[fedaircop]

I have been looking around the net for a Paterson Colt. Actually I'm not going to buy untill January but heck i can look can't I? i haven't seen too many places selling Patersons and was just wondering if any of you guys might know of a few places to look. I Bought my walker from Taylors but they don't sell the Patersons.

[BHP FAN]

Pietta,through Dixie Gunworks.

[fedaircop]

ah OK I'll give them a try and Thanks BHP

[pohill]

A few things to keep in mind with the Paterson:
They come with an attached loading lever or a separate loading tool. If you buy one without the loading lever attached, make sure it has the separate loading tool with it - they are expensive to buy and sometimes hard to find.

Patersons are known to jam from cylinder pin fouling. On mine, I use lube pills (beeswaz, paraffin) or, even better, the vegetable spray PAM. Works great.

If you do get one, and you do shoot it, you will want to clean it. I strongly suggest taking pics of each step of the disassembly process - they can be tough to put back together the first time.

They are great shooters, lots of fun, but in a class of their own.

[fedaircop]

Thanks pohill for the advice. I have been doing a little research on the Paterson and I want to find one with the loading lever. I know they are a little more finicky than the Walker. I have David Chicoine's (SP?) book on antique firearms assembly and disassembly and I do enjoy taking a gun down so I'm hoping that his explanation will be enough to get me through the first tear down or two. I can hardly wait to get my hands on one it's the History behind the paterson that makes it so appealing to me.

[fineredmist]

Let me share my experience with you regarding a Uberti Colt Paterson. I had the gun for a number of years but never shot it but I did a fair amount of shooting with my 1851 Navy so I had all the supplies needed. I took it to the range and procced to load and made a remarkable discovery, there was not enough clearence between the cylinder and the frame to line the ball up with the loading lever. I managed to get the ball started and got the required space and seated the balls. I capped the nipples and fired off a round. It was delightful. Round two was also good. The cylinder was a bit tight as I cocked the hammer for number 3 but it did go bang. At this point the cylinder was totally bound and I had to disassemble the pistol and clean the pin. I did get #4 and #5 to fire but the cylinder was very tight. I built a off the frame loading tool so I wouldn't have to deal with the lever problem and off to the range I went.
The short end of a long story, the cylinder would bind after 3 rounds no matter what I used for lubercation. I called Uberi and was told to ship it back for repairs and that would take about 5 weeks.
I called back and finally got to speak to a gunsmith to find out what the problem was and was told that there was a problem with the basic design of the original (the breech end of the barrel is flat to the cylinder not tapered as in latter models which causes the gases to be directed on to the pin) and Uberti can not or will not correct the problem.
I was referred back to customer service and they offered to replace it with a gun of my choice (in that price range) so I selected a 3rd Dragoon. It is a great pistol and it works every time with no problems. Uberti no longer offers a Paterson.
I wish you luck.

[fedaircop]

fineredmist, That is disturbing. I don't know if Uberti makes Patersons at all anymore. I haven't been able to find anything except Piettas on line. I sure hope they don't have the same problem. I really want a Paterson and a Le Matt as my next Black powder purchases. I do appreciate the heads up though and I'll keep an eye out for the Taper on the barrel.

[fedaircop]

yep checking Ubertis site i can't find a Paterson there and I guess that's why.

[fedaircop]

fineredmist, sorry I guess I missed yor next to tha last sentence concerning Uberti

[pohill]

I had the same binding from fouling problem with mine to the point that I did not shoot the gun for a long time. Then, for the heck of it, I tried lube pills under the ball, over the powder and I could get an entire cylinder (5) fired. Then, for the heck of it, I tried PAM, the vegetable spray, on the cylinder pin and I was amazed - the cylinder did not stop or even slow due to fouling (it was better than the lube pills for that gun). Now I'm friends with the gun again. I actually like having the separate loading tool as opposed to the attached lever.
This is how you load it - the tool fits into the cylinder pin slot.
http://i37.tinypic.com/fa31w5.jpg

[fedaircop]

pohill for some reason pics here wont open for me on this computer I'll check it out when i get home though and I'll bet it opens then. what bran is your Paterson, and does it have the flat barrel end/forcing cone or tapered?

