1851 / 1860 Interchange

[jaxenro]

Does a 1851 barrel and cylinder fit a 1860 Frame? Might look a little odd with the cut out area for the belted 1860 cylinder but it should fit correct?

 

[bigted]

yes in as much as i know from my play with my Pietta clones of 1851, 1861, and the 1860 revolvers.

the '60' frame will except the 51 and 61 barrels in 36 cal as well as the cylinder in same cal of .36

do look a little weird tho as the water table is cut down for the enlarged 44 cal '60' cylinder ... but not that weird. it all works as long as you keep with the same manufacturer and do not try to exchange say Pietta with Uberti parts ... [altho i never tryed so maybe?]

nother thing i would strongly suggest here ... please do watch that the proper cal barrel and cylinder are installed together. a 36 barrel will be impossible to have shoot without something disastrous happening when you try to fire a 44 cal ball down that little 36 cal barrel opening

 

[jaxenro]

I only have 36's at present it was more of a hypothetical

I was commenting before in how Colts can change barrel lengths just by popping out the wedge and putting on a longer or shorter barrel. It also seems it might be possible to change caliber just by removing that same wedge and changing the barrel and cylinder. Then there is the grip frame which can go from short (Navy) to long (Army) and even bird head with just three screws. It is probably one of the most interchangeable designs prior to the Dan Wesson revolver

 

[bubba.50]

I swapped Pietta 1851 & 1860 barrels but, they were both 44's.

 

[jaxenro]

I swapped the cylinders from my 36 pocket navy to my 36 pocket police once. With the belted cylinder and the new style barrel and loading lever it looked just like a baby 1860.

 

[jaxenro]

Guess I'd like to be able to order a la carte. Maybe a navy frame but a 5" barrel, fluted cylinder, and army size grip. They all interchange so why not?

 

[Mean Gene]

:nono: I think I saw this brought up some time before and it was questionable if it would work because the timing of the cylinder might be different due to caliber size.

 

[rodwha]

:hmm:

If the rear portion with the stop slots is identical I'm curious how this could be.

 

[jaxenro]

I was wondering more if the centerline of the cylinder bores was further from the arbor on the larger caliber and if so would they center on the barrel

 

[nkbj]

The box with the brass frame 1860 got opened today.
Think I'll see how the cylinder and barrel fit on a 1851 iron frame. Use the brass frame with the shorty '51 barrel.

 

[M. De Land]

I've never tried it but would expect the hammer throw on a .36 to be short on the larger diameter .44 cylinder.
Where it impacts the nipple, the hood on the .36 hammer may not clear the nipple nose on the .44 diameter cylinder.
I don't have a 51, I'm thinking of the cylinder dianeter of my five shot 62 police so if the 51 is the same diameter as the 60 than disregard my comment.

 

[hawkeye2]

The rear of the '60 cylinder and the '51 & '62 Navy cylinders are all the same as is the hammer. The forward half of the '60 cylinder is larger in diameter which is why the '60 Army has a step in the frame.

 

[nkbj]

This reminds me that I need to find a readily accessible refinishing formula for the brass frame that will produce an attractive and easily touched up color.

 

[ChrisPer]

This reminds me that I need to find a readily accessible refinishing formula for the brass frame that will produce an attractive and easily touched up color.

I suggest polishing to get rid of lacquer, then getting it nice and dirty, holstering, cleaning, shooting, cleaning.
Repeat until the colour pleases you, then start using it.

 

[nkbj]

Good suggestion. I'm thinking on getting really artsie about it. https://www.sciencecompany.com/Patina-Formulas-for-Brass-Bronze-and-Copper.aspx