[hobgob]

Hey, I have been wanting to buy a black powder revolver for a while. I have been eyeballing Uberti's 1861 Navy Civil brass model for a while. It is just such a beautiful revolver. However, i have seen pietta and other manufactures with similar models. Is one better than the other? Reviews are fairly decent on both with both having a few lemons every once in a while it seems. I was looking at the brass model simply for looks, but i have heard the steel version is more durable. Gunbroker seems to have a pretty good supply of both for auction. anyway, any advice is much appreciated. Thanks! and sorry if this is a old subject.

[Pancho]

There is a reason brass frame guns are cheaper than steel frame guns both new and used, they are not as strong and it is a pain keeping that brass looking as pretty as when you bought it new. Blue steel needs only to be clean and oiled to look good brass requires abrasives to keep it shiny and since abrasives aren't good for wood or blue steel you will have to do a near complete disassembly to get it back to new condition.
Aside from that it has been stated that the 61 Navy is the best looking gun Colt made. Consider your options buy the gun and join the club of 61 shooters.

[Jim, West PA]

Hi hobgob,
Allthough i can't advise you on which to purchase (i'm new to this also), i can indeed do two other things.
1.Welcome you to the gentlemen of the soot club.
2. Warn you.
A few months back i was attracted to the looks of a brasser and now, 8 er so pistolas later, i recently had to publicly admit my addiction :D

Yes, the brassers do indeed 'wear out' sooner than the steelies but i've researched and found that they can and will give you long service if you keep the loads in the 15-20 grain range.
As for polishin 'em.
My opinion on that is...brass earns it's patina and i would never think of polishin it away on a firearm.
Jist MHO.

[Lightning12]

First I would suggest looking at Cabelas website for your revolver. They have over 60 models available and they have the best prices around for a new Pietta 1851 navy or 1860 army. You can buy either one of these brand new for about what you see them listed for on Gunbroker.

I have one of each and I highly recommend the Piettas. They are absolutely beautiful. There is a slight step where the grips meet the sides of the frame, that the Ubertis don't have, but that is the only difference that I have seen.

You will pay about 50 dollars more for the Pietta 1861 navy than the other two I mentioned, but if you like it better, it's worth it.

I personally don't care for the looks of brass frames but that's a personal preference. I have a brass frame Spiller and Burr that I only shot once. I won't be keeping it. Like another poster said, after only five shots every square inch of the brass was tarnished. You can polish it (Flitz metal polish
works great; the new Brasso formula does not) but it's not worth it to me.

Chaz

[brushhippie]

Brassers are pretty to look at and Like Jim said are great as long as you keep the loads down....but hell who wants to do that! Lightning is correct about Cabellas as well, so whatever you get first isnt of huge significance......but the next five or six......or ten! :D

[Noz]

Pietta/Uberti? Piettas are generally better inside with Ubertis being prettier out side. Chek the arbor length on new Ubertis. Some problems there.

[BCRider]

A brasser in .36 and running moderate loads should last a good long time. But such a gun lacks the healthy "THUMP!" of a .44 that is so much fun... :D

Then there's that whole thing about which size bore is historically correct for each style of gun and frame material.

[Fingers McGee]

You can not do better than a '61 Navy whether made by Uberti or Pietta. It is the classiest, sexiest, best feeling pistol in the world IMNSHO.

Top two, Uberti; middle two, Pietta; bottom two, 2nd Gens
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c86/fingersmcgee/61Navies001.jpg

The Uberti's (and 2nd Gen and Sig Series Colts) are the more historically accurate both in barrel length and grip shape. I'm partial to the Ubertis (and Colts) for that reason.

[rdstrain49]

I would have thought that Mr. Fingers would have voted for the Ruger Old Army:)

[DoubleDeuce 1]

I vote for the 2nd Generation Colts or Signature Series, then the Uberti offerings. The brass frames just don't float my stick. The 1861 Navy is beautiful to look at and wonderful to hold. If you get your hands on one, consider it sold...:cool:

[St8LineGunsmith]

I am not too keen on Colt navys because of the openframe
I am not very keen on any brass frame model revolver for the obvious reasons previously stated except I dont polish brass I let it turn dull.

