Thoughts on 1863 Pietta Pocket?

[TruthTellers]

I'm very new to blackpowder shooting and I've never had more fun shooting than with black powder guns. I've already got a '58 Pietta, but now I want to experience shooting the .36 and .31 caliber guns.

The Pietta Pocket is next on my list and I'm only looking at the steel frame model as in the future I may get the .32 conversion. I'd like to hear from those who have owned or shot one with the conversion and without the conversion and if the tiny thing is worth the $300+ pricetag.

 

[StrawHat]

The loading lever on these is fragile! They tend to break out right at the pivot hole. Aside from that they are fun little revolvers. I had a couple and ended up converting them to 22 LR. One, i converted to a traditional trigger and guard. Lot's of work and eventually lost interest and got rid of it.

Kevin

 

[EljaySL]

Definitely a fun gun. I have it in brass since I decided I wasn't going to do a conversion and it was much more available and affordable at the time. I do load the cylinder off the gun - that loading lever definitely isn't robust. It hits high at 7 yards, which is as far as I care to shoot it. Accuracy at that distance is minute of soda can. It's more than enough for poker cheats but given the sights / trigger etc. don't expect perfect little groups. Not having a trigger guard is weird but you get used to it.

 

[TruthTellers]

The only negatives I've heard not just from the posters above, but elsewhere is the cylinder's loading lever being very flimsy.

With that being the case, I would think the '63 pocket is a possible project gun to do a cylinder pin rig like the one Mike Beliveau did on his Remington Bulldog where he drilled and tapped a hole through the flat end and put a very shallow blind hole in the frame and used a bolt to hold the cylinder in place.

 

[kBob]

Assuming you are talking about the Remington .31 pocket pistol........

Most folks do not appreciate how small they are until they actually have one. Think smaller than a Colt 1849 or even a Ruger Bearcat.

On the pieta Brass frames the safety notches DO NOT WORK. Aggrivating to say the least.

I to worry about the loading lever and took mine apart to look at it and it sure looks like it could break in a heart beat.

I tried to get Busyhands 94 to make a slightly enlarged loading tool like the NAA mini BP model uses.... but then he went and joined the Navy......

-kBob

 

[BPaddict]

Any specific tips to avoid breaking the loading lever?

Ordered one of these without telling the missus...

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

Any specific tips to avoid breaking the loading lever?

Ordered one of these without telling the missus...

Load the cylinder off the gun, use a press or just a short ram rod

 

[Blackpowdershooter44]

Will the powder inc cylinder loader work for the .31 remington? I don't know if my loader has a .31 cal loading jag. Going to be doing a video on one shortly, it's a fun little gun.

 

[dickydalton]

No it won't as sold but you may be able to make a seater that fits.