PAM now thats a great idea I'll try that on my walker until I get the Paterson. I was just telling someone at the range last week about this site and what a great resource it was for anyone into BP and this is the reason why.

[pohill]

Mine is a Pietta - I traded Smokin' Gun a Remington for it. It has the flat forcing cone.
I compare the Paterson to dark beer. I like light beer, but I could develop a taste for the dark stuff. It takes some getting used to a Paterson.
As far as the PAM - I tried it on my Walker and it (the Walker) did not like it. It works well on the Remingtons (.44 & .36). I even tried it on my Ruger Old Army with great results. I spray it down the barrel(s) from the cylinder end and and let it sit for a few minutes at an angle, and when I pick it up a big glob of crud slides out the other end. The inside of the barrel is all shiny and clean - PAM works like an oven cleaner.

[fedaircop]

Hmmm wonder why it doesn't work on the walker? anyway I'll sure keep it in mind when I get my paterson. The main reason I want the paterson as i said before is the history I am a bit of Texas ranger buff and the Paterson sure figures prominantly in Ranger History.

[BHP FAN]

If you ''gap'' the barrel with a playing card when you set the wedge,you'll have less of this kind of problem.When you look at it from the side,there should be a little light visable.The barrel should not touch the cylinder.

[fedaircop]

BHP well I hope the newer ones don't have the same problem but if I have that problem I'll sure keep that in mind.

[fineredmist]

If you see photos of original Patersons you will see that the cylinder end of the barrel is flat. This apparently was a problem as THE WALKER which followed it has a tapered barrel/cylinder transition. As the pistols improver the taper became longer and the powder build up on the cylinder pin became less of a problem.
I really was disappointed that Uberti could not / would not fix the problem as it really was a pleasant gun to shoot. Perhaps if I had tried PAM I still would have it. If nothing else it is a very interesting piece of firearm history and if I could find another (preferrably without the loading lever) I would buy it just to have one.

[pohill]

The PAM and the lube pills were a last resort. The binding problem is frustrating but the gun itself is fun. It's very accurate with its long barrel, and loading is actually easy and quick, even though you have to remove the barrel. Every time I remove the barrel to load, I give the cylinder pin a wipe down and a spray of PAM. You have to cap the nipples with the cylinder out of the gun which bugged me at first but I got used to it.
Like I said before, it's a tough gun to re-assemble (I think it has 17 more parts than the Walker).

[fedaircop]

so just to be sure pohill you are reccomending against buying a paterson with a loading lever? Come to think of it it doesn't seem to offer much advantage if you have to dismount the barrel to load the cylinder anyway. This is why I ask at this site.

[pohill]

I had a Colt Timeline going, starting with the Paterson, up to the 1862 Pocket Police (Sam Colt's first and last). The Paterson with the separate tool has alot of history to it. It's not a quick-draw gun, it's kinda hard to cock it with the hand that holds it, it's not very balanced, it's a pain to reassamble, but it's accurate, and its unique. All my other guns have loading levers, so the change is good.
I've never handled a Paterson with an attached loading lever. I think Smokin' Gun has one now, so he could compare the two styles.

[Smokin_Gun]

Yup I do have a still unfired but turned Uberti and I think they called this one the 1837 Patterson first modification from the 1836 Texas Paterson 9" bbl. the Pohill has. Mine has the attached loading lever and a 7.5" bbl...well balanced and still more difficult to cock one handed, cause a no triggerguard and flip down trigger, than say an 1851 Navy.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c277/Smokin_Gun/08-30-08_1704.jpg

Check with me in Janurary, thay ain't cheap and never were...but Uberti stoppin' production shoots the price up so to speak, specially unfired.
Maybe I'll shoot it some, HeeHee! we'll see.

SG