1851 Navy Squareback
I'm no expert on C&B pistols. I obtained a Pietta 1851 Navy steel frame .36 from Cabela's on sale ($199 + $5 shipping) right after Christmas with the round brass trigger guard.
I have wanted to obtain an 1851 Navy brass squareback TG (for a Colt 1851 Second Model replica: Flayderman's book) since seeing one on both the Pietta website (which gives very little info but lots of photos)
http://www.pietta.us/products/Muzzleloadinguns/Navy/gallery/Navy_1851_13.html
and the Taylors & Co website.
I have been in contact with Taylors (Ashley Loy) and she ordered one from Pietta
We can order the brass squareback triggerguard for you. It is part A2131 and the cost is $25.00.
for me about 6 weeks ago stating that she would call me when it came into their possession. I have sent a couple of emails to her in the interim, and she confirms our conversations but has not seen the part yet.
In the meantime, I received a 2015 Dixie Gun Works catalog 3 days ago. Lo and behold, on page 76 DGW lists (with photo) a Dixie 1851 Navy Yank - London Model (RH0850) steel frame .36 with a
brass squareback trigger guard, made by Pietta, for $250.
I
must mention that I put out a WTB request on another forum and Fingers sent me one he had (free of charge) that he liberated from a J.H. Dance & Brothers revolver and then replaced it with round TG. The frontstrap was more than 1/16" too short and was full of black gas casting bubbles, which I tried to remove but managed to have taken too much metal away. (At any rate, thank you, Fingers! He also stated that I need to pay it forward. I will when I have enough leftover parts to do so.
)
As I am retired and on a fixed income, my grandiose long-range project is to obtain the squareback TG, Slix Shot nipples, a Dixie/Pietta 1851 Navy shoulder stock, and a long custom wood case to contain those items along with various accoutrements. I also want to experiment with reducing the Pietta 1851 "tail" using a new polished grip frame and the original walnut grip to look more like the original Colt line.
Many folks have bashed the Pietta "tail", but if one looks at pictures of most Uberti revolvers, they have a similar "tail" except for the 1851 London Navy or the 1861 Navy.
Another thing I learned about Pietta descriptions: don't believe
everything: courtesy of DGW, the revolver descriptions are very accurate, down to the wood and the barrel dimensions. My new Pietta [CM]: 2014 date came with very plain European walnut grip, so I bought a nice looking figured grip ($35) from a seller on EBay who described them as walnut, just as Cabela's does on their website. Turns out they are a reddish-brown stained white hardwood. I contacted the seller who, it turns out, buys complete revolvers from Cabela's and parts them out on EBay. He stated he had no clue about the differences in wood and offered a refund, and I declined. It fits as well as the original grip.
DGW even stated that some 1851 Navy Models come with select hardwood (RH0210 Dixie Colt Navy steel .36 and RH0130 Wyatt Earp brass .44).
Good luck with your endeavours!
Just my $.02 worth.
Jim
