New Pietta 1851

[Tuck]

I just bought this Pietta 1851 Navy & I'm not happy with the loading lever. The hinge area coating is pretty bare. Is this normal for Pietta? My Ubertis look much better.

 

[denster]

Actually it is not a coating it is color case hardening. Yours is not one of Piettas better examples not effect on function but does detract in looks shouldn't have made it past quality control.

 

[ZUG]

Luck of the draw -- sometimes you win and --well you know the rest

 

[Tuck]

I thought I read they don't do actual color case gardening these days.

I'm going to call the place I bought it from & see if I can get a replacement.

 

[denster]

I thought I read they don't do actual color case gardening these days.

I'm going to call the place I bought it from & see if I can get a replacement.

Well you read wrong they do color case hardening and generally pretty good at that. Good luck on getting a replacement.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Eh a little cold blue dabbled with some water would give you the look, but if it’s burning you up yeah ask for a replacement.

 

[wb78963]

Actually it is not a coating it is color case hardening. Yours is not one of Piettas better examples not effect on function but does detract in looks shouldn't have made it past quality control.

I just bought this Pietta 1851 Navy & I'm not happy with the loading lever. The hinge area coating is pretty bare. Is this normal for Pietta? My Ubertis look much better.

How does it shoot?
I shot a gun yesterday that is beautiful to LOOK at, but was a cap jam-o-matic.
In 5 cylinder fulls (25 shots) I got 5 shots in a row with out a jam only ONE TIME.
Perhaps that is why I am a bit irritable this morning.
Or perhaps not enough coffee
Good luck Tuck
Bunk

 

[Gun Tramp]

Google "faux color case hardening" for some touch-up ideas; looks like several methods are being used with success.

 

[B P Arn]

None of the standard guns being mass produced these days are using case hardening. It is just pretty colored dye, fellers. They offer "case coloring", not "case hardening".

 

[ord sgt]

After each trigger pull, I tip the revolver to the right. The spent cap falls away, letting the cylinder rotate easier. It works for me. Your results may vary.

 

[sawyer04]

I dare say, beware of production guns as of late. The Fauci, Chinese flu hit the Manufactures hard. The shooting quality is the same, but the finish will be hit and miss because of back log and temporary, and new help, at times no help.

 

[condorsp]

What Sawyer04 said.

They got so far behind on production, now they're trying to catch up.

 

[denster]

None of the standard guns being mass produced these days are using case hardening. It is just pretty colored dye, fellers. They offer "case coloring", not "case hardening".

And your source for that is what? You might want to watch some of the youtube videos of production at the Uberti factory. The Italians use cyanide case hardening and used to use a rolling quench that produced the lighter streaky colors you used to see. They have changed quench aeration and the colors are now pretty good. Not up to Turnbull standards but not bad.

 

[B P Arn]

It is easy enough to test whether the gun is truly case hardened or not. True case hardening cannot be cut with a file. Try running a file along your new Italian repro revolver in an inconspicuous place, such as the underside of the receiver after the trigger guard is removed. You will find a file cuts it with little effort.

The old guns were made of wrought iron and were case hardened. The new repros are made of modern steel, and do not need to be case hardened. Modern guns are heat treated, but not actually color case hardened, unless done purely for aesthetics (such as what Turnbull will do). Case colors (dyes) can be added over modern steel for the traditional look of color case hardening, but are only decorative.

 

[Tuck]

I contacted the seller & they're going to exchange it. They were very good about it & didn't even want pics emailed to them. Now, will I get it before I go back overseas? I don't know but hopefully.

I don't know how it shoots as I never even cleaned the shipping oil off of it. If it had been used I'd accept it but I don't like paying full new price for defects, even if only cosmetic.

 

[Wolfman0125]

Color case hardening today is a chemical process easily fixed with some Birchwood Casey’s Super Blue. Just clean with alcohol and swab with a Q-tip in a pattern you like. Then lightly use some steel wool and oil it. Good as new.

 

[denster]

It is easy enough to test whether the gun is truly case hardened or not. True case hardening cannot be cut with a file. Try running a file along your new Italian repro revolver in an inconspicuous place, such as the underside of the receiver after the trigger guard is removed. You will find a file cuts it with little effort.

The old guns were made of wrought iron and were case hardened. The new repros are made of modern steel, and do not need to be case hardened. Modern guns are heat treated, but not actually color case hardened, unless done purely for aesthetics (such as what Turnbull will do). Case colors (dyes) can be added over modern steel for the traditional look of color case hardening, but are only decorative.

With all due respect you have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[springfield art]

None of the standard guns being mass produced these days are using case hardening. It is just pretty colored dye, fellers. They offer "case coloring", not "case hardening".

As Ed McMahon used to say, "You are correct, sir!"

 

[springfield art]

I just bought this Pietta 1851 Navy & I'm not happy with the loading lever. The hinge area coating is pretty bare. Is this normal for Pietta? My Ubertis look much better.

If you're gonna shoot it, it will "cook" over time on it's own, and look like a, well, nice used piece!

 

[denster]

Color case hardening today is a chemical process easily fixed with some Birchwood Casey’s Super Blue. Just clean with alcohol and swab with a Q-tip in a pattern you like. Then lightly use some steel wool and oil it. Good as new.

I hope you do not work on other people's guns!