[ArmedBear]

So I want a '51 Navy (or maybe a '61 or '60 Army).

What's the best dollar/quality deal?

Best prices I see: I could get a Cimarron Uberti '51 for $229 from Buffalo Arms, or a Pietta for $169 from Cabela's.

I'm thinking the case hardening on the Uberti will be nicer. What about the rest?

Is either gun ready to go with no work?

Thanks for any input!

[ewb45acp]

I recently bought a Pietta '51 from Cabela's
There is a brief report & pic here. http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=185904

I'm very pleased with it. I haven't fired it much yet, so I can't comment on durability. I have no experience with the Cimarrons, but I have heard that they are top notch.

[mcneill]

I got my Uberti '51 and '61 Navies from Dixie Gun Works. They are both great, metal-to-metal and wood-to-metal fit and finish on both are excellent. The case hardening on both is also top quality and very handsome. Texas Jack's also has comparable prices for Uberti's. Don't have any personal experience with Pietta, but hear that they are also very nice. I'm sure others will chime in here.

My '51 cost about $250, but lucked out with the '61 and got it on special at $185.

Jim

[mec]

The Piettas seem to have more realistic case hardening but have an excess of literature engraved on the barrels. The Ubertis seem to be more likely to function out of the box but places like Cabelas, Dixie and Midway arms have a return policy that allows you to keep sending Piettas back until you get one that works.

[Low Key]

I've ordered 3 Pietta 1858 Remington clones from Cabela's and have not had a "dud" sent to me yet. They do need a little hand finishing out of the box, but that's no big deal. I've enjoyed learning about the type of gunsmithing that these guns need to become dependable functioning accurate firearms. It's not major work and amounts to smoothing out the internal parts to remove burrs left by the machining process. eagle24 did have a bad experience last week, he got a pietta with some parts that were improperly machined and would have been major trouble to correct himself so he returned it to Cabela's and they sent him a replacement without any hassle.

From what I've heard, many of the Uberti's need the same kind of smoothing out as the Pietta's but some do come out of the box slick as a baby's butt. For my money, I'll continue to order Pietta's from Cabela's and do the hand finishing myself and if they happen to send me a gun that was manufactured on a monday morning after the weekend party by somebody thats still crosseyed from too much wine, I'll swap it out for a different one ;) .

[eagle24]

I second what Low Key said. I got a gun with some problems from Cabelas. They were great in handling the situation and I returned the first one for a replacement. The replacement arrived and I am thrilled with it (Pietta 58 Rem). I'm sure I'll be buying another and I will deal with Cabelas again. I'll probably get me a 60 Army next. I like the 51 Navies but I really prefer the 44 cal's.:)