Differences between Pietta 8" 1860 Army Blued Steel Revolvers???

[TrapperDude]

I clicked on an email from Midway USA, wherein was advertised a sale on black powder revolvers. Seeing a price of $319 for the blued/case colored Pietta Colt 1860 Army with the 8" barrel, I decided to go back and see how that compared to the price I paid in November of last year.

Further searching on the site showed another Pietta Colt 1860 Army, which appears to be identical to the other, with the exception of the UPC/manufacturer's number. That revolver costs $399. That revolver also has the same model number as the one I bought in November for $324.

Hey, I'm glad I didn't pay more for the same revolver, but I'm curious about what comprise the differences between these revolvers.

Did Pietta make some minor changes to the revolver, which were sufficient to warrant a different model number, even though they still seem to be the same revolvers?

Here are the links to the two revolvers:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1024402145?pid=640131
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1023746770?pid=979686

 

[TrapperDude]

Oh, and here's another seemingly identical revolver with different product numbers and a still-lower price:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1002264782?pid=584405

 

[Gee Dog]

The backstrap in the first pic appears to be in the white or silver plate or something. Not blue, anyway.

 

[Nameless Hunter]

I believe the highest price version has cutouts for a stock.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

Midway does this often. They will have 4 different options at different prices to buy the same revolver

 

[TrapperDude]

I believe the highest price version has cutouts for a stock.

I was thinking the same thing, but all 1860s seem to have the same cutout. That's the one I got for $324 back in November.

 

[TrapperDude]

The backstrap in the first pic appears to be in the white or silver plate or something. Not blue, anyway.

I was wondering if that was just the lighting, myself, but I saw the same thing, too. But that's the model I have, and it doesn't have a white backstrap.

 

[TrapperDude]

Midway does this often. They will have 4 different options at different prices to buy the same revolver

I'm just curious about the different manufacturers' numbers.

I checked the Pietta site, and the $319 model is the only one they show. Could it be possible that Midway has old stock they're still selling?

 

[user 48679]

I would think the price difference would involve the difference in finishing cost.

 

[TrapperDude]

I would think the price difference would involve the difference in finishing cost.

The thing is, they all seem to have the blued barrels and case colored frames. When you read the product descriptions in the bottom, they all say the same thing.

But here's something which popped into my mind. Would Taylor's vs. Dixey Gunworks or some other distributor be the difference? Mine, for instance, came from Taylor's, but the site says nothing about the distributor. It just says Pietta.

 

[Gee Dog]

Call Midway and talk things over. Advertising is, more often than not, quite misleading. Ad copy editors usually don't know nothin bout guns. Call them.

 

[jdesro]

I just did a quick Google search, and going by the manufacturer numbers Midway lists, it looks like it comes down to who distributed the revolver. The cheapest option (which I bought recently, by the way), comes in a Traditions box. The slightly more expensive one comes in a regular Pietta marked box, and the most expensive one comes in a Taylor's & Company box.

They are all the same revolver. The box it comes in is the only difference.

Traditions website:

Midway website - look at the manufacturers numbers:

Pietta website:

Midway:

Taylors:

Midway:

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

I assure you they are all the same. I have 5 1860 Armys..... 3 piettas and 2 traditions" piettas

 

[William Lincoln]

Both Cimarron and Taylors charge a premium price and claim that they have a
more carefully selected revolver. They also did offer custom tuning at an
added cost. Remember these are mass produced and typically have small
flaws. For best performance I recommend having it gone over by someone
like Goons--or another master pistol smith. The 1860 remains a serious
force multiplier in skilled hands.

 

[TrapperDude]

I just did a quick Google search, and going by the manufacturer numbers Midway lists, it looks like it comes down to who distributed the revolver. The cheapest option (which I bought recently, by the way), comes in a Traditions box. The slightly more expensive one comes in a regular Pietta marked box, and the most expensive one comes in a Taylor's & Company box.

They are all the same revolver. The box it comes in is the only difference.

Traditions website:

View attachment 143573

Midway website - look at the manufacturers numbers:

View attachment 143574

Pietta website:



View attachment 143575

Midway:

View attachment 143577


Taylors:

View attachment 143578


Midway:

View attachment 143579

It looks like you've answered the question right on the money. Not knowing all of the different distributors out there and not seeing them listed on Midway's site, I didn't realize how much of a difference there was their prices.

I can certainly say that I'm glad I didn't have to pay the $388 they're asking for the Taylor's offering.

 

[concho7]

If you buy one ? Go to Mike Belivue on UTube and watch him DeBurr and time these Replicas

 

[Whughett]

The thing is, they all seem to have the blued barrels and case colored frames. When you read the product descriptions in the bottom, they all say the same thing.

But here's something which popped into my mind. Would Taylor's vs. Dixey Gunworks or some other distributor be the difference? Mine, for instance, came from Taylor's, but the site says nothing about the distributor. It just says Pietta.

That’s also my first thought, the actual importer or distributor. Midways a retailer not the importer??

 

[TrapperDude]

That’s also my first thought, the actual importer or distributor. Midways a retailer not the importer??

Midway is, indeed, a retailer, only. They don't do any direct importation that I'm aware of.

 

[kh54]

Both Cimarron and Taylors charge a premium price and claim that they have a
more carefully selected revolver.

I have never ordered a gun from either Cimarron or Taylor’s but I have bought LNIB Colt reproductions from previous owners and all have had a higher quality finish and better actions than most of my other reproductions. I think their slightly higher prices are probably worth it.

 

[TrapperDude]

I have never ordered a gun from either Cimarron or Taylor’s but I have bought LNIB Colt reproductions from previous owners and all have had a higher quality finish and better actions than most of my other reproductions. I think their slightly higher prices are probably worth it.

The Taylor's model I have has a perfectly timed action, and there is nothing about it that makes me want to tune it.