Bird's head Navy .44

[hawkeye2]

A new item at Dixie Gun Works, Lightening/Thunderer style grip with a steel frame and a 3" barrel

"One piece grips, checkered bird's head. Made of European walnut with satin finish. Steel frame. Barrel is .44 caliber, blued, 3", octagon. Button rifled .006" deep. 1 in 30" twist. 7 lands - .440 and 7 grooves - .452. Six shot - .446 chamber diameter. Features blued steel cylinder, backstrap, triggerguard, hammer and trigger. Weighs 2 lbs. Manufactured by Pietta/Italy."

 

[rodwha]

I would have rather have seen them make a 5 shot .44 cal off of the Navy frame...

 

[Don]

I would love to have the birds head grip frame for my 5.5 inch Pietta Colt Navy in .44. The 3 inch barrel will lose too much velocity. Cool pistol though.

Don

 

[Joe Sullivan]

I love a birds head grip. Probably fill those chambers up with the steel frame.

 

[Zonie]

Good old Pietta/Italy !!

"Lets take a "never existed" .44 caliber Colt 1851 along .44 caliber rebated cylinder, whack off the barrel and loose the loading lever and put a bird head back strap and grip from the 1877 Colt "Lightning" on it. :grin:

Ya. It would be a fun gun to fool around with but I think I'll pass on it.

 

[LeMat1856]

.
.

for some reason these were available in italy / europe well over a year ago (called "sporty models") but they wouldn't sell to U.S.A. retailers... there's another one i've seen that's made from a colt 1860 army frame with the 3" barrel.... go figure.

:thumbsup:
~dg~

 

[cynthialee]

I don't like the short barreled pistols or the birds head grip. So to me the pistol is not likely to make its way into my safe.

 

[trent/OH]

"Lets take a "never existed" .44 caliber Colt 1851 along .44 caliber rebated cylinder, whack off the barrel and loose the loading lever and put a bird head back strap and grip from the 1877 Colt "Lightning" on it.

So it's a model 445177 Colt-ish revolver???

 

[mjulihn]

I don't like the short barreled pistols or the birds head grip. So to me the pistol is not likely to make its way into my safe.

Ditto! :thumbsup:

 

[preston cook]

thank you for posting the info on the pistol sorry every wanted to slap you for doing it . :v

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I would have rather have seen them make a 5 shot .44 cal off of the Navy frame...

That is on the Navy frame. On those Colt revolvers, 1851 or 1860, you can't make a five shot cylinder any smaller than a six shot due to the diameter of the cylinder base pin.

 

[rodwha]

Looking at the picture it doesn't appear as though the water table is stepped so I assumed it must be designed like an 1851 but larger to accommodate the .44 caliber...

 

[CoyoteJoe]

It is hard to see the step in the frame but easy to see the rebated cylinder.

 

[rodwha]

I noticed it after you pointed it out. Guess I should slow down a little more and pay more attention. :slap:

 

[Nazgul]

Ordered one and received it yesterday. No chance to shoot yet, first impression is good. Locks up well, timing is good, trigger is creepy and measures 2 lbs! :shocked2: Fit and finish is good.

I like it. anxious to see how it shoots.

Don

 

[Don]

I like the birds head grip but I'd prefer a little bit longer barrel maybe 4.5 or 5 inches.

Don

 

[hawkeye2]

White Rabbit thanks for posting the photo, its something I can't do.

Trucker, I'm used to being kicked around. I used to write Rodney Dangerfield's material. :wink:

I had a chance to hold one of these at Dixie's booth at the N-SSA Nats. some time back and may have commented on it in another thread about this type revolver. It pointed and balanced very well, was well finished and If I had a completed collection of C&B revolvers this would be next on my list. I do have the short barrel 60 Army Pietta made a number of years back which is an accurate copy of existing "belly guns". These style fantasy Colts are neat and could be a lot of fun if you can get over the fact that they never existed. It just screams to have its cylinder replaced with one of those we can't mention here. Anyone could buy a brass .44 "Navy" with a longer barrel and use it on this gun. I bought a regular '60 Army and traded off most of the gun just to get a long barrel for my snubbie.

As an aside Colt Thunderers and Lightnings had this style grip but their frame was much smaller than the '51, '60, and '61 (and 73) so the grip itself was smaller and none could have ever been fitted to a Colt C&B.

Nazgul, we all would like to see how it shoots, keep us informed.

 

[nkbj]

Maybe they will repro one of the .40 caliber experimental models that Colt worked on. Dream on.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

the ultimate CCW pistol back in the day.

 

[gunner69skmc]

These would really be nice in a New York Police Pistol style 5" barrel. :stir: