'51 Navy .44 and '60 Army - Same frame?

D

DustyBottoms

New member
I'll try to keep this as uncomplicated as possible...

Was in my local gun store yesterday and handled a brass frame '51, chambered for .44.
What caught my attention was the plain, unengraved cylinder -
which is what I really want on the '60 Army I'm putting together.

Dixie has a plain, unengraved cylinder:
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_434_435_441&products_id=13046
But the description says it only fits 3 guns, only 1 of which they actually stock (and I don't want).
It does say it fits the .44 Army Sheriff - do they mean this one?:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20712-cat20720-cat20817_TGP&id=0072051217168a&navCount=5&podId=0072051&parentId=cat20817&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=9IS&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20817&hasJS=true
Does the Sheriff really require a different cylinder from 8" '60s?
This doesn't seem cost-effective...

Question 1: Will this cylinder fit any Pietta 1860?

And Question 2: If this cylinder is strictly for '51s chambered for .44, can I buy a .44 '51 and stick a '60 barrel on it?
Will the frame and barrel mate? Will the cylinder and barrel mate?
 
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The Pietta .44 1851s and 1860s use the same frame and cylinder. Only difference between them is the barrel and grips.
You will have to alter the grip frame some to put '60 grips on a '51. The capping area is different, and Pietta doesn't make 3 screw '60s.
I went to buy a '60 barrel for my '51 and VTI told me that it's not a direct swap, that the back of the barrel will need to be filed off and that the forcing cone will have to be redone.
 
I don't doubt someone at VTI told ya that about the barrels. But I had a Pietta 1861 Colt Navy .36 and two other barrels for it with wooden and White Faux Ivory Grips, and a spare grip frame, an 1851 Navy barrel 7.5", and a 4" round reb barrel. They all had the same forcing cone and all fit like a glove.
I din't have to do a thing to the forcing cones when changin' barrels.
That's my expiriance anyway...:cool:
 
Pietta Cylinders

I've purchased a few spare cylinders from Cabelas and they all fit like a glove. .44 in Navy or Army. .44 Pietta fits all Pietta's in .44. (Same for .36)

Best .......Andy
 
w_houle said:
I went to buy a '60 barrel for my '51 and VTI told me that it's not a direct swap, that the back of the barrel will need to be filed off and that the forcing cone will have to be redone.
Click to expand...

Not hardly. Here are a couple of my Piettas that I swapped around for you to see.
Before swapping
DSCN0360.jpg

After swapping
DSCN0359.jpg


No modification/filing required. Barrels slipped right on, wedges seated same as before swapping; cylinders spin free, no binding on forcing cone; loading lever lines up with chambers.

I had a pair of nickel plated 1860 Army sheriffs models with the gold cylinder. Didn't want to use the gold cylinder, so used the polished in the white cylinders from a pair of '51 US Marshal models with no problems.
 
I've purchased a few spare cylinders from Cabelas and they all fit like a glove. .44 in Navy or Army. .44 Pietta fits all Pietta's in .44.
Click to expand...

No modification/filing required. Barrels slipped right on, wedges seated same as before swapping; cylinders spin free, no binding on forcing cone; loading lever lines up with chambers.
Click to expand...

And this is even more what I wanted to hear!
Thanks a lot, everyone!
And Fingers, your '60 is ruttin' GORGEOUS!
 
And this is even more what I wanted to hear!
Click to expand...
Yeah, and too bad I didn't bother to verify information when VTI was selling '60 barrels for $85
That was the only thing keeping me from doing it to my Pietta...
:mad:
 
Yah, with what VTI wants for a barrel now, you may as well just buy another pistol. :(

Dixie used to have 'em for $80, but they want $100 now! :eek:
When did that happen??
 
Ya, I was going to put a 60 barrel on my 1851, but they want 125 for the
barrel and another 55 for the loading lever. I can buy the gun for 140. ???
 
w_houle said:
I could make a fortune just buying and parting out guns.
Click to expand...
Perhaps, but I doubt that all parts are equally in demand! If you try it I would like to hear how it works out for you!
 
kwhi43@kc.rr.com said:
Ya, I was going to put a 60 barrel on my 1851, but they want 125 for the
barrel and another 55 for the loading lever. I can buy the gun for 140. ???
Click to expand...
I suppose you could sell the 60 with a 51 barrel.
 
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