Brass frame vs steel

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Delmar

New member
I am interested in the 1858 "Buffalo Revolver" at Cableas. I have heard that if you want to do a lot of shooting, to avoid a brass frame. How big of deal is this really. The brass fame model sells for $220
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and the Stainless steel model sells for $470, It is on sale right now for $400 but the sale price doesn't do me any good, cause I don't have $400 right now.
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So I have a couple of questions. If I bought the brass frame and shoot quite a bit, is it likely to fall apart on me? If the brass frame doesn't hold up could I put the 12" barrel on another 1858?
 
Boy did you open a can of worms!

You are going to get a lot of responses to this question. The guys always have a field day with it.

I have only been back into BP revolver shooting for about 18 months so I haven't had the time to shoot a pistol until it falls apart. I think the others on the forum who are far more experienced than I will tell you the following:

Get to be familiar with the range of powder loads that you are comfortable with and then shoot on the light end of the load range. If you like anything (and also if your pistol likes anything) between 25 and 35 gr. try to stay at 25.

If you find that you are happy with a .451 and a .454. and a .457, you may want to stick with the smaller ball to reduce the stress on the frame during the loading operation. These different ball sizes produce different results and when I say "if you find you are happy with....." I really mean that you are happy in every way.

A while (translate 35 years) ago I was building kits and I found that the long barrel such as is on your pistol would fit in the frame of revolver which came with a standard length barrel. These two pistols were manufactured by the same company. But I don't think you will ever have to worry about swapping stuff around because I don't think the pistol is going to come apart.

Tnx,
 
I'll second the Doc's response. I got a Brass 1858 NMA - very similar to what you have. I've looked all over both here and at other forums and found that people give the brass frames a hard time, but after reading a lot, I've found that 1). apparently the manufacturing standards have improved lately - at least for the Pietta models, and 2). there are a number of people out there who've shot 'thousands' of rounds out of their brass framed guns with no problem Shooting lighter loads seems to be a common tendency among them.

My manual said use between 22 and 30 grains of BP. I found a powder flask that dispenses 25.5 grains so that's what I usually use (although I admit my very first shots were 30 grain just on principle). I think my gun may shoot just a bit low because of this, but nothing I can't compensate for when I aim.

I've shot about 350 rounds so far and I've found that if I take my time while reloading it also helps keep the frame cooler so everything works smoother.

You can't get a conversion cylinder for the brass frames but they're more expensive than a new gun, so you might as well get a new gun if you want to use cartridges.

Take care of your brass, but don't hesitate to enjoy it!
 
IMHO a 25-30 gr load in a brass frame well eventually hammer the recoil shield. That's a normal load for steel frames. Keep your load in the area of 20 grs for a .44 or 16 grs for a .36 and you should not have a problem with excessive wear with a brass frame. If you have excessive cylinder end play that well add to the peening of the recoil shield. I have a Buffalo brass frame and it has several hundred rounds thru it and no wear on the recoil shield.
 
Again, repeating what is said above. Light loads and a long life. Try to duplicate Walker loads and a short and glorious life.
For a cowboy shooter, these will not work for long because of the number of shots fired. For a target shooter or plinker or hunter, you will probably not shoot enough to harm them.
 
I actually think my BP gun will get the most use, killing pop cans in the back yard, with plastic bullets.
 
If I only had $220 I would buy a steel frame Remington target model and sacrifice the extra barrel length so that I could shoot the more powerful loads which don't recoil much, have greater range and can be more fun.
I would personally be disappointed if I bought a revolver that was designed to shoot as much as 35-40 grains of powder safely and with less recoil than most centerfire pistols, and was limited to only being able to load 20-25 grains of powder for the entire lifetime of the revolver.
I don't see what kind of velocity can be gained by purchasing the longer barrel if it shouldn't be loaded with enough powder to utilize the extra energy that it was designed to produce.
Sure the long barrel should promote more accuracy.
However, the 8 inch gun will be more powerful and also plenty accurate.
A Pietta steel frame target model can be bought for less money and will have a much longer lifespan, fun factor and resale value.
I recommend getting a steel frame and enjoying a Remington to its fullest potential, and get all of your money's worth by shooting it with a wide variety of loads without worrying about damaging it.
The target model is on sale right now for $209. :)

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...parentType=index&parentId=cat20817&id=0006195
 
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They also have they 1858 New Army for $190 but I just think the Buffalo Revolver is just plain cool! Not sure how to explain it but it is one of those "what I want is what I want" things. Truth is I will probably Buy the brass frame Buffalo gun and look for a good deal on a steel frame, of the same brand, some time in the future and switch the barrels. This way I would have two guns. A brass frame 1858 and a steel frame 1858 buffalo revolver, about the same cost of the stainless steel buffalo revolver.
 
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I was originally interested in the cattleman carbine until I found out you can't really hold it like a rifle, because a chain fire could take your hand off. So I decided the Buffalo gun was as close to a revolver carbine as was practical.


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Delmar, I'm sure you well become addicted to these revolvers like the rest of use. You well find one day you own more than you can possible shoot in one day. Buy the one you like, there well be many to follow.
 
Truth is I will probably Buy the brass frame Buffalo gun and look for a good deal on a steel frame, of the same brand, some time in the future and switch the barrels. This way I would have two guns.
Click to expand...

As long as you realize that Remington barrels aren't very easy to switch, especially back and forth over and over again like with a Colt model.
I respect that you want the Buffalo gun but switching barrels is not a simple task.
Good luck with which ever gun you decide to buy and hopefully you'll come back and let us know how much that you like the way it shoots. :)
 
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Yup!

Articap + 1,

To change that barrel you almost have to have a wood vice. I put the barrel in a wood vice so as not to mark the finish, grab the frame ONLY at the very front of the frame close to the barrel. I then begin twisting the frame off of the barrel, gently increasing the twisting force until the frame begins to turn. If you hold the frame any further back such as at the grips (which unfortunately is a very natural place to grab it.) you risk bending or even breaking the frame. Do not use ANY KIND OF TOOL on the frame. When you do it the first time, you realize it is not something you want to do very often.

I am working on a project pistol, I got from Smokin Gun. (1863 Remington Pocket.) It is requiring me to remove the barrel more than I like. It is becoming easier and easier to take the barrel loose. I have begun planning the restoration more carefully so as not to have to take the pistol apart so much. I am afraid the barrel is going to become too loose.
 
arcticap said:
As long as you realize that Remington barrels aren't very easy to switch, especially back and forth over and over again like with a Colt model.
Click to expand...
So a Colt would be easier to switch the barrel on? If I got a reproduction Colt Walker how difficult do you think it would be to come up with a longer barrel for it?
 
Swapping barrels on a Remington, or any top strap revolver is not something you would want to do as a casual task.

Having different barrels for a Colt is very doable. There would be some fitting involved for proper arbor fit and barrel gap.

As far as a longer barrel for your Walker, I don't know of anyone making one. It would be cost prohibitive to have one made. You can find long barreled versions of Dragoons, and I'm sure others as well.

Here's a 18 inch Dragoon.
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The nice thing about the 18 inch Dragoon was that if you got hit in the leg in a gunfight, you could use your gun as a crutch.

<grin>
 
Buying black powder revolvers can be addictive?
Naw, I only have 5 Pietta 1860 Armys and 2 Uberti 1860 Armys. This doesn't count the two junker parts guns and the original 1851 Navy.
But I'm not addicted. I can quit any time I want to. I just don't want to right now.
 
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