Antiqued 1858 Pietta

[Brother-of-Sun]

Did this project in about 2 hours, lots of vinegar, scorching water and ballistol. I'm happy with the end product. The matching cylinder isn't finished yet, but this spare will work for now (yes it's loaded, was for range today but it poured rain all day). I'm happy with the end product, and I hope someone out there likes it too. I know some may say nay to doing this, but i treated the metal properly so it shouldn't rust any further, and i always clean after range day. Comparing with the Taylors Antique version. Saved a buck, too. Yakoke and have a great day, folks!

 

[AlexB]

I stripped the blue off one of them and liked it enough to do it to my 1849 which makes the cylinder scene actually look better.
Just letting it patina as it's used out of curiosity and liking it so far.

 

[Brother-of-Sun]

View attachment 315141
I stripped the blue off one of them and liked it enough to do it to my 1849 which makes the cylinder scene actually look better.
Just letting it patina as it's used out of curiosity and liking it so far.

Beautiful! It really does take a plain Jane gun and make it something special

 

[Smokefire]

What type of mechanism is holding your cylinder pins in?

 

[Brother-of-Sun]

What type of mechanism is holding your cylinder pins in?

Oh, it's just the cylinder pin, I didn't modify any internals. It's there, it's just all one color it seems, haha. If you don't know how the 1858 works, the pin can be pulled out to release the cylinder, but it's captured with the loading lever with a screw, and one end goes into a hole towards the back of the gun where the hammer is. Very difficult to pull it free when it's gunked up with fouling.

 

[Smokefire]

Oh, it's just the cylinder pin, I didn't modify any internals. It's there, it's just all one color it seems, haha. If you don't know how the 1858 works, the pin can be pulled out to release the cylinder, but it's captured with the loading lever with a screw, and one end goes into a hole towards the back of the gun where the hammer is. Very difficult to pull it free when it's gunked up with fouling.

I get how the cylinder is removed on an 1858 Remington, and I understand that the cylinder pin won’t slide all the way out on its own. But in that photo of both guns side by side, it appears that there is some mechanism inserted into where the loading rammer would typically go, similar to an “Ace” 1858 short barrel, that model is currently sold without a loading lever.

 

[Brother-of-Sun]

I get how the cylinder is removed on an 1858 Remington, and I understand that the cylinder pin won’t slide all the way out on its own. But in that photo of both guns side by side, it appears that there is some mechanism inserted into where the loading rammer would typically go, similar to an “Ace” 1858 short barrel, that model is currently sold without a loading lever.

My bad, I guess I can see what you're talking about. It may just be a trick of the camera or something of that sort, as it's 100% just a stock 1858. I looked up the Ace and I do see what you mean, I think it's probably just my camera and lighting.

 

[45D]

My bad, I guess I can see what you're talking about. It may just be a trick of the camera or something of that sort, as it's 100% just a stock 1858. I looked up the Ace and I do see what you mean, I think it's probably just my camera and lighting.

No, he's talking about AlexB's picture!! Holy cow!!

I get how the cylinder is removed on an 1858 Remington, and I understand that the cylinder pin won’t slide all the way out on its own. But in that photo of both guns side by side, it appears that there is some mechanism inserted into where the loading rammer would typically go, similar to an “Ace” 1858 short barrel, that model is currently sold without a loading lever.

That photo of both guns side by side . . . (that AlexB posted!!!) . . .
I'm pretty sure Slix Shot nipples sells those base pin keepers.

Mike

Glad I came along and straightened out this thread !!!
Now I know what English teachers put up with!!

 

[Brother-of-Sun]

No, he's talking about AlexB's picture!! Holy cow!!



That photo of both guns side by side . . . (that AlexB posted!!!) . . .
I'm pretty sure Slix Shot nipples sells those base pin keepers.

Mike

My apologies, the message wasn't listed as a reply to Alex, and I forgot about his pics

 

[Blackpowderart]

Did this project in about 2 hours, lots of vinegar, scorching water and ballistol. I'm happy with the end product. The matching cylinder isn't finished yet, but this spare will work for now (yes it's loaded, was for range today but it poured rain all day). I'm happy with the end product, and I hope someone out there likes it too. I know some may say nay to doing this, but i treated the metal properly so it shouldn't rust any further, and i always clean after range day. Comparing with the Taylors Antique version. Saved a buck, too. Yakoke and have a great day, folks!

Can you give us a step by step?? I want to do this to mine as I tried an ultrasonic cleaner with simple green and it ruined my 1858. I've always wanted to try it anyway so no loss there. It never was a looker anyhow.

