Blackpowder newbie question

[SFCRangerDoc]

Black Powder Tribe...lend me your thoughts. I'm considering getting the below pistol. It seems to be a sweet deal with a good price and a free starter kit. The questions I have for you are these:

Are these Pietta brand pistols decent enough to get into Black Powder? They seem highly rated on Cabelas. I know Uberti is kinda the high end nice stuff but i cant afford a 400-500 dollar pistol at the moment.

Is the brass frame an issue really? I know the south used them during the war because steel was scarce. I've heard people saying dont go for brass because it is not as durable...which does make sense because it's a softer metal than steel. What are the things that might fail if they were to? Also would it be recommended not to shoot max loads because its brass?

Anything else to look out for?

THanks for all the input!

Doc

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shooting/Black-Powder/Pistols-Revolvers%7C/pc/104792580/c/104701680/sc/104503680/Pietta-Model-1851-Confederate-Navy-44-Caliber-Revolver-150-Free-Starter-Kit-Included-For-a-Limited-Time/740536.uts?WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104792580%3Bcat104701680%3Bcat104503680

[SFCRangerDoc]

Anybody?

[Sousuke]

Black Powder Tribe...lend me your thoughts. I'm considering getting the below pistol. It seems to be a sweet deal with a good price and a free starter kit. The questions I have for you are these:

Are these Pietta brand pistols decent enough to get into Black Powder? They seem highly rated on Cabelas. I know Uberti is kinda the high end nice stuff but i cant afford a 400-500 dollar pistol at the moment.

Is the brass frame an issue really? I know the south used them during the war because steel was scarce. I've heard people saying dont go for brass because it is not as durable...which does make sense because it's a softer metal than steel. What are the things that might fail if they were to? Also would it be recommended not to shoot max loads because its brass?

Anything else to look out for?

THanks for all the input!

Doc
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoot...3Bcat104503680

BP revolvers tend to loosen up over time, the brass will just loosen up faster with heavy loads.

I own two ubertis and one Pietta and the only odd thing I've found are the ubertis are more accurate than my Pietta. I think its because of deeper rifling.

[SFCRangerDoc]

BP revolvers tend to loosen up over time, the brass will just loosen up faster with heavy loads.

I own two ubertis and one Pietta and the only odd thing I've found are the ubertis are more accurate than my Pietta. I think its because of deeper rifling.

By loosen up you mean just more slop in the cyl? is it something that over time would make the gun unsafe to shoot? is the slop something that can be shimmed out?

As for accuracy i'm just getting it for fun plinking. As long as I can get semi-decent groups at the pistol range I'm cool with it.

[Tom-ADC]

Brass isn't all that bad just load it mild and it will shoot great for many years.
Load it to max and it will shoot loose.
Steel framed are nice but if you find a good sale price on a brass one either Pietta or Uberti have at it.
BTW Cabela's will ship right to your door in most counties/city here in CA.
Also the 1851 in .44 cal was never made only .36 cal.

[sl0re10]

Anybody?

Pieta ok

Avoid brass frame. There is probably a steel frame (with only a brass trigger guard or no brass at all) for $20 more. Brass frame gets loose with time and gun more inaccurate. Why deal with it?

remember the starter kit has no powder or primers. So; the kit will not make you good to go (which you might expect from a 'starter kit').

I think people like the 1858 better. Might consider it instead.

I think there is some cal law about only being allowed 1 pound of black powder in your possession. Limit is much higher for smokeless; so only buy 1 pound of actual BP (if you want to try it) in your initial powder purchase (unless I'm wrong; I'm sure someone will let you know if I am) but ok to add smokeless to the same order / keep at home.

[Dutch3]

If you can swing another $50, go for one of the steel frame Rem 1858's.

If you want a brass 1851, maybe wait a few months. Cabelas usually has them on sale around Christmas. $119 a couple of years ago, as I recall.

[Eljay]

The Piettas are very nice these days. There's some unit to unit variation but any given Pietta on average is about the same as any given Uberti.

I usually run my steel framed about 30gr and my brass about 20gr. Steel also gives the option of using a conversion kit to run cartridges (although they're pricey).

The end of the year sales have been more like $179 with free shipping for steel the last two years. Sometimes no free shipping but $20 off coupon. Varies from week to week. Brass $149.

1858s are more newbie friendly.

[Noonanda]

I have a steel frame 1851 Navy, Love it. Spend the extra money and buy the steel framed one if you can.

Just need to get the Rattlesnake grips for it

[Beetle Bailey]

I prefer steel frame because you are not limited to light charges like you are with a brass frame. You can still shoot light charges in the steel frames, but you cannot shoot full power loads in the brass frames.

[Paul_R]

It's not just materials that cause the old Colt's to wear, the design is what it is too. If you shoot lots of full power loads in a steel frame it will get sloppy too eventually. Brass just happens a little faster. And honestly, the primary things you gain with going full tilt are smoke, noise and recoil. Not that those are bad things....

[Beetle Bailey]

Chicks dig the sound

[wellfedirishman]

Piettas are great guns for the money, and (IMO) almost as nice as the Ubertis.

Cabelas usually has awesome sales on BP revolvers around Thanksgiving. If you don't want to wait that long then look for a Cabelas coupon, they are available online occasionally.

I find the 44 cal easier to load than the 36 cal, but that may be just me.

[Springfield45]

My dad has a old navy arms 1851 .36 that has a brass frame. It shot loose to the point that when the hammer falls it moves the cylinder forward to the point it would not set off the cap. The barrel moves side to side and rattles. It is only a wall hanger now. One that is 44 cal. would shoot loose faster. Spend a little more and get a steal frame.

[Eljay]

I've heard people say that the brass they're using now is better/tougher/harder than what they were using back in the Navy Arms days.

I do agree that the first one should be steel, if only because he's going to want to load it up and get the full effect eventually and it is hard on brass. He can also load one up to 20gr at that point and decide if that's fun or not.