1873 Rawhide by Pietta

[RWMC]

Thinking about buying a Pietta 1873 “Rawhide” .45 Colt revolver with a 7 1/2” barrel. This one has the matte black finish on all the metal. Found one at a good sale price of $250; new.
Would like to hear from any of you who have had experience shooting/owning one about the quality and accuracy of it. Many thanks!

 

[WestKentucky]

Thinking about buying a Pietta 1873 “Rawhide” .45 Colt revolver with a 7 1/2” barrel. This one has the matte black finish on all the metal. Found one at a good sale price of $250; new.
Would like to hear from any of you who have had experience shooting/owning one about the quality and accuracy of it. Many thanks!

For that price, yeah. Even if it needs a little tuning you won’t be hurt. Any of the cartridge revolvers I have seen lately are creeping up in price and that seems to be a good price in any caliber. I have been looking mainly for .357, but even so if I found a pietta for that price, I would gladly own a .45.

 

[ontarget]

In my search for a 45 Colt I tried to look at a Pietta at Cabelas. They would not remove the trigger lock. The gun was nickel plated and felt good. It was on sale for $319.00 and I was going to grab it up the next morning but someone beat me to it.
I think I would take a chance on one for $250.00. They do have plenty of good reviews.

 

[1KPerDay]

In my search for a 45 Colt I tried to look at a Pietta at Cabelas. They would not remove the trigger lock. .

This idiotic new policy of theirs is going to put them out of business and I’m not sure I am upset about it

 

[jaguarxk120]

This policy comes from bass pro.I was looking at a Uberti Cattleman II, they would not take off the trigger lock
until it was at the unloading station at their gun range!!
I felt I was treated very poorly!!
Anyway their prices are way too high compared to the other store's.

 

[RealGun]

This idiotic new policy of theirs is going to put them out of business and I’m not sure I am upset about it

Yes, but then the display gun becomes "used" and would need to be sold accordingly. On double actions there would need to be a sign "if you flip the cylinder shut, we'll have to kill you". I'm sure sales people have seen it all.

 

[ontarget]

This idiotic new policy of theirs is going to put them out of business and I’m not sure I am upset about it

I agree. The only reason I ever go there is because my family gives me gift cards from there. I just save them up and watch for sales on stuff I want.

 

[Jimster]

Delete post.

 

[Catman42]

as to the pietta as compaired to the uberti. the fit and finish of the uberti is better. HOWEVER the pietta when cocked has a better lock up than the uberti. the uberti is very good but the pietta is perfect. i would expect the pietta to be a good reliable shooter. if it is what you want, get it. i have several ubeti colts and in all of them and i would recommend the same for a pietta, put the bottom sping in with a new wolf wire spring. the flat spring in both pietta and uberti in short time snaps. a wire spring will rarely snap and last.buy and have lots of fun.

 

[1KPerDay]

Yes, but then the display gun becomes "used" and would need to be sold accordingly.

Have you ever bought a new pistol without trying the trigger?

It has nothing to with “new” or “used.” It’s Bass Pro’s dumba** liability policy. You have to take the pistol into the back and try the trigger while pointing it into a bullet trap. Absolute idiocy.

 

[RealGun]

Have you ever bought a new pistol without trying the trigger?<snip>

Maybe 50 times, mostly from a distance, although not always a new gun. The new ones especially are going to get an action job anyway. In Ruger's case, while not just them, the gun is going to go back at least once, typically a cylinder issue. I have also had to quickly send guns back to S&W, Kimber, Charter Arms, and Springfield. Most guns are a work in progress. Either that, or when others have had better experiences, I am just unlucky.

In Uberti's case, the Cimarron that broke couldn't go back for free because it had been taken apart to diagnose the issue, finding parts that were so mismatched and modified that they weren't worth trying to fix. The whole assembly needed to be replaced and refitted, now at my expense.

 

[1KPerDay]

I would suggest that if you tried more triggers before buying you might avoid some of the “going back to the factory” cycle. But that’s up to you.

Obviously buying online precludes that option.

Before buying Pietta revolvers (at Cabelas) I made them bring me two or three examples (new in box) so I could check them for proper timing.

Also it’s often recommended to try a few different Glocks at the point of purchase until you find one that doesn’t jerk the front sight as the striker releases. There are differences between examples of the same model. How you’re meant to do that without pulling the trigger I have no idea.

 

[RealGun]

I would suggest that if you tried more triggers before buying you might avoid some of the “going back to the factory” cycle. But that’s up to you.

Obviously buying online precludes that option.

Before buying Pietta revolvers (at Cabelas) I made them bring me two or three examples (new in box) so I could check them for proper timing.

Also it’s often recommended to try a few different Glocks at the point of purchase until you find one that doesn’t jerk the front sight as the striker releases. There are differences between examples of the same model. How you’re meant to do that without pulling the trigger I have no idea.

None of my issues were related to testing the trigger.

 

[1KPerDay]

Fair enough.

 

[jdavis123]

In my search for a 45 Colt I tried to look at a Pietta at Cabelas. They would not remove the trigger lock. The gun was nickel plated and felt good. It was on sale for $319.00 and I was going to grab it up the next morning but someone beat me to it.
I think I would take a chance on one for $250.00. They do have plenty of good reviews.

