Brass frame pocket .31

[MCgunner]

I bought this brass framed CVA Remington copy pocket .31 a dozen or so years ago. I've fired it, pulled the front sight out and installed a taller one made from a brazing rod. Now, it shoots decent, or at least to POA. I also bought a neat brass bullet mold for it from Dixie Gunworks that casts one ball and one conical. It shoots either pretty well, but I found out buying 00 buck was the deal, LOL. I can get a 25 lbs bag of 00 pretty cheap compared even to buying lead.

Anyway, I was wondering about the durability of this thing. I haven't shot it all that much. I had a .44 navy brass frame many years ago that stretched and became disfunctional over time. The remington is, however, a back strap type frame, not open top, and I figured that .31 shouldn't exactly stress stuff the way that .44 did. Any experiences with the little .31? I'm pretty happy with it as a toy. Don't shoot it all that often and it ain't exactly a target gun, but it's fun to play with and was only about $65 from Cabelas when I got it. If I want an accurate cap and ball, I do have a Ruger Old Army.

 

[Manyirons]

No experience with brass, both of my .31 Remmies, are steel frame. Use all the 4F Swiss one can stuff in, no trouble. Both were stiff, required work, now best little shirt pocket guns one could ask for.

Now if only stainless or nickle!

 

[skinwalker]

shouldnt be a problem

.31 cal is a light recoiling caliber , and remington being a solid frame , this little banger should outlive you by many decades as long as it is taken care of ! wont say as much for the larger caliber brass frames !

 

[Old Fuff]

Manyirons:

Now if only stainless or nickle!

Many years ago I knew a dealer that would buy a truckload of brass framed revolvers (all sizes and models), strip them down (I often got to do that ) and sent them off to a local plater where the principal business was automobile trim and bumpers. After they were nickel-chrome plated they were put back together and placed in the showcase. Sold like hot coffee on a cold morning.

Check your Yellow Pages...

 

[mec]

probably not a problem with 31 but it would seem prudent to keep the pressure on the loading lever to a minimum. You might be able to stretch the frame simply by heavying seating pressure. One guy posted here that he had colapsed the frame on his brass remington/beals copy while compressing a load. There is not very much metal at all at the bottom front of the frame window.

 

[MCgunner]

.31 cal is a light recoiling caliber , and remington being a solid frame , this little banger should outlive you by many decades as long as it is taken care of ! wont say as much for the larger caliber brass frames !

I's hopin' you'd say that.

One guy posted here that he had colapsed the frame on his brass remington/beals copy while compressing a load. There is not very much metal at all at the bottom front of the frame window.

Well, it's got a TINY and rather flexible rammer. That keeps you from really getting after it. Might be a design feature, eh?

The conicals I cast are a bit of a pain to load, a little long, but they have a starting swage in the bottom to help. The buckshot loads really easy and that's what I've taken to shooting at the range. Just gotta remember the friggin' crisco. LOL!

It's a neat little gun, very tight lock up and perfect timing. I've bought much more expensive revolvers that didn't time as well. It was amazing quality for 65 bucks, I thought. I'd had that brass frame Navy stretch on me, but this being so small and a top strap design, I sorta hoped it'd last longer than that Navy did. To top that off, the Navy was in .44! But, I was in college, never fired black powder before. It was my first and I had no clue. I had a room mate that had an old army and wanted to try BP. So, it served its purpose. I couldn't hit squat with it, but it was fun to watch the smoke.

 

[mec]

bates started out with a 36 brass navy before 1965. At that time West Texas was full of Jackrabbits. He would hit about one out of four. Shot the gun alot. Shot it loose. Screwed in the arbor and tightened it up. Shot it loose again.

 

[MCgunner]

bates started out with a 36 brass navy before 1965. At that time West Texas was full of Jackrabbits. He would hit about one out of four. Shot the gun alot. Shot it loose. Screwed in the arbor and tightened it up. Shot it loose again.

ROF, I never though of that. I gave that Navy to a friend who wanted it for a wall hanger. Maybe coulda used my hydraulic press on it, LOL!