Pietta .44 cal. 1851 vs 1860 cylinder difference?

Blankwaffe

New member
Was looking at Cabela's website and I see they have a Pietta 1851 Navy .44 cal. cylinder that is not engraved.
I was looking for a cylinder that is not engraved with the naval scene for my new Pietta 1860 Army...as that is about the only visual difference I can find in the Pietta replica and my original 1860 Colt Army.
Anyone know if the Pietta 1851 Navy .44 cal. cylinder will fit on the Pietta 1860 Army revolver?
Thanks for the help.
 

Hawg

New member
The naval scene is correct for a 60 Colt. It was a Colt trademark. If you have an original without the naval scene it's worn off.
 

Smokin_Gun

New member
The Pietta .44 '51 Navy and the .44 '60 Army Cylinders are the same and frames interchange. The Grip Frames/Backstraps and Trigger Guards are differant but both Navy grips/Triggerguards & Army's will fit each others frames.
Check part numbers here...
http://vtigunparts.com/

SG
 

Fingers McGee

New member
Quote Blankwaffe:
Anyone know if the Pietta 1851 Navy .44 cal. cylinder will fit on the Pietta 1860 Army revolver?
Yes. They are the same part and are interchangeable
Quote SmokinGun:
The Pietta .44 '51 Navy and the .44 '60 Army Cylinders are the same and frames interchange. The Grip Frames/Backstraps and Trigger Guards are differant but both Navy grips/Triggerguards & Army's will fit each others frames.
+1
Quote CraigC
The .44 Navy's cylinder is rebated as well?
Yes.
 

mykeal

New member
Allow me to illustrate:

722.jpg

741.jpg
 

Blankwaffe

New member
Good deal...thanks for the info folks.I'll get one ordered.

Hawg,
Yeap your absolutely right.Thanks for correcting me on that.Took a better look,under magnification and obscure light you can barely see some of the engraving on the cylinder.
The only markings left visible on the cylinder of my original are the patent and its border,letter proofs and PAT date.
My goal in wanting the non-engraved cylinder is to make my Pietta look as much like the original Colt I have regardless of how worn/correct it is.All I will have to do is antique the finish on the cylinder and Im close to being there.
 

Blankwaffe

New member
Hey Hawg,
Yeah Im one of the few remaining claiming to be a member of the group I guess.The company is pretty much dead due to low numbers and expense.
Ive been falling in with whomever I can for what few living histories and small reenactments Ive attended recently.If life does not come back to the company Im looking at joining the Williamson Grays.
Im hoping things will get better with the economy and membership will show some life because we had an oustanding group of campaigners.I sure learned alot from the folks in the company.
http://maurygrays.tripod.com/
Yeah Ive peeled the pages back on Sam Watkins memoirs several times.Best reading I have seen on the subject.Im wanting a hard back copy if you see one anywhere.
 
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Blankwaffe

New member
Mykeal,
How do you like that brass framed 1851 Reb revolver?
Looks kinda like a Leech and Rigdon...I was thinking about picking one of those up as well.
 

mykeal

New member
It's actually my brother-in-law's. He picked it up at an auction and asked me to restore it. It was a mess, very dirty, many fit problems. I'm pretty sure it was a kit originally; the builder didn't even bother to sand the grips to fit. He had shot the gun, no evidence of cleaning as the bore and chambers were filthy with bp residue. However, it cleaned up very nicely, I think. No pitting and it shoots very well. It's the only brass framed gun I've shot more than a few rounds.

The round barrel could make it a Leech and Rigdon, but they were steel framed and didn't have the rebated cylinder.
 

Blankwaffe

New member
Yeah its the barrel that caught my eye.I agree its not setup to be a correct L&R replica...but has its charms.Looks like that old reb cleaned up well though.
I have a old CVA brass framed 1860 Colt I bought back in the early 1980's...always used full house 30gr. fffg loads as I just did not know better.Shot it for years before it got enough set back of the cylinder to cause the cylinder gap to exceed safe specs.Got lucky I guess,but got some good memories.
Overall I think the brass framed replicas are fairly robust,certainly better than some say IMHO.If the loads are kept near the minimum they seem hold up fine.So I dont knock them down too far on my list.
 

Hawg

New member
Yeah Im one of the few remaining claiming to be a member of the group I guess.The company is pretty much dead due to low numbers and expense.

That's cool but why did everybody leave? Actually what I meant was the original Maury Grays.
 

Blankwaffe

New member
Hey Hawg,
The reenactment company took a hit due to expense and burn out.In all reenactments have taken a hit due to expense of travel and fewer events as a result.
As far as my direct line folks serving in the original Co.H...no they served in 1st Tennessee Co.G early on,and later consolidated into the 48th Tennessee Co.A.
 

Hawg

New member
I've got ties to the 8th Miss. Inf. Co. I (Confederate Guards) and the 43rd Va. Cavalry Co. A(Mosby's Rangers)and a dozen or more other units I haven't researched much.
 
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