The Pietta that you were looking at is a Cabela’s exclusive produced by Pietta to celebrate the number of years they had done business together. Cabela’s doesn’t have a store in Florida so, I called their customer service ask asked about getting one. The price had dropped from $399 to $319 and they were going fast. They located a Cabela’s in another state that showed one in stock and I had it shipped to a nearby Bass Pro. The finish on the frame isn’t the best but it has an excellent trigger. It is smooth and breaks cleanly at just under 2lbs which is better than my Uberti Patron. You missed out on a good one!

 

[ontarget]

Are there tool marks on the frame to the left of the hammer? If so you probably took mine. LOL.

The Pietta that you were looking at is a Cabela’s exclusive produced by Pietta to celebrate the number of years they had done business together. Cabela’s doesn’t have a store in Florida so, I called their customer service ask asked about getting one. The price had dropped from $399 to $319 and they were going fast. They located a Cabela’s in another state that showed one in stock and I had it shipped to a nearby Bass Pro. The finish on the frame isn’t the best but it has an excellent trigger. It is smooth and breaks cleanly at just under 2lbs which is better than my Uberti Patron. You missed out on a good one!

 

[Old Stumpy]

The finish on the frame isn’t the best but it has an excellent trigger. It is smooth and breaks cleanly at just under 2lbs which is better than my Uberti Patron. You missed out on a good one!

My color case hardened1873 Pietta came with a very nice light mainspring and a smooth trigger pull a little over 3 pounds. A very attractive and well finished revolver with tight tolerances.

 

[jdavis123]

Ontarget: No hammer tool marks and it came from Alabama.
The frame area above the trigger guard and the trigger guard appear to have been brushed before plating while the rest of the frame and gun were buffed smooth before plating. I think that this might have been intentional but, to me it looks a bit odd. It does have a rather ingenious safety system. It uses the transfer bar system but, once the trigger is pulled it remains fully rearward with the firing pin exposed. If you touch the hammer to perform any function requiring the cylinder to rotate, the firing pin retracts releasing the trigger while engaging the transfer bar system . No way to rest the firing pin on a live round.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

In my search for a 45 Colt I tried to look at a Pietta at Cabelas. They would not remove the trigger lock.

Howdy

About two weeks ago I was in the local Cabelas inspecting an antique lever gun in their Gun Library. The fellow in charge absolutely would not take off the trigger lock. Interesting because I was allowed to work the action, but with the trigger lock in place I could not pull the trigger to lower the hammer. The compromise was he took off the trigger guard and with the muzzle inserted into a bullet trap, AND with his hand still on the rifle, I was allowed to test the trigger.

This must be a new policy since Basspro took over because I have tested lots of triggers at Cabelas in the past.

It was awkward, but I was able to determine what I wanted about the trigger on the old rifle.

I can understand in today's litigious society why they feel the need to cover their butt like this.

I'm not happy about it, but on the other hand I seldom buy firearms from Cabelas.

No, I will not buy a firearm if I have not been able to personally inspect it, which includes working the action and pulling the trigger (with my thumb on the hammer to ease it down of course).

 

[RWMC]

I bought the 1873 Pietta Rawhide .45 Colt.

It is all steel and has a matte black finish on all of the metal parts.
The walnut grips are beautiful, and the wood to metal fit is perfect.
There are some very noticeable casting/machining marks on the underneath side of the top strap.
All of the screw heads are perfect showing care in the assembly of the parts.
The lock-up of the cylinder with the hammer in the full cocked position was rock solid with zero movement.

So far, I am very pleased with my purchase of this Pietta 1873 “Rawhide” in .45 Colt. I will be sure to post range results in the near future. Many thanks to all who supplied input.

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

In my opinion, "trigger locks" are disrespectful to the firearm, especially an antique. But... those Fudd stores probably have tons of less careful people going in anyway, I can see why they want to cover themselves from any pre-sell damage to the firearms.
For a good built .45, that's a stealer of a price. Personally, I stick to only Colts or Rugers now but if you aren't "brand loyal" that's no problem. All the Uberti's and Pietta's I've handled feel like work of art, very fine actions.
So if you're not selective as to who makes your firearms, and won't be any time down the road, go ahead and get it.
EDIT: Just saw that you bought it. Post us pictures of your groupings please.

 

[deadeye dick]

In my search for a 45 Colt I tried to look at a Pietta at Cabelas. They would not remove the trigger lock. The gun was nickel plated and felt good. It was on sale for $319.00 and I was going to grab it up the next morning but someone beat me to it.



I think I would take a chance on one for $250.00. They do have plenty of good reviews.

I bought a Uberti at Cabelas here in SC. Asked the salesperson to remove the lock so I could feel the trigger and action. Told him I wanted to buy it. He took the gun to the back and came out with a rolling cart. attached to it was a tube. He took the lock off and stuck the barrel into the tube. Only than was I able to hold the gun and work the action. he never took his hand off the gun and the muzzle had to be in the tube. Talk about being paranoid. Any how I bought the gun

 

[Catman42]

the two gun stores i use in western ne just check for a loaded round and let you test a trigger. i wanted recently to buy a bretta tom can or it may have been a bob cat. like the design. the trigger was the worse trigger ive ever pulled. really really bad. that ended it, no sale. bought a 22 mag ruger lcr instead what was good in the trigger. you have to try the trigger before you buy or you may be very sorry you didnt.

 

[Mr. Mosin]

What's this thing you call a "trigger lock" ? My LGS just reaches down to the S&W 686 on his hip and unsnaps the top break with his hand resting on the butt of that Smith. Works better than any trigger lock. Don't think he's ever had to draw it.