Which BP revolver

[ARperson]

ARpersons hubbie,

I have recently been getting more interested in black power revolvers. I have had a pair of brass framed Colt 1851 Navy repos in 44 that have really just been for fireplace decoration. I like the look and fell of the 1851s, but how do they compare to 1860 Army's or the Remington 1858 Armies? I am a little confused, so I would like to hear from people who have experienced several of them what their thoughts are. Myself, I am fairly

I am looking to get a steel framed gun to shoot, but am having a tough time deciding between .36, .44, and the Colts versus the Remington. I have lot's of cartridge experience so I would like something that is the most fun.

Would be used mainly for punching paper or pinging steel at the range.

 

[mec]

Pretty much just a matter of preference.

 

[Low Key]

I prefer the 1858 New Army in .44 cal with the BP cylinders. I have 3 of them, an 8in barrel notch sight version antiqued by me to look original, a 5.5in barrel, and an 8in barrel target sight version. They are fun to shoot, you can swap cylinders quickly, and they are tough as nails and can handle the heavy loads like 40gr under the ball.

 

[Manyirons]

I'd go with the M58 in stainless or the Ruger Old Army, same flavor, minimum fuss for cleaning, finish wear aint happening, and both are stout for long term use.

 

[sjohns]

I'm still hung up on the opentop 51, 61, and 60's.

The 51s and 61s are light to handle and easy to shoot. They have minimal recoil, and are not hard to clean and take down. The remingtons and other top strap guns may be slightly easier because of less steps to take.

With 44 cal there is a little more recoil ,more bang, and more smoke. They are fun... If you move up to a walker or a dragoon, they can take more powder and make more excitement. The 60's and the 58 remingtons are in this category. I think you can pack more powder into a remington. (40gr vs 30gr.)

But after shooting these black powder guns, the ought to be detail stripped and cleaned after every session. At that level they are both about the same amount of work.

The 61's and the 60's have that classic look and feel good in the hand.

Then consider manufacturer.
Ubertis seem to be preferred, but Pietta makes a darn good gun too.
Don't buy a "Colt" unless you want to pay an extra 200 - 300 for a dressed up Uberti (IMO).

Like someone else here said, it pretty much ends up being some matter of preference. They are all so fairly good that the answer becomes purely a subjective one.

 

[sundance44s]

sundance44s

As much as i love my remmies .. i`d have to say if ya haven`t done it before and ya have the bucks .. i`d say buy a ruger cap & ball .. you won`t have to master gun smithing so soon .. the rugers pretty much come road ready .

 

[half elf]

I personally prefer the 1858 replicas because they are faster to reload with a spare cylinder, do not use the notch on the hammer as the rear sight, have a safety notch inbetween nipples, and they do not change zero everytime you clean them. They also will hold a stouter loading than the open top colt replicas.

 

[Smokin_Gun]

Although I like um all, I'll always tell a new shooter to 1 stay away rom brass framed Revs, 2 get yourself a new 1858 New Army Remington .44 load it 25-30gr of BP and have fun shootin' and hittin what you shoot at. I have Colt, Pietta, Uberti and Armi San Palo (Euroarms). They are all good and repros are sometimes flawed Colt or Rem models. Euroarms from S&S Firearms are a more authentic size and cylinder to barrel dimmension than the others. But Like I said they are all good... that Ruger Old Army is about 3 times the cost and probly well worth it, but it's not an accurate Replica for my taste... So it comes down to what has been said Personal Preferance...Hope that helps.

 

[MCgunner]

I'd keep those Navys for looking at. I had one in .44, brass frame, and it didn't take all that many rounds to stretch the frame to the point it wouldn't fire anymore.

My favorite shooting revolver is my Ruger Old Army, but wow, the price has gone up on those things. A Remington is a good choice for the same reason I like the Old Army, strength and easy disassembly for cleaning. Stainless is great for ease of clean up, though my stainless Ruger got ripped off and I later found a killer deal on a blued one I couldn't pass up.

The ol' Colt copies aren't that hard to take apart, just gettin' that cylinder pin out that's a bit of a pain. A whack with a mallet takes care of it. Another thing I don't like about the colt's, though, is the goofy sighting system. Was good 'nuf for ol' Wild Bill, though, I guess.

 

[ArmedBear]

I like shooting Remmies. I like the looks of open top Colts.

Another gun to consider is a Rogers & Spencer replica. It's a bit more expensive, but not as much as a Ruger. It's built a lot like the Ruger -- stout and accurate -- but it's an original design. Not as pretty as a Remmie or Colt, but a wonderful piece to shoot. Flared grip feels good, too, with a long barrel.

or with modern adjustable sights

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/advanc...20647f82261e8&keywords=rogers+spencer&x=0&y=0

 

[Backwoods]

I have a pair of the Roger and Spencer guns and they are great guns. I replaced the front sights with dovetailed units intended for Remington 1858s which allowed me to adjust the elevation to a 25 yd point of aim. They have really stout hammer springs, much heavier than any Colt or Remmy I've ever handed.

I've only currently got one Remington, a .36 made by Uberti, very sweet!

Try to examine as many types as you can, then decide!

Don in Ohio

 

[ArmedBear]

Stout hammer springs, but a more modern, ergonomic trigger design. I have a very old Remington replica (Euro Arms, I think, the slightly smaller Beals version) that literally slices my trigger finger when it recoils. But my recent Uberti 1858 does not do that, so no worries if you are looking to buy a recent replica.

What's cool is that, given the price of BP revolvers, you can buy three, like an 1851 or 1860, an 1858 AND a R&S for just a hair above the price of a S&W 686+ (and in my state, the same price, since I save the fees I have to pay when buying a modern handgun).

 

[eastwood44mag]

The .36 has zero recoil, but makes a vicious hole downrange. They're usually cheaper, too, and use less powder and lead, so there's less cost to shoot.

If you get a .44, get one with a closed frame, no matter what.

 

[sjohns]

Don't let people throw too many boogiemen up at ya.

Those 1860's are nice guns too. Keep the powder at 30 gr or less and it'll do just fine.

 

[MCgunner]

Figured we needed a Ruger Old Army picture in here.

 

[eagle24]

I ordered an 1858 Remington from Cabelas a few weeks ago. Couldn't be happier with the gun or Cabelas. Best price I found anywhere and came with a soft case. Look down a few threads to my thread for a pic. I, like you, had a hard time deciding and really liked the 1860 Army. But after shooting the Remington, I think my next will be a Walker or Dragoon. I'll probably eventually end up with the 1860 Army as well, to me it is the best looking of the bunch.

 

[dwave]

Don't count the open tops as bad, my .36 Pietta 51 navy has very good accuracy, and is my favorite gun to shoot. I also have a 58 remmy replica by pietta, but I prefer the colt replica to it, but that is my personal taste. My remmington has only seen some 300 shots in a year, but my colt I have put 900 shots through it in 4 months, winter kinda slowed me up a little other wise it would be more!