Dance Brothers C&B Revolver Replica

[Long Johns Wolf]

Was/is Pietta the only maker of these .36 and .44 cal. revolvers?
Or are/were they available from other makers, too?
I cannot find them in the current Uberti offering.
Thanks,
Long Johns Wolf

[The Pathfinder]

LJW, I believe (may be wrong, mind you) that Uberti made a run of .36 caliber ones and Pietta makes theirs in .44. The Pietta is the only one currently available, unless you get lucky.

[hellgate]

The Pietta is a 44 with their "navy" grips. I swapped mine off for Pietta Army grips to pair it up with  my 1860 Army. I like it. Easy to cap & check nipples.

[Fingers McGee]

From a post by Dr. Davis on another forum a few years ago:

"The first Dance replicas were produced by Uberti in .36cal. in 1985.  The .36cal Dance will probably never be produced again.  Uberti produced 45 commemorative models in .36cal. that came in a Walnut cased set complete with leather covered flask, mold, wrench, and cap box.  The original cardboard box that they came in was a "Western Arms-Uberti" box.  Each of these revolvers is certificated and is not authentic without the certificate.  These have an "AR" prefix on the serial number starting with AR001.  Uberti then produced 50 "shooter" models in .36cal.  These also came in "Western Arms" boxes.  They have no engraving on the cylinder and are marked SMLS on the barrel.  Tony Gajewsky of South West Muzzleloaders Supply (no longer in business) is the "Father" of the Dance replicas.  Tony had one Dance .44cal. made on the Dragoon Frame with all the commemorative markings as a prototype.  This, of course, is the rarest of all the replica Dance revolvers and is retained by Tony.

Tony commissioned another production of the .36cal. Dance revolver with Pietta in 1996.  These were to be marketed by Dance Firearms Co. and were to be so marked on the barrel.  After a breach of the contract with Pietta, production of the .36cal. Dance revolver, marked as such, stopped with #00047.  There were actually only 35 of these revolvers delivered making this rarer than the Uberti production of 50 guns.  There were four .44cal. Dance revolver delivered marked "Dance Firearms Co." as prototypes for a possible future production.  These are on the 1851 Navy frame with rebated cylinders.  These four revolvers are the second rarest Dance revolvers produced.  No need to search for one because all four with consecutive numbers C00048-C00051 are in the RPRCA collection.

There were 75 more .36cal. Dance revolvers delivered by Pietta from serial number C00052-C00127.  These, however, are not marked Dance Firearms Co. but have only the Pietta markings on the right side of the barrel.  As part of the contract settlement Pietta can no longer produce the .36cal. Dance so there will be no more. 

Pietta continued production of the .44cal. Dance exclusively through Dixie Gun Works until recently when Traditions also started marketing the Dance as well as Bass Pro.  Pietta is the only manufacturer of the .44cal. Dance revolver at this time.  There is no difference between those sold by Dixie Gun Works, Traditions, or Bass Pro except for the box.  To my knowledge there is only one serial number range that Pietta uses for the Dance Revolver.

Interestingly for you collector types, Pietta first produced the .44cal. with rebated cylinders and the 7 ½" barrel.  This was then changed to the current variation of shorter straight cylinder with 8" barrel.  There are only around 105 of those rebated cylinder Dance revolvers out there."

[Long Johns Wolf]

Thanks for the responses.
At this stage my only interest is the Research of the Uberti ones.
I now understand that there are Uberti made Dance Brothers replicas out there in limited numbers in .36 cal. and one (1) in .44 cal.
Both caliber versions should have straight cylinders.
Which makes both variants highly desirable collectors' pieces.
Long Johns Wolf

[Mogorilla]

I bought one a year and a half ago as a graduation present (the Pietta).   Great shooter.  Only complaint is the wood for the grips was really plain.  I flattened the grips and inlayed a texas star, but no grain or anything to speak of.   It is my #2 favorite shooter after my 1860 Army.  I highly recommend the Pietta for a fun Reb gun. 

[Major 2]

Cool Info...Fingers   thanks

always admire Dr. Davis's research 

[44caliberkid]

I have a 44 Pietta that I got from Dixie around 1998. I used it for a main match gun, but the hot cap from the last shot fired would fall off and drop between the grip and my palm as I was cocking for the next shot.  You really had to concentrate while it was burning the crap out of you.

[hellgate]

44Kid,
Re burning caps: I swear Sam Colt musta been a leftie. I'm a leftie and the caps roll out the side and I never get sizzled unless I try shooting with two hands.

[Fox Creek Kid]

I had an Uberti .36 Dance NIB that I just sold. I bought it in 2007 & doubled my $$.

[Fingers McGee]

I had an Uberti .36 Dance NIB that I just sold. I bought it in 2007 & doubled my $$.

Damn, wish I had known about that.