The Spiller & Burr Revolver

I

Indian Outlaw

New member
Hi. Newbie here. ;)

I handled a used Spiller & Burr yesterday and liked it better than my Remington. It fit my hand well. Are the Pietta/Traditions S&Bs well made? Is there anything I should know before ordering one from Dixie?

Would love to see some pics of S&Bs!

Regards,
IO
 
They're based on the Whitney revolvers. Mine is pretty old. Because they're brass, you should keep the loads fairly low (15 grs of black powder). Great guns.
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I have an older Italian S&B clone which I got years ago second hand. The nipples are beat to snot and will not take a cap. Anybody know where to get them and what load to use. I have not shot the thing in 15 years.
 
I have an older Italian S&B clone which I got years ago second hand. The nipples are beat to snot and will not take a cap. Anybody know where to get them and what load to use. I have not shot the thing in 15 years.
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Thunder Ridge http://www.thunder-ridge.com/ , or The Possible Shop http://www.possibleshop.com/ are good places to try. Size will depend on who manufactured your S&B. Brass framed; 15 grains of fffg would be a good load.

FM
 
I'm going to order a pair. I'll keep the better of the two and send the other back. I might do something different and have Turnbull case harden the loading lever. Will also replace the nipples with Tresos.
 
Never have had a nipple problem with my Pietta made Spiller ...I use #10 Remington caps ...they fit like a glove ..no problems .
 
Forgot to mention that the originals also have a smaller, rounder triggerguard.

So, for example, you can tell that pohill's gun is a replica by the large triggerguard, the grip shape/angle, and the low hammer spur.

Caveat Emptor: There are fake S&Bs out there.
 
Check out the two links posted above and study the originals very closely, paying particular attention to the triggerguards, hammers, and grips.

People say the best way to tell if a dollar bill is a counterfeit is to study the minutest details of the genuine article. Once you know the genuine front and back, the fake becomes easy to spot. The same goes for guns.

I'm 99% certain yours is a replica.
 
I'm more like 80% to 90% sure it's a replica, but...
I showed it to a BP shooter at my club and he handled it, examined it and said it was an original. Several others that have actually seen it and handled it are just not sure, like me. I even bought the book, THE CONFEDERATE BRASS-FRAMED COLT & WHITNEY by William Albaugh, and that added to the confusion due to the list of known serial numbers (mine is #82 which is unaccounted for). The only sure way would be to have the cylinder tested to see if it's made of iron, but I don't want to ruin the cylinder.
Hey, anything's possible.

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The CSA alone tells you it's not the real deal. The hammer, grips and trigger guard as mentioned are all different.
 
Here's the deal and it's real. I never asked if anyone thought my revolver was original, I just posted a pic of it. Never asked. If anyone thinks they can judge anything about any gun by looking at pics, hey, you must be good, you must be exceptional. Like I said, knowledgeable people have handled it and examined it and they're still not sure.
So, if it floats your boat, call it a replica.
 
For a truly expert opinion on the matter, I suggest that you send these pics to the people at www.damonmills.com, or to another premier antique gun site, and ask them to settle the issue. Then please post their response here on the board. I will be very surprised if they can't make a determination from pics alone.
 
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