, took a while to get the center pin out. (Some brass shavings were in the way - thank you Pietta - but at least no tooling marks like my .36 Remmie from Pietta had).

Photos will be later on in the day.

The Doc is out now. :cool:
 
I don't own a Spiller and Burr but I've always liked their looks. Those of you who have one, how much powder do you load in yours? I load down in my other brass framed revolvers but the Spiller and Burr looks rugged enough to handle a little more powder, not full house loads but a little more than 18 grains.

Don
 
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