Another Puzzlement To Me: Navy Arms .36 Ridgefield

[expat_alaska]

Peruse please and then I have questions.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=521896365

IMO, at first glance this pistol appears to be a G & G (my first observation) brass frame .36 repro as advertised, but it has a rebated cylinder and a Dragoon barrel. Round TG. The only rebated .36 cylinders I know of (with modified water table) are the 1862 Pocket Navy, but they were produced with the full octagon barrel (but there may be factory anomalies).

It is a Uberti repro as observed with the marking on the pic #11, but the relationship of the rammer pivot with the load lever is very similar with ASM pistols.

The seller is not clear as to what type pistol this is (1851, Pocket, et al).

I sure would like some pointers as to what this is.

Jim

 

[Ephraim Kibbey]

I've got this saved in my watch list too and, like you, I was very puzzled.

It appears to be a 6 chamber cylinder.

Maybe its a .36 barrel on a .44 frame and cylinder as there is no serial number on the barrel?

I do not have any Uberti catalogs to see if they made a rare six shot .36 caliber pocket with dragoon barrel but there is nothing like it in the ASM or EMF catalogs.

I don't have a spare $100 to find out so it is all yours.

 

[RCampb6131]

I have one just like it, made in 1970 by Uberti. They called it "Mod 1862 Reb Conf Army." It is Uberti's take on a Griswold & Gunnison but in .44 cal.

 

[Berkley]

It is Uberti's take on a Griswold & Gunnison but in .44 cal.

Then why the incorrect caliber marking?

 

[Fingers McGee]

It is not a pocket pistol - the bolt cut in the cylinder is between the nipples on pocket models. On 1851/1860/G&G/L&R 6 shot cylinders, the bolt stop cut & nipples line up with each other. This pistol is a .44 cal cylinder and frame that is either mated to a .36 cal barrel, or a mis-marked .44 cal barrel.

 

[swathdiver]

Griswold & Gunnisons all used the dragoon style barrel as did the Leech/Ansley & Rigdons.

Our .36 G & G is a family favorite at the range, it's such a sweet natural pointer!

 

[Hellgate]

Fingers nailed it IMO.

 

[expat_alaska]

Well, this pistol sold for $110. I think the buyer got a very good deal. I was interested in it for interchangeability with my Pietta 1851 mainly for the barrel insofar as my interest in creating 14 different pistols using two guns, but I hedged because the barrel may not have fit. Still awaiting Cabela's sales during the holidays. If no sale on the Griswold and Gunnison I will purchase it for $220 list.

This is my favored project, along with a double case for both.

Have fun!

Jim

 

[expat_alaska]

Fingers:

It is not a pocket pistol - the bolt cut in the cylinder is between the nipples on pocket models. On 1851/1860/G&G/L&R 6 shot cylinders, the bolt stop cut & nipples line up with each other.

You are assuming it is a 5-shot Pocket cylinder. Colt did create 6-shot cylinders for the 1849 Pocket. Knowing that Sam Colt did not waste any parts, what would preclude any replica manufacturer from creating anything similar?

Fingers, I believe you are stuck in the original Colt/Colt Replica genre and preclude any replica anomalies as believable. I have seen differently, and I am not as sage as you are.

 

[Ephraim Kibbey]

expat_alaska -

along with a double case for both

Hampel's Woodland Products:

http://hampelswoodlandproducts.com/

does great custom work.

Send in outline tracings of the revolvers and every component you want in the case and he will organize them into a beautiful English fitted case at a very reasonable price.

 

[Fingers McGee]

You are assuming it is a 5-shot Pocket cylinder. Colt did create 6-shot cylinders for the 1849 Pocket. Knowing that Sam Colt did not waste any parts, what would preclude any replica manufacturer from creating anything similar?

I'm not assuming anything. The picture is of a 6 shot rebated cylinder which can only mean it is a .44 cal. Rebated Pocket Police and Pocket Navy .36 caliber cylinders are only 5 shot. The 6 shot 1848/1849 pocket pistol cylinders are 31 caliber and not rebated. And, to my knowledge, none of the replica makers ever made a 6 shot .31 1848/1849 pocket model.

 

[alexander45]

As far as i remember alot of the Copy cat guns like the g&g used odd ball Mish mashed designs, and the Italian replica companys are famous for building even wonkyer ones things in .44 that were never 44 slightly changing this or that and pulling a model name out of their respective back sides so I have to ask my self would uberti at one point super glue them selfs together a odd ball brasser in 36? Yep hell pietta only stopped selling 36 cal 1860 confederate army's when Italys currency dropped in value and they had to cute the lower volume sellers that's why if you look now they don't sell any .36 brassers short of the higher priced g&g only 44s

 

[swathdiver]

The new Pietta Griswold & Gunnison's, at least the one we purchased last year this time from Cabela's is different from our 2008 G&G.

The barrel is not serialized and is thinner all around. Some in our family think it points even better while I prefer the older one.

Haven't gotten around yet to see if they tightened the twist or changed the chamber and groove diameters.

However, I did notice the same straight line scratch, in the same place in the barrel as our .36 caliber Spiller and Burr.

 

[A Patriot]

Not the first time a mismatch has been made. I posted this in another forum last April:

"Just received the UBERTI 1861 .36 cal. Navy I ordered from Dixie. Really beautiful and functions perfectly. At full cock the cylinder is locked tight and will not move. The trigger pull is very light and smooth. Just ONE BIG PROBLEM! As I was wiping the oil off it, I saw the cylinder was .36 cal. as it should be. I took the barrel off and was wiping the oil off it when I looked at the makers stamp under the loading lever and saw '.44 cal.'. The serial number matches the box it came in and the box says .36 cal. I got a .36 ball and a .44 ball and checked to see what fit. The .36 ball fits the cylinder well but is too small for the barrel. The .44 ball is way too big for the cylinder but fits the barrel well. I also compared the barrel with another Uberti .36 I have and the difference is obvious. I called Dixie and they will email me something so I can send it back and they will ship me another. They were really concerned about this problem. It might have been interesting shooting it. Check your new stuff before you shoot it........................ "

 

[col.lemat]

The factory used whatever was in the parts bin when they were fitting revolvers. There are quite a few originals fitted this way. So I am told.