Dixie Spiller & Burr kit

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Greetings!

I'm posting this here as well as on the Gunsmithing forum, so pardon the repeat.

I've got a hankerin' for one of these beauties.  I understand that Pietta makes an assembled gun, but I'm thinkin' 'bout this kit.  Does anyone have any experience with their kits?  They call it "skill level 1".  I assume that's the easiest and the least to be done.  Also, several of their other kits specify - and show in the picture - that they come "in the white"; this one doesn't specify AND the picture shows a blued barrel.  Anyone know fer sure?  It's Sunday, or I'd call 'em.    Even if they DO answer, I'll bet the techs aren't there.

Anyhoo - do any of you have any experience wit #A) Dixie's kits, and #B) this gun/kit in particular.  My other Dixie dealings have been top-notch, but I don't know about the kits.

Thanks!

Jeff  "Steel Horse Bailey"

[St. George]

With a Dixie kit - you get what you pay for.

Knowing that you have a facility with metalworking experience - you should have no problem in the final finishing - and 'that' is where the amateur almost always stumbles.

As with any kit - 'patience' is rewarded.

The parts will go together in a straightforward manner, and relatively little will need to be done in the fitting, since if there were - they'd never sell, due to 'degree of difficulty'.

As ever - don't change factory angles, and go slow, and you should have a good Winter project.

I'd change the grips, though - to American Black Walnut - then oil and varnish, as the originals were.

Good Luck.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Montana Slim]

I've built half a dozen or so BP guns from Kit, including several revolvers. Started when I was a kid.
30 some years ago, a buddy's dad had a Spiller & Burr kit as a project in a gunsmithing class.
He had a tough time with the class / kit and never finished....us "kids" finished the kit. It was a lot rougher than any other kit I assembled.

However, this one did not come factory pre-assembled, etc, as most other kits...they must have ordered these "special" from the factory. Still, a couple of Junior-High kids were able to fit and time.

We browned the barrel and the brass mellowed from BP residue...It ande into a great-looking shooter.

If today's kit comes pre-assembled, I'd go for it.

Slim

Slim

[Pettifogger]

Like Dirty Harry said, "a man's got to know his limitations."  Most guns I have seen that were built from kits looked like it and had about a $2.00 resale value.  I have also seen some Kentucky rifle "kits" where a guy takes a raw piece of wood, a barrel and lock and some flat brass stock and turns it into a masterpiece.  I am somewhere in between.  From the description it sounds like it is pretty much done, so I'm not sure what is involved in finishing it.  You can buy a completed one from Cabellas cheaper, but working on your own guns is more fun.

[Forty Rod]

I built one back in about '76.  It turned out very well, but it took a lot more patience than I'd devote again.  I used G-96 cold blue paste and Plum Brown to get an antiqued finish, hardened the parts with Kasenit, and finished the grips with walnut shell stain and violin varnish, then distressed them to match the gun.  It took too long and even though it turned out pretty well, I wouldn't do it again.

Metal polishing is a science-art that can't be rushed if you want the gun to look right.  Even confederate guns were fairly well finished for the most part.

Let us know how it turns out.

BTW, I had a made-up S&B that I was going to convert into a T. W. Cofer, but never finished.  That ran me completely out of patience.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Well, Howdy!

Thanks all!  Pettifogger mentioned that Cabellas sells one - I didn't know it existed except in a kit.  I would only go the kit way if that's all there was.  But I still might have fun.  Metal finishing is something I CAN do and have some experience with.  Never hardened any parts, 'tho.  Gotta read up 'bout this Kasenit 40-Rod mentioned.

[Cimarron Lawman]

The Pietta Spiller & Burr is a copy of the Spiller & Burr Second Model. There was a First Model, which more closely resembled the Whitney Revolver. But the frame was deemed too weak, and so it was thickened. Even with this, many of the surviving originals have bulged top straps. Though modern brass is superior to Confederate brass, I wouldn't push these guns.

Light to moderate loads!

These pictures show the differences:

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Thanks, Cimarron Lawman!

I knew ''bout the two models.  Does the Pietta copy have the rounded muzzle?

Yer right 'bout the moderate loads, but I'll bet our brass today IS a bit better than their wartime stuff! 

Where'd you find a Pietta copy?  I couldn't find it on Cabela's website, as P-fogger suggested.

[Bead Swinger]

Funny - I have an older Itallian Spiller & Burr .36.  'Was just looking at it this morning.

It's pretty rough - and it needs a new trigger as well as refinished. All of the bluing was stripped long before I got the gun. I replaced a few nipples and the trigger to try to shoot it. It shoots nicely, but I don't shoot it. The replacement trigger I made is better than the one it came with, but is still WAY too light to trust, hence the need to replace.

If someone wants an S&B 'kit' gun, this might be it. I'll post or send a pic if anyone's interested.

[Cimarron Lawman]

Where'd you find a Pietta copy?  I couldn't find it on Cabela's website, as P-fogger suggested.

http://www.navyarms.com/html/solid_frame_per.html
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=911

[Dusty Tagalon]

Think about it, when most of us were attendeing jr or sr high, this would be an OK prodject. Now days we would be arrested.

Dusty

[Steel Horse Bailey]

You got a point there, Dusty!  (Lookin' forward to shootin' with ya tomorrow! (Sat.)

Thanks for the links, CimLaw!  Pietta makes 'em, eh?  That Navy Arms put together version my just be the ticket!  One thing I'm puzzled, 'bout - didn't the old guns feature a muzzle that was kinda oddly rounded in profile?  You can see what I mean in the picture of the #1  - 1st Model - that you (Cimarron Lawman) posted.  That's one of the things that draws me to the gun.  It's odd.  Like me. 

[Dr. Bob]

SHB,

Boy howdy, ya sure hit the nail on the head there!   But it may be a qualification to be a darksider??

[Cimarron Lawman]

One thing I'm puzzled, 'bout - didn't the old guns feature a muzzle that was kinda oddly rounded in profile?  You can see what I mean in the picture of the #1  - 1st Model - that you (Cimarron Lawman) posted.  That's one of the things that draws me to the gun.  It's odd.  Like me. 

I don't think the Pietta has that muzzle. You could always do it yourself, and re-blue.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I don't think the Pietta has that muzzle. You could always do it yourself, and re-blue.

Sounds like it.  Also, it may be my imagination, but are the barrels on the originals round?  On my monitor, they look it.  And both the websites specify that the Pietta guns have octagonal barrels.  That would sure make that muzzle re-shape job interesting! 

Dr. Bob:

SHB,

Boy howdy, ya sure hit the nail on the head there!   But it may be a qualification to be a darksider??

  I doubt that you'd find "oddness" as a written requirement for DarkSider membership ...... but it helps!

[Cimarron Lawman]

The originals I have seen have octagonal barrels.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Cimarron Lawman, THANKS for the great picture.  I can truly see how it should be, now!

[Riot Earp]

Post a picture if you buy one.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

With pleasure!