Pietta 1860 Army Revolver Range Report

[Flash Pan Dan]

I got this revolver last week. First thing I did was completely disassemble it, degrease it and remove any machining marks or burrs that were interfering with smooth operation. First shock, there were no burrs or marks that interfered with operation, none! I just polished things up, but it didn’t really need it. I have never had one of these Italian guns that didn’t need some work. Next I checked the arbor fit, it was perfect. The arbor end showed actual marks of fitting. Is that possible? Could they actually be fitting these things? Then I went to fit the cylinder bolt, Piettas are famous for having the bolt larger than the cylinder notches, well not this one the bolt fit was perfect. Needless to say the timing was spot on.

Half the fun of buying one of these things, for me, is tuning them up, oh well. I took a triangular diamond file and widen the daylights out of the notch in the hammer nose and deburred the safety notched in the hammer to help prevent caps from being pulled into the action.

Took it to the range, load was Pryrodex 30 grain pellets, Ox-yoke wad, Hornady .451 ball, and a Remington number 10 caps. Shot 36 shots from a rest and got 2 inch groups at 15 yards (two groups were 1 ½ inches) 5 ½ inches above aiming point. Near the end of the shooting session I did get a couple of caps jamming the action. Will have to look to see what I miss on the hammer face that caused these two jams.

I am very impressed with this revolver. It looks like Pietta is making a concerted effort to improve their products. They accomplish their goal with this particular revolver, in my opinion. I also have to note that these Colts sure point well. I have been shooting Remington New Armies for several years but they sure don’t point like this thing.

 

[USMA65]

Good to hear that Pietta is producing that quality a gun. We are all the beneficiary when the manufacturers get it right. Enjoy.

 

[jamesthomas]

I just shot my Pietta 1851 .36 cal. "Yank" I got from Cabela's last year (12 times). At 20 paces it was shooting dead on and just killing dollar weed that is in a pile of dirt in the back yard. I didn't have to do any thing to it except load it up (20grns 3f, wad and a .380 ball). It shot wonderful! no jams. I believe Pietta is putting out a very good product these days. I plan on doing some more shooting later.

 

[BillinOregon]

I believe Pietta really cleaned up its act when they went to CNC machining a few years back. I have been impressed with the Pietta triggers as well.

 

[Sasquash]

When did they turn into CNC....+/-?

I have a Pietta brass .36 Navy code CF and seems well done, and at least for me and now (I have not worked enough the optimal load), it is a good shooter.

25m, 2 hands+rest, 24gr Swiss FFF (seems to prefer heavy loads).
I know it is a really heavy load for a brasser, but my next step is working on mild loads+wads and fillers in order to avoid any damage.

I have ordered another Pietta .36 Navy, but this one with a steel frame. Let´s see what I get when it finally arrives home.

Thanks.

 

[BillinOregon]

Sasquash, I have heard they went CNC about 2001, but can't confirm the date. They have worked hard on quality control in order to be competitive with Uberti.

 

[ZUG]

I quote from Wikipedia :"In the year 2000 Uberiti was aquired by Beretta and now Benelli, part of the Beretta holding company. It upgraded it's factory to a brand-new facility, thereby greatly expanding production capacity. By 2002, the factory was further modernized with CNC machinery; this enabled them to expedite certain manufacturing processes, although some amount of hand-fitting and hand-finishing remains necessary to this day for this type of firearm."

I think in the transition (2000 - 2002+) some "not so high quality" guns were made and Pietta pulled ahead but now I think Pietti is close in workmanship with Uberiti but with Uberiti slightly ahead according to some knowledgeable gunsmiths.

 

[schreck5]

You will be happy with the .36 steel frame. I have not tried to ring the best accuracy out of mine, but at 25 yards I can quite easily hit clay pigeons. I did have to file the front sight down quite a bit.

 

[Grumpa]

Now, if they would only eliminate the exaggerated flare at the base of the grip....

Richard/Grumpa

 

[Flash Pan Dan]

Are you referring to the Navy grip?

 

[rdstrain49]

I've never cared for Piettas, personal preference I guess. A couple of years ago an acquaintance got a Pietta Navy and wanted me to do a basic armorers inspection before he shot it. To my very great surprise this brass frame piece of junk needed nothing, absolutely NO THING. Every element was simply perfect from the factory. I still prefer Uberties, but don't let anyone tell you that Piettas are second rate, it just isn't so. Pittas are first rate replicas and great shooters.

