Pistol/revolver of choice...........

[David Teague]

The little 51' Navy is the favorite of target shooters. It was also favored because it was light and small. The fact is the damn thing would not shoot thru a Union soldiers wool coat.

Say what? Over 250,000 1851 Navies were made in period and not a single one shot though a wool coat?

Where did you find that little fact?

My choice would be a set of 1861 Navys.

Cheers,

David

 

[Don]

The .36 is often sold short. Loaded right it was very effective against two legged opponents.

Don

 

[NevJohn]

I remember reading that many soldiers used
Smith & Wesson .22 or .32 rimfire cartridge revolvers as "Backup"

 

[William O.]

Remington all the way.

 

[madcratebuilder]

The little 51' Navy is the favorite of target shooters. It was also favored because it was light and small. The fact is the damn thing would not shoot thru a Union soldiers wool coat.

Would you care to volunteer to test that statement?

I have to disagree with the ROA being a copy of the R&S. IMHO the ROA is a copy of the 1858 with two piece Colt grips.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

W.B. Hickok sure put the '51 Colt to effective use. he even preferred it over the newly-introduced cartridge revolvers when he was killed. but then he was known for deadly accurate shooting.

 

[colmoultrie]

1848-1865 you say? I'd guess I'd have to go for one of them there newfangled pinfire revolvers, just to stir the pot. Lefaucheaux made some in 9 or 10 mm that were used during the Civil War - most advanced design going at the time.

 

[Curt LaManna]

A LeMat with 2 spare cylinders and enough loads for 4-6 shots of the shotgun barrel!
:thumbsup:

 

[newtothis]

i have a remmy with a twelve inch barrel, kind of like the bruntline special but a moddern version of it. being a hunter all i know is accuracy and reliablity, and dont know jack about historical accuracy/ combat performance, but being able to shoot a piece of monofilimant fishing line in half at thirty yards makes it my pistol of choise. :grin:

 

[redwing]

What does the number of guns mean. You must remember these were ordered by government officals not shooters. The 9mm Parabellum is the most useless combat arm made but there are millons of them out there. The weak little .36 Navy was the 9mm of its day. These small caliber low powered guns are always favored by wanta be handgunners.

 

[redwing]

Ruger copied the deflection flange on the front of the cylinder from the R&S. This was a great leap forward in handguns. Ruger copied the rammer with cup latch. Ruger copied the .457 caliber barrel fro R&S. Ruger copied the small arbor from R&S. These were added to a Ruger 3 screw .357 frame not a Colt. The 58 Remington had none of these improvements. :shake:

 

[redwing]

John Wesley Harden carried the 1860 Army. What is your point. :idunno:

 

[August West]

I really don't have a dog in this fight, never tried to quick change cylinders. But it seems to me to be kinda risky, seems if you dropped a loaded and capped cylinder and it lands wrong ways up you might shoot yourself in a tender spot.

I guess I would vote for a 60 colt, points natural and I like the 44 over the 36. Chris

 

[irataylor]

I would go with my Starr DA. I could get more shots off in the DA mode. Contrary to some posts about the Starr, mine is reliable and accurate.

 

[redwing]

Good choice Chris. The early day shooters liked a horse killer. They wanted a caliber that would kill a horse. No different than later shooters wanted a caliber that would kill horse power. That brought about the .357 Mag. for police use in the 1930s. When the Army went to Colt for the SAA in 1873 they stated a caliber with the horse killing power of the Walker. I don't think anyone today would consider the .32 S&W a good carry gun. Thats a little better than a .36 Navy.

 

[David Teague]

What does the number of guns mean. You must remember these were ordered by government officals not shooters. The 9mm Parabellum is the most useless combat arm made but there are millons of them out there. The weak little .36 Navy was the 9mm of its day. These small caliber low powered guns are always favored by wanta be handgunners.

Like Wild Bill Hickok...

You should check your facts, 146,800 Colt revolvers were purchased during the war, that number includes the 1860 Army and the 51 & 61 Navy. It seem most of the 51 & 61 Navies were bought by the general public or private purchased by the soldiers themselves.

Now, where did you get that "fact" that a 36 navy won't shoot through a US wool sack coat? Hmmm?

Don't let your modern magnum thinking cloud historic facts.

DT

 

[redwing]

This is mentioned in a number of Civil War writings. Please take a couple of wet cold saddle blankets stand back 25 yds. and see for your self. These blankets would be about the thickness of winter gear shirts heavy wool coat. Yes they were popular after the war. They were useless in war fare. They were great for carry in bars and cat houses. Would you carry a .32 S&W for a modern day defense weapon? :rotf:

 

[poordevil]

There might be some confusion about the .32 S&W and the .32ACP (auto) The .32 S&W shot a 70 or so gr bullet at about 600fps where a .32 auto throws about the same weight bullet at 1000 or so fps.

A .36cal 1851 will walop a .32 S&W any day.

Now I do not know how all civilians loaded their .36 cal c&b or what the preloaded paper ctg had as a charge....OR what the cylinder will hold in lose powder, but my 1860 Army will hold 40gr of 3FFFg. With a 140 gr ball smashed down on that you have a hard hitting round. I would guess that a .36 with its cylinder loaded to the top and a ball squeezed in, would be quite a thumper.

But I do believe bigger is better! :thumbsup:

p

 

[redwing]

Well Gabby we'ed better get outa here. All those pistoleros are armed with those big .36 Colt Navy pistols. Yea. Wild Bill our .45s don't stand a chance. :wink:

 

[MSW]

gotta come down on the R&S (unless i can use my Ruger Old Army) with three spare cylinders, you will have enough shots to get in a boatload of trouble (and you'll have fired it, even with lubed wads in the chambers, to fould the revolver to the point where it won't/shouldn't shoot any more).

Absent the spare cylinders, a brace ofthe 1860 Colt, just 'cause it fits my hand the best and you don't really aim such a piece under stress- more like point it and sorta keep track of where the front sight goes.

just one guy's free opinion, and no doubt worth every penny