looking @ an 1860 Navy Arms Revolver, are they a decent gun?

Look to see if the front sight is at the 12 O'C position or off center at some weird and wacky angle.

If it is not exactly centered, it won't shoot to point of aim.

That in itself, is enough for me to walk away.
 
I wouldn't count on them all being made by Uberti. Check the manufacturer's mark on the gun. ASM (symbol ASM or SM), older Piettas (may have letters FAP inside a diamond), & Euroarms (Armi San Poalo, or letters DGG superimposed inside a circle) can be spotty in quality. The more recent Piettas (last 2 years maybe?) are better than the older ones.
 
ASM internals were pretty soft but the fit and finish on most was very good. Euroarms(ASP) were good guns. Pietta quality before 2000 was spotty but they had some very good guns before then too. Since 2000 they're right there with Uberti, if not better action wise.
 
1860 colt

I've got an older Pietta [1991] that I converted with a Howell cylinder. It has never failed to function, EXCEPT when I first bought it I sat around dry-firing it and ruined the timing. I sent it back to Cabellas in 1997, they fixed and returned it to me. But, that's when they had an on-site gun-smith. That's not the case anymore. Anyway, I converted it about 5 years ago and it has operated flawlessly ever since, with .45 cowboy loads. If it's an Uberti, you can expect similar, and according to some, better performance.
 
Hey buckhorn,

Dry firing it certainly did not mess up the timing. Dry firing will flatten the nipples for sure, but what you did was wear out the soft internal parts. That would have happened to them even with live fire. :cool:
 
My very first firearm was an old cap and ball revolver that came from grandpa's attic and was given to me in 1967 ('58 Remington). I shot the daylights out of that one, and over the years acquired replicas in Colt Walker, 3rd Model Dragoon, 1860 Army, etc.

The one I shoot the best is a Navy Arms 1860 Army (Pietta) that I picked up in the early 1980's. I guess I got one of the better ones, thanks to luck of the draw.

I got away from black powder the last couple of decades and shot modern firearms. It happens that one of my son's friends picked up a cap and ball revolver, and once more I am burning black powder on a regular basis.

I decided that I wanted a matching Navy Arms 1860. Since they are no longer being imported by Navy Arms, I started looking at Gunbroker for a used one. After searching for several months, I found a NIB Uberti at a reasonable price, and bought it.

Upon receiving the Uberti, I was struck by the differences. Outward appearance and finish is close enough, although my Pietta has a bit more wear. The finish on the wood grips is satin on the Pietta (oil), shiny on the Uberti (varnish). I will probably change out the grips on both to faux ivory, and then they will look like a matching pair.

The most noticable difference is in the actions. My Pietta is smooth and crisp, but heavier than the Uberti. The action on the Uberti is perfect... I guess I will have to do some internal work to my old Pietta and try to even things out.
 
Zullo, the repair invoice, [no charge by the way] was "Cylinder replaced, timing corrected" I think the bolt was replaced as well. Never-the-less, the problem as never repeated. Of course, I don't sit around dry firing since I converted it. I also am 22 years older and know better how to handle firearms. I hate 'cylinder turn rings, and I avoid functioning a revolver unless I'm Firing it, or reloading it. "WITH AGE COMES WISDOM". Thanks for the info. By the way, I dry fired that poor thing hundreds of times, together with my brothers and friends. We used to think we were "Wyatt EARP". No such problem anymore, as I learned respect for firearms years ago.
 
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