First hand info needed ------------

C

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

New member
Afternoon all,

Cabala's is currently offering a single action revolver that a friend is interested in.

The F.LLI Pietta, "1873 Single Action Revolver".

Of course, Cabela's says it is the equal of RUGER, which I personally question.

Anyone have first hand info on this maker or the revolver?

Hope to keep Bob from wasting his bucks if it is like a lot of off shore replica firearms.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
 
I would also question equality with Ruger. However, I have a couple of Pietta percussion jobs, an 1851 Navy and an 1860 Army and I feel the workmanship is pretty good. The action is smooth, lockup is secure, and the trigger is OK. Among Italian makers, Uberti is probably better known for quality cartridge replicas.
 
McShooty,

The one thing that no has ever been able to effectively question in regard to RUGER is their strength.

They may not be the finest finish or the smoothest right from the box, but they are unquestionably strong and worthy.

However, like it or not, the same can't be said for all colt replicas.

I have seen the insides on one that I can recall, and it was junk from the day it was boxed up at the factory.

This is what I am concerned about in regards to my friends looking at any off shore production.

What is the quality and worthyness. How does it last.

Personally, I come down on the side of strong and long lasting as the rest can be taken care of or is simply not important. While relyability is!

CDOC
 
Pietta =/= Ruger.

I have a C&B F.LLI PIETTA ...... I wish it was a Ruger ......

I have probably fewer than 500 shots through it, and it has gone to Gun Krankenhaus once already .......
 
I have a close relative that owns a Pieta in .45 Colt. While not a Ruger, and definately not a stout of a frame as a Ruger. It goes bang, and feels like a single action SAA clone should. In fact I like the way it feels in hand better than a Vaquero. It has stood up to a couple of years of firing two or three hundred rounds a month, and still works with no problems.

If he wants one that handles the uber hot loads, and can be used for hunting then he should get the Ruger. For a gun that will shoot standard loads then either will do the job. He would probably go bankrupt trying to wear it out shooting it.
 
I certainly agree about the high strength of Rugers and everyone I have had (twoNM Black Hawks in.45 Colt) has also been very accurate. However, I have never had a Vaquero and I understand the new ones have lighter frames than the first ones, so probably great for cowboy action but maybe not hunting with top end .45 loads. One more thought on Italian quality. I recently got a Cimmaron "Model P Jr." with interchangeable .32 H&R and .32-20 cylinders. These are made by Uberti and the workmanship is very good. The finish is excellent, the action is smooth and the trigger is crisp. It shoots quite well. The full frame Cimmaron SA revolvers would be equally as good I would think.
 
Among the import/Italian SAA clones, actually Pietta is considered by many to be the best re fit and finish. I have a Cimarron P (Uberti) with zero complaints, but many have said if you can't get a USFA, the Pietta is the cat's meow. (I'm talking their premium/polished models--such as distributed by EMF as Great Western IIs. I know nothing of plainer (matte finish, etc) variants if that what this (OP) is. And...I'm not comparing to Ruger--they are different kettles of fish--neither referring to good (as re Ruger = strength and 6-up carry, or bad (lack of "Colt feel")--just different,...just as USFA and Colt are different from Rugers as well. If you want the Colt SAA feel and action, and that's more important than Ruger's full 6 safe carry capability or, on large frame Blackhawks and old Vaqueros, hunting with hot .45 loads, then the Pietta's probably fine.

EDIT: just re-read the OP's thread title. No "first-hand" experience beyond handling a few of the above EMF GWIIs at a gunshow.
 
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I own an Heritage Rough Rider SAA 357 mag revolver. This gun is supposed the same as the Pietta 1873 SAA model in 357 mag. Pietta confirmed me the gun is made by them for Heritage (imported to USA). Made in Italy it states on the gun.
The gun seems to have the same dimensions as the Colt SAA 1873 model. That means the cylinders has the same dimensions but is in the smaller 357 mag caliber. That makes the cylinder more beefy as it has more steel between the holes and overall more forged steel in the cylinder as the SAA in 45 Long Colt. The 45 LC indeed has very thin cylinder walls. This one in 357 mag has very thick cylinder walls. That means it withstands more pressure and is overbuilt.
The Pietta is made of forged steel. That is allways stronger than cast or MIM guns like the Rugers.
So Rugers seems to be stronger but really have thicker metal since you have to make cast metal thicker to get the same strength as forged steel. So the Rugers are not really stronger but appear only to be thicker. The Pietta is as strong as the Ruger is.

Only after 3 cylinders you start to loose the screws of the SAA models. Locktite them and you never loose a screw anymore.
The Pietta in all regards is a very nice built strong revolver. Way better than the Taurus I had.
They are worthed it.
 
