The Story Behind Those Pietta Bell-Bottom Grips

Jack if you don't like the grips change them. My new 1860 came with a stain that rubs off on my hand and when I pulled the gun apart the grip strap was under pressure and sprung out so the screws couldn't be put back in. I carefully bent it to a nice S shape to get all screws to line up and made a grip that I finished with varnish. No more red hands and feels good to me.
 
I don't get it with Pietta and their stains. Some of them wash off with alcohol and some won't.
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I have three Pietta 1851 Navy .36 type pistols with three different types of wood.

While I admire Hawg for his expertise insofar as these pistols are concerned, I have to disagree with some of his opinions. I believe that he thinks that the backstrap, trigger guard, and wood are finished as one unit per pistol. In this day of CNC machining, that cannot be the case, IMO.

The first pistol was ordered from Cabela's as a Pietta 1851 Navy .36 with a round trigger guard, and I ordered a Pietta squareback TG from Taylor's and bought a nicely figured (IMO) hardwood grip with the red stain on Ebay.

I am sure you will notice that it is one of the last "tail" pistols produced.

The original grip wood an ugly quarter-sawed piece.

As you can see, they all fit pretty well.

(Date code [CM] 2014).


Pietta%201851%20Navy%20Second%20Model_zpswstsu4tl.jpg



The next pistol is a Pietta G&G .36 with quarter-sawed wood (straight grain).

(Date code [CN] 2015)


Pietta%20Griswold%20amp%20Gunnison_zpsyzoxhf5x.jpg


The last pistol is a Pietta 1851 Navy Third Model (small round TG) with flat-sawed wood.

(Date code [CP] 2016)

Pietta%201851%20Navy%20Third_Fourth%20Model_zpsmcehkkrv.jpg


I guess Pietta uses what wood they have on hand.

All of these pistols have had at least 2 coats of Birchwood-Casey Tru-Oil, with a minimum of one week drying time before an application of #0000 steel wool between coats. After that, nothing bleeds through, and the finish is very hard.
 
Pietta grips

Put yourself in Pietta's shoes. Forget about the language barrier/ problem.
If they did the research for the guns used in the CW and picked one or two to use as the "perfect" model s what would it/ they be?
Visit the website :
https://www.forgottenweapons.com/category/rifles/single-shot-rifle/
https://www.forgottenweapons.com/category/revolver/

Now put yourself in the government for whatever side. Both sides were having or trying to have revolvers and rifles made to specs that the government itself (north and south) had trouble keeping with. Model this model that called this but was really that.
Now we have tv, internet and things to get the new changes out for anything. They had horseback and telegraph not to mention getting the drawings to the manufacturers.
I was an engineer for 43 years for the same company that had 42 plants in 7 states. With fax machines (remember those) and it was hard to keep the info up to date with the customer's changes. Lot of overtime and night time worries.
Got real crazy when we're went out of the USA.
I have a small collection for BP weapons and were purchased on sale or greatly reduced. I have said, I was born in the wrong time frame. I love the history of this great country and have had the pleasure of traveling the world and studied their history.
I know for the money Pietta is doing a great job and hope they keep it up. I am retired and love warm days that allow my tired body and old eyes to make boom with smoke and be legal doing it.

I have learned so very much from all of the posters in this forum
Thank you for your time and the information
 
While I admire Hawg for his expertise insofar as these pistols are concerned, I have to disagree with some of his opinions. I believe that he thinks that the backstrap, trigger guard, and wood are finished as one unit per pistol. In this day of CNC machining, that cannot be the case, IMO.
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Then how do you explain most grips not interchanging? Those two sets of grips I posted I bought to put on one of mine and neither fit. They couldn't even have been made to fit the dimensions were so far off.
 
Wow beautiful grips Oliver!! And your first post!
And Priceless images from AKexpat as usual!!


I regretted starting this thread the second I hit Submit.. I knew it just wouldn't come across right, and would just look like someone complaining about a beautiful and amazingly affordable revolver.

I edited my OP to include a note for anyone not inclined to read it all.

I don't want newbies to think Pietta's are anything but exceptional. I even tried to edit the thread subject title, but the forum won't let me.

In the end, if this thread coaxes these kinds of images ^ , and possibly encouraged a new member to join, then it might have just been a blessing in disguise.
 
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I think one of the reasons Pietta does it, is so their guns can't be confused, defarbed, passed off, as originals.

