Colt .44 Model 2000

[nkbj]

OK, actually it's a Pietta 1860 made in 2000 with a brass frame so you can hardly accuse it of being an 1860 even if you was to look at a B&W picture of it by candle light.

It's not been shot that I can tell. Timing and lock up appear to be spot on. The chambers are the typical Pietta .446" diameter.
I'm planning on seeing if it can be fiddled into a stand up can killer around the front yard. With light loads it should out last me any way. But it occurred to me that seeing as the date code shows 2000AD perhaps somebody out there might have one of these rascals and maybe shot it enough to shoot it lose.
Anybody?

 

[nkbj]

Not a bad looking beast but perhaps a bath to redden the brass might be a nice look.

 

[user 48679]

After removing the lacquer top coat, hit the brass with some cold blue - if you don't like it, it can buffed away

 

[sourdough]

After removing the lacquer top coat, hit the brass with some cold blue - if you don't like it, it can buffed away

What "lacquer top coat" would you be referring to insofar as metal parts? I have been collecting Pietta C&B revolvers for about a decade and I know of no such thing. The revolver in question was made in 2000 (BN datecode), which was prior to Pietta going to CNC machining in 2002. The CNC revolvers have frame case colors that are glossy (via a certain chemical process that is not case hardening), but are not covered by any "top coat". Revolvers prior to the CNC era most certainly had no frame coating, to wit:

Pietta Dance .36 (BH/1996) never fired or modified. No top coat.

Pietta 1851 Navy 4-screw CFS (AZ/1990). No top coat.

Please explain why you believe the "top coat" is a real thing.

Regards,

Jim

 

[nkbj]

It does have the appearance of being lacquer coated just 'cause it's just never been used.

About it's manufacture date and the subsequent greater standardization of parts, when I picked it up I tried swapping parts to see if I could use the cylinder or barrel elsewhere.
Nope, That there's a shor'nuff 2000 Model.

 

[sourdough]

It does have the appearance of being lacquer coated just 'cause it's just never been used.

I still don't understand that premise. What leads you to believe it has a coating?

If it was a Colt 2nd Gen, 3rd Gen, et al, they were coated in a very thin film of some sort of plastic to preserve the finishes. IMO, those revolvers were never meant to be shot, just set aside as safe queens. There are folks that have used them as shooters, and there are many photos extant showing the film wearing off in various places.

About it's manufacture date and the subsequent greater standardization of parts, when I picked it up I tried swapping parts to see if I could use the cylinder or barrel elsewhere.
Nope, That there's a shor'nuff 2000 Model.

Prior to the ~2002 switch to CNC machining, Pietta would subcontract parts from smaller Italian manufacturers to manufacture their wares, but they needed hand fitting in order to make them saleable on the market.

This may be of interest to you.

Pietta factory tour - Bing video

Regards,

Jim

 

[nkbj]

I didn't say it has a coating, I said it has the appearance of it because it hasn't been used.

Mean while and at the risk of approaching the question, has anyone shot one of these until it became lose? I know of a 1970's brass frame that got retired but only one.

 

[Trusty-58]

I didn't say it has a coating, I said it has the appearance of it because it hasn't been used.

Mean while and at the risk of approaching the question, has anyone shot one of these until it became lose? I know of a 1970's brass frame that got retired but only one.

Ive shot alot of brass framed 1851-1858 with moderate loads with no problems except for small internal parts breaking because being too soft,but if they are shot with heavy loads they will stretch,this is caused by the cylinder being thrust back against the frame hard enough too make a star impression so too speak of the back of the steel cylinder, this in return will let the cylinder move back fare enough to cause a cylinder gap between the cylinder and barrel,ive bought brass framed guns and only use them for parts because some one used heavy loads,yours should give you many years of pleasure by shooting by going easy on the powder loads,thats why alot of people use steel framed cap &ball they seem to last alot longer,some brass frames are made with good metal while others are a were made softer of unknown metallurgy,ive heard in the old days cival war that they melted old bells down that was bronze too make frames better than alot of guns we see in the early 1960-70 cap and ball pistol,your pistol should be alot of fun,but dont hot rod your loads! Trusty-58

 

[nkbj]

Your thoughts are pretty much the same as mine; turn it into a nice can killer for the front yard.
Nice to have a fun gun for when family comes over. Might make up a box of paper cartridges to set back for company once I get the load figger'd out.

 

[Whitworth]

My brother has one from the same timeframe and it's a very good paper puncher, can killer and steel ringer.