handling charecteristics

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Bezoar

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is the 1851 still considered the easiest to point and aim?

Accuracy, remingtons still considered to be easiest to aim for new shooters out of the box based on the frame mounted sight groove?

frame size, i cant remember if the 51 is larger or smaller then the remington grips. just something i wonder on.
 
Well, everyone is different, but I prefer the balance and natural pointablity of the '51 over ANYTHING.
 
I like the SAA grip myself, so i think the 51 would be good, but is the rear sight on a 51 going to be a huge transition tho?
 
I have both a '51 Colt and a '58 Rem, and many modern handguns. So far, the best 25 yard group I've shot with any handgun has been with the '51 Colt repro. I wouldn't say that the "transition" to the hammer notch rear sight is any issue. It's a bit different in that you have a pointed front sight in a v-notch rear, but the sight alignment process is the same.

That being said, the Colts are factory regulated to something like 75 yards, so they'll shoot high at more "normal" handgun ranges (7 to 25 yards) whereas the Remington '58s tend to hit close to point of aim at 7 yards. I replaced the front sight on my Colt repro and then used a Dremel to widen the rear notch to one side for windage zero. Now it shoots just a hair high and center at 25. Great for me.

The Colts are lighter and easier to hold on target, and on mine at least, the hammer spring is lighter, making for easier cocking on follow-up shots. The lighter hammer also tends to make for more misfires when it gets really dirty. Tradeoffs.

If you want a gun that you can shoot right out of the box, with less fiddling, the Remington is preferred (no barrel wedge issues and the sights are closer to what you'd expect) but for all around handling, definitely the Colt, IMO.

You should get both!
 
Remingtons are great - I have two ( .36 & .44) but they tend to bind up from fouling pretty quickly since there are no grooves cut into the arbor (cylinder pin). Also, I had an Uberti Remington and a Pietta Remington - the Uberti had smaller grips and is, from what I understand, more historically accurate. The Pietta isn't finished as well internally but it fits my hand better, and it's a heck of a shooter. I recently acquired a .36 Remington from Lee 3370 and it's becoming one of my favorites.
But for overall fit and function, I think the 1851 .36 Colt is the best.
 
I shoot a Pietta '51 Navy US Marshall, a ASM '60 Army, and a Pietta '58 Rem.
All in .44 cal.

By far, the '51 is my best point and shooter. Seems I don't even have to aim and I am right on quick. Not that the others don't shoot great - it's just that for me they require more to hit what/where I want.
 
I just took my new 1851 Navy out "for a walk" this past weekend. I was drilling soda cans and empty ammo boxes from 25 yards! That's something I cannot do with ANY of the modern guns I own. Maybe I ought to rig a way to use the '51 as my primary carry piece! :)
 
I got to the only gun store in my county that has a bp handgun. He has a few nice colts tho.
an original 1848-49 made colt pocket in fitted case.
1861 in excavated condition
and what i think is a 1851 reproduction from 30 years ago. This one looked the best and like it would be perfect. Sadly he doesnt let anyone look at them close.

It would have been a 5 day wait to get one shipped to me form a distributor to him, so sadly no bp revolver before bct.
 
Sadly he doesnt let anyone look at them close.
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What!?

So he's running a museum and not a store, then. I mean, he obviously doesn't want anyone to buy anything. I can understand that regarding original 1800s guns, but a 30 year-old repro is just a used gun-- not a museum piece.

Now, assuming this really is a gun store, the guy's doing a terrible job. Number one sales pitch, after getting the customer in the door is to put something in said customer's hands. The number one "get the hell out of here-- I don't want your business" pitch is to tell a customer not to touch the merchandise.

I'd say it's mail order time.
 
Well i know it is shocking really. Hes the best and most honest gun dealer in my area, and the only one id take a gun to for fixing as well. Its just that the big display case is his personal collection of "special children". All told theres about 24 handguns in it including the previously mentioned colts, and he has about a dozen revolvers that were considered to be modern before january 1, 1898.
A few hopkins and allens, a few smiths in 22, a few oddball 38 revolvers.

I asked him about looking at the kinda rusty lookin 1851 reproduction, and he just smiled at me, nodded, and went to looking up a price for an old rifle magazine. Then some guy came in with a semi auto he managed to seize up with reloaded ammunition and i went home.

Its just that i live in michigan, and by law any assembled handgun requires the buyer to get a purchase permit. that purchase permit means i need to get from a private citizen who wants to sell what i want to buy, or i need a FFL to get it for me. And oddly enough, the dealers i went to will only order from their distributors. and the only bp handgun those magazines list is the traditions buck hunter pro inlines.. yeah some reason they wont order something from cabelas for me.
 
1851 hands down. Last time i was at the range my 1851 pietta out shot all my other handguns. Took 4 to the range. Amazingly good shooting gun. Very very accurate. i can shoot it all day long. to give you the short i was out with my boys. We were out to shoot like crazy to have some fun and to really see how accurate they were without cleaning them. So we started at 9am when the range opened up. Pretty much shooted all day long non stop loading and shooting. NO CLEANING well at around 130pm we were down to my 1860 Army and my 1851 NAVY. Both 44 cal. Well a while later the 1860 was through. Just too much fouling and really poor accuracy. the 1851 pietta we loaded it up another 3 rounds and shot each shot our 6 rounds. After that we gave up. But the pietta 1851 didnt. so we went home and tore them all apart inspecting them to see where and why they failed. Number 1 problem. spent caps pieces. I am sure that if i can match the caps to the nipples correctly i will fix that problem. The 1851 has the best fit using #10 caps. All other guns are kinda loose with #11 and too tight with #10. Then in my area all that is available is CCI. so that is my quest right now. Then i am going to try it out again. Second problem was Arbor shaft build up. Need a better lube on the shaft. One that wont attract that much bp. But will stay slick. Im thinking about trying slick 50.
 
