Reason why you bought a brass framed BP revolver

What is the main reason you bought a brass framed BP revolver?

  • I like the bright shine of polished brass.

    Votes: 2 7.1%
  • As a "southerner" I wanted to have a replica of a confederate BP revolver.

    Votes: 2 7.1%
  • It was the cheapest BP revolver I could afford at the time.

    Votes: 9 32.1%
  • It was the only thing available in the store when I went shopping for BP revolvers.

    Votes: 1 3.6%
  • I have a collection of BP revolvers and no collection is complete without one or more.

    Votes: 6 21.4%
  • Other reason - tell us what compelled you.

    Votes: 8 28.6%

  • Total voters
    28
  • Poll closed .
if brass frames are of such limited use and need, then why is it that whenever a shot up and shot loose one gets on online auctions, its always priced the same as a nib walker?


seriously, never had a single person ever want to sell out a brasser, even a shot out one, for part value.
 
Because people go nuts on auctions. Ebay used to be full of them parted out and the prices they were getting for one gun you could buy two new ones for.
 
I only have one brass frame and it was a freebie, a Remington police in .36. I'd like to have some of the true Southern clones tho.
 
Why a Brasser

Cause that's the only way a Spiller&Burr comes... :O)

ColtNavyCartwithSpillerBurr2.jpg
 
Poll is now closed. The most popular response to the poll:

It was the cheapest BP revolver I could afford at the time.

I kind of figured that response would rank pretty high on the list.
 
Yep, that's my reason. Cheapest one I could find to start black powder handgunning with, and looks weren't bad either. 1851 Confederate Navy round barrel .44
 
1851 Confederate Navy round barrel .44

That would be a Griswold and Gunnison. Only bad part is none of the original brass frames were made in .44. Actually they weren't really brass but bronze with a high copper content.
 
The price was right. Didn't want to spend too much until I was sure I would like shooting c&b. I don't think I went wrong with it either.
 
Usually cost, visual appeal, or working on a collection that includes Confederate guns.
The other is for re-enactors or people presenting a Confederate impression.
But there were certainly plenty of Rebs in the field who would use captured Union guns - generally not enlisted men, though, as this was usually not allowed by the the CO's of either side.
 
There is nothing wrong with a brass frame revolver, but,

You have to understand what a brass frame revolver IS, and what it is NOT, and what is it INTENDED FOR:

IT IS - a piece of history, because they did exist and were in fact used in battle.
IT IS - a shooting piece with a steel barrell and it will hit the target true to form.
IT IS - a fine looking piece because brass polishes up nice and attracts the eye.

IT IS NOT - a magnum. It must be treated as a light-loader only!
IT IS NOT - a hunter's gun, because it is a light loader.
IT IS NOT - as strong as steel, obviously.
IT IS NOT - a piece to constantly fire and fire and fire. It is soft brass. It moves over a period of time, throwing the gun loose and out of time.

IT WAS INTENDED FOR: A financially distressed military scavenging for materials with which to make arms. Some brass was available and it was used for arms accordingly, to allow the production of a sidearm.

IT WAS INTENDED FOR: Personal protection at close range only.
IT WAS INTENDED FOR: Leaving in the holster until it was absolutely needed.
IT WAS INTENDED FOR: Very little shooting over the years.

With that in mind, buying and owning a brass revolver is an OK thing to do.

If you are skirmishing in a CSA unit, the brass revolver is one of the correct revolvers because CSA issued a number of them to their troops. Loading it for skirmish with blank charges causes no barrell pressure really.

If you are a target shooter, load it light, enjoy it, and fire it a few times occasionally and put it up. It will last a long while if you dont abuse it and understand it. If it shoots loose, polish it up and hang it on the wall. It will look great up there with your horseshoes and old sickle and old iron skillets, washboards and old horse collars and bits, etc, etc.

It definitely has it's honored place in history, and it definitely has it's place in the BP shooters world. That cannot be denied.

I have bought and traded several over the last thirty years. I have fired very few of them that I owned. Mostly I bought them at reduced prices and later traded them or sold them in order to purchase other things I wanted or needed at the time. Those that I bought and sold or traded, I spent lots of time de-burring and buffing and polishing the hell out of. When people see shiny brass, they react to it and often will want to buy it or trade for it. They make good trade guns.
 
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My very first BP gun (1976), a Remington Army .44 was in kit form and brass framed. Two reasons, I didn't know any better and it was cheap.
Of course, with price of copper and brass these days, steel framed might be cheaper and those brass frames might have serious scrap value. :rolleyes:
 
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