Loving the '51 Navy!

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Z

ZVP

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I'm a modern shooter. Gained all my exposure. With Ubertis and now Piettias.
Gosh there were so many other manufacturers before and so many Dealer brands. Like Traditions and CVA,etc.
I have only seen a couple other Foreign revolvers and about 1/2 were Brasseres ad a couple steel frames.
I prefer to buy new BP revolvers because of the best most modern materials, and am sorta goosed about buying used. Heard horror story's of badly worn guns out there!
I rally want to own more than the 6 revolvers I fcurently own plus one CVA Kit gun I built but the nipples don't have room fort even enjoy my .44Brasser caps! It's a wallhanger Police model.
I really like the. Colt navy.36 but I also really like my .44 Brasser because it's so smooth operating due to the natural lubricity of the two metals interacting!
Actually I like myRemingtons too.
The .36 is my favorite caliber, flat shooting, fast and deep penetrating
zVP
 
I love the .36 Navies too! Here is mine:

Colt_Navy.jpg

I am also making paper cartridges for it now:

nghtvfvetybrz.jpg

They are such great guns. The .36 caliber is plenty lethal for defensive use, and it is ideal for small game hunting and is a joy to shoot at the range. They balance nicely, have light recoil, and tend to hit where they're pointed. :)
 
How are the Pietta G&Gs? They are priced right and look fine. I wasn't too impressed with their Spiller & Burr repro though. I sold mine before even shooting it.
 
I agree there as the '51 and the '61 Navy balance so perfectly they feel just like an extension of your hand.

I like the '51 as it has a lot richer history in the Old West. The biggest tribute to the effectiveness of the '51 Navy is the Pony Express riders carrying mail through the most isolated of regions and some of the most treacherous would sacrifice their rifles and carry a '51 Navy. That's saying something how effective that Colt was.
 
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Crawdad1 said:
I agree there as the '51 and the '61 Navy balance so perfectly they feel just like an extension of your hand.

I like the '51 as it has a lot richer history in the Old West. The biggest tribute to the effectiveness of the '51 Navy is the Pony Express riders carrying mail through the most isolated of regions and some of the most treacherous would sacrifice their rifles and carry a '51 Navy. That's saying something how effective that Colt was.
Click to expand...
Revolvers were lighter than the single shot rifles then available in April, 1860, when the Pony Express began. Lighter, and 5 or 6 shots instead of one rifle shot made carrying a revolver an easy decision. The 1851 had been in use for a decade and was lighter than any of the Dragoon models, so it was commonly available. The 1860 Army Colt was just being released when the Pony Express began service and was not nearly as common at the time.

So I think weight and and availability gave the 1851 the nod more than anything else.

Don't get me wrong; I'm a big fan of the 1851 Navy myself, and I agree that it handles beautifully. I just don't think handling was the main consideration for being used by Pony Express riders.
 
I agree there they had to minimize weight but maintain firepower and the Colt provided the perfect blend for that.
 
To answer a coupled loading
L questions ...th
PIettia tends to use the same frame and internals so the G&G would be as good as e rest of the '51,'61 lineup Quality is first rate these days!
I have both years of Navy'sand the '61 feels heavier either makes around the wedge area and it doesn't balance as easily. You can really notice the additional meTak around that area. I much prefer the '51 . My ronly favor with the '61 is the creeping loading lever,it is an improvement. I'll gladly live with the old ram to maintain the pointing ability.
Piettia really needs to reshape their grip though! The famed Piettia "knife edge" backside demands rework on nearly every revolver .Soon as It arrives home I blunt and even slightly redo the metal if necessary. What a difference! Only had one that didn't need it, and it had an unusually thick wood grips like to get3 full fingers holding,with a Pinkie underneath.
Trigger pull length isn't affected.
ZVP
 
Is that an origonal Yellow handled Case Sodbuster Jr.?
Maybe a. yellow clone?
I have a Black Sodbuster Jr. and a couple full sized Kissing Kranes. ABrown Mule and a Black Angus, which are full sized imports with beautifull wood, Stan and 440 stainless blades.much cheaper cost of the Kissing Kranes. Cases are 10 times the knife! However the imports hold a. SHARP edge!
I'm sold on. A Sodbuster Jr as the perfect every day blade! Easy on the pocket and leg.
ZVP
 
ZVP said:
Is that an origonal Yellow handled Case Sodbuster Jr.?
Maybe a. yellow clone?
I have a Black Sodbuster Jr. and a couple full sized Kissing Kranes. ABrown Mule and a Black Angus, which are full sized imports with beautifull wood, Stan and 440 stainless blades.much cheaper cost of the Kissing Kranes. Cases are 10 times the knife! However the imports hold a. SHARP edge!
I'm sold on. A Sodbuster Jr as the perfect every day blade! Easy on the pocket and leg.
ZVP
Click to expand...
It is a genuine Case Sodbuster Jr. :)

I agree that it is a very nice pocket knife, and it's a natural companion to the elegant Colt.
 
yep I only carry case xx with the chrome vanadium blades they make stainless steel but I love chrome vanadium as its easier to sharpen than stainless so if you open the blade and look there near the pivot point if it is chrome vanadium it will have the letters cv stamped somewhere on the blade or blades! I been carryin case for 25+ years as they are made in usa!! :)
 
My Case knives are the best knives I have ever owned. I have about a half dozen on them and they are all, NOT AS Sharp BUT Sharper than a razor blade right out of the box.
 
Cooldill said:
How are the Pietta G&Gs? They are priced right and look fine. I wasn't too impressed with their Spiller & Burr repro though. I sold mine before even shooting it.
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To me, it handles just as beautifully as our C-series '51 Navy. Shoots point of aim, chambers over groove diameter, great in the hand, it's a family favorite!

The Spiller & Burr I like very much. Little small for my hand but the kids like it. It also has chambers over groove diameter and once I dovetail in a Remington type front sight, I will surely shoot it more.
 
Case's are great knives G/P everyday carry they are some 'O the best!
The G&G are shaped very '51- like and share natural attributes.
I wonder how original prices cpompared? Thrifty er purchasers ]royally chose them rather than beater Colts.
 
General Grant thought the Griswold & Gunnison was unreliable... I heard him tell Cullen Bohannon that in "Hell on Wheels!"

(Mr. Bohannon did not agree, said his worked ok.)
 
J-Bar. Please cite your authority. I'm not challenging you, but I'd like to read it myself.
 
4v50 Gary said:
J-Bar. Please cite your authority. I'm not challenging you, but I'd like to read it myself.
Click to expand...
Intended to be a humorous comment. "Hell On Wheels" is an AMC (TV) western series.

I remember one scene in which our hero, Cullen Bohannon and General U. S. Grant were riding alone. Mr. Bohannon carries a G&G. General Grant commented about it's unreliability.

So my authority is the screenwriter for an episode of a fictional TV western!

But it is an entertaining series.

For the record I don't know that the real General Grant ever expressed an opinion about any revolver.
 
Trying to recover hand strength after an operation, I think the best way is with a gun in each hand. Had a 51 Navy in one(right hand)and a 60 Army in the other. I was struck by how the Navy seemed to acquire a target a little faster. Switching guns to the other hand(Navy now in the left hand) the Navy was again quicker on target. Not condeming the Army, as the grip is comfortable, but at least for my eyes the longer and more slender barrel takes a bit more time to orient on target. Now for the same experiment with a 51 and 61. I'll see if the slightly shorter barrel(compared to the 60 Army) makes a difference since both Navies are 7 1/2".
 
Thanks J-Bar. I read Grant's memoirs (one of the best of the Civil War) but never came across any assessment of a revolver.
 
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