elhombreconnonombre
Member
On Saturday the mailman brought me a brand new old stock Navy Arms 1851 .44 with a brass frame. I've been hankerin for one of these with the round barrel since I passed on one before Christmas. It came in the original plastic bag, in the original styro box, and cardboard box, with all the Navy Arms paperwork. I was so excited until I tried to cock it. It was nearly impossible to cock. Now I'm no girlie man...I have worked both hands and thumbs cocking and firing Pietta Le Mats in each hand, so there was definitely a problem. So out come the tools. I brought out my smooth as silk Pietta 1851 Navy first to compare the bits. The very first thing I noticed was that the spring was a lot thicker compared to the 36 by a bunch...like 75% thicker. I had a spare and thinner 1851 spring and swapped it out...problem solved. I guess Val II missed that problem on this particular one and it got out the door. I also swapped out the grip with one that had the bottom of the grip machined for a detachable shoulder stock. Now I have what I call a fantasy brass framed shoulder stocked "mini 3rd model dragoon".
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