Pietta 1851 "Old Silver" .44 caliber

[Cincinnati Slim]

Got the Pietta 1851 "Old Silver" today !

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Howdy,

Despite nasty ice storms and a MLK Holiday the USPS got my Pietta 1851 "Old Silver" to Cincy today. Left Impact Guns in Utah Friday !

I had heard prices for Italian imports were set to go up, their price was the best on the "net" and now they are Out-of-stock so I guess I made my move at the right time. Looks like a durn good deal, was less than $ 250.00 delivered.

Except for the springs it's ALL stainless/polished steel including hammer, trigger, triggerguard and screws. I'll be taking a magnet to the various pieces tonite to see what's really stainless or just polished. Seems well finished and the grips are right purdy. No thick red varnish like a lot of Italian imports, nice grain figure and very good fit to frame and backstrap. Action is pretty tight and barrel to cylinder gap is way too small so I'll be doing a little tinkering to get things running smoother. 

I'll let y'all know how she shoots once I get out to the range...

Happy Trails,

Cincinnati Slim

p.s. my spare Pietta 1860 Army cylinders interchange fine with this "Navy"
I know a .44 caliber 1851 ain't histerically kerrect but It sure makes my life easier ! I got that Pietta 1860/1851 parts kit from Cabela's so I'm covered w/regards to spares.

[Cincinnati Slim]

Hey Y'all,

Got metal-a-yergacal type question for the panel of experts...

Regarding stainless versus case-colored/hardened steel particularly with regard to hammers and triggers. I know on regular carbon (non-stainless)steel guns the hammer and trigger usually is surface hardened which means you have to be carefull how much you dress the sear notch engagement surfaces least you go too deep past the hardened outer "shell".

How about Stainless internals ? Are they surface hardened or are they the same hardness all the way through ? If not, does that mean a stainless hammer nose will deform more quickly from cap impact than a hardened carbon steel unit ? Will the Trigger's sear surface wear faster ? Or is the entire trigger and/or hammer just a harder variety of stainless steel ?

Lookin' forward to hearing some of y'all's experiances/opinions regarding this...

Cheers,

Slim