Wow - cap-and-ball revolvers are awesome fun, who knew?

[TDM]

@Stantheman86 how bout you or someone else start a new thread on the 1851 versus the 1862 Navy. Might be fun. I don’t have an 1862 so I have no dog in the hunt.

 

[toot]

No it's a fake track for a Cowboy match stage

thank you for the reply. they looked real. RR. tracks, now that is novel, never seen them in CASS. before as I don't shoot it. but they look interesting. any locomotive that runs on them during matches?

 

[Stantheman86]

thank you for the reply. they looked real. RR. tracks, now that is novel, never seen them in CASS. before as I don't shoot it. but they look interesting. any locomotive that runs on them during matches?

I think a wood mining car rolls out and stops at a platform , I don't shoot CAS either but it looks fun

 

[toot]

Thank you. That rely adds excitement to the shoots.

 

[toot]

Thank you. That rely adds excitement to the shoots.

 

[BoBo522]

Just my second post. I got two Pietta 1851 Navy revolvers a couple of weeks ago and just made it out to the outdoor range today to try them out. All I can say is, wow, what took me so long to try this? Amazing fun, the whole process of charging, ramming, capping… much more than just the shooting, which was also a blast (sorry for the pun). My brother and nephew were along for the ride and we’re already planning next week’s outing. So cool!

Time for an update, and it’s not a good one - both the Piettas have broken bolt springs, and neither Pietta could be disassembled by me. Very disappointing. I went to take the first one apart to do a detailed cleaning and make sure no caps had fallen into the mechanism, only to encounter a back strap screw that would not move at all. Tried heat in case it was loctited (it wasn’t), made sure to use a gunsmithing screwdriver that fit the screw slot perfectly… and buggered up the screw without moving it an iota. Soaked it in Kroil for 48 hours, still won’t move at all.

Second gun - I did actually get a spent cap in the action so I went to take it apart as well. Lo and behold - same screw jammed, unable to remove it no matter what. Went and put it back together thinking I’d just work it out by exercising the action, and presto! There goes the bolt spring on Pietta #2.

Pretty turned off by this experience. Guns are now in the hands of a smith to see if there’s anything at all he can do to salvage them, but I’m not optimistic.

Did I just get exceptionally unlucky to get not one but two bad guns, one from Traditions and one from Taylor? Or is Pietta just not a good-quality product?

 

[Old-Duckman]

I'm quite sure that the guns are able to be salvaged...Not a big deal at all for a fairly competent smith. I do no have any Piettas but have read many positive comments on the forum about them.

Can't say that you didn't have some bad luck but don't despair, when you get them back and shoot them...you'll be hooked!

 

[Bunk]

Time for an update, and it’s not a good one - both the Piettas have broken bolt springs, and neither Pietta could be disassembled by me. Very disappointing. I went to take the first one apart to do a detailed cleaning and make sure no caps had fallen into the mechanism, only to encounter a back strap screw that would not move at all. Tried heat in case it was loctited (it wasn’t), made sure to use a gunsmithing screwdriver that fit the screw slot perfectly… and buggered up the screw without moving it an iota. Soaked it in Kroil for 48 hours, still won’t move at all.

Second gun - I did actually get a spent cap in the action so I went to take it apart as well. Lo and behold - same screw jammed, unable to remove it no matter what. Went and put it back together thinking I’d just work it out by exercising the action, and presto! There goes the bolt spring on Pietta #2.

Pretty turned off by this experience. Guns are now in the hands of a smith to see if there’s anything at all he can do to salvage them, but I’m not optimistic.

Did I just get exceptionally unlucky to get not one but two bad guns, one from Traditions and one from Taylor? Or is Pietta just not a good-quality product?

I do not know what kind of gorilla that runs those butter soft screws down so tight. especially that screw in the base of the grip frame.
On first disassembly of a new gun if there of one of those tight screws my method is to hold the frame in a vise with soft jaws or pads and a small impact driver is used to loosen it up.
All screws when replaced get a dab of never -size compound.
I would suggest to replace that flat spring with the Heinie brand wire spring. I got mine from Brownell's gunsmith supply.
Good luck
Bunk

I'm quite sure that the guns are able to be salvaged...Not a big deal at all for a fairly competent smith. I do no have any Piettas but have read many positive comments on the forum about them.

