Now what is it

[jcowan]

I have a Pietta 1862 Army/Police. This was my first BP gun. I have put a lot of time into removing all of the bluing, defarbing and sanding the grips and I love the antique look of it. I recently swapped my 1851 cylinder onto it and it works fine. I ordered another 1851 cylinder and I am going to remove the bluing to match the gun. Now, with the 1851 cylinder, is it a shortened 1861 or is there something else different from the 1861. I am just curious, I really like this gun and like it better without the fluted cylinder. I also had the fluted cylinder in the 1851 but it does not match the square lines and seems out of place. I have a problem with prefering the shorter barrelled guns and I don't know why.

 

[BHP FAN]

You got it in one.It is a '61 Navy .36.It never really was a .36 Police,as those were five shooters, .36 built on a rebated .31 pocket frame.

 

[madcratebuilder]

^^^^^^^^

What BHP said. Pietta is not to good with historical names, I would call it a Sheriffs model of the 61 Navy myself.

 

[messerist]

Yes, Pietta makes some "mythical" guns. However, I like their imagination. Makes me wonder what other refinements of cap and ball revolvers would have occurred if it were not for the advent of the cartridge. Some will say "Yes, the cartridge was a refinement." Indeed it was but I like to imagine a different tangent.