ASM 1851 Navy revolver

[8 BORE]

ASM's are good quality. I would not trade mine for a uberti or a pietta. I have all 3 brands.
Nuff said !

 

[Eutycus]

That' all the reassurance that I need. I'm keeping mine. Besides it makes a good prop for the parades and such. I'm getting too old for reenacting, but still like "to strap it on" for show. I do intend to make it a shooter but if I dont for some reason it'll will still serve a purpose. Like I said I like its looks!

 

[8 BORE]

And they are cheap to keep
Dont eat much. No oil changes, no new tires. Keep um clean and oiled and they will last.

 

[8 BORE]

I would not mind having a Pietta made Walker if it dont cost an arm and a leg

 

[MSW]

I would avoid loads over 15 to 17 grains with a brass frame revolver, and I would use soft lead and save wheel weights for the center fire stuff (works great with gas checks, especially if you don't get them going too fast).

All you want to do is put lead on target, and make good smoke … leave the "shock and awe" for the black rifle boys … you don't really need to crank up the 'magnumitis,' so save your powder, and save wear and tear on your gun.

Track of the Wolf has moulds, if you want to go that route... it's cheaper to buy the ball pre- cast, but 'running ball' is fun and relaxing (do it outdoors, stay upwind, and use common sense … avoid lead if you are pregnant, or about to become pregnant... do not use in the bathtub... disclaimer - I've been up all night... )


one guy's advise … free and doubtless well worth the cost

 

[uno676]

I cast my own balls if your shooting a lot it's worth it. I shoot about once a week. I think mixing the wheel weights with pure lead you would be ok. 20GR or less of powder. I cast all my bullets for all my BP guns now. The initial buy in is pricey but after that if you find a lead source its cheap. I have gotten most of my molds from ebay stores new they'll do free shipping and if you look the prices aren't bad. I use a bottom feed Lee lead pot works well. I also use Lee molds they seem to work fine for me. There are also more expensive molds but most of them you have to buy handles the lee molds come with handles most of the time. The Duelist 1954 videos on you tube are a good source for cap and ball.

 

[8 BORE]

Steel frames are stronger but a brass frame with patina is a beautiful sight to behold.

 

[Eutycus]

Steel frames are stronger but a brass frame with patina is a beautiful sight to behold.

He's not kidding!

 

[Eutycus]

How does one do a thorough cleaning with removing the patina? That's part of this guns charm.

 

[uno676]

I have both steel and brass. The brass are pretty but loading up a steel frame is fun. I let the brass turn. I have in the past cleaned my brass with brasso but now i dont worry about it.

 

[arcticap]

Now to another ASM question . I have read how this model is not up to par with the Pietta or the Uberti as far as metal hardness is concerned. But I've also heard how that is not really true.Does the ASM have a softer
metal than the other Italian repros?. I personally think it takes a back seat to no model in the looks department.

That question may be impossible to answer with any certainty considering that all of these companies made guns
over so many years, and their suppliers and batches of steel and brass may have also varied over that time period,

I've heard it said that some ASM's were low quality while other ASM's belong in a museum because of their beautiful workmanship.
I have an ASM Colt 1860 that was mostly made with non-magnetic stainless steel for a special run that was sold by Gander Mountain,
How can that steel be objectively compared to any other revolver that any of the companies ever made?
The question seems to simply be too open-ended, especially without a basis for comparison.

 

[8 BORE]

Armi San Marco is good guality. I have one in a 58 Remington for years. Even won some pistol matches with it.
Just noticed in the Dixie catalog a Pietta 58 Remington in 36 cal. Never had a 36. Might get one.

 

[8 BORE]

How does one do a thorough cleaning with removing the patina? That's part of this guns charm.

Just wipe off the brass with a soft cotton cloth if it needs to be wiped. Just let nature take its course.
I dont worry about finger prints or natural oil from your hands on brass.

 

[Eutycus]

This gun being a .44 is one of its down sides. Its a fantasy peice in that there were no true Navies in this caliber (36 only). But I'm drawn to its looks and who can really tell from the sidelines if I carry it in a parade.
I'll get around to obtaining a 36 one of these days.Oh I failed to mention earlier that according to the code on the bottom of the frame this gun that I own was made in 1994. Hoping that was a good year!

 

[hawkeye2]

The ASM cap & ball revolvers wern't too bad, not a Uberti but back then the Piettas were nothing special either. ASM got the real bad rep fron the conversion revolvers they made shortly before going out of business. I expect it will be a long time before you (if ever) have trouble with it.

 

[Eutycus]

Thanks, hoping trouble stays away for a very long time. By then I'll make a wallhanger out of it. I was happy to hear your reply and see that it was the conversion models that caused the reputation of ASMs being "soft".

 

[Eutycus]

Terribly sorry, I replied several times to the wrong thread. There is on going at the moment on CVA 1851 navy and this one is on ASM 1851 navy. I mistakenly got on the wrong one.

 

[Eutycus]

What I replied about on the CVA revolver was how hard it was to take out the original nipples. Alot of people use a drill press and a nipple wrench. I dont own a press. Or a heating torch. I placed the cylinder in the freezer for a day or two. That and a tight fitting custom made nipple wrench did the trick. The nipples will be well greased before they go back on. I heard lithium, any other suggestions?

 

[8 BORE]

Any heat resistant anti-siezing grease should work ok

 

[Eutycus]

What would regular old grease do. Plus I have some silicone grease on hand. Would it do any good?