Forged or steel?

[Skeeter Lewis]

I see that some Remingtons are advertised as having 'forged frame' and some 'steel'. Is this an important consideration?

Your thoughts would be welcome, pards.

[Wolfgang]

Forged steel . . . vs . . . steel machined from solid stock . . . vs . . cast steel . . for pistol frames.   For black powder shooting I don't see any advantage to the greater strength from a forged or case hardened frame on the pistol.  But. . . if yur in the business of SELLING GUNS, . . . having a new gadget or option on your guns stimulates sales as there are many pards that "must have the newest latest thing"     . . . . . . just my $ .03 on the subject if of any worth to anyone.

However steel frame vs brass frame is a different story.   Steel frame will last indefinitly while a brass fame used with full loads will stretch eventually and the gun will loosen up.   

If yur shopping for a '58 Remington I recomend the Pietta.   Cabelas has the best prices on 'em new in the box.

Good shootin', . . .

[Flint]

Uberti's forged frame is made of steel.  Uberti's "steel frame" is cast steel.  The dimensions are slightly larger on the forged frame to accept a cylinder that will chamber 6 45 Colt rounds without angling the chambers.  At the power and pressure levels we deal with in CAS, there is no essential difference safety-wise.  Uberti probably forges the factory conversion frame for added strength, but the cast frame has proven adequate with Kirst and R&D cylinders installed.

[Skeeter Lewis]

Thanks Wolfgang and Flint. Good info.

Wolfgang, you recommend Pietta Remingtons. I can see that Cabela's give an excellent price but are there structural reasons also for your view?

[Wolfgang]

Piettas are well made.   Dixie Gun Works ( and others ) offer more variations of them that Cabelas, . .  but for more $$$s.  If by any chance ( unlikely ) you get one that you feel is rough or the tigger pull not to your liking , . . . Cabelas is easy on a return for another one.  No problem.  All of my 6 '58s are good.  The three Piettas are the best.  The steel frame Pietta slickest of all.  None of them with any sort of custom work to them.  

Pictures . . . www.drburkholter.com/cf6.html . . . down the page.

Good shootin', . . .  

ps.  Beware of the "Starter Kits" from Cabelas.  The balls are .451  I leaded the barrel of my first one badly with those.  Barrel was .454   I use the swages .457 balls.  I also hear that the starter kits now have a plastic flask instead of the metal one.  Yuck 

[Skeeter Lewis]

Thanks, Wolfgang. I'd been wondering about those starter kits. Great pics. Othet than the Remmies, I particularly liked that three-loop holster. Highly authentic.

[JamesKelly]

Other things being equal, forged is . . . but other things are never equal. I believe the question is well answered above & may have to do with cartridge "conversion" guns

I would like to add that the strength & toughness of steel depends very very much on how it has been heat treated. The chemical composition affects toughness, and can make it easier to heat treat well. One might prefer a forging to an investment casting, but Ruger certainly has used (good quality) investment castings to advantage in all of their guns.

During the Civil War the US Gov't requested that Remington stop using malleable iron (cast) frames & return to forged wrought iron. Not sure Remington ever complied.See Remington Army and Navy Revolvers 1861 – 1888, Don Ware   I have owned original Remingtons with cast, and with forged frames. I sure wouldn't want to use a malleable iron frame but I guess they must have worked anyway. Remingtons had a cost advantage over Colt Army revolvers.
(retired metallurgist)

[sundance44`s]

There is one advantage to buying a forged frame Remmie ....If you ever think you may want to convert to gated conversion , you would be less likely to run into bubbles in a forged frame when grinding out the loading path  ... I know quite a few folks have seen this problem with the bubbles in the cast frames .....I`ve seen more than one with half a bubble in the path .
I may be wrong , but I figured Uberti found the same problem when they came out with their factory gated Remmie ...seems like the forged frame and factory gated came along the same year .