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Durability of Brass Frame Revolvers
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jeffre...@peoplepc.com
Jun 18, 2009, 10:24:22 AM6/18/09
to
I own a couple of 1858 Army Piettas which both have a steel frame so i
certainly don't have any issues with those. Those usually run a couple
hundred from Cabela's so of course a steel frame will cost a little more. I
recently bought an 1851 Navy Pietta on sale this week from Cabela's for a
little over a hundred dollars. I ordered it because it was on sale and
shipping was only five dollars by typing in the promotional code. The brass
frame revolvers do remind me of how that affordable products have always
been around. Their is really nothing new about an inline muzzleloader just
as an example. A black powder revolver does most certainly feature an
inline ignition. I suppose that what i am wanting to know is will this 1851
Navy Pietta with a brass frame be any more durable than a Davis, Lorcin,
Raven, or Jennings or whatever is there current incarnation. To ask the
question another way i suppose i am wanting to know if the brass frame will
be any stronger than zinc. As i mentioned before i have my steel frame
1858's for the maximum loads. I know that a brass frame revolver much like a
Lorcin is less expensive than steel for a reason. This has got me thinking
about what kind of loads i might be able to do in the brass frame. I know
that Triple 7 has more energy than Pyrodex so am not sure what kind of
loads i could shoot out of a bras frame without shooting it loose in record
time.
certainly don't have any issues with those. Those usually run a couple
hundred from Cabela's so of course a steel frame will cost a little more. I
recently bought an 1851 Navy Pietta on sale this week from Cabela's for a
little over a hundred dollars. I ordered it because it was on sale and
shipping was only five dollars by typing in the promotional code. The brass
frame revolvers do remind me of how that affordable products have always
been around. Their is really nothing new about an inline muzzleloader just
as an example. A black powder revolver does most certainly feature an
inline ignition. I suppose that what i am wanting to know is will this 1851
Navy Pietta with a brass frame be any more durable than a Davis, Lorcin,
Raven, or Jennings or whatever is there current incarnation. To ask the
question another way i suppose i am wanting to know if the brass frame will
be any stronger than zinc. As i mentioned before i have my steel frame
1858's for the maximum loads. I know that a brass frame revolver much like a
Lorcin is less expensive than steel for a reason. This has got me thinking
about what kind of loads i might be able to do in the brass frame. I know
that Triple 7 has more energy than Pyrodex so am not sure what kind of
loads i could shoot out of a bras frame without shooting it loose in record
time.
Thanks,
Jeff.
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Sheldon
Jun 18, 2009, 9:18:57 PM6/18/09
to
I've heard of pins and whatnot coming loose from black powder revolvers, but
if you are planning on shooting loads greater than the manufacturer suggests
I think you are just asking for trouble. You are also going to be polishing
the thing a lot.
E30 Rocketman
Jun 18, 2009, 10:38:34 PM6/18/09
to
An awful lot of cannons were made of brass and withstood the test of
time! I too have a Pietta revolver with a brass fame...the Spiller and
Burr...and have owned a few CVA brass revolvers over these past many
years. Never had any structural problems with them.
Shoot it...clean it...enjoy it...they're fun!!!!!!
By the way...Pietta is known for their excellent quality!
time! I too have a Pietta revolver with a brass fame...the Spiller and
Burr...and have owned a few CVA brass revolvers over these past many
years. Never had any structural problems with them.
Shoot it...clean it...enjoy it...they're fun!!!!!!
By the way...Pietta is known for their excellent quality!
jeffre...@peoplepc.com
Jun 19, 2009, 7:52:36 AM6/19/09
to
Well a can of FFG and another can of FFFG Triple 7 is all i currently have
in stock. This has been fine in my steel frame Pietta 1858's although i am
not sure if Triple 7 is really meant for cap and ball revolvers. I think
that brass is supposed to be 30% zinc and 70% copper at least more or less
so i suppose that the 1851 Navy with the brass frame could possibly be more
durable than a Lorcin or a Raven. Copper does have a tensile strength that
is quite good for low pressure applications. So maybe brass could be any
better than Zamac but there are many different grades of Zamac. I suppose
the brass frame will do alright if i would just get some real black powder
because i think that Triple 7 is really only meant for the stronger actions
from what i have heard. Glass and window cleaner which does not contain
ammonia will clean it right up even if you just use the real stuff instead
of the substitutes.
Jeff.
