1851 Confederate Navy .44

[robinsroost]

Cabelas has a sale on a 1851 .44 cal Confederate Navy pistol, with an extra cylinder, for $169.99. Is this a good deal? It is made by Pietta. What is their reputation? How about fit and finish? Is the brass frame a problem? I am thinking about buying this gun, so any input will be appreciated........Robin

 

[M. De Land]

Generally brass frame guns are less desirable as they are not as strong but can last many years if fed modest charges of powder and taken care of.
These are not to be confuse with brass furniture steel framed revolvers which are just as strong load wise as any other steel frame gun. Mike D.

 

[Tinker2]

Cabelas has a sale on a 1851 .44 cal Confederate Navy pistol, with an extra cylinder, for $169.99.

At that price, with the extra cylinder why not.



William Alexander

 

[jaxenro]

Lots of people start on this hobby with these guns as long as you keep the charges light you are ok

That said the Confederates never made a brass framed 44, most makers back then referred to the 36 caliber as "Navy Caliber" (as in the Colt Pocket of Navy Caliber) and the 44 as Army, and not the octagonal barrel. (Compare the 1860 Army to the 1861 Navy)

So it's really a brass framed non Confederate hybrid Army caliber revolving pistol

 

[cynthialee]

That is a good deal!

I have this gun and I like it allot. Even got me a detachable butt stock for it.
Keep your powder charges under 27 grains of 3F and you will have no issues. I shoot 20 grains of 3F in mine.

It is a good gun for the price. Not anything to write home about and they all could use some fine tuning and fitting fresh from the factory. I would also suggest getting after market nipples for your pistol. Pietta seems to have everything figured out except how to make a good percussion nipple.

 

[Toomuch51]

As has been said, no problem with quality or price, sounds like an overall good deal.
As has also been said, historically a .44 cal. 1851 Colt has never existed (even in confederate production). The Confederate model designation is merely a modern selling point promotion.

Toomuch
--------
Shoot Flint

 

[cynthialee]

I do believe the "Confederate" model is because of the brass.

 

[jaxenro]

Yes and the 36 caliber brass framed Pietta cabelas sells with the dragoon style barrel is more historically accurate as a Confederate Griswold & Gunnison. The 44 isn't

Last I saw the 36's were $199 not on sale and seemed surprisingly nice for the price

 

[BowerR64]

The first BPP my dad got was a .36 1851 confederate Navy it was made by "Hawes firearms" brass frame, octagon barrel tiny nub front site all that.

It was a cool gun but IMO even though its not "historicly correct" i traded it off for a .44 looks the same to me and only people who are really into true historical correct firearms know its not correct being .44

If i were you ide get the .44 you will find WAY more options for the .44 then the .36 i only found 1 ball size for the .36 and i hated the fact i had to shoot different ammo in it, different loads, different wads, yada yada im glad its gone.

The extra cylinder is cool but the colt is kinda hard to swap out. If you get a tight one you need something to pound on the wedge

 

[warhawk77]

I have a few Pietta they are very well made. As others have said keep the charge under 25 grains and it will last you years.

I know a lot of people don't like the brass frames but they will last a long time. I would guess 99% of us will only ever shoot paper or steel targets so you don't need big loads.

 

[BowerR64]

I got my brass .44 same one your getting 1851 at cabelas for $145 with a free starter kit. Most say the kit is a waste but i used all the balls and a few of the wads. Mine came with a nice plastic flass with an all brass cap. The T tool i still use and the wads would be good for testing reinactment

I shot it a couple times with no ball just a charge and a thick wad.

Mine shoots a little low and a little right.

 

[M. De Land]

I'm still looking over a 51 steel frame in .44 at Sportsmens Warehouse for 229.00.
They may not have been made in .44 originally but I think they should have been, stepped chamber or not. Mike D.

 

[Terry Fairchild]

I just bought this gun for my daughter for Christmas. I have two of these brass frame models and am extremely satisfied with them. They are good shooters and good quality.
The one I just bought makes five Pietta revolvers for me.
The only difference was the one I bought came with the starter kit( which I really didn't need) for 150 bucks. The current promotion comes with a spare cylinder, which would be useful.
If you order this, I would highly recommend a loader for the spare cylinder( about 25 bucks) because the spare cylinder is impossible to load unless you put it in the gun, load it, remove from the gun and load the second cylinder.
Bottom line: Good price, good gun.

 

I started out with the same gun. Its not authentic, but the styling is spot on and the gun will eat heavy loads, for a little while. Brass is just not as strong as steel so light charges are the rule. You can get by with 30 grains of powder in a 44 revolver but with these brass framed ones. 18-20 would be better. Good luck.

 

[BowerR64]

20 is my normal load anyway.

I like 20 with 3F and T7 and 26 when i use goex or 2F

Even though i like the .44 over the .36 im not into the magnum type loads that kick like a mule.

The huge plumes of smoke make up for the light charges i shoot.

 

[M. De Land]

It does depend on what one has been brought up shooting.
I have spent so many years shooting full power .45 Colt and 44 Mag hand guns from living here in Alaska 41 years because they are my carry guns ,that even full power cap-n-ball loads feel like light charges to me.
I have learned to shoot light charges though for target work mostly because of economy and fouling reduction.
One of my better target loads and one used most in .44 cap-n-ball is 15 grains of 3F,20grians of cream of wheat over either a .451 or .454 round ball and Crisco lube in the chamber mouth.
I'm experimenting with some 1/8 inch felt wads soaked in SPG lube under the ball currently. Mike D.

 

[BowerR64]

But ive read many say a lighter load can be more accurate because the recoil isnt as harsh.

I started shooting a 357 magnum, IMO thats about my limit. Anything more for me just isnt fun to shoot. If its not fun to shoot i dont see the point.

 

[nkbj]

Maybe some day someone with a metal detector in the southeast will dig up a brass framed .44.

 

[cynthialee]

Maybe some day someone with a metal detector in the southeast will dig up a brass framed .44.

and it will turn out to date to our time period
:blah:

I did hear there were some .40 prototypes made ...
:stir:

 

[M. De Land]

I shoot a very heavy loaded .45 Colt Bisley and that load in that gun to date (280 grain Kieth bullet at 1300 fps) is the most accurate of all my hand gun loads black or smokeless.
But, it is fatigue-ing to shoot a lot and then becomes inaccurate to me but until I grow tired from managing the recoil nothing else I have will shoot as accurately.
This is not a target load nor was it intended to be, it is what I often carry for self protection while rafting,hiking,cutting wood or trips to our cabin.
Now the 15 grain black powder load in the .44 or .36 revolvers or single shot pistols, one can shoot well as long as you can hold your arm up without shaking.
The thing is to tailor the load for the purpose intended.
This again is why I don't believe that any of my guns have just one best and even most accurate load as far as the gun itself is concerned. Mike D.