My advice would be to get a Pietta 1858 Remington New Army copy from Cabelas.
Bass Pro Shops sell the Traditons 1858 Remingtons and the navy models but are a little more in cost however I find the Traditons to be a little tighter than the Piettas.

the reason I like the Remington Army's is because they have a closed frame which I think makes the frame stronger and more durable than the open frame Colt navy revolvers.

I will also admit I think the colt navies are butt ugly :evil::evil:

[CraigC]

I don't believe I've ever seen a brass frame `61. :confused:


I will also admit I think the colt navies are butt ugly
Bite yore tongue!!!

[mykeal]

And I've never seen an 1857 Remington New Army or Navy.

[St8LineGunsmith]

that was a typo:o 1858 fixed

[Fingers McGee]

I would have thought that Mr. Fingers would have voted for the Ruger Old Army


Roger - Read CraigC's reply about chomping down on a body part. :neener:

I don't believe I've ever seen a brass frame `61.


Pietta, ASM & Euroarms all made them, usually with short barrels & called everythingbut 1861 Navies.

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

... My advice would be to get a Pietta 1858 Remington New Army copy from Cabelas...

For the price paid and value received I have to agree. You can't go wrong. Cabelas has had these on Sale every Fall for a few years at least, for $179 - $189. If you have a Cabelas Visa card they also send out $20 & $30 off coupons periodically. With the sale price and coupons, plus my acquired points on the card I end up with a new one every year for next to nothing if not better. The best part is how can Mama complain about me buying FREE guns?

[72coupe]

1862 Pocket Police?
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa170/72coupe/FLOOD015.jpg

[towboat_er]

Yep. I hope they are again on sale this fall.
I'm due for another.

[ClemBert]

+1 to avoid a brasser. After you acquire all the steel framed revolvers go for the brassers. JMHO. ;)

[Dave Markowitz]

To clarify, if the grip frame is brass, no problem. Many Colts have a brass grip frame and it does not affect the durability of the gun. However, you should get a gun with a steel receiver (also called the frame) for best durability. The gun in 72coupe's post has a brass grip frame and a steel receiver.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk.

[loose noose]

Like St8Line I prefer the Remington Army 1858's, I also own 2 1860 Colts which just are not as reliable as the 1858's. Not to mention a .36 Brass framed Confederate revolver which I'm not sure what it is? But it is really accurate, someone told me it looks like it was made by the Confederates, because of the brass frame and looks similar to the 1858 Remington.

[St8LineGunsmith]

does it have any markings at all?

I would like to see some pics.

[loose noose]

St8Line, Here are some photos but it doesn't have any markings on it, so I don't know whether it's a Pietta, or what.

170311170311

170312

170313

[sniperlongshot]

the biggest problem with the open top colts is all the force of the round and energy pust down on the barrel assy. the brass frame is compressed over time and you can fix that and tighten the gun back up by adding a brass sleeve between the barrel and the frame,....if your gonna shoot it alot i'd get a steel frame, but i'v also used alluminum soda and beer cans to tighten up the frames also, it just depends on how much you want to mess with it and ultimately how much your gonna shoot it.......

[Tommygunn]

Loose Noose, those are Spiller & Burr's, a Confederate revolver that in itself was a copy of the Whitney Navy (that had a steel frame).
It is most likely a Pietta. I think Pietta is the only company that made them ... could be wrong I suppose but that's my two cents.

[St8LineGunsmith]

Tommy Gun beat me to it
that is definately a spiller & Burr copy
besides Pietta Traditons makes a copy
not sure who ele makes the model.

[mykeal]

Traditions is a distributor. They don't manufacture revolvers.

Palmetto made Spiller & Burr revolvers.

[St8LineGunsmith]

Ok
Triditions offers a spiller and burr copy whoever makes guns for Traditiond I dont know
I have always thought traditions was a manufacturer:uhoh:

[kBob]

loose noose,

There is a Spiller & Burr club with a post on it today that should move it near the top of the Que, They might know more about your mystery gun.

