Cabela's 1851's

[rafterp]

Since this is my favorite forum, and there hasn't been much discussion lately, thought I'd ask about these:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?id=0022091&navCount=1&parentId=cat20817&masterpathid=&navAction=push&cmCat=MainCatcat20712-cat20720-cat20817&parentType=index&indexId=cat20817&rid=

Anyone know the maker...are they Pietta's? Are they engraved, or is this some kind of etching? The ones that are plated, if the plating was stripped off, would the "engraving" be gone too? Reason I was asking, is because I saw these and thought it'd be cool to install conversion cylinders and have an engraved conversion.

[Hedley Lamarr]

Mine are Piettas. And they are engraved.
I don't know what you mean by "plated". The brass parts are just that, all brass, and are not engraved.
And what you want is exactly what was done to mine - .38 conversion.

[rafterp]

I'm sorry...I didn't type what I was thinking. There were some other Cabela's pistols that were nickel plated, and I was wondering if the plating was stripped off if it would leave an engraved revolver in the white.
Your pistols are sharp! Which conversion cylinder are those? I was looking on the vti site, and they didn't show a steel backstrap or triggerguard for Piettas. I was wanting to switch to steel to have more of a London looking revolver.

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[Hedley Lamarr]

Mine are the R&D .38 conversions with the barrel re-lined so I can use normal bullets.
The nickle plated ones look to have the same engraving pattern so I would PRESUME that they would be the same underneath.

[Fingers McGee]

I'm sorry...I didn't type what I was thinking. There were some other Cabela's pistols that were nickel plated, and I was wondering if the plating was stripped off if it would leave an engraved revolver in the white.
Your pistols are sharp! Which conversion cylinder are those? I was looking on the vti site, and they didn't show a steel backstrap or triggerguard for Piettas. I was wanting to switch to steel to have more of a London looking revolver.

The Pietta 1861 Navies have steel BS/TG and are the same as the '51s.
AFT5211 Pietta Steel Backstrap Finished (1861 - Small)  US$65.00

I dont see the steel TG listed, you may have to call.

Taylors lists the steel triggerguard at AFT5221  1860 Army Steel/1861 Navy Steel  Triggerguard Steel Finished CAS36  $73.00 

Another way to go would be the BS/TG from a GWII.  I put the Steel BS & TG with the white one piece grips from a GWII on a .36 cal 1851 US Marshall model that really spiffed it up.

[Pettifogger]

If you want a London it would be a heck of a lot cheaper to just buy a Uberti London than to buy a Pietta and then purchase the triggerguard, backstrap and grips.

[Bonesteel Badger]

RafterP,

 Stay away from all that glitters on the Piettas. I just ordered and recieved and shot at Renton Fish & Game the ones Hedley pictured (ironic huh bud?). I too thought I liked the looks of the nickel plated 51's but after extensive conversation w/ Cabela's warehouse person in Neb. ( a fellow CAS shooter it turns out) and Tom at Taylors it turns out that the nickel plated versions have BRASS frames and as thus are unsuitable for conversion cylinders. The pollished steel 51 sherrifs are alloy frames. Good Shooting and welcome to the club. BB

[rafterp]

Thanks ya'll...that info clarified alot...didn't know the frames were brass. Pettifogger's right...cheapest way would be to buy the London, but I was trying to "sneak" in and get an engraved one without trading off my firstborn to a firearms engraver. My thoughts were to strip the plating off, put steel BS &TG on and have one cool steel engraved 51! lol It is true what they say...you get what you pay for...ya'll saved me some wasted $ on a brass framed pistola. Best to you all!

[Skinny Preacher 66418]

If that is true, they should state in the writup that they are nickle plated brass frames. I always assumed the frame to be steel.