Colt 1851 Navy VS Colt 1862 Navy?

[Wes/Tex]

The 1851 & 1861 use the same frame as does the 1860, though in the .44 M.1860, the frame is machined to accept the rebated cylinder with it's slightly larger diameter.

 

[hawkeye2]

Within the same brand the barrel assemblies will interchange though given Italian manufacturing tolerances it might work out so well.

 

[nkbj]

You can check revolvers from a manufacturer and find that cylinders and barrels will not be interchangeable. Recently went through that myself with some from Pietta and I think it is because the manufacturer went through different eras in how the operation was run.

 

[hawkeye2]

I know that Pietta had made some major changes since the mid 90's though I don't know when and the changes may have been spread over a number of years. With my comment on tolerances I was using the term interchangeably loosely. I have 3 .44 "'51 Navies" by Pietta made in the same time frame and I can swap barrel assys. and cylinders and end up with a revolver that will shoot but it's far from perfect and requires a wooden mallet to put the barrel on in a couple of instances. While the '51 & '61 barrel assembleys would interchange they would need hand fitting to be correct.