Won a pair of Pietta '58's

[Abilene]

I won these in a raffle at the 15th Annual Green Mountain Regulators "Regulators Revenge" match near Marble Falls, Texas, which this year was also the SASS Southwestern Territorial Black Powder Championship,  They were donated by Alessandro Pietta, and matched with a one-of-a-kind leather rig from Mernickle.  I wrote about the leather with more pictures here:

https://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=69237.0

By the way, I'm calling this my Dos Equis rig. 

I've always loved the looks of the 5.5" '58 in polished stainless, since it looks like nickle.  Don't care as much for the Uberti matte stainless.  But I've never owned a Remington before (nor a S&W) because they just don't fit my smaller hands.  In fact, for a few hours I thought about selling these and just keeping the holsters, but I don't like to look gift horses in the mouth.  I LIKE gift horses.    So, I may not be able to shoot these as percussion with one hand (did I mention arthritis, too?), but I can dang sure put some Kirsts in them and shoot them two-handed!  So that is my current plan.  I already have nice SAA .45's both antique and repros that I don't shoot much, but that's okay!  It will cost me more than the guns are worth if I also get the ejectors, but since the guns were free that's okay.  I know I will need to grind down the main springs but will source some replacements first.  I noticed that when I backed out the strain screws in the front strap all the way, the hammers started binding.  I've heard these can have main springs that are too long and it is probably that, binding against the hammer.  Easy enough fix.

I came in 4th out of 5 in elder statesman frontier cartridge.  Some of those old guys are fast!  But I'd rather be lucky than good.     So here's a few pics.
 

[Abilene]

Note: this look is what Ruger Old Armies are TRYING to go for, but they just don't quite pull it off. 

[Coffinmaker]

  REALLY REALLY BIG "LIKE" to Abilene you betcha.

Most forgot:  Abilene, you just gotta add a pair of Suppository Cylinders to the guns.  I think I'd go with R & D Stainless to keep the "original '58" look.

[Crow Choker]

Waaallll!!!!!-Congrats Abilene, wish I'd be fortunate to win a pair of those.    Nice lookin hoglegs and holsters. Two thumbs up and a 'Like'.    Wish they'd put a like button on the forum.......

[Major 2]

WOW, dims nice looking... congrats 

[Rube Burrows]

Man those sure are purty 

[Coffinmaker]

  Awrightie now Abilene

Been more-n-ah-month.  Where be the Video of you shooting those TWO fine Remington pistola at some steel??  Preferably in the included prize Leather??  Well??  It be about time!!

[Abilene]

Took me a while to decide which way to convert these, finally decided on Howell 5-shot 2-piece cylinder. Couldn't find two in stock, so got one from Buffalo Arms that came yesterday, and another directly from Howell arrives Monday. The first one popped right in and timing is fine.  So I tested it out today after the match. There was a single target that was unused so had fresh paint on it.  Only about 5 yards away, but POA was POI.  Wish I'd have taken a pic after the first 5 rounds as there were only two touching marks on the target for all 5.  Anyway, this is 10 rounds offhand and I'm happy.

[45 Dragoon]

THAT'LL DO !!!!
Nice shootin' Abilene!!

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Love those drop-in cylinders. Congratulations. Be sure to post how the other one does.

[DeaconKC]

Nice grouping!

[Coffinmaker]

  Abilene

Ain't too shabby atall fer standin on yer hind legs!!  Not half too shabby atall.   

[Abilene]

Alrighty. Second cylinder came in and is now installed.  Earlier when I said the 1st Howell cylinder dropped right in, well, that wasn't the whole story.     I installed it in gun #1 and the cylinder didn't turn at all.  Well, it would turn about once every three times it was cocked.  Pointing down made it slightly worse.  But when I installed the cylinder in gun #2, it actually was perfect, and that's the one I test fired above.  So, it was VERY fortunate that it worked in one gun, as I had comparisons to make.  As it turned out, the hand in #1 was a little longer than #2, so I filed it down to match, and that did the trick for #1.  I test fired it after the last match, and while the group wasn't quite as small as #2, it was fine.  I did hit a 60 or 70 yard Cody Dixon target 3 out of 3 shots.  I was using Evil Roy SAA springs which are certainly lighter than the factory Pietta springs, but the actions were still much heavier than an SAA or repro would be with those same springs, so I needed to go lighter. 

So I had an old Duralast bench grinder I had bought at a garage sale for $5, 25 years ago and never used. I dug it out and did my first SAA spring grinding ever! (stock Model P / Cattleman springs)  The only other springs I ever ground were for a '73 that I did in the little shop at Cimarron.  I hand-held the springs and dunked in water often so I know they didn't get hot.  The grinding was at right angles to the spring but then I smoothed the edges with a dremel.  Picture is one with an Evil Roy spring.  The action feels MUCHO better.  Triggers are 2 lbs.  I load with Federal primers but these guns both popped Winchester primers in empty brass with a hard hit, so no worries on light hits.  Their first match will be this coming weekend with smokeless 45's, and then hopefully the following weekend I'll shoot BP at the club where I won them.

The grips are Arizona Custom, same style as on the Uberti conversions, just a different color.  Thinner than factory and feel very secure in the hand, I love them!