Traditions Spiller and Burr revolver

[deermanok]

I saw an ad for this revolver today. It's listed as brass finished. I assume that it's a steel frame with just a brass plating.
Does anyone own one and what do you think of it?

 

[TNGhost]

The Spiller and Burr was a Confederate copy of the Whitney .36 cal. revolver and they were made originally with brass or more accurately "armory bronze" receivers. The current replica's receivers are of a brass alloy and not brass plated so in that vein they are "correct" to the originals, which are rare as only a thousand or so were made..

They are a decent revolver although at times in their (re)production history, they have been rough, but the newer ones seem to be okay.

Dixie also sells them and has a few reviews posted, with a 90% reccomended rating

https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index...RH0120+Dixie+Pietta+Spiller+and+Burr+Revolver
All of these guns are going to be made by the same manufacturer in Italy, Pietta, and they are available from several importers/vendors here in the U.S., including EMF, Traditions, Taylor's, Old South Firearms etc, as well as Dixie.

They are of good quality and so long as you don't abuse them with heavy loads and stick to mild ones they will likely outlive you.

 

[Zonie]

As TMGhost said, the Spiller & Burr was a copy of the Whitney .36 caliber revolver but it wasn't an exact copy.
Whoever designed it must have known that the brass frame wasn't as strong as a steel revolver so they increased the thickness of the frame where the barrel screws into it.

These reproduction pistols shows the difference between the steel framed Whitney and the brass framed S & B which looks nothing like a Colt.

I also think it is interesting that the Confederate specifications for their cap & ball revolver goes to great lengths to describe an 1851 Colt Navy but the government authorized the manufacturing of the S & B.

Although the replicas don't show it, the original contract for the Spiller & Burr said the pistols were to be made of good tough brass "properly electro-plated with silver" **.

** CONFEDERATE HANDGUNS, William A Albaugh, III, Hugh Benet, Jr, Edward N. Simmons, © MCMLXIII BY GEORGE SHUMWAY, Bonanza Books, (p64)

 

[TNGhost]

Chief of Ordnance for the Confederacy, Josiah Gorgas tasked James Burton, a noted gun designer/machinist of the time, and a lieutenant colonel with the Confederate ordnance department, with the revolver project, and he worked with the company owned by Edward Spiller and David Burr that had been selected to produce the pistol. Burton is the one who selected the Whitney design to base the revolver off of.

Burton became the defacto consulting engineer on t he project and drew up the specifications and engineering package, procured, jigs, fixtures, helped secure machinery, and wrote up the steps and procedures for manufacture of the new revolver, of which the bill of materials was constantly changing due to availability, Initially it started out to be of steel and iron, but ended up as bronze and iron.

Never seen an original with silver plate though.

 

[Enfield1]

I saw an ad for this revolver today. It's listed as brass finished. I assume that it's a steel frame with just a brass plating.
Does anyone own one and what do you think of it?

I own one. As a matter of fact, it was the first black powder firearm I ever owned. I have had it for 22 years. It is a very solid revolver with good chamber/barrel alignment and lockup. The hammer spring is very strong. It shoots high, like many of the others. I was not aware that it was brass plated, but there is much I probably don’t know. It has a place on honor on a wall in my man cave, next to my Pietta 58 Remington Army and ‘42 Springfield musket. Get one if you can. It seems that prices skyrocket more every year.

 

[deermanok]

I own one. As a matter of fact, it was the first black powder firearm I ever owned. I have had it for 22 years. It is a very solid revolver with good chamber/barrel alignment and lockup. The hammer spring is very strong. It shoots high, like many of the others. I was not aware that it was brass plated, but there is much I probably don’t know. It has a place on honor on a wall in my man cave, next to my Pietta 58 Remington Army and ‘42 Springfield musket. Get one if you can. It seems that prices skyrocket more every year.

A buddy of mine was talking about revolvers a while back.
I have a 44 revolver now that I've owned for years.
Now my friend has me interested in the 36. Traditions has it listed for $ 235.00.

 

[Eras Gone]

I have one. I like it for the historical replica that it is, but it is the least accurate percussion revolver that I own. All cap and balls tend to shoot high with the factory sights, but the S&B is notorious for shooting even higher at 20-25 yards. Here is a video that I did on shooting the Pietta Spiller & Burr and replacing the front sight.

 

[Pete G]

Never seen an original with silver plate though.

I think that specification was dropped prior to production.

 

[deermanok]

I have one. I like it for the historical replica that it is, but it is the least accurate percussion revolver that I own. All cap and balls tend to shoot high with the factory sights, but the S&B is notorious for shooting even higher at 20-25 yards. Here is a video that I did on shooting the Pietta Spiller & Burr and replacing the front sight.

What a coincidence, I was searching around online just the other day and came across your video. Very interesting and informative.
I don't think I'd buy new but if I came across a used one in decent shape I would be interested in owning one.

 

[JamesT]

I own one. Its definately brass frame as were the originals. Mine is solid. Locks up tight and is as accurate as any of my other cap and ball revolvers.