Different Qualities of Pietta Revolvers?

Bryan Austin · August 07, 2008, 06:48:18 PM

Been doing a lot of reading, ain't learned much, and was wondering about quality. A Pietta is a Pietta but which importer is best and why?

How can I find out how/whom imported my Pietta 1858?

DOM is BH (1996?)

SN# 2146XX

Alabama · August 07, 2008, 07:38:27 PM

Not so my friend , a Pietta is a Pietta only in name , and I am quite sure that the Le Matts are not typical Pietta , nor do they get worked on in the same shop and or area . I also know my Pietta Old Silver Frame Engraved with the fancy engraving is my best Pietta as far as trigger pull , workmanship and quality of blueing , and for only a couple hundred more than a mediocre 1851 it shoots around it .
Moral of the story is its a crap shoot what you get from them at times, but they are getting better. It is my understanding that Taylors, and the like require to be sent the better guns from Pietta , hence the higher prices . If that aint true, I would have to say I have gotten some pretty fine guns from Taylors and Cimmaron , Dixie and only mediocre-to-good guns from Cabelas . There is a difference in retailers and importers I would say . Who was your importer, i could not say ? Only Pietta could if you don't have the paper trail, but good luck with that .

Alabama

Bryan Austin · August 07, 2008, 07:46:57 PM

Why is a Pietta only a Pietta in name? Is there more than one factory? Do they have a quality control that pushes poor quality guns in the direction of Cabela's, Triditions and the others to Cimmeron and Taylor's?

I went through thus with my Uberti 1873 Cattlemans imported by Stoger. I just like knowing some things! Interesting huh?

Wolfgang · August 07, 2008, 07:55:13 PM

Pietta quality control has been reported to have improved a great deal in recent years. I'm not sure just which year it was that they improved their machining. The three '58s I have were all used and all good when I got them. The three '51s that I received new from Cabelas were also shootable out of the box. Cabelas is easy about exchanging if ya were to get one that you weren't happy with. The extent of my own knowledge and experience.

ps. Another thought on this. Some years ago there were "kit guns" imported. Called "pre assembled" . . . been put together, . . but without fitting or timing. Some of these still around somewhere. I beleive that is what someone gets their hands on in a shop and then complains that their "new gun" is unshootable. Yup. Spangenburgs gun shop in Tombstone had a bunch of 'em that they got from Dixie a few years ago and had 'em listed on Gunbroker cheap. I intened to buy one just to have an extra cylinder and complete parts set but they sold 'em all before I got around to ordering. So there can be "new" Piettas around that look nice but are some of this old, old stock of "kit guns".

Alabama · August 07, 2008, 08:27:33 PM

I don't think they put out poor guns to start with , but Taylors and the like REQUIRE quality guns for thier customers , becuase thier customer REQUIRE quality guns . Nothing wrong with Cabelas guns either, I have a ton of um . Some were good, some sucked, some were very good. Taylors ASKS for the perfect guns from the get go, Cabelas does not, understand that

?
I have yet to experience anything but great guns from Taylors though . Especailly my 1873 like yours . It was phenominally beautiful for the price. I also have one from them that is the Cattlemen BP 1873 , which was very nice too .
You often get what you pay for, and who cares what importer put it out really as long as it is good ? Well , sorry about that because you do . I understand you want to know EVERYTHING , but I aint the man either, maybe someone else will set us all straight .

Alabama

Pietta has came a long long way from what I used to buy back in the early 90's , long long long way . Does it matter which importer brought them to ya, NO ................

Pettifogger · August 07, 2008, 08:39:29 PM

Importer makes absolutely no difference. I have gotten good and bad guns from all of them. A Uberti is a Uberti and a Pietta is a Pietta. Makes absolutely no difference which importer stamp is on the barrel. In fact, I have gotten guns from one importer with another's stamp on it once I got home and opened the box. There have been a couple of threads where importer "A" would not honor the warranty on a gun marked "A" because their records showed they did not sell the gun.

Alabama · August 07, 2008, 09:59:43 PM

Interesting Warranty issue there , that would really suck .

