Round Muzzle on Revolvers?

[Brik847]

OK, you can snicker if you want to at this question - I still need to know. . .

Today at a gun show I looked seriously at some different revolvers. On some of them -- a .36 Navy that I can remember for sure, but there were others -- the muzzle didn't appear truly circular like some others did. Is there something wrong? Or is it just the rifling "coming out" the end?

I love how they feel in my hand -- I seem to be leaning toward the Colts though. There are obvious differences in appearance between the '51 and the '60. Any functional differences or. . . how is the '60 an improvement over the '51?

Thanks for your help in answering these questions.

 

[mykeal]

I've seen a lot of strange items on replica bp revolvers, but an oval shaped barrel isn't one of them. So far. I suspect it's an optical illusion.

The 1860 Colt Army is a .44 cal gun, as compared with the .36 cal 1851 Colt Navy. There is also a .36 cal 1861 Colt Navy. I assume your question is about the difference between the first two.

The increase in caliber is one significant 'improvement', at least it was at the time. The .44 was more desireable for increased stopping power against both men and horses. In addition, the 1860 Army is lighter than the 1851 Navy and the barrel is 1/2" longer. Probably the most significant improvement is the loading lever pivot point; on the 1860 Army it's a toothed ratchet which gives increased force on the ball during loading.

Now, if your question is regarding the 1861 Navy vs the 1851 Navy, the loading lever and weight advantages still apply, but the caliber difference and the barrel length obviously don't. Also, the trigger is different, for reasons I don't entirely understand. While my guns are replicas, and different brands as well, I understand the trigger placement change was done on the originals.

 

[Brik847]

Aah - that helps with understanding the 1860 and 1851 differences. So the 1851 is originally the .36 and any .44 1851 is just a bigger bore to sell.

No, it wasn't oval, it was round shaped, just not smooth round. I must have been seeing the rifling.

Thank you.

 

[Brik847]

How does the loading lever of the 1858 Remington compare with the 1860 Colt? I can see it's different. What is your opinion of it?

 

[mykeal]

The loading lever on all three guns is good as far as I'm concerned. I've never had a problem with any of them.

 

[Runner]

Cabela's lists a so called Civilian model 1851 in 44.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

But there never was a .44 '51 Navy. Civilian or otherwise. This is just a crass marketing ploy n the part of some makers and retailers.

 

[Runner]

Are the so called Buntline 12 inchers also just marketing?

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The only one that I've ever had problems with was a much used '63 Remington. The little pins on the small link in the rammer eventually gave out. It happened in the field and left the revolver disabled for the rest of the trip. It is fixable with proper tools and some pin stock however.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Pretty much. There were a few long barrelled Navies made, but they didn't really catch on. Probably for the same reason the revolving rifles that Colt made were failures. You still wind up holding them either one handed or with a modified two hands on the grip hold and they are awkward to carry. Think about carrying a 12" barrelled revolver on your hip all day long. There is usually a good reason why certain guns are touted as being rare, and the reason is that they were a bad idea to begin with.

 

[Bodie]

I have a pair each of the 3rd model dragoon .44, the 1861 Navy .36, and the 1851 Navy civilian model .44. I use them for Cowboy Action shooting. That being the case, I don't care that there was never a .44 caliber 51 Navy. The 61 has the best "feel", but a .36 will not reliably take down falling plates. I recall a match a few years back where I deliberately placed my shots about an inch from the top edge of the plates and left all 5 standing with the .36. Using the .44 cal 51, all plates hit are SLAMMED down. The .44 51 Navy also fits my custom holsters that were made for the 61 Navies. The Dragoons are fun to shoot, but are just too heavy to shoot one handed.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

The weight obstacle can be overcome with advanced practice at home on the couch. That's how I train prior to competition with my 3rd Model Dragoon and Walker. Using my strong hand while watching TV, I cock the hammer back to take a sight picture through the notch in the hammer, then lower the gun and "de-cock" without dry firing. This developes enough "muscle memory" to be able to hold the BIG 4-pounders with the strong hand. Sort of like a professional baseball player in the on-deck circle using a weight ring on the end of his bat for the practice swings...it helps to get the bat speed up so you won't miss the fastball!

This technique works real well, at least for me! :thumbsup:

Dave

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I do pretty much the same thing. I aim at the morons on the T.V. set. The nice thing is I never run out of targets!

 

[torn moc]

:rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Jerry Coffee]

I have both the '51 Colt Navy and '60 Colt Army revolvers and I prefer to shoot the '51 Colt Navy because it is easier to load. If you will look a the photos above, you can see the ball stop on the LH side of the frame on the '51 Colt Navy. That revents the cylinder from over-rotating after you place a ball on the powder then rotate the cylinder in position to ram it in the chamber. The '60 Colt Army does not have the stop and you can accidentally rotate the cylinder past alignment with the rammer. If that happens you must take down the revolver and remove the ball and reassemble the pistol and try to load it again. That is because you cannot rotate the cylinder backwards to re-align the chamber with the rammer.

There were no original .44 cal. Navy Colt revolvers, they were issued in a Colt .36 cal. for naval officers. However, the Army preferred to use .44 cal. revolvers for more knock down power and range. Pietta has chose to reproduce the more popular .44 cal. in the Colt Navy rather than .36 cal. and that is merely for manufacturing and marketing convience. Uberti and Palmetto make .36 cal. '51 Colt Navy revolvers.

 

[rebel727]

Pietta has chose to reproduce the more popular .44 cal. in the Colt Navy rather than .36 cal. and that is merely for manufacturing and marketing convience. Uberti and Palmetto make .36 cal. '51 Colt Navy revolvers.

Pietta makes a 51 navy in .36, several different versions. They're(as far as I know)the only ones making them in .44

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I've never rotated the ball past the rammer and I don't know anyone who has. However, should this occur, since the ball obviously hasn't been rammed, all one would need to do is remove the ball from the chamber mouth and rotate the cylinder around and try again. Should the ball not come out with the use of a thumb nail, a little coaxing with the tip of a knife blade will settle the issue.