RB
Jun 19, 2009, 10:26:03 AM6/19/09
to
jeffre...@peoplepc.com wrote:
# Well a can of FFG and another can of FFFG Triple 7 is all i currently have
# in stock. This has been fine in my steel frame Pietta 1858's although i am
# not sure if Triple 7 is really meant for cap and ball revolvers. I think
# that brass is supposed to be 30% zinc and 70% copper at least more or less
# so i suppose that the 1851 Navy with the brass frame could possibly be more
# durable than a Lorcin or a Raven. Copper does have a tensile strength that
# is quite good for low pressure applications. So maybe brass could be any
# better than Zamac but there are many different grades of Zamac. I suppose
# the brass frame will do alright if i would just get some real black powder
# because i think that Triple 7 is really only meant for the stronger actions
# from what i have heard. Glass and window cleaner which does not contain
# ammonia will clean it right up even if you just use the real stuff instead
# of the substitutes.
# Jeff.
# Well a can of FFG and another can of FFFG Triple 7 is all i currently have
# in stock. This has been fine in my steel frame Pietta 1858's although i am
# not sure if Triple 7 is really meant for cap and ball revolvers. I think
# that brass is supposed to be 30% zinc and 70% copper at least more or less
# so i suppose that the 1851 Navy with the brass frame could possibly be more
# durable than a Lorcin or a Raven. Copper does have a tensile strength that
# is quite good for low pressure applications. So maybe brass could be any
# better than Zamac but there are many different grades of Zamac. I suppose
# the brass frame will do alright if i would just get some real black powder
# because i think that Triple 7 is really only meant for the stronger actions
# from what i have heard. Glass and window cleaner which does not contain
# ammonia will clean it right up even if you just use the real stuff instead
# of the substitutes.
# Jeff.
The big issue of course is the lack of a topstrap in the Navy design.
If you shoot it a lot it will certainly get loose quicker than that 1858
Rem will. Check it after every range trip, tighten anything that has
loosened, and never shoot it when it's loose from the last round. Keep
your loads reasonable and well within the max, and you should easily get
your money's worth of use.
sta...@prolynx.com
Jun 20, 2009, 7:59:45 AM6/20/09
to
I haven't had a new one for some time, but the Dixie catalog used to
have warnings about the brass-frame Colt replicas they sold, said they
would all eventually shoot loose and they didn't warrant them for
such. They had suggested loads in there that would postpone it. I
believe what they were referring to was the cylinder pin base getting
loose in the frame, which would seem to take all the firing strain in
that design.
have warnings about the brass-frame Colt replicas they sold, said they
would all eventually shoot loose and they didn't warrant them for
such. They had suggested loads in there that would postpone it. I
believe what they were referring to was the cylinder pin base getting
loose in the frame, which would seem to take all the firing strain in
that design.
"Brass" covers a lot of alloys, from the red stuff which is mostly
lead, to the high yellow brasses which are mostly zinc. Without
knowing what the manufacturer used, it's hard to say what strength it
has. Some zinc-based die-casting alloys are actually stronger than
cast iron, so your Lorcins, et al, may actually be stronger than some
of the late 19th century cheap revolvers. Just as ugly, though.
Stan
RB
Jun 22, 2009, 11:52:39 AM6/22/09
to
sta...@prolynx.com wrote:
# I haven't had a new one for some time, but the Dixie catalog used to
# have warnings about the brass-frame Colt replicas they sold, said they
# would all eventually shoot loose and they didn't warrant them for
# such. They had suggested loads in there that would postpone it. I
# believe what they were referring to was the cylinder pin base getting
# loose in the frame, which would seem to take all the firing strain in
# that design.
#
# "Brass" covers a lot of alloys, from the red stuff which is mostly
# lead, to the high yellow brasses which are mostly zinc. Without
# knowing what the manufacturer used, it's hard to say what strength it
# has. Some zinc-based die-casting alloys are actually stronger than
# cast iron, so your Lorcins, et al, may actually be stronger than some
# of the late 19th century cheap revolvers. Just as ugly, though.
# I haven't had a new one for some time, but the Dixie catalog used to
# have warnings about the brass-frame Colt replicas they sold, said they
# would all eventually shoot loose and they didn't warrant them for
# such. They had suggested loads in there that would postpone it. I
# believe what they were referring to was the cylinder pin base getting
# loose in the frame, which would seem to take all the firing strain in
# that design.
#
# "Brass" covers a lot of alloys, from the red stuff which is mostly
# lead, to the high yellow brasses which are mostly zinc. Without
# knowing what the manufacturer used, it's hard to say what strength it
# has. Some zinc-based die-casting alloys are actually stronger than
# cast iron, so your Lorcins, et al, may actually be stronger than some
# of the late 19th century cheap revolvers. Just as ugly, though.
I would expect that Pietta and Uberti use the alloy proven best suited
to durability in this application.
Sheldon
Jun 25, 2009, 8:23:37 AM6/25/09
to
<jeffre...@peoplepc.com> wrote in message
news:h1diml$bf2$1...@news.albasani.net...
#I own a couple of 1858 Army Piettas which both have a steel frame so i
# certainly don't have any issues with those. Those usually run a couple
# hundred from Cabela's so of course a steel frame will cost a little more.
# I
# recently bought an 1851 Navy Pietta on sale this week from Cabela's for a
# little over a hundred dollars.
Seen any more deals like this? I put one in my basket and did a bit of
research. When I came back both the gun and the deal were gone.
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