Can't say that you didn't have some bad luck but don't despair, when you get them back and shoot them...you'll be hooked!

 

[Bad Karma]

I think you’re unlucky certainly, and I’m sure you’ll get them up and running… (ask around here, some of these guys have tuned a bunch of the Piettas and know what goes wrong and how to fix it.) Lots of folks here like them but I’ve never been impressed with Piettas quality or construction. You might check with VTIGUNPARTS.com, they may have hardened screw sets for. Pietta.

 

[GR50036]

I do not know what kind of gorilla that runs those butter soft screws down so tight. especially that screw in the base of the grip frame.
On first disassembly of a new gun if there of one of those tight screws my method is to hold the frame in a vise with soft jaws or pads and a small impact driver is used to loosen it up.
All screws when replaced get a dab of never -size compound.
I would suggest to replace that flat spring with the Heinie brand wire spring. I got mine from Brownell's gunsmith supply.
Good luck
Bunk

I don't know how they'd get those screws in that tight! You sneeze on them and they strip out.

 

[Bad Karma]

I don't know how they'd get those screws in that tight! You sneeze on them and they strip out.

They’re tight yes. But they are made of the softest, crap you can still call steel. Also, they could have been cross threaded at the factory. Wouldn’t be the first time.

 

[hawkeye2]

Of all the screws on Colt style revolvers the two at the top of the backstrap (both sides of the hammer) have been the ones to give me the most trouble and I have the correct screwdrivers.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

The grip screws on my 1860 Army were on super tight .
I bought a set of gun smith screwdrivers years ago.
It took a hard grip and they came out.
Almost considered the impact driver :-O

 

[Sean E Bug]

always with these revolvers is dissemble them and put anti seize on the threads. one method I have had good luck with for breaking free really tight screws is to put the frame in a vise. take the best fitting screwdriver tip and chuck it up in my bit brace. allows me to put much more weight on it to keep it from slipping.

 

[user 48702]

The day I made my above video I put 12 cylinders through the 12" Brasser , with Crisco over the chambers and it kept going, no binding. I could have kept shooting but I was done for the day. It keeps the fouling soft. I know it has no effect on chain fires, it keeps the gun running.

Lubed wads work too but it's easier to just smear Crisco over the balls. Or Tallow, or a similar product. I have used both and a lube over the chamber works better to "spray" it all over the arbor, cylinder face and forcing cone. As well as keeping the fouling in the bore soft.

I used to use Crisco over the chambers, but now if I'm not using lubed wads, I skeet a little Ballistol over the end of the cylinder and it has worked just as well for me, no misfires and it works.

 

[nkbj]

Stalk small game for some six gun fun.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Pietta just not a good-quality product?

As far as production guns go, they are average.
Before I ever shot mine I replaced all the springs and after the first firing all the cones.

Everyone's loads very, and no one shoots them correctly so they get cap jams.
Ive not had a cap jam yet. (knocks on my wooden head).

I also put the main spring from the kit and the factory one together. When I bought the spring kit I did not know I bought the kit with a lightened main spring in it. The folks I got it form said they would swap them out, but Id already modified it to fit like a glove against the stock one.

 

[Ed C.]

Kinda bad luck, but I've found something always needs to be done on the imports. Right out of the box I've had broken springs and stuff that needs adjusting or cleaning up. One tip on removing or replacing that backstrap. Just loosen each of the 3 screws 1/4 to 1/2 turn at a time until they are free. Same when reassembling. Otherwise individual screws will stress out if left with all the tension. If you enjoy working on guns as much as shooting them, BP is fun! Plenty of at home time for your hobby. Those are good guns and basically is what is out there to be purchased.

 

[BoBo522]

Thanks for the replies, all. I'll post again if I'm able to get them back in working order.

 

[45D]

There's no need for a hammer draw of any more than 5 lbs. I adjust them to just over 4 lbs. ( unmentionables in the 3's). It's common to find as much as 8 - 10lb hammer draws on older 70's /80's reproductions . . . talk about a workout!!!

The factory bolt springs are a little heavy and the bolt "movement" is probably excessive ( taxing the spring more than needed). Hopefully your "smith" understands S.A.'s.
Mike