what to do? 1851 fantasy 44 or sell and buy 1851 36's

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Tommygunn said:
They had dragoons and the 1860 Army Colt. That's probably what they'd have used if they wanted .44 caliber .....
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but remember in 1851 and before 1860 army came out, 51' navy is lighter so if I was a betting man I bet they would rather had light but more powerful pistols as well!
 
midland man said:
but remember in 1851 and before 1860 army came out, 51' navy is lighter so if I was a betting man I bet they would rather had light but more powerful pistols as well!
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Maybe, but then some of those larger .44s were "horse pistols" ---carried across the pommel of the saddle. Also, keep in mind the metallurgy of the day, those big guns needed to be beefy or they risked grenading. Even the early version of the 1860 with those full flutes had this problem, which is why Colt went to the engraved, non-fluted version. Improvements in metallurgy also helped too.
I think a .44 Navy style would be the same as the 1860 atleast after the new metallurgy ... sorta negating it's necessity in a way.
In the 1840s-50s, metallurgical concerns probably dictated that .44=Dragoon, not 1851 size guns.
 
Tommygunn said:
They had Dragoons and the 1860 Army Colt. That's probably what they'd have used if they wanted .44 caliber .....
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My sentiments exactly. The Confederates were at a loss for .44 caliber revolvers manufactured in the South, thus the Dance Brothers revolvers and the Tucker & Sherrard revolvers in .44 caliber.

The 1851 Navy and Confederate copies in .36 were very hard hitting guns with max loads in steel frames. Just ask Davis Tutt.

I wonder how long the G & G brassers lasted with those type of loads, as there are very few originals extant even though G & G produced over 3600 of them before being overrun by Uncle Billy on his march.

I have no idea what corporate Pietta is thinking. They could sell many Dance .36 revolvers based on an 1851 Navy milled frame with case colors with the G & G part octagonal/part round barrel. I would be first in line to buy one, even at $250+ from Cabela's or others. With the parts they must have in stock (or could easily CNC manufacture) it has to be cheaper to produce than their Dance .44 with a modified frame and larger cylinder.

Pietta makes good guns at a relatively inexpensive price by far.

Cabela's seems to have an excess of 1851 Navies in .44 caliber that they want to get rid of. I hope they rid themselves of their inventory.

Jim
 
I like a full recoil shield and Dance Bros. made those too. I would very much like Pietta to market a Leech & Rigdon ( call it a .36 full shield Dance if you like) They have the parts. Put the barrel assembly from their Griswold & Gunnison on their ‘51/‘61 Navy frame and there we go.

I’d take a train and get in line (right behind expat alaska) for one of those.

I may be repeating a prior post but these articles on Confederate Guns are informative and fun:

http://americansocietyofarmscollectors.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/B055_Gary.pdf

http://www.texasguntrade.com/texasrevolvers.htm
 

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Is it an optical illusion or does the front of the back strap tie in with the trigger guard(in the photo from above)?
 
midland man said:
does anyone know when the cabelas sales on the blackpowder revolvers start?
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They just had a tremendous blowout on cap n' balls so I wouldn't expect one for at least another few months. Check back often and there might be some form of alert system on the website.

I wouldn't let it stop you from nabbing one now, though. They're really nice. Remember, .36s are awesome and get a steel one. Thank me later. :)
 
Hi Steel Hayes - I take it to be and think its just like a Colt Army or Navy.
 

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Eyrie G. Dogg said:
I like a full recoil shield and Dance Bros. made those too. I would very much like Pietta to market a Leech & Rigdon ( call it a .36 full shield Dance if you like) They have the parts. Put the barrel assembly from their Griswold & Gunnison on their ‘51/‘61 Navy frame and there we go.

I’d take a train and get in line (right behind expat alaska) for one of those.
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Dogg, you said it all!

Insofar as Pietta has not updated their website in 10 years, they did produce a L & R but with a squareback TG:

http://www.pietta.us/products/Muzzleloadinguns/Navy/gallery/Navy_1851_18.html

Peruse and look at the offerings:

http://www.pietta.us/products/Muzzleloadinguns/Navy/gallery/index.html

Here is mine thanks to Pietta's CNC parts interchangeability. It is a Pietta 1851 Navy .36 steel frame with the barrel and smooth cylinder from the G & G:

Pietta_Leech_Rigdon.jpg

Yeah, I wish Pietta offered this along with the seemingly now discontinued G & G, which I have:

Pietta_Griswold_Gunnison.jpg

Pietta could sell a lot of these if advertised as such as opposed to the danged pepperbox POS.

