My New 1860's

[Pettifogger]

 I am a board member of a very large CAS match and Alessandro Pietta is a sponsor.  Through the year's I have gotten to know him quite well.  At the last Shot Show I was at his display and mentioned that a lot of the guns in the Pietta catalog are not available in the U.S.  I also asked him if it would be possible to get a pair of 1860 cylinders that are hardened to help prevent cylinder notch wear.  He said hardening a couple of cylinders at random would be a little expensive because of the special handling that would be needed.  He said he thought he had the solution.  A month later at our event he once again had his display of firearms and showed me an 1860 that looked like stainless steel.  He said it was not stainless steel, but in order to help prevent rust the gun's parts were all hardened.  I asked if he could bring me a pair with half fluted cylinders (full flutes look neat but can have problems if the timing is off a bit).  At EOT he handed me two soft handgun cases and said here are your guns.  All I can say is WOW!  They look stainless and the metal is noticeably harder and should hold up to years of heavy shooting.  Basically, all I have done to them is put in a plunger and coil spring to replace the original hand leaf spring.  I am even going to try the stock nipples.  As soon as it gets below 115 here in the Arizona desert, I'll give them a try.

[hellgate]

That is one sweet pair. Reminiscent of the US Marshall finish sans the engraving. They seemed harder too. Alchemista is good to know.

[Bottom Dealin Mike]

That's a nice looking set of 1860s.

[Abilene]

Very Nice!  Alessandro being a competitive shooter has been very good for Pietta's product line.  Have you ever asked him about going to coil hand springs on percussion guns at the factory?  Certainly it would add some cost but would eliminate the weakest link.

[Lefty Dude]

Pietta makes a replacement for the Western Marshall engraved 1851. I bought a pair for my Pietta 1851/44's. I bought them on sale from Cabela's last year. They will fit both the 51/44's & 60's.

Appears to be the same fluted cylinder as pictured on the above 1860's in the White.

BTW; a very nice pair of 60's .

I have the Ruger plungers & springs and will convert my 51 Hand springs to coils in a few Weeks.

[Wolfgang]

Pretty damn fancy pair of '60s  !     

[Fingers McGee]

Nice pistols Pettifogger.  Now all we need is for them to become part of their regular lineup.  I'd definitely buy a pair

[rbertalotto]

Can someone direct me to more information on this coil spring hand conversion?

Is it also doable on the 1858 Remington?

I agree, the flat hand spring is a very weak link.

[Cookie]

Very nice looking guns. Love the fluted cylinders. But the part of your post that has me really interested was this...

At the last Shot Show I was at his display and mentioned that a lot of the guns in the Pietta catalog are not available in the U.S.

Did he give any indication of why that is? or if it would possibly change in the future?

The Pietta catalog makes me drool every time I see, but the pickings here in the States are a slim fraction of what's in there. 

[Lefty Dude]

Can someone direct me to more information on this coil spring hand conversion?

Is it also doable on the 1858 Remington?

I agree, the flat hand spring is a very weak link.

The information you seek is in the library section of "The Open Range" web site.

[Pettifogger]

Can someone direct me to more information on this coil spring hand conversion?

Is it also doable on the 1858 Remington?

I agree, the flat hand spring is a very weak link.

Not really doable (at least easily doable) with the 1858 as it does not have a removable back strap.

[Pony Racer]

Sweet Guns! Please keep us posted how they shoot!

[litl rooster]

Sweet Guns! Please keep us posted how they shoot!

I would be happy to test them for them

[Slowhand Bob]

I would bet if they were listed alongside the Marshall in the Cabellas catalogue they would sell to everyone already owning the Marshalls.  I would definitely like a pair and then want to buy the brass Navy grip sets for them also!

[Major 2]

Pettifogger

being as how you have his ear....ask "if" he concider dumping the side of the barrel Roll Bill board
and Law card !

[Pettifogger]

Pettifogger

being as how you have his ear....ask "if" he concider dumping the side of the barrel Roll Bill board
and Law card !

Mine say "Pietta -- Made in Italy" on the right side and "Blackpowder Only 44 Cal." on the other.  Is this what you are talking about? I don't know any manufacturer that would delete their company name or the caliber.

[Major 2]

He's rightly proud of < F.LLi Pietta >  and should be ...  put that Roll on the top  

Made in Italy under the rammer

"Blackpowder Only 44 Cal."   this   the Lawyer's touch ?    this is unsightly

44 cal . is fine  ... put it on the LS trigger guard

IMHO he'll sell even more somewhat defarbed

[rbertalotto]

Pettifogger.............

Just a quick THANK YOU for all you do for the sport and especially for us "kitchen gunsmiths"!

Your articles on tuning up these fire irons is spectacular!

THANKS

[Flint]

I added a Ruger coil and plunger to my  71 Opentop, and an 1860 should be but a little different.  I make a new hand from 4140 steel at any rate, for the cap and ball as the factory hand is very soft.





The retaining screw shown  is not necessary in the Colt type,as  the backstrap will hold the spring in place.  The rub mark from the plunger is visible on the back of the hand.  This one is a stock '71 hand with the leaf spring removed.



As for the Remington, yes, but it has a visible retaining screw like the Ruger Bearcat.  My new hand is the one on the right, lying on the drawing.  It has a flat surface for the plunger to ride on.

[Pettifogger]

Flint's pictures show about the only way to put a plunger and coil in a Remington.  I've done a few.  However, as far as I know there has never been a ruling by the SASS Rules Committee over whether this creates an illegal external mod.