I prefer the Remington NMA 1858. While I handled Colts before and they do handle extremely well, the Pietta Remington's wider grip and wider frame is a great improvement in the Remington reproduction class. Actually, the Pietta model is more accurate to the original Remington than the versions by Uberti or Euroarms.

However, I choose the Remington for it's even simpler construction, and the ease of swapping cylinders on the firing line without having to use special tools for breakdown. If you are a serious competitor, the Remington will be your top choice. That or another closed frame revolver such as the Rogers and Spencer or the Whitney.

Regarding the fouling problem, that could easily be solved, using different powders, such as H777, or a homemade version without the sulfur.

I took sulfur out of my homemade BP to clear up the smoke and fouling, and have discovered, that I am getting more accuracy from my follow-up shots, since less fouling accumulation in the bore with each shot means more accuracy in the follow up shots. Very important thing to have if you are in a CAS or NSSA shoot, where timing and accuracy rules the day, and every second spent at the pitstop will mean less points for your team.
 
No such law

Its just that i live in michigan, and by law any assembled handgun requires the buyer to get a purchase permit. that purchase permit means i need to get from a private citizen who wants to sell what i want to buy, or i need a FFL to get it for me. And oddly enough, the dealers i went to will only order from their distributors. and the only bp handgun those magazines list is the traditions buck hunter pro inlines.. yeah some reason they wont order something from cabelas for me.
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Bezoar, MI law no longer requires a permit or safety inspection for c&b or ml handguns or rifles. You can order one from Cabelas yourself and have it shipped directly to your door. You will first need to call Cabelas gun counter and tell them you want to order a bp firearm. They will then send you a statement of eligibility that simply says you are not prohibited under state law from possessing such a weapon. Fill this out, have in notarized, then send it back to Cabelas. They put that on file and you can order "no hassle" from that point on. Note that this requirement is not a function of state law but rather "company policy".
 
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The ergonomics on the Colt Navy Models are considered outstanding. But aiming? The Remingtons are usually considered superior due to the better sights. There's a trick to handling a Remington - put the little finger under the grip.
 
Yep but not always needed. I took out one of my 1851's last night did some polishing then just some sighting. Wow that gun is so nice. they are natural born aiming shooters. Its like what ever you hold it up to your going to be in target. As far as the v notch sighting in the hammer. Im fine with it. Then so many other hundred of thousands of people were from 1851 to now. So for those that do not like the v notch. Well to each his own i guess. Works for me
 
Remington 1858 is what I get first

After 30 years of shootin the Holy Black, there are three things I would highly recomend to a shoot choosin a Rev. 1st Get a Rem then a Colt, 2nd use only Black Powder, Find out where to buy or how to make your own lube pills.
Rems do not bind up if you use lube pills to help lubricate, I have four Rems and one in the mail that will not bind up shooting all day with pills or a Clear Eyes container of water to squirt the arbor with the cylinder in place. Same with Colts, I have a Dragoon Colt, a 1860 Army Pietta (10yrs old), an 1851 Navy Uberti, and an 1873BP SAA Uberti. None bind up on me. Any way all I gotta sa is that yeah Colts hang nice, but Rems hit what you aim um at.
You'll get both anyway so you choose...:evil:
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The ergonomics on the Colt Navy Models are considered outstanding. But aiming? The Remingtons are usually considered superior due to the better sights. There's a trick to handling a Remington - put the little finger under the grip.
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Considered superior by Remington fans, perhaps. There are a significant number of people who disagree. There's no doubt the Remington sights are better, but whether that's enough to make the entire gun 'superior' at aiming will be debated for a very long time.

The 'little finger under the grip' trick is applicable to almost any single action revolver, including the 1851 Colt Navy and my Ruger Single Six and Old Army.
 
Rems are superior...Colt owners jus' don't know it

Considered superior by Remington fans, perhaps. There are a significant number of people who disagree. There's no doubt the Remington sights are better, but whether that's enough to make the entire gun 'superior' at aiming will be debated for a very long time.

The 'little finger under the grip' trick is applicable to almost any single action revolver, including the 1851 Colt Navy and my Ruger Single Six and Old Army.
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Let me ask you why Colt open top type Revs are not in Olympic Competions?
Do you remove your sights on any other Rev every time you disassy it i.e. remove that V notch hammer sight? Does a Rem Cylinder's gap change when you remove and slide the Cyl pin? Does it change on a Colt with a wedge? Rems don't Wobble even when worn.
I have never stuck my lil' pinky out under any Revolver and it has never detoured my ability to hit what I shoot at. And Colt was smart enough to arrive with the 1873 SAA ... but after the C&B era and the trial and error of the Conversion stages.

Thanks for tryin but you haven't convinced me...:cool:
SG
 
Thanks for tryin but you haven't convinced me...
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Nor was i trying to. Read my post very carefully, sir.

I took no side, but rather simply stated, honestly, I think, that some would disagree and the point will continue to be debated.

I will thank you to not presume my opinions in the future.
 
Right from Harpers..."warranted superior to any other Pistol of the kind."
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But wait...
"superior action and construction."
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Now I'm really confused.
 
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