There are a lot of folks looking for a Pietta G & G especially for the barrel assembly. EMF is a source they go to but availability is nil, and I believe it is forever.

Just my opinion.

Jim
 
midland man said:
well guys I sold three of my bp guns today plus a pellet gun I didn't use, but did keep the one fantasy 44 as like I said it shoots really good groups! so very close to having enough for a new 51' navy 36 caliber and I only want a steel frame model!!
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midland man you are well on your way! I sold my .36 navy some time back. Here is what it looked like:

unspecified.jpg

What a beaut! I need to get another .36 navy soon. This is an Uberti but a Pietta would be just as good. :)
 
midland man said:
https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index...oduct_name/RH0454+Uberti+1849+Pocket+Revolver plus I want to add this one really bad I like it :)
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I thought I wanted one of the Pocket revolvers, also, so a few years ago I bought (from a Gunbroker seller) a Replica Arms El Paso Texas 1848 Pocket .31 6" barrel w/load lever and a squareback TG. I am a sucker for the squarebacks. I guess I did not realize how small these guns are, and I have average sized hands with long fingers. I find the 1851 Navy pistols fit my hand perfectly, but the Pockets are just too small for me. I don't like my pinky hanging out in the breeze. I suggest you find one to check your hand fit with it before you spend hard-earned money for one.

BTW, maint1517 now owns it.

The Pietta 1851 .36 from DGW looks very good, IMO. I have one I bought from Cabela's 3 years ago for an absurd one-day-sale price of $170 and free shipping. It really pays to check Cabela's website on a daily basis because one never knows what their marketing folks will do. I seem to think that now that their parent corporation is Bass Pro Shops it won't happen much. Too bad for us worker bees.

Pietta_1851_Navy_Third_Fourth_Model.jpg

If shopping for a used Pietta 1851 Navy .36 type pistol, pay attention to the date code on the right side of the frame. Any frame having a date code of 2014 [CM] or earlier will have the dreaded (in some circles) "tail" grip profile (it actually fits very well in the hand). In 2015 [CN] and later pistols had a more "conventional" grip profile, whatever that might be (check with Nathan L. Swayze's '51 Colt Navies and you will see that there was no standard), and the current detractors have no leg to stand upon, IMO.

If one changes the 3-piece grip (trigger guard, backstrap, and wood) with the newer 3-piece grip style, it will fit perfectly to the frame of any date after 2000.

Any Pietta 1851 .36 pistols prior to this is a crapshoot.

Good luck in your pursuit!

Jim
 
If I were buying a new one, I'd opt for the historically correct .36 caliber.
However if I already had a Navy .44 that shot well, I likely wouldn't get rid of it. If you enjoy it, keep it.
Get yourself another in .36 caliber down the road.
 
I have never dealt with Traditions. They claim to have better quality Pietta guns than the so-called run-of-the-mill Piettas.

Unless they have a special relationship with Pietta, or buy a bunch of them and sort out the better pistols (wood, timing, etc.) they charge a lot of money for them.

All of my Pietta 1851 Navy types have been purchased from Cabela's with no problems at much lower prices. I have had no problems with them.

Jim
 
midland man

Well the price is nice and I can't see Traditions getting lesser quality revolvers from Pietta so I would say go for it!
 
drobs said:
Seems like every time I buy something gun related that is expensive, Cabala's puts their BP revolvers on sale.
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yes! I remember last time they went on sale I just got done buying a Surefire forend for my shotgun and those cost a mint, couldn't spend any more gun funds for the month. :(
 
midland man said:
http://www.oldsouthfirearms.com/traditions1851coltnavyrevolver-36calibersteelframe75octbarrel.aspx heres what I found guys and I was considering on buyin one so anyone tried one of these? $219 looked like a excellent buy...
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I think it is a good deal at today's prices. I bought the same thing from Cabela's a couple of years ago on a one-day sale for $170, but I also bought a Pietta G&G .36 for $220 at about the same time as Cabela's never put them on sale because I believe they knew the source would soon dry up. I challenge anyone to find a Pietta NIB G&G .36 at any price other than Gunbroker or another secondary source, and I will eat my hat. I do believe they are not being made anymore. I have no idea what Pietta has in their parts inventories but they could easily produce a Leech & Rigdon at little cost considering what they have produced in the past.

Good day!

Jim
 
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