The Pietta is made of forged steel. That is allways stronger than cast or MIM guns like the Rugers.
So Rugers seems to be stronger but really have thicker metal since you have to make cast metal thicker to get the same strength as forged steel. So the Rugers are not really stronger but appear only to be thicker. The Pietta is as strong as the Ruger is.
Click to expand...

Howdy

That is incorrect!

Ruger frames and many of the lockwork parts are made from Investment Castings, which are much stronger than parts made from die castings. However Ruger barrels and cylinders are still machined from solid stock, no different than anybody else does. Ruger does not use MIM (Metal Injection Molding) for any of there parts, that is Smith & Wesson. And MIM is only used for the small lockwork parts, MIM is not suitable for parts that need great tensile strength, such as a cylinder. S&W frames, barrels, and cylinders are still machined from solid stock, just like everybody else does.

Rugers are stronger than most other brands because their machined cylinders have more metal between adjacent chambers, it is that simple.

Regarding Pietta, for a long time they were considered second to Uberti as far as fit and finish was concerned. Pietta seems to have been working on that and a lot of shooters are reporting that Pietta revolvers are just as good as Uberti these days.

Regarding the strength of a Pietta revolver compared to a Ruger, you have to specify exactly which Ruger you are talking about. Ruger Blackhawks are still made on large frames (except for a few dealer exclusive models). These large frame revolvers will have large diameter cylinders with lots of extra metal between the chambers and will be stronger than a Pietta. The 'original model' Vaquero was built on the same frame as the Blackhawks and had the same large cylinder and was just as strong as the Blackhawk. That version of the Vaquero is no longer manufactured. The New Vaquero is closer in size to an actual Colt and so is its cylinder. The New Vaquero is only supposed to be fired with standard SAAMI max pressure ammo, no different than a Colt, Uberti, or Pietta. Some claim that the New Vaquero is stronger than a Colt, but Ruger does not make that claim.
 
My Pietta 357 mag has way more metal between the cylinder holes than this Ruger Vaquero (though it may be an 45 LC gun).
ruger-vaquero-1.jpg

Source and copyright http://www.guns.com/review/ruger-vaquero-2/
 
In the dark my Pietta 357 mag cycilinder measures 1.661“ diameter.

«Original vaquero' cylinder is 1.730 in diameter, New Vaquero cylinder is 1.675" in diameter. Ignore the fact that one is 45 Colt and one is 357 Mag. A 45 Colt New Vaquero cylinder will have the same outside dimensions as a 357 Mag. The frame of the New Vaquero is sized down approximately 20% from the old one, to house the smaller cylinder.»
Source and copyrigth https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/load-ruger-old-vaquero.796393/

My Piettas 357 mag cylinder looks as the cylinder below (Ruger new vaquero 357 mag). Not much difference in cylinder meat.
Vaquero%20New%20Vaquero%20Cylinders%2002_zpsodfbnc00.jpg
 
Did you happen to notice that the photo you are referring to was posted by me back in 2007?

The only reason I showed the New Vaquero 357 Mag cylinder on the left is because I don't have a New Vaquero chambered for 45 Colt.

For a true comparison, the cylinder in the center is from one of the 'original model' Vaqueros with the large frame. The cylinder on the right is from a 2nd Gen Colt, you can see the Colt insignia on the rear of the cylinder.

Compare how much steel there is between the chambers of the large frame Vaquero cylinder and the Colt cylinder. That will give you a good idea of the relative strengths. A Pietta chambered for 45 Colt will be very similar to the Colt.

Here is another photo I have posted on numerous gun boards over the years.

Left to right, the cylinder from an Uberti Cattleman, Ruger 'original model' large frame Vaquero, and the 2nd Generation Colt cylinder. All three cylinders are chambered for 45 Colt, so it is an apples to apples to apples comparison. Clearly, there is more steel between chambers with the Ruger cylinder than either of the other two. I forget exactly how much, I haven't measured them in years. I seem to remember there is something like .050 of steel between chambers of the Colt and Uberti, something like .080 between chambers of the Ruger. I can measure them again if you would like.

A Pietta cylinder chambered for 45 colt will be very similar in dimensions. This is because the distance from the center of the cylinder to the center of the bore of the barrel is very similar in the Colt, the Uberti, and a Piettal. The Ruger cylinder is bigger because the distance from the center of the cylinder to the center of the bore is larger, so the individual chambers can be spread out slightly more.


cylinders_01.jpg
 
I did not post that photo. However i included the source and copyrigth of whatever I posted.

Obviously the Pietta is the same as Colt since it is its copy. That is why I bought an 357 mag instead 45 lc since the 357 mag is inherently stronger. The Pietta 357 mag is about the same as the Ruger New Vaquero 357 mag referred to its cylinder metal content.
 
Driftwood Johnson the wealth of information you post for us and the clear manner you post it are VERY much appreciated! Thanks.
 
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