Alabama

Bryan Austin · August 08, 2008, 05:40:59 AM

Quote from: Pettifogger on August 07, 2008, 08:39:29 PM
Importer makes absolutely no difference. I have gotten good and bad guns from all of them. A Uberti is a Uberti and a Pietta is a Pietta. Makes absolutely no difference which importer stamp is on the barrel. In fact, I have gotten guns from one importer with another's stamp on it once I got home and opened the box. There have been a couple of threads where importer "A" would not honor the warranty on a gun marked "A" because their records showed they did not sell the gun.

Ya think maybe the factory stamps the names and the importer is just that, the importer? I heard rumors that some importers made their own parts. I know to be true in at least one case but now the importer is not an importer and makes all tier guns here in the USA.

Alabama · August 08, 2008, 07:09:38 AM

Colt Black Powder used to "finish" thiers here in NY City , but most parts were Uberti , fact ..
Mine are beautiful specimens , but that was in the way back machine days , and dealing with them was terrible , very oarrogant folks by the time they collapsed .

My older Colt Falttop repro from Navy Arms is stamped Navy Arms , but is stamped Uberti too . That was a 1999 issue revolver .

Its my understading Importers just Import .

Alabama

Brizco-Z · August 08, 2008, 10:12:29 PM

Mr. Jack

I have to agree with the concensus, a Uberti is a Uberti and a Pietta is a Pietta. The last few Piettas I've gotten were from Cabelas and they are some of the finest fit and action revolvers I have. One that I purchased from Dixie back many years ago, was a poor action and needed quite a bit of smithing to get it to run well, just poor internals. But, I have to say too, that Piettas seem to be of a much higher quality as of the last three to five years. Now, Uberti has maintaned their quality all along and most all my Colt reproductions have been from that manufacturer, fine handguns. You shouldn't go wrong with any of the 58's from the major distributors

Brizco-Z

Bryan Austin · August 09, 2008, 07:37:25 AM

I purchased my wife and daughter two Ubertis (Stoeger) in 357. Both were new from a local gun shop. Even new I noticed they were stiff and unoiled. I took them home and the first thing I did was take them apart to clean and oil them. This is when I noticed the cam arm on both as well as the hammer cams were chewed pretty bad and the timing was off on both. Thats when I started reading about the action stuff. I ordered two new hammers and four bolts. I replaced the hammers and bolts on the 357s then started working on the 44-40s. I have two Uberti 1873s in 44-40. Both are fine revolvers. They have Stoeger on them as well. They lost timing a while back but I did not know any better and the cylinders looks bad. Took them apart and discovered the bolt arm was worn and the hammer cams were bad. I rewelded the cams and worked them down and now the timing is right on. I noticed the replacement parts are much better quality and are cut better.

After reading and learning about the C&Bs I feel much better about my Pietta. When I fist got it, see my other post about a problem, I understand some may be normal. The only thing now I dislike is the loading arm has way too much slop in it. I took it and squeezed the pivot points and it helped but nowhere near enough. I finally had to make a very thin and small radius washer to fill the gap between the arm and frame where the screw inserts to hold the arm in place. This really did the trick. I can now pull the loading arm down about 40 dergrees and it stays put so I can remove the cylinder without the plunger falling into the cylinder!

Oh yeah, I replaced the hammer and it only ever so slightly touches the left side of the frame, unlike the replaced hammer that always slammed into the frame....also explained in that other post!

Boy, now I want another one as well as an 1866 rifle in 44-40!!

You guys are gonna cause me to get a Divorce!

Alabama · August 09, 2008, 07:47:46 PM

And that's a bad thing ?
If someone wants you to stop a healthy thing , you needen't be with them anyway

But you may want them to shoot with you two ?? Just a thought . It's a family affair and the only affair that God Almighty wants you to have .

Alabama

Wolfgang · August 09, 2008, 08:20:24 PM

Yur becoming a pistol mechanic. That is a good thing. A lot more fun than just taking the gun out of the box and shooting it.