Is the 1851 navy accurate enough for hunting?

[Guvnor]

My local cabelas has the pietta 1851 navy on sale this month for $189. Im very tempted to pick one up and try to use it for small game hunting. But Is the navy model capable of this kinda accuracy out to around 15 yards? Can they be "sighted in" to hit point of aim? Or would i have to rely on kentucky windage?

Any advice appreciated!

 

[Captain*kirk]

Oh, they're accurate enough. Just ask Davis Tutt...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Bill_Hickok-David_Tutt_shootout
What you would be concerned with is terminal ballistics; i.e. remaining energy...and the size of the game. I know of several who hunt rabbits with a .36 Navy and do quite well. Whitetails, well.......no.

BP revolvers can be sighted in to POA at 15 yatds if you rake the time. My target Remmy shouts groups of less than 2" at 25 yards, and with plenty of punch to boot. Conical bullets carry more downrange energy. Were you looking at the Navy in .36 or .44?

 

[Pancho]

As it is with the Colt open tops it's more like Ky. elevation than Ky. windage. They shoot high. This has been addressed before with various fixes from replacing the front site with a taller pin, replacing the front sight with a taller blade sight and filing it down to the desired POA and finally, filing deeper the rear sight notch in the hammer.
My thought was to start with the rear hammer notch. The only investment is in a set of jewelers files and maybe a small triangular file both available at Harbor Freight for cheap.

 

[Pancho]

As the Captain brought up that gun fight was at 75 yds. and Tutt was killed with a 36 cal. round ball so terminal velocity is not an issue with a 36 cal. at 50 feet.
If I were in your shoes I'd buy the gun and start shooting it at the distance that you feel is most efficient considering the terrain you will be hunting in and your abilities at that distance. Based on you and your 51 colt you might find out that filing the rear sight will be sufficient.
On the other hand if you look at the more expensive 61 Navy it already has a taller blade front sight

 

[Guvnor]

Its the .36 cal version i was looking at. Id be looking to use it for small game like rabbit, squirrel, etc.

 

[Skinny 1950]

I checked my 1851 .36 with a chronograph and the average velocity with a full chamber of Goex FFFG and an 80 grain round ball was 865 FPS... at the same time I clocked .22LR standard velocity out of my Ruger Single Six at 887 FPS, the .36 cal is going to make a bigger hole and weighs twice as much as the .22LR. so it should finish off those pesky squirrels.

 

[brushhippie]

I got over 1000 (just under 1100)when we chrono'd mine that was with 25 gains of swiss. With deer I dont think its a matter of would it, more, should you. In my opinion, if you are hungry....a rock would not be too small a weapon

 

[J-Bar]

My Uberti 1851 London Navies will consistently give me a quarter-sized group at 15 yards with 20 grains of Schuetzen and a round lead .380 ball.

This pair (cowboy action shooter!) happened to shoot to point of aim out of the box, but all the other 1851s and 1860s I have owned in the past shot way high, and I had to grind and file the rear sight notch in the hammer to bring them to point of aim. I got lucky, but this is the exception.

Piettas usually have good arbor fitting, but you should check it anyway. If the arbor does not fit the barrel assembly properly, accuracy will eventually suffer. Piettas usually need some additional fitting of the bolt into the cylinder notches. If this is off, you will see burrs and wear on the notches and lead-ins after a few cocking cycles. Reliability will also be enhanced with better nipples.

So, yes you could tune an 1851 to be a 15-yard small game gun, but it's unlikely to be as good as you want out of the factory box.

You can find links to Pettifogger's tuning procedures at The Open Range forum, or someone more savvy than me can probably post a link to find them quickly.

 

[Crawdad1]

I kill whistle pigs all of the time with my '51 Navy, and you can't believe the feeling you get taking game with a ole timer!!!
Shoot the heck out of it and find a load that your revolver likes, its accurate enough!!

 

[AJumbo]

Mine is grim death on bunnies out to 25 yards or so. I see no problem here.