1861 navy questions

[Jim in Wisconsin]

I am thinking of buying a new colt 1861 navy revolver. It would be nice to actually see one, but there are no gun shops near that would have anything like that. Do both the new Uberti's and Pietta's have the "read user manual" and other lawyer stuff stamped into the barrel? It seems like they are both well made and have pretty much the same specs. The Uberti might be easier to find right now. Any other things I should consider?
Thanks Jim S.

 

[springfield art]

I am thinking of buying a new colt 1861 navy revolver. It would be nice to actually see one, but there are no gun shops near that would have anything like that. Do both the new Uberti's and Pietta's have the "read user manual" and other lawyer stuff stamped into the barrel? It seems like they are both well made and have pretty much the same specs. The Uberti might be easier to find right now. Any other things I should consider?
Thanks Jim S.

If I'm not mistaken, the makers responded to complaints about the "lawyer" marks and kind of toned them down, like putting some marks underneath a barrel instead of on the side, etc. Other guys may be more specific, but I know the Cowboy action craze and Civil War re-enacting had a positive effect on this regard.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

The Uberti revolvers I have are much cleaner. No gospel, chapter and verse from the ambulance chasing types. But I have to say I have not seen any of the new Piettas.

 

[CyrusP]

Yes. My brand new Uberti Walker and Uberti 1861 are on the bottom under the rammer and the Pietta WAS on both sides. I say WAS. I have to say I am blown away by Uberti/Taylor’s 1861. While I love my Pietta/Taylor’s 1851 the Uberti is a slight notch above in fit and finish.

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

Thanks for the replies guys. Cyrus - how do you like the new 1861? I have a '58 remington Navy Arms that I bought at the Gold Rush Gun Shop in San Francisco in 1967. It's time I tried something different I think.

 

[CyrusP]

I have not shot it yet. I’m shooting the heck out of my 1851. If it shoots half as good as it’s fit and finish it’s phenomenal.

 

[CyrusP]

Do you have a pic of that Summer Of Love 1858?

 

[Phil Coffins]

Read up on short arbor in the replica colts. There’s lots of these threads on this forum and I’d highly advise you deal with it on your new toy, it isn’t hard to do.

 

[CyrusP]

I’m planning on doing these for certain. Thanks.

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

I'm not very good at this computer stuff - I finally got a cell phone and could take a picture of it, but I don't know how to transfer it to here. I'll try though. I should learn to do this stuff before they stick me in a nursing home.
Summer of Love - yup, I suppose that was about it. I remember standing on the corner of Haight and Ashbury streets and thinking I should steal that sign, but I didn't have any tools. No one would have stopped me, the police just sort of left that area to us goofy kids.

 

[necchi]

Freind, if you where there in 67,, those signs where just street signs,, nobody cared,, it was just a place to be,, at that time

 

[Steel Guitar]

1861 colts made in the last 40+ are made Wrong. The barrel is nothing but the 1860 44 barrel with a smaller bore, so you got a Heavy barrel feeling gun that don' t feel right. Even the colt 2nd gens are like this. So look for one made before around 1970 with the smaller diameter barrel and you will be amazed at how good it is. If you really get lucky you may find a uberti presentation engraved by hand all over like I did and boy it's both a looker and a shooter. Good luck

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

Are the 1851 Colt Navy reproductions made more like the originals?

 

[CyrusP]

Yes I believe the 1851 copies are pretty exact.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Are the 1851 Colt Navy reproductions made more like the originals?

Except for the 1851 Colt Navy reproductions made in 44 caliber. Those are pure fantasy.

 

[Ray-Vigo]

I have an Uberti 61 Navy and an Uberti 51 Navy. Both have the liability markings on the underside of the barrel, hence hidden by loading lever. Both were passable out of the box, but improved with custom fitting of the wedge and a better set of nipples. The 61 is a more streamlined gun with a creeping lever, whereas the 51 has the octagon barrel and is the "classic"Colt Navy design. They each offer something a little different, but the casting, loading and shooting is quite similar. I shoot a .380 ball in each.

Both point and shoot nicely. The sight on the 61 is a bit more familiar than the 51 in that it is more of a modern-style steel post, as opposed to the brass bead. Both use the hammer notch as the rear sight. Both will need tinkering with the sights (particularly the rear) if you want to shoot at 25 or 50 yards.

I would not be averse to buying one of each. If you do buy them, take the time to learn how they work inside and out. It helps immensely if you know how to tweak and repair them.

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

I'm starting to like the '51 models better! I realize the 44 cal. versions are wrong. I wonder why they even make them like that. Now if I could find a place that had them in stock. I don't want a brass frame one, but either brass or steel on the trigger guard and grip would be fine with me.
This site is really great - thanks for the responses.

 

[45D]

I have an Uberti 61 Navy and an Uberti 51 Navy. Both have the liability markings on the underside of the barrel, hence hidden by loading lever. Both were passable out of the box, but improved with custom fitting of the wedge and a better set of nipples. The 61 is a more streamlined gun with a creeping lever, whereas the 51 has the octagon barrel and is the "classic"Colt Navy design. They each offer something a little different, but the casting, loading and shooting is quite similar. I shoot a .380 ball in each.

Both point and shoot nicely. The sight on the 61 is a bit more familiar than the 51 in that it is more of a modern-style steel post, as opposed to the brass bead. Both use the hammer notch as the rear sight. Both will need tinkering with the sights (particularly the rear) if you want to shoot at 25 or 50 yards.

I would not be averse to buying one of each. If you do buy them, take the time to learn how they work inside and out. It helps immensely if you know how to tweak and repair them.

What do you mean by " custom fitting of the wedge" ?

Mike

 

[Ray-Vigo]

Uberti is somewhat notorious for producing Navy guns with short arbors and occasionally with ill-fitting wedges. When they are fit together properly, three things happen at once: the arbor should bottom in the matching hole at the same point that the two alignment pins in the frame bottom in their own holes, and once those match and bottom correctly, the wedge is carefully fitted for a reasonably snug fit in the wedge slot in the arbor. Often because from the factory the parts were fit using the short arbor, the wedge will not quite fit right once you properly set the arbor length to bottom out. The wedge can then be shaped as needed (filed if too thick, or peened if too thin) to give a correct fit with the arbor and frame pins in the correct position.

 

[Steel Guitar]

Yes Jim, the 1851 replicas are close enough to the originals, I know I have several. So you only have to decide if you want the regular grip frame or the square back. My vote is for the square back because it has a feel like no other and I have big hands with long fingers and at first it seemed too small but once use to it you can point shoot almost as good as Wild Bill, it's awesome. And then you can have the regular grip frame on a 1860, 1861.