Navy Arms "Confederate" Navy

[bnail]

I have this old pilstol lying arounfd the house that I've never even fired. it indexes well, but there are a few slips ups where the cylinder never advances.
I invite all opinions and advice on this thing, especially if it's worth keeping or just simply hanging on the wall.
I wouldn't mind putting a few rounds through it actually, but I've never fired a cap-n-ball pistol so I don't have a clue on caps, proper caliber ball, charge, etc.
as I said, ALLcomments/opinions are welcome! :hatsoff:

 

[Wes/Tex]

I'd recommend letting a gunsmith give it the once-over if you don't feel like tackling the job yourself. Percussion revolvers are a "hoot to shoot"! Not sure if it's one with a brass frame but that would only mean keeping the powder charges on the light side. Making smoke is worrth all the fiddlin'! Good luck.

 

[torn moc]

wow...you have 1791 posts And have never fired a BP pistol????????? ....wow...
thats hard to believe...
when I got into Black Powder...I immediately want a pistol, rifle and shotgun!!!
... seriously...your pistol sounds like it needs a new hand....plenty of posts here on how to install a new one..

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Depending on how long it has been lying around, a good cleaning may sort it out.

 

[bnail]

wow...you have 1791 posts And have never fired a BP pistol????????? ....wow...
thats hard to believe...
when I got into Black Powder...I immediately want a pistol, rifle and shotgun!!!
... seriously...your pistol sounds like it needs a new hand....plenty of posts here on how to install a new one..

yeah, can you believe it? :youcrazy:
I've always been a diehard flinter, but here recently I've been casting eyes at CAS events, an then, all of a sudden, this pistol reimerges from the depths of my closet!

I thought if I can get this thing tuned up, it might be a fun shooter.
Thanks for the tips

 

[Zonie]

"...an then, all of a sudden, this pistol reimerges from the depths of my closet!..."
-------

Yah, that might work on your wife, you sly dog but you can't fool us. :grin:

On the other hand, I haven't dug around in my closet for years. :hmm: Who knows what I might fine in there? :rotf:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I'm always finding stuff I'd forgotten I had. And there's a gun show tomorrow, so who knows what I'll find in the bottom of the gun safe in the next few weeks. :rotf:

 

[flintlockmdj]

I like the way that you think, reminds me of me.

 

[bnail]

Depending on how long it has been lying around, a good cleaning may sort it out.

I just finished cleaning and reassembling this thing. works better, but the hand assembly is loose. I thought the spring was broken, but she's all intact. I figured out though that the cylinder advances perfectly with the muzzle down, but chokes when the barrel is above perpendicular.
any thoughts on this? is this a common ailment?

 

[bnail]

I'd recommend letting a gunsmith give it the once-over if you don't feel like tackling the job yourself. Percussion revolvers are a "hoot to shoot"! Not sure if it's one with a brass frame but that would only mean keeping the powder charges on the light side. Making smoke is worth all the fiddlin'! Good luck.

Hey Wes, I was thinking about letting a gunsmith tune 'er up, but I don't want to spend too much on a cheap-a$$ pistol. I don't even know who made it! I figure it's either a Pieta or Uberti. it has "made in Italy," "Ridgefield" and "navy Arms" stamped on the barrel.

 

[Tinker2]

“I thought the spring was broken, but she's all intact. I figured out though that the cylinder advances perfectly with the muzzle down, but chokes when the barrel is above perpendicular.
any thoughts on this? is this a common ailment?”

Sure sounds like the hand spring to me.
Lose in the hand or not tempered or shaped right.




Tinker2

 

[bnail]

“I thought the spring was broken, but she's all intact. I figured out though that the cylinder advances perfectly with the muzzle down, but chokes when the barrel is above perpendicular.
any thoughts on this? is this a common ailment?”

Sure sounds like the hand spring to me.
Lose in the hand or not tempered or shaped right.

Tinker2

Do you suppose that a new Hand spring would fix the problem?

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I think that would really help. These springs aren't all that strong to begin with. VTI should be able to help you out with this. Buying a couple of spares wouldn't be a bad idea.

 

[Tinker2]

“Do you suppose that a new Hand spring would fix the problem?”

I suppose that the hand spring may be lose on the
hand or may just need to be bent for a little more
tension on it.

If that doesn’t fix it, I would replace the hand/spring
combo. It would be a lot easier to do.



Tinker2

 

[rebel727]

I don't even know who made it! I figure it's either a Pieta or Uberti.

It's a Pietta. Uberti doesn't make a 51 navy in .44

 

[bnail]

it's a .36 actually.
BTW, I was under the impression that there was no such thing as a .44 navy, it's an anachronism. I was told that Navys were always .36 and Armys were .44. Is this rule-of-thumb accurate?

 

[bnail]

"...an then, all of a sudden, this pistol reimerges from the depths of my closet!..."
-------

Yah, that might work on your wife, you sly dog but you can't fool us. :grin:

On the other hand, I haven't dug around in my closet for years. :hmm: Who knows what I might fine in there? :rotf:

Zonie, I must say, I've used that excuse a time or two, but honestly, my wife was the one who found it when she cleaned out my boxes! :redface:
that's my story and I'm sticking to it :thumbsup:

 

[torn moc]

Navy Arms = Pietta

 

[rebel727]

it's a .36 actually.
BTW, I was under the impression that there was no such thing as a .44 navy, it's an anachronism. I was told that Navys were always .36 and Armys were .44. Is this rule-of-thumb accurate?

Colt never made a 51 in .44 but Pietta does. Usually when somebody says Confederate Navy it's a .44.

 

[bnail]

it's a .36 actually.
BTW, I was under the impression that there was no such thing as a .44 navy, it's an anachronism. I was told that Navys were always .36 and Armys were .44. Is this rule-of-thumb accurate?

Colt never made a 51 in .44 but Pietta does. Usually when somebody says Confederate Navy it's a .44.

Oh, I see, I didn't know that. thanks for clearing that up.
how is Pietta for quality, authenticity, etc?