Perfect revolver?

[Hawk54]

I don't have any 5 1/2 inch 1851's. All mine are full length. I do have a a new model navy in .36 that has a 6 1/2 inch barrel. I do like the looks of the full length 1851's over the shorter barrel length. When I was a SSAS shooter the 5 1/2 inch was my favorite pistol. But I will stick with my favorite is a full size 1851.

 

[French Colonial]

May I ask which ones?

Gus

Absolutely tongue in cheek, I doubt any open top would survive even one firing of my heavy 45LC hunting loads.

I have an 1851 with the longer barrel, but would never consider it for self-defense unless there were no other options. And there are better options.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

Absolutely tongue in cheek, I doubt any open top would survive even one firing of my heavy 45LC hunting loads.

Idk brother…. You may be surprised… I stopped testing at a certain point but they handled some prettty nasty 45 Colt loads just fine

 

[French Colonial]

Idk brother…. You may be surprised… I stopped testing at a certain point but they handled some prettty nasty 45 Colt loads just fine

Well we can give it a try, but you have to pull the trigger, I will step back about 20 feet or so behind you and watch.

 

[hrt4me]

I just haven’t been able to find one for Bannerman’s price of $3.85.

Seriously, until now I’ve focused on guns that were more likely to have been in use in the ACW. The few hundred civilian R&Ss may have been acquired by individuals but the 5K government order was too late to be issued. Next time I do some serious thinning I may have to start looking for a R&S to round out the collection more. Anyone have one for sale or trade?

I have about 5 or 6 of those, which I will thin the herd soon

 

[kh54]

@hrt4me, when you do let me know!

 

[Pukka Bundook]

45D,
You don't have to keep it That simple just for me, I do understand the design concept, and while the Colt was a brilliant plan and well executed, to think it compares to modern arms for strength is just plain bunk.
I can't understand how anyone could even begin to think that.
A good stout load of black will certainly work Very well, and can outperform a lot of nitro loads, but no-one in their right minds would suggest using nitro in a black powder revolver, and this for Very good reasons.

All the best,
Richard.

 

[45D]

45D,
You don't have to keep it That simple just for me, I do understand the design concept, and while the Colt was a brilliant plan and well executed, to think it compares to modern arms for strength is just plain bunk.
I can't understand how anyone could even begin to think that.
A good stout load of black will certainly work Very well, and can outperform a lot of nitro loads, but no-one in their right minds would suggest using nitro in a black powder revolver, and this for Very good reasons.

All the best,
Richard.

Well I can certainly see you're an astute reader!! Nobody said anything about using "nitro" in a cap gun.
All mine are converted and shoot double and triple the pressures your cap guns produce.
Maybe you could enlighten some of us on why my revolvers won't hold up like they have for the past ten years.

Mike

 

[GR50036]

I'd like to throw the .44 Dance & Brothers into the mix. Good aesthetics and good handling.

 

[kh54]

I've never handled a Dance & Brothers. Besides aesthetics and caliber, how does it differ from the 1851 Navy?

 

[GR50036]

I've never handled a Dance & Brothers. Besides aesthetics and caliber, how does it differ from the 1851 Navy?

Has a navy grip, round barrel, no recoil shield, and maybe its just me, but the bore axis feels lower in my hand than the navy or the 1860 army.

 

[nhmoose]

Starr double action revolver is needed

 

[kh54]

I have a Pietta SA Starr, and if the grip, frame and hammer are basically in the same configuration with the DA, then for me I know the answer: definitely at the bottom of my list. The problem is that the hammer and grip are not very well designed, ergonomically speaking. It is so awkward for me to cock the hammer that I have to lower the gun or use two hands. This assumes, of course, that the Pietta reproduction is accurate. I've often wondered if that's the case.

 

[wganz]

Sounds like alot of opinions coming up.

1851 for me

 

[Pacecars]

My perfect revolver: Ruger Old Army converted to a 6 1/2” octagon barrel 5 shot .50 caliber with a Super Blackhawk grip frame by David Clements with engraving by Rocky Sharp and Desert Ironwood grips from Chig’s Grips. It plain works for me and makes my soul happy

 

[Eutycus]

1851 for me

Well actually , me too.

 

[B P Arn]

No Ruger for me. Ever. Google "The Ruger Letter" if interested in learning about the real Bill Ruger.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Mike, 45D,
I have no wish to pick a fight with you or anyone else, but you asked in your post above, "Who mentioned smokeless?"
Well it looks to me like you did in post #37 above.
We can get on or not, but I don't think I am out of line thinking you meant smokeless by what you wrote in post #37..

I have quoted your post in full below.

All the best,
Richard.

"

I must admit boys, I am still sitting here wondering why some of you could think that an open top is Stronger, everything else being the same....

I don't normally sit here just wondering, but you have me doing it!

All the best,
Richard.

Should add that though I have a Tranter that I really like, for Plain Looks, and 1851 or 1860 Colt still are some of the best looking revolvers ever!
My sister has an original London Colt.
Click to expand...

To quote you,
"Well, it's hard when you don't understand the design concept. So, I'll try and simplify.

Top strap - I bent a Remington platform loading / shooting lead ball ammo that was ( apparently) too hard. = a weakness in design compared to loading the same ball projectiles in a Dragoon

Open Top - I sheared the loading lever screw on the Dragoon loading the same lead balls. Therefore, the screw was sacrificed, not the frame. = a strong design for the forces applied.

"Another example:

I routinely shoot unmentionable ammo north of 21K psi in my modified Uberti '60 Army. That's roughly 50% more pressure than the top of tier 1 unmentionables. The revolver is in perfect condition. I recently posted a picture of the wedge from that revolver in another thread.

Almost forgot: 95% of these rounds are FMJ, not lead.

Bottom line, a perimeter frame (rectangular structure) surrounding and containing a pressure vessel (cylinder) at discharge is a weaker structure than one half it's size (think of the arbor as the top strap) with more support.


Mike".

all the best,
Richard.

 

[Bad Karma]

This has been fun reading others’ opinions. I have to admit that as I wrote my OP I realized I was just posing the same question that has been discussed in dozens of other threads, so I’m not surprised by most of the responses. But no one has discussed the barrel length, which I briefly mentioned in the OP. I love my five-inch 1851. It handles like a completely different gun than the full length barrel, and the five inch 1851 Navy is really my “perfect” revolver.

I think that the most successful gunman/lawman of the Old West was someone I don’t believe I’ve seen even mentioned in this forum. That would be the Destroying Angel himself, Orrin Porter Rockwell. I understand that he favored an 1851 (or a pair of them - I’m not sure) that was cut down for concealed carry, the original “avenging angel” belly gun. I believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the original(s) in its possession but I’m not sure about that either. If anyone knows more about all this please share!

Not sure I’d include him as a lawman but my perspective is from a gentile growing up and living in a formerly majority LDS community.

—Mrs. Baer, an old and dear friend once told me that the Utes came here and pushed out the Paiute, Navajo, and Apache, her people came in and pushed out all the Utes so it seemed fair enough that Gentiles were pushing the LDS out of Western Colorado.—

 

[Bad Karma]

My perfect revolver: Ruger Old Army converted to a 6 1/2” octagon barrel 5 shot .50 caliber with a Super Blackhawk grip frame by David Clements with engraving by Rocky Sharp and Desert Ironwood grips from Chig’s Grips. It plain works for me and makes my soul happy

I’m in the process of fitting SBH frames to every fixed sighted ROA I can get my hands on. Now, when “someone” begins to manufacture a trigger and Bisley style hammer to fit the New Model SBH grip to the ROA frame… oh baby! Then we’re cooking with gas!