Grip/Frame Difference for 1858

[bp_cowboy]

Was at the local gun show yesterday and talking with a gentleman that had lots of BP pistols. All of the talk about the Remmy's got me thinking my Pietta Navy might need a Step Brother.

Anyway, there were two 1858's sitting next to each other. One blued steel and One stainless, and both 44 cal. The thing I noticed was how much smaller the stainless one felt in your hand. Grip size, frame, etc...

Is this the case and has anybody else noticed this?

Thanks

 

[Otony]

There have been at least four manufacturers of the 1858 over the years, Pietta, Armi San Marco, Uberti, and perhaps Euroarms. Not sure on that last, and for all I know there may even be others. I seem to recall the Feinwerkbau made some as well?

In any case, each company has produced an 1858 that is close to the original (and each other), but not identical. As well, Uberti changed from cast frames to forged frames around 2008 and their grip frames changed at that time (for the better I think).

Back when I bought my first 1858 in 1977 or '78, the dealer had two in stainless, each from a different manufacturer. You could visibly see the differences in the grip frames and oddly enough, the hammers. I chose mine based on feel and overall appearance. That is more or less how I still do it today, although price and reputation comes into play as well.

For the record, I currently own two of the forged frame Ubertis and find the grip frame very comfortable, perhaps even moreso than a SAA Colt.

 

[rcflint]

There is no difference in size between my SS and Blue Piettas, but there is a difference in size between my Piettas and Ubertis. Don't have an Uberti Stainless to compare. EuroArms are also a different size. I see a difference between my Brass framed Pietta and the blue, but the brass frame is an older manufacture and Pietta may have changed the tooling.

Were you handling two guns from the same maker?

 

[bp_cowboy]

The blue steel one was an Pietta, but I did not check the SS one.... my bad. I was just under the impression pretty much all Remmy's would be of comparable size.

 

[BHP FAN]

When you compare the originals to the copys you see that most of the copies have oversized grips.

 

[Hellgate]

I started out with Colts. Then I got SS Piettas but they were "klunky" to me, heavy, fat grips. Once I picked up an Uberti I realized they ARE different. I got rid of the Piettas and grabbed two Uberti Milleniums. Then I handled a Euroarms. They are even smaller in both grip and frame than the Ubertis. Dixie list them as about 1/4 lb lighter in weight. They are much lighter and more pointable than any Pietta. The Pietta to me, is just too beefy. Pietta made some commemorative guns on the smaller Euroarms sized frame and grips (engraved stainless Chief of Police gift guns) as I had one. My problem with the Piettas was chamber to bore alignment was poor on all 3 of the SS Piettas I owned. I hear that the latest crop of Piettas are of much higher quality than the older guns I had. Euroarms quality varies also in their older guns. Ubertis have always been pretty consistently good. The difference in feel between a Pietta and a Euroarms Remington is almost as much difference than between a
Colt '51 Navy and a Colt '60 Army.