Pietta Spiller & Burr - anyone have one?

B

bedbugbilly

New member
Bill Akins posted a thread on here the other day in regards to a defarbed Spiller & Burr that he was looking at. I shoot just 36 and have never looked at a S & B that much, but I have to admit - the photos that Bill posted showed a pretty nice looking pistol and I can see why he might be interested in it. I shoot a 51, 61 Colt Navy, a 62 Colt Pocket Police and a 58 Remmie Navy - love 'em all. Cabelas has the Pietta S & B on sale right now and I have to admit, I'd be interested maybe in adding one "to the herd". I don't want to get in to "brass versus steel" - the S & B was brass (and the Pietta looks about as close to authentic as you're going to get). That being said, I'm looking at one from a "shooting" standpoint. I'd like to hear from anybody that has one as to how they like them? Any "quirks" or "problems"? Problems with cap fragments or fouling on cylinder pin, etc. What kind of load do they like (ball size and number of grains of FFFG) and if you have a Remmie - how you'd compare a S & B to that? Is the removal of the cylinder as easy as a Remmie? Again, I don't want to get into a debate of "brass versus steel" - I just want to know if this is a fun revolver to shoot or a pain in the keester. Many thanks for any imput - much appreciated! :)
 
I would love to have one if it is a steel frame. It has pretty good looks and the toughness of the Beals design. Unfortunately, brass:(
 
I would love to have one if it is a steel frame. It has pretty good looks and the toughness of the Beals design. Unfortunately, brass
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The original confederate made Spiller & Burr revolvers were also brass framed. The steel framed ones were called a Whitney revolver. That's the gun S&B copied.

I had one and it was a fun little thing. Accurate, comfortable in my hand. Just a neat little revolver. I plan to get another soon (sold the last one to buy another gun). It is very similar to the Remington. The cylinder comes out as easily as a remmie. If you get one, I think you'll enjoy it. If not, it won't be hard to sell.
 
A Spiller and Burr is at the top of my 'to buy' list. As soon as I find one for the right price, it'll be part of the Confederate revolver drawer in my C&B collection.

FM
 
Thanks fellas for you comments. In regards to the brass frame - I had a brass frame in 36 that was pretty much a Griswold & Gunnison copy but with a 5 inch barrel - an old Navy Arms. I had a lot of fun with that one but I traded it off towards one of those "modern cartridge guns" - well, modern but it was still 101 years old - Colt Army Special. I'm not one who "pushes to the limit" on the loads - I've shot BP for over 45 years and learned from the oldtimers when I was a kid that you load enough to get the job done and anything more is a waste of powder. Common sense tells you that you load light to moderate loads in a brass frame or you're going to hammer the heck out of it. I'm liking the looks of the S & B more and more and can visualize it in a nice leather rig that traveled west after the war. I make holsters and leathergoods and have something in mind for the S & B if I get one. Hope to hear from others on their experiences . . . thanks again. :)
 
Then I would jump all over that, Fingers, and get it now before the price rises again. It's only about a two-three day wait for you there in Missery, shipped from Nebraska.

The other thing, with all you have, could it be that you have one now and don't remember it??? :D:rolleyes:

The Doc is out now. :cool:
 
Old and new S&B

spillerburr01.jpg

sb01.jpg

sb02.jpg
 
O.K. Now that we have all agreed about how pretty they are . . . do any of you shoot yours????? What ball size and how many grains of FFFG are you using? What about the accuracy - out of the box, do they shoot high, low or clear way over into Texas? Ease of capping the nipples . . those sorts of things? Thanks. :)
 
I just got mine the other day, so I only had a short time shooting it, but it did shoot high. Straight, but high. I was using Speer .375 balls and did not have a powder measure, but a flask that throws about 9 grains. I was using one and a half spoutfuls from that. Capping was easy, but that was because I took the cylinder out to load it on a loader. It would probably be just as easy with a capper as there is room for that with the cut-out there.

It was very pleasant to shoot, is slightly smaller than a Colt Navy and a Remington, and there were no cap jams. However, after about the usual three cylinders of shooting, the action started to slow down.

Now on mine, too, I had taken it apart and smoothed out the cylinder stop and sides of the trigger, and that improved the action and trigger pull. This was very easy to do with small hobby files and emery paper. You just want to remove some of the tool markings and the sharp overhanging edges formed when the part was pressed.

In short, I was pleased. :D

The Doc is out now. :cool:
 
Better double check, but in the meantime, might get in on that Cabella's price. I was just looking at the new Dixie prices for long guns. One went up by $300.00 practially. Others are more or following suit.

So I am dang glad I got mine now. Now if only I could afford more... :rolleyes:

The Doc is out now. :cool:
 
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