1860 snubby at the range

[dboone]

I shot my 1860 snubby from cableas and was very pleased with its proformance. I had 2 inch. groups at 10 yards. I also could hit the 25 yard target but it hit real low. I brought it up some with 35 gr. of 3f T777 and it kicked pretty good with that load. All and all the gun is real good close in and I could see it being used very effectively at close range. Does any body have one of the snubby from cabelas and how did they shoot for you.

 

[pondoro]

I just got a full-length 1860 from Cabelas and I like it a lot. How does the snubby load? Is there some kind of external tool?

 

[dboone]

Its loaded by a brass rode that goes through the hole that the loading lever use to be. I also have a loading device that I use for loading at the range. I was so happy with the snubby so I bought another to boot. I have just about got all the load data on it together and change the nipples to the stainless steel ones from cabelas and I have no miss fires at all. 30-35 gr. of t777 is the ticket for me and I think at close ranges of 10 feet and under it would do the job.

 

[DaveJ]

I took mine out last weekend and put 4 cylinders of various loads through it. I was shooting Pyrodex P and regular round lead balls. The 15 grain load shot a group the size of a coffee can lid at 15 yards. All hits were left of POA. I went to 20 and 25 grain and found pretty much the same thing. Out to 25 yards and the balls were all over the place. That could be because I did not swab the barrell at all and the longer shots were the last of the day with that gun.

I found I needed to tap the brass loading tool in with a ball starter to get the ball really seated on the powder charge. The main problem I had was getting caps seated on the nipples so the cylinder would turn smoothly. One cylinder has to be capped with that chamber in the firing position, then that cylinder has to be fired first.

I checked to see if the barrell wedge was too tight and I don't think it is, without capping the cylinder spins freely.

It's a fun little (and heavy) gun to shoot but frustrating as far as the capping issue. I'll look for shorter nipples and see how much difference that makes.

I'm looking forward to having a lot of fun with it.

DaveJ

 

[Kiehlroy]

Hi, does anyone know the options for conversion cylinders for this gun without cutting on the frame?

 

[dboone]

R$D has one that drops in place of the cap and ball cyclinder.

 

[Leatherbark]

Better lighten up on that ther 777........I shot a Pietta 51 in 36 caliber loose after a few cylinders of 777........I was getting 1150fps with the 79 gr round ball using the same 22gr spout as I did with 3fg black.........900 or so fps with the 3fg Black.............Good Luck

 

[Kiehlroy]

Thanks, DBoone

 

[Kiehlroy]

Ok, so I just recieved a response to an email I sent to Taylors & Co., Inc. It went as follows:

"Hi, I am interested in purchasing an 1862 Police Snubnose .36 Caliber
Revolver made by Pietta from Cabelas and I would like to know if you make a
conversion cylinder that would fit this gun.
Thanks,

Micah"

Response:

"No, I am sorry we don't have a conversion cylinder for the 1862 Police - I
believe you will find that is a smaller frame than the 1851/1861 frame, thus
no conversion cylinder is available.

Thanks for checking with us.

Sue"

But I am sure that I have heard that Pietta uses the same size frame. Any help is appreciated.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I believe you are the victim of Cabela's :bull:
Their marketing department is much more interested in making up catchy names and fictional stories than in presenting any useful information. What that scurvy bunch calls an "1862 Army Police" or "1862 Police snubnose" is really just an 1861 Navy with fluted cylinder and shortened barrel. The "real" 1862 is a very small and light five shot revolver based on the same frame as the 1849 .31 cal.
If you ask about conversion of the 1861 frame you may get a better answer.
Cabela's motto should be: "all B.S. all of the time". :cursing:

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Oh, and I might add that of the original cap&ball Colts, more 1862s were converted to cartridge than any other model. According to Mike Venturino's book "Shooting Colt Single Actions", about 25,000 of these were converted to .38 rimfire or .38 Colt centerfire. That is a bit surprising since this was the last of the C&B Colts and not produced in nearly the numbers of the 1851 Navy or 1860 Army. But, again, that refers to the true 1862 and not Cabela's lame excuse for an 1862. :grin:

 

[Kiehlroy]

So this is the product I should order:
[url] http://www.taylorsfirearms.co...gory=R & D Conversion Cylinder&startat=1[/url]

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Yep, that looks like the critter. Please let us all know how that works out. The note about using hollow based bullets is important because you'll be running .357" bullets down a .375" bore. Some folks say that works OK for a few shots but accuracy goes downhill as the bore fouls. Sounds like fun though. :grin:

 

[Kiehlroy]

This will just be a backup gun anyhow, good only for a few shots. Now I got to try and find the right ammo. Any suggestions?

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Well, I handload everything so I'm not always up to date on what is available over the counter.
Rapine makes molds for a roundnose hollow base bullet and a "heel bullet" which is .375" ahead of the case with a short heel of .357" diameter to seat into the case. Original loads used bullets of both sorts. I just use 148 gr. .357" hollow based wadcutters from Speer, Hornady, or Remington with a case full of 3f Goex or very light smokeless target loads. You want to keep pressures low in any opentop revolver. I think you'd be OK with factory loads of the hollow based wadcutter type, Remington's being quite common.
Wadcutter bullets pack a lot of shock, way too destructive for small game even in .32 caliber.

 

[johnrtse]

I just bought one of these yesterday and I can't wait to shoot it!

I did make one change though; I swapped the snubnose Pietta 1860 grips/gripframe onto my Pietta 1851, and vice versa. It was a direct swap with very acceptable fit on both accounts.

The shorter 1851 grips definately feel & look better on the 1860 snubnose. The longer 1860 grips feel tons better on the 1851; It adds extra leverage when pointing that LONG barrel!

John

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I'm surprised that Cabela's didn't pick up on the "avenger" name. Oren Porter Rockwell, the "Avenging Angel" was Brigham Young's enforcer. Killed more people than smallpox. He was said to favor the cut down 1860 to carry in his coat pockets. He was portrayed by Tom Beringer in a rather poor movie but otherwise is seldom mentioned among the old west gunfighters although he probably survived more fights and killed more folks than all of the famous names combined! He always wore a heavy coat given him by Joseph Smith which was said to be bulletproof. Finally choked to death on a ham sandwich! :grin: