Steel triggerguards

Stophel · December 07, 2011, 02:17:16 PM

Quick question.

I am wanting a steel triggerguard on my Pietta 60 Army. I have sent a message to VTI asking if they have a steel triggerguard for a 51 "London" or 61 Navy Pietta (both are made now with steel triggerguards). They do not show this option in their parts lists. Maybe they'll get back with me. (and I know the frame will be too short, I can take care of that)

In the meantime, they show a steel triggerguard for the Pietta Great Western SAA. THEORETICALLY it will bolt up to the 60 frame. Does anyone here have any experience swapping triggerguards on the GW?

Pettifogger · December 07, 2011, 05:03:55 PM

As you note, "theoretically" all Pietta trigger guards are interchangeable. The holes will line up, but the parts may need a little fitting to make the edges line up. The GWII trigger guard will fit an Army as it is basically just a modified Navy frame. The frame is not the issue. If you change the trigger guard you also need to change the backstrap and grips. To tell you the truth, it is not a cheap conversion. By the tine you buy the parts and install them they can cost almost as much as the gun cost in the first place. The only way this is usually done economically is to trade parts with with someone that wants Army grips.

Stophel · December 07, 2011, 05:29:14 PM

I'm keeping the backstrap, can't stand the stubby Navy/SAA grip.

I can lengthen the end of the triggerguard as necessary. I think I'll just go ahead and order one, and no, they ain't cheap! (I just seriously dislike brass)

Mako · December 07, 2011, 05:29:20 PM

Quote from: Stophel on December 07, 2011, 02:17:16 PM
... (and I know the frame will be too short, I can take care of that)...

I'm curious what you mean by that. Pettifogger is right, it will bolt up except at the bottom of the back strap bottom to the trigger guard front strap. You will have a gap.

Most people I know have been trying to change out steel trigger guards on Uberti Army model conversion revolvers to brass like the originals. I've done that. I've also changed out entire grip assemblies changing Navy for Army, or vice versa. I can only speak about Ubertis but the factory fit grips are usually close, some even are interchangeable, BUT every brass replacement part I have ever gotten from VTI or Cimmaron required a lot of fitting to get it to fit. They leave the parts a bit over size. The steel parts have always been finished.

I put a set of steel Navy grips on a pair of Uberti '60s for a friend and they just basically bolted on. He then decides he wants brass trigger guards to make it look more like the normal Army. I was amazed at how much work it was. We ended up stripping and fitting the grips to the front strap to allow us to use power tools to blend the front strap to the wooden grip.

What are you planning on doing? How are you planning on bridging that gap? If you are going to do that much work which would require welding, etc. it might be easier to try to adapt a Uberti steel Army size trigger guard.

You do realize that there isn't any provenance for a steel 1860 trigger guard, right?

~Mako

Stophel · December 07, 2011, 05:35:45 PM

Quote from: Mako on December 07, 2011, 05:29:20 PM
I'm curious what you mean by that. Pettifogger is right, it will bolt up except at the bottom of the back strap bottom to the trigger guard front strap. You will have a gap.

~Mako

Sorry, I was unclear. Meaning the Grip Frame (the grip frontstrap portion of the triggerguard) would be short, not the frame of the gun. I can extend the lower end of the triggerguard down to meet the longer backstrap.

Mako · December 07, 2011, 05:37:17 PM

Quote from: Stophel on December 07, 2011, 05:35:45 PM
Sorry, I was unclear. Meaning the Grip Frame (the grip frontstrap portion of the triggerguard) would be short, not the frame of the gun. I can extend the lower end of the triggerguard down to meet the longer backstrap.

How?

Stophel · December 07, 2011, 05:45:37 PM

I can silver solder a piece of steel onto the end. If I could weld, I'd do that! I have tried and tried, and I'm simply incapable of welding. I can silver solder with the best of 'em, though.

In fact, I have already had to silver solder the existing brass triggerguard! I guess the assembler got overzealous grinding the end of the triggerguard down, so when I got it, the screw drew the bottom of the backstrap up crooked and it was all out of whack, so I added a brass bit on the bottom to shim it up and now everything is aligned properly.