 

[Sasquash]

I think they eliminated the pietta tail XD.

Well, I received my new steel Pietta Navy (CP code, 2016).

Several things are different between the brass Pietta Navy (CF code, 2011)and the 2016 steel one:

-Trigger guard is rounded in the steel one.
-Grip shape and thickness is different in the steel one also.
-The steel one has a crowned muzzle.
-Springs on the steel one are noticeably harder.
-Brasser has .368 chambers and .372 barrel.
-Steel has .366-.367 chambers and .372 barrel.

AND, the steel one came with a factory issue: it has a grinding mark in the cilinder arbor. It was made before installing the arbor, because the mark continues until the receiver edge (in the narrow area of the cilinder lever), and in that place you can not grind.
The grinding mark is almost exact to this one:
https://www.google.es/search?q=pietta+factory+issues&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiKkvz2joXRAhVKL8AKHWYRB6EQ_AUICCgB&biw=1138&bih=508#tbm=isch&q=pietta+manufacturing+problem&imgrc=6pkhzx9k4U00fM%3A

I think this unit is a "monday pistol"....but I´m also satisfied.

Hope this weekend will shoot them and compare.

I don´t know if I should reamer the chambers to mick the bore diameter...would be a true improvement?

 

[rdstrain49]

Shoot it first and see how she performs. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[Grumpa]

Yes, the Navy grip. Judging from the picture of Sasquash's new Pietta, they have improved it some.

Richard/Grumpa

 

[kh0456]

I agree that Pietta seems to be picking up their game. I have a pair of 1860s I use in cowboy action shooting. One is a Uberti and the other is a Pietta. Didn't mean to buy them like that.... it just worked out that way.
Anyway shooting them side by side they both are great pistols. I do like Uberti finish better. It seems to be better and more uniform. However, I like the way the Pietta's action feels over Uberti and I suppose that's the better of the two.
I will say that I've done a lot of work on both to smooth them out and put better cones on. But out the box, I think I'd buy another Pietta over the Uberti.

 

[don hepler]

I've about had my "fill" of these Italian pistols. The first one was a Uberti Walker. It was built good and shot POA, but you could watch it rust. I would leave it disassembled for days, just to make sure it was okayl

Next was a Pietta, it shot high and left. All the screws, were soft as chewing gum. I replaced most of the screws and sold it.

Next was another Uberti Dragoon. It also shoots high and left. I have to use a shim in with the wedge, in order to tighten the cylinder, to get a decent cyl. gap. I'm still working with it.

Now I have an old ASM. I think that's what it is.
I believe it was made from left over Colt 2nd. Gen. parts. It's the best of all of them.

I had 2 2nd. Gen. Colts, but never fired them.

I have a ROA......no problems.

The Uberti's look almost as good as the 2nd. Gen Colts.

I'm addicted to the old Colts, but I wish they were a little better.

 

[dashriprock]

Hey Flash Pan Dan; I have a pietta 1851 navy and i had caps being sucked off nipples. I changed nipples to treso 6x75 nipples no more cap sucking! Also fill the gap on face of hammer with JB weld.

 

[Ray-Vigo]

Thanks for your initial report. I am considering an 1860 Army some time in the first half of this year to go with my others. My Uberti Navy needed some tinkering and has been great. It's very accurate and a pleasure to shoot. My Uberti '62 Police has been a bear to get set up and the workmanship was not great, but still passable.

I'm considering trying a Pietta for the '60 Army, if I end up getting one. I've been an Uberti person for a few years now, but the '62 Police really is lacking in a couple areas from a quality standpoint and I'd consider a Pietta if their workmanship is now above Uberti in terms of function and action.

 

[M. De Land]

That grind mark on the arbor is for hand clearance I believe. It probably rubbed the arbor and influenced cylinder movement into bolt drop so the factory assembler adjusted it a bit, would be my guess.

 

[BlackHillsBob]

i have 12 uberties, only one i have had to redue the cylinder openings. the rest were perfect. changed all the springs to wire springs. they all can take the eye out of a snake at 20 yards. know nothing about piettas other than that they are not as smooth made to look at as uberties.