So as I understand it, Beals was at Colts about the time Root started his revolvers, then moved to Remington, and ended up at Whitney.

Odd coincidence don't ya think?

-kBob

[loose noose]

I believe the barrel was polished out and the manufacturer removed, in fact I can't even find a serial number on it, whoever did it did a beautiful job rebluing it. But the general consensus is it is a Spiller & Burr?! Thanks for clarifying that. I do believe that they made revolvers for the Confederate soldiers. Man I paid $100.00 for it along with 100 balls, and a tin of caps, about 5 years ago and I thought I got ripped off; that was before I shot it. Like I said it sure is accurate.

[loose noose]

I take that back it does have a serial # It's Bxxxx a 4 digit serial # right on the base of the grip.

[mykeal]

This is my Spiller & Burr replica, made by Palmetto:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/mykealsm/Guns/Spiller%20and%20Burr/0115.jpg
Very few identifying marks. The only Palmetto ID on the gun is on the cylinder, just ahead of a 4 digit number:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/mykealsm/Guns/Spiller%20and%20Burr/P1300145.jpg
That number appears nowhere else on the gun. There is a two digit number, 46, on the barrel under the loading lever:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/mykealsm/Guns/Spiller%20and%20Burr/P1300125.jpg
The same number appears on the grip frame:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/mykealsm/Guns/Spiller%20and%20Burr/P1300127.jpg
And the usual Italian black powder proof marks, also on the cylinder:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/mykealsm/Guns/Spiller%20and%20Burr/P1300147.jpg
Richland Arms was the importer/distributor, before joining Navy Arms. But there is no proof date code anywhere on the gun:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/mykealsm/Guns/Spiller%20and%20Burr/P1300122.jpg
It does also have the usual caliber and bp caveat, plus the "Made in Italy" stamp. Notice the very poor finish on the barrel - lots of tooling marks.
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/mykealsm/Guns/Spiller%20and%20Burr/P1300119.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/mykealsm/Guns/Spiller%20and%20Burr/P1300116_01.jpg
And yes, mosey on over to the THR Spiller & Burr Club thread and join up.

[loose noose]

I just re-examined the arm it does have a slight marking on the left side of the barrel that states Ridgefield NJ. BTW I did join the Spiller & Burr Club but couldn't get the pics put in as it stated they allready were on this attachment.

[mitchz]

IMO if you go brass either polish it and look at it or shoot it and love the pattina. I have a buffalo and love the pattina look. But if you want one to shoot allot go stainless.

[kBob]

Woops, confused Mykeal's gun with loose noose's sorry.

-kBob

[hobgob]

Went with a pieta 1860 army .44 from cabelas. The gun felt solid and was a pretty decent price compared to uberti's. Hopefully I will get to take it to the range this weekend! Does any one know of a good video about loading and caring for these pistols? i read the manual, but still like to see things done before I dive into it. Also, can someone explain to me the only loading five chambers thing? I know its a safety issue, but did they do this back in the day too?

[Tommygunn]

During the Civil War they needed all the firepower they could get so they would load all six chambers and keep the hammer down inbetween the chambers. You will not the heel of the hammer has a slot milled into it, and the heel of the cylinder has a small stud or post. The slot fits over the stud and holds the cylinder in place.
It is a reasonably safe way of holstering a C&B pistol. Some prefer the Remington method where the hammer fits into a slot on the heel of the cylinder.
Keeping the hammer down on a empty or uncapped chamber is considered safer today.

[72coupe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trPQSvYwjjs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx5vOndeFwM&feature=relmfu

I think you will enjoy these.

[StrawHat]

I believe the loading of five chambers only came into play after cartridge revovles were introduced into the military.

[mdauben]

I was looking at the brass model simply for looks, but i have heard the steel version is more durable.
Be aware there is a difference between having a brass grip frame, and having a brass cylinder frame. The first is no big deal and is in fact common in period pieces. Brass cylinder frames, however, can be subject to streatching and deformation with stronger powder charges. Some people have good luck with them, but I would never buy a BP revolver with a brass cylinder frame.