Pietta '51 Navy Grip Frame

[Niederlander]

Gentlemen, I was looking at what's supposed to be the latest Pietta production of the '51 Navy.  Did they finally fix that God-awful overly flared grip frame???  This one looks really good.  How is their quality nowadays?  I'll admit to still being turned off by them when they looked like slightly better quality cap guns from Walmart. 

[nativeshootist]

ive seen images of original navies with the flared grip, so your mileage may vary.

[Major 2]

They changed the shape a few years ago

[Niederlander]

How is the overall quality?  They used to be REALLY bad, but I've heard they're really good now.  That true?

[Major 2]

One persons opinion differs from another
I'd say they are good, I'd reserve "really"
Pietta has come a long way from the 70's fit & finish
I suppose what you mean by "REALLY" bad or really good

Example:  Pietta's 1851 "Captain Schaeffer" are (really) nice, as are their LaMat's. 

I'd say the Big Box (Cabella's, Traditions Etc.) rank 'N' file Pietta's are still built to price point and I think hit or miss.

Buy through EMF, now owned by Pietta and you'll be ahead of the curve.

[Niederlander]

Looks like they're "temporarily out of stock" on everything right now.  Do you know if they use a coil hand spring now?

[Coffinmaker]

  Hi Niederlander 

I'll try to cover all your questions, but probably in reverse order.  No, Pietta does not use Coil Spring and Plunger for the 1851 hand.  At about the same time the Capt. Schaeffer came out, Pietta redesigned their Hand Spring.  Use to be a very flimsy thin thing.  The new spring is made of much sterner stuff and has a rather neat bend at the tip.  Should last.

Overall Pietta quality has improved greatly.  Their guns, made in the last 8 - 10 years are right up there in quality.  While Pietta build a really nice reproduction, Pietta does not attempt to completely mime Colt.  All of Pietta's guns are built on the 1851 frame as were Colt, but Pietta even carry it to the smaller colt guns.

Some years back, the '51esque grip more resembled a Trombone Belle than a '51 grip.  At about the same time the Capt. Schaeffer came out, Pietta reshaped their '51 Grips to more resemble the original sample example.  The Schaffer was the first I saw of the "new" shape and the next a pair of Dance and Brothers Replicas had the newer grip shape.  Very pleasing visually and fell quite good in the hand.

The other "good thing" with Pietta, the parts of the lock works are all standardized throughout the Percussion line.  ALL of the lock works.

I also found the Pietta guns to be the Best (my Opine) basis for the modifications necessary for CAS use.  Very easy to set up.  I seriously doubt you would be unhappy with Pietta's latest offerings (when you can find them).  Also don't rely on just the web site.  Give 'em a call to see what they may have available.

People Are Still Hazardous to yer Health

[Niederlander]

Thank you!  I do like the looks of their London Navy, and may have to get one.  I think the Navy Colt is probably my all time favorite pistol.

[Major 2]

Ned, I deferred to Mike (Coffinmaker) in a PM to request your questions answered, he slicked my Capt. Schaffer.

I can tell you about my Pietta London Model, it had the better shape grip back then (and it was made of steel as it should have)

I bobbed the 61 barrel it came, with and had the Kirst cylinder fitted, the lined 51 Barrel interchanges I will tell you, this it is and was not the most cost-effective conversion, but it is uber cool regardless.
 

[River City John]

I'm curious Ned, as both are probably hard to find right now, why Pietta as opposed to Uberti?

Cost?

[Niederlander]

I've got two Uberti '51 Navy's I've worked over pretty extensively.  Sometimes you just get a hankering for something new and different!

[Coffinmaker]

  River City John 

I ain't Ned.  Didn't stay inna Holiday Inn Express (That I Admit To), but:  I don't like Uberti.  At all.  Uberti Cap Guns are pretty.  Well Marked.  But very poorly built.  Uberti have had a Major Flaw since day one and have never corrected it, which makes their Cap Gun a Royal PITA to set up for CAS.  Yuck

HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL

[Niederlander]

Is that flaw the almost always short arbor?

[Coffinmaker]

  Niederlander 

Yep.  Got it in one.  I will never understand why Uberti tolerates that failure to fit.  It makes absolutely no sense.  Not that hard to fix.  Especially now, with CNC machining.  And it's prevalent in ALL the Uberti Open Top pattern guns.

PLAY SAFE OUT THERE

[45 Dragoon]

Or, any of the others made over the years.

Mike

[Niederlander]

  Niederlander 

Yep.  Got it in one.  I will never understand why Uberti tolerates that failure to fit.  It makes absolutely no sense.  Not that hard to fix.  Especially now, with CNC machining.  And it's prevalent in ALL the Uberti Open Top pattern guns.

PLAY SAFE OUT THERE

I've adjusted most of mine already, but it's a pain having to do that.  If Colt could get it right in the 1850's, you'd think it wouldn't be a problem for a modern factory.  I think a lot of it stems from most people don't really buy them to shoot much.  Most people primarily look at them.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

My new Cimarron 1860 Richards transitional conversion was perfect from the factory, and actually has a cylinder gap of about .003/4.  The Open Tops I got a couple years ago, though were too tight.

[45 Dragoon]

That would be a first!!!  I can't believe the "How to adjust the wedge" vid that Cimarron uses. I guess Uberti talked them into pushing the idea that "nothing's wrong lol!!!

Mike