 

[Brother-of-Sun]

Can you give us a step by step?? I want to do this to mine as I tried an ultrasonic cleaner with simple green and it ruined my 1858. I've always wanted to try it anyway so no loss there. It never was a looker anyhow.

I pretty much followed this video here, but used Ballistol and CLP for mine, didn't really let it dry naturally so your results may vary, but I like how mine turned out. Windex helped me too with drying. This video was very helpful as a reference guide.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Can you give us a step by step?? I want to do this to mine as I tried an ultrasonic cleaner with simple green and it ruined my 1858. I've always wanted to try it anyway so no loss there. It never was a looker anyhow.

I pretty much followed this video here, but used Ballistol and CLP for mine, didn't really let it dry naturally so your results may vary, but I like how mine turned out. Windex helped me too with drying. This video was very helpful as a reference guide.

I've been mustard-browning for 22 years now. I know because I started doing it when my boy turned two, and it gave me a method of browning, patina, or aging of carbon steel both for knives and guns, that used something that was non-toxic. So my then 2-year-old son could get into the stuff and I didn't need to worry. It was suggested by a sutler and antique dealer named Cindy Gorin. No idea if she thought it up (she was pretty sharp), or if she saw it someplace else...

Clean with soap and water, then use something like Evaporust to remove the blue..., then rinse, and apply the mustard with a finger tip or a brush. Allow it to fully dry gives the best results. Then knock it off with an old toothbrush and water. You may want to do more than one application. It's the vinegar, that does the trick, and the mustard simply allows a more even coating. If you use straight vinegar you get a lot of splotches. When done, a lot of folks rinse with baking soda and water, or another base like Windex will work, to neutralize any remaining acid. Then rinse, dry, and apply some oil.

LD

 

[Blackpowderart]

@Loyalist Dave photographic evidence?

 

[Salty]

Did this project in about 2 hours, lots of vinegar, scorching water and ballistol. I'm happy with the end product. The matching cylinder isn't finished yet, but this spare will work for now (yes it's loaded, was for range today but it poured rain all day). I'm happy with the end product, and I hope someone out there likes it too. I know some may say nay to doing this, but i treated the metal properly so it shouldn't rust any further, and i always clean after range day. Comparing with the Taylors Antique version. Saved a buck, too. Yakoke and have a great day, folks!

I like it.
If you could list the detailed steps. I will follow.

 

[RMFnLA]

One of the reasons I like stainless, it looks like an old gun with the blue worn off.

 

[AlexB]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1973292517
I got this here.

 

[Old-Duckman]

As mom used to say, “To each his own.”

I just don’t get it. To me that would be like buying a new car and slapping it with a chain here and there to give it that “well used” look.

But if you like, that’s all that matters!

 

[Smokefire]

My apologies, the message wasn't listed as a reply to Alex, and I forgot about his pics

My apologies, I didn’t realize the OP wasn’t the one who posted the side by side photo. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[AlexB]

Soaked in white vinegar for roughly 15 minutes lightly buff with 1000 sanding sponge and hit with some ballistol.
Really simple and easy to strip the blue and the "case hardened" colors as well.

 

[Brother-of-Sun]

I like it.
If you could list the detailed steps. I will follow.

Straight vinegar in a plastic tub, followed by complete disassembly of the gun (can't get the internals wet), then plug both holes of the barrel with foam earplugs till its sealed. Also, remove the grips from the gun of course. There's a separate process to age those. Set the entire frame, loading lever and arbor pin in the tub. Let sit for 25 mins, check it for even wearing, then set back in the box. Keep doing this for desired effects. The cylinder needs to be plugged and sealed too, as well as the nipples removed. Use full sized foam earplugs for the chambers, and cut some into smaller pieces for the nipple holes. Then toss it in the tub too and wait a bit for that piece. In about an hour (took me two for reasons), it should be stripped of the blue. Then, wash with barely tolerable hot water and wipe it down with windex on a rag, followed by Ballistol shortly after (wear a mask while doing this for the love of God!!). After that, you'll need to check for patches of surface rust that might be hard to get to, such as where the sight post is and in the lever latch area. After all that, clean the nooks and crannies, reassemble the gun and voila, you're done! I was also making beeswax lube while doing this and watching a show at the same time so it took me near 2 hours to finish. Hope this helps! Pretty simple, but you can definitely follow LoyalistDaves advice, as he's got 22 years under the belt doing this process compared to my 1 day experience, haha.