Who makes the best Colt 1851 Navy reproduction?

[jphendren]

Hello,

I am considering purchasing an 36 caliber 1851 Navy reproduction, and am considering the Pietta and Uberti.  I would love to have a 2nd Gen C series, but those have gotten expensive, over $600 it seems now days.  I've read that Pietta has gotten much better in fit and finish, and is about $40 cheaper than the Uberti.  I've also read that Pietta machines their arbor the proper length as opposed to Uberti being too short.  Anyway, which do you guys prefer and why?

Thanks,

Jared

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

Pietta Revolves need less work to make the right and reliable.
Just sayin .
Rooster

[Galloway]

Id go to one of the big box stores and get your hands on both. I like the blueing on the ubertis but prefer the fuller color case on the piettas. Ive been lucky and none of my ubertis have required work to run smoothly, in fact all my bp revolvers have run fine right out of the box. One nod i'll give the uberti is none of mine will chain fire when used without wads whereas my pietta 1860 will every cylinder. Also i tend to prefer ubertis triggers out of the box. Both are fine companies though and you cant go wrong with either. Good luck

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[Pettifogger]

At this point there is only two - Pietta or Uberti.  Rule of thumb.  Ubertis tend to be better finished.  Piettas tend to be mechanically better.

[Lefty Dude]

Out of the box, both need some type of fit & finish before you attempt to shoot them in our Game and Sport.
As Mr. Pettifogger has quoted many times, both are a "Deluxe Kit Gun". Fit & Finish as you so desire, sometimes not user friendly.

[Coffinmaker]

PLUS ONE to PETTIFOGGER

PLUS ONE to LEFTY DUDE

PLUS > Keep in mind a 2nd Gen Colt percussion gun is actually a Uberti.  Assembled here.  Some expensive for a Uberti.  My personal choice is Pietta.  Mechanically much better than Uberti (quote Pettifogger) and having worked on a lot of them.

[Crow Choker]

I'd say the previous posts area all pretty much right on. Although I don't have the long and varied history of working on various brands of cap and balls as Coffinmaker and Pettifogger, two fine gunsmiths, I have been around cap n' ball revolvers, shooting, and working on them for a good spell. I've seen enough of Uberti's and Pietta's that I have yet to see a Pietta that had the metal to metal and metal to wood fit, bluing, and overall external appearance that Uberti's have. Pietta's do have more colorful looking case hardening on the frame most of the time, but realize this isn't true casehardening either, rather a chemical process applied. Better frame color IMO doesn't make for a better gun. As previous posts mentioned that the Pietta's have better internal mechanic's (most of what has been posted over the years has to do with the arbor fit), Uberti's can be timed to rectify that or anything else. Pietta's aren't immune from needed tinkering. I'd rather fix the internals on the Uberti's than have to either put up with the less than desirable external fit and finish or have to fix up the Pietta's. Most of my pre-1900 era revolvers are Uberti, but I do have two Pietta's, a '58 Remington and the wonderful model that never was, a 44 caliber '51 Navy model (one of my favorites). Glad there are two major companies manufacturing and making available the guns of yesteryear, no matter what the pro's and cons of each are.

[jphendren]

I apologize for the delay in responding.  I've read all of the replies and it seems that Uberti's are better appearance wise, maybe even when it comes to fit/finish.  Pietta's are better internally/mechanically.  Does this sum it up?  I don't shoot CAS, just a history buff who loves old guns.  But a good functioning gun is important.  I currently own two cap & ball revolvers.  An old Uberti made Colt Walker (made in 1986), and a 2nd generation Colt 1860 with the fluted cylinder.  The Colt has real color case hardening, just like my Colt and USFA SAA's, which is definitely nicer.  But the fit and mechanics on my Uberti Walker seem to be nearly as good as the 2nd gen Colt.  One thing I've noticed is that Pietta does not checker their hammer spur like the Colt originals, and Uberti does.  They use more of a Ruger pattern.   

Thanks,

Jared

[45 Dragoon]

JP,
  The parts in your Walker are pretty much the same as the parts in the 2nd Gen. ('70s !!).  The action parts back then were terrible!! Looks like they whittled them out with a hatchet!!  Unlike some of the opinions above, I think today's Uberti action parts are probably the finest ever made! The left bolt arm is thin (like the originals), the hands appear to be much better quality than in the past!  I'll give Pietta  a nod as far as the combination spring ( I use torsion springs there now so that doesn't even matter anymore) but their bolt arms are much too thick ('70s) and the hands have an obnoxiously sharp angle cut on top which minimizes the working surface and allows a noticeable "bite" at the end of the cycle..

     I guess my point is the Piettas are better than the '70s parts but not by much. About as much work on them as your Walker and 2 nd Gen. I would also say the late Uberti main springs are better (lighter, easier to "tune" than the thicker Pietta's).  Neither maker can seem to figure out the cam size, height or placement.   Other than that .  .  .  .  .  . they're both GREAT!!  
 Good luck with whichever you decide to get.
 
Oh yeah, the arbor in your  2nd Gen is too short  as well  .  .  .  .  .

Mike

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

Gee Mike you know how to make a guy feel good about his 2nd Gen Colt lol

Thats OK , I know the best Cap Gun Man in the Game Today .
After I send my 2nd Gen Colt to Goonsgunworks.com it will be better then Colt or Uberti Could ever make .

If you want a Cap gun that will last three lifetimes see Mike @Goonsgunworks.com
Thats were my guns go too .

My Grandsons will be shooting my Goonerized Cap Guns !
Rooster .
 

[45 Dragoon]

Haaa!  Thanks Rooster!!

 Well, heck!! Ya can't change when they were made but ya can fix what they were made with!   By the way, as of last weekend, I was able to independently spring the action of (with coils) a Remington NMA. That's  including the hand .  .  .  .  .  no holes drilled!!

Say hello to Rugers lighter, little brother!!!


Mike