New Model Army Tutorial Needed

[Inman]

All of my percussion revolver experience has been with the Ruger Old Army and several of the Uberti Colt style guns, I have never even fired a Remington repro so I wonder if you all could take the time to explain to me the difference between the Uberti Remington NMA and the Pietta Remingto NMA.

Which manufacturer is preffered and why?

I would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

Inman

[Halfway Creek Charlie]

IF you have big hands you'll like the Pietta. It is larger in the gripframe area than the original Remy. If you have small hands, then Uberti will be great as it's samller mor closer to the original Remy. if you want one that is the same size all over as the original Remy then buy Euroarms from S & S firearms in Glendale NY. it is base on a Remington-Beals Old Model Army(no threads showing at breech. and it is the closest to the original Remington New Model Army's.

The quality of all three is very good. Just remember No parts from the other two will interchange with the Pietta, whereas most parts of the last two WILL interchange, S & S has a great supply of parts too. They sell Uberti and Euroarms Remy's.

S & S catalog download: http://www.ssfirearms.com/download%20catalog.htm

Talk to Phil, he'll treat you right.

[hellgate]

I've owned all 3 models. All I have now are Uberti & Euroarms. The Euroarms guns have the smallest grips and frame size. There is about as much difference in the grips of a Euro vs Pietta as there is in a Colt Navy (SAA) and a Colt 1860 Army grip. The Euro is the lightest, most pointable but some folks' knuckle gets rapped by the trigger guard so they like the beefier Pietta. Note the larger amount of metal over the barrel where it screws into the frame on the Pietta compared to the Unerti & Euro. I found the Pietta to be "klunky" for me to shoot but certainly was a sturdy gun. I don't think any of the makes are duds. I've found that some Remingtons foul early in a match and some will run the whole day. Don't know why. It is easy to remidy with a single drop of oil on the front of the cylinder where it rubs on the frame. I do this with my Ubertis after I have charged the chambers. Hold the gun up and rotate the cylinder to work it down onto the pin. Takes about 10 sec and does the trick. I agree with Charlie.

Remingtons in general differ from the Colts in being stronger guns, hold more powder, but are a little harder to cap on the clock without modifying the capper or the nipple cutouts on the cylinder. They are less proned to cap jams due to the narrow hammer slot in the frame. That does not mean a cap can't get jammed between the cylinder and the frame and tie up the cylinder but they won't be falling under the hammer or into the works.

[Inman]

O.K, I see, that helps a lot.

I see that Uberti has two different frames for their NMA, a forged frame and a steel frame. What is the difference and more inportantly, what is the point?

Inman

[Marshal Tac]

Inman,
Forged frames can be kept to tighter overall tollerances with less hand work and machining than traditionally machined steel frames. It allows for greater precision and consistancy overall.

[Wolfgang]

Hi pard, . . . always good to welcome another pard who's becoming a Remington shooter.   I love 'em.  Mine are Piettas and am happy with them.  Best prices for new ones are at Cabelas.  But there is a bigger selection of variations at Midway and Dixie. But for bit more $$$s.  If ya have really big hands then Dixie carries the Pietta model that has oversize grips.  VTI has parts and Cabelas has a "parts kit" with the essential spares. Also extra cylinders. I bought one of the parts kits to keep on hand and haven't needed to use any of it.  Cost of kit is about half of what it costs to purchase all the parts seperately.  Good shootin', . . . . 

[Flint]

To add to Marshal Tac's comment, the main reason Uberti introduced the forged frame was the addition of the factory made 45 Colt conversion.  he forged frame, as Marshal said, has better tolerances and precision.  It also has better steel and greater strength. 

Uberti's factory conversion has a larger cylinder with a larger chamber circle to spread the cartridges enough to allow the rims to fit without angling the chambers as R&D cylinders do, or force a 5-shot layout like the Kirst.  The chamber walls are now thicker as well.  This lifts the barrel centerline a bit, enlarges the cylinder window in the frame to accomodate that, but makes the cast frame and forged frame revolver cylinders non interchangable.

Uberti's forged frame conversion revolver needs its own, slightly larger cylinder for both percussion and cartridge, and therefore it cannot accept R&D or Kirst converters.

Although this would seem to complicate things, the result is a better, stronger revolver, and a much desired factory conversion, just as the Uberti/Cimarron factory conversions and Open top provided on the Colt pattern.  Those cylinders are also larger than the cap & ball for strength and chamber wall thickness.

I believe the cap & ball version of the forged frame Uberti has the barrel centered lower, and will accept after market conversions.  The factory conversion, and as previously pointed out, will require its own, larger cap & ball cylinder.

[rickk]

The forged frame Uberti C&B does indeed take "standard" Uberti C&B cylinders.

[Marshal Tac]

The forged frame c&b Uberti's will allow the use of a RD Conversion cylinder. I have two and love them dearly.

[SeeThirty]

I have a Pietta.    My hands are big.

For the most part, whether you opt for a Pietta or Uberti, ASM, etc.., the operation will be the same, it's primarily semantics. Some folks swear one is "better", some (in fact, quite afew) own several repros from different makers.

For authenticity, they all "look" like Remington 1858's    Feel, however, is another story. I think if you're not a stickler for detail, and just want to have some fun without breaking the bank, get whichever you can comfortably afford. I don't think anyone's going to nag you about being practical. It's what someone from the real era would do.

I also have a Pietta .44 "brass frame" Reb 1851 Colt. It's not the prettiest gun in the world now that I've put it to alot of use, but I still love the balance.

Best suggestion, if possible, get together with some C&B shooters in your vicinity. See if any of them will let you handle afew different repros. Find out which one feels best for you, and go with that. 

[Flint]

The forged frame Cap & Ball Uberti will indeed take the R&D and Kirst cylinders, as the barrel is mounted lower to align with them.

The forged frame factory conversion has a higher centerline on  the barrel, and a larger chamber circle.  It will not align with the R&D or Kirst, but then, it doesn't have to.