Pietta use computer programed CNC machinery, they could easily match all the specs of an original gun. Easier / cheaper (supply line) to keep it the way it it is.
 
That may have been true in the past, but since the 2015 [CN] model Navies there have been no Pietta "tail" grip profiles produced, to my knowledge.

I am not well versed insofar as other Pietta pistols (1860 Armies, etc.) to say one way or another about these.

Then how do you explain most grips not interchanging? Those two sets of grips I posted I bought to put on one of mine and neither fit. They couldn't even have been made to fit the dimensions were so far off.
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Don't know what to say, Hawg. I have not experienced that. The hardwood grip I bought on Ebay was a direct replacement for the original walnut piece for the Pietta "tail" 2014 [CM] pistol. No fitting necessary.

The backstrap for the G&G has no "divot" for a shoulder stock. I bought it from VTI, supposedly as a backstrap for an 1860, but that turned out to be wrong. When I procured the Pietta G&G (originally with the "divot") I tried it out there and it fits well with the wood and the TG, and that's where it resides today.

Jim
 
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My 2015 - 1860 has it (top gun in below pic). Maybe not as much pronounced as some I've seen.
It really doesn't bother me.

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My 2015 - 1860 has it (top gun in below pic). Maybe not as much pronounced as some I've seen.
It really doesn't bother me.
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I really don't see any problems with the "tail" on an 1860 Army as the trigger guard does not have the pronounced short curve as the Pietta "tail" 1851 Navies had. The Armies also have a slightly longer grip and I am sure that has something to do with it, but I really have no experience with the 1860.

Nice guns, sir!

Jim
 
I regretted starting this thread the second I hit Submit.. I knew it just wouldn't come across right, and would just look like someone complaining about a beautiful and amazingly affordable revolver.

I edited my OP to include a note for anyone not inclined to read it all.

I don't want newbies to think Pietta's are anything but exceptional. I even tried to edit the thread subject title, but the forum won't let me.

In the end, if this thread coaxes these kinds of images ^ , and possibly encouraged a new member to join, then it might have just been a blessing in disguise.
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I think this is a good post and you should have no regrets about it. I'm just waiting on Cabela's next sale to make my first Pietta purchase. The information shared here in this thread is helpful and quite interesting.
 
Drobs, what year is the Pietta Remington? It doesn't appear to have the really fat grips with proud wood at the top but does have the extremely tall front sight of the fairly newer ones.
 
Thanks Turnstyle!! and Welcome to the forum!!

Hang in there and when you spot a deal, get that Pietta! all the waiting will be worth it the minute you open that box! =)

I had to wait for a sale as well. I had just missed one, and started a thread while I was waiting for the next sale. I think it took just about a month (holiday season), which is no time at all, especially while researching and preparing.
 
One thing I must say about Pietta wood, and I am specifically referring to Pietta's 1851 Navy type pistols. I have three models (2014, 2015, and 2016).

Since they use CNC machining (maybe not on the wood), I do not understand why the wood-to-metal fit is very good where the wood meets the backstrap and the trigger guard, and they cannot they get closer than 1/16th of an inch (sometimes more) when it comes to the rear of the frame?

WTH? Am I missing something?

Any comments appreciated.

Jim
 
Jim, you're freaking out about nothing.

Listen, if you want flawless fit and finish, get a Hege.

If you want a superb, shootable, AFFORDABLE gun that won't break the bank, get a Pietta. No, fit and finish will not be quite as good but you can get a .44 Confederate Navy brasser framed revo from Cabelas for like $99 when they're on sale. That my friend, is a beautiful thing indeed.
 
Jim, you're freaking out about nothing.

Listen, if you want flawless fit and finish, get a Hege.

If you want a superb, shootable, AFFORDABLE gun that won't break the bank, get a Pietta. No, fit and finish will not be quite as good but you can get a .44 Confederate Navy brasser framed revo from Cabelas for like $99 when they're on sale. That my friend, is a beautiful thing indeed.
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Well, I didn't think I was freaking out, but that's your call.

The only Pietta brasser I have is a 2015 Pietta G&G .36 with the part round/part octagon barrel. Along with a Pietta 1851 2nd Model .36 steel with the squareback TG, and a Pietta 1851 .36 3rd/4th Model steel. All three of my Pietta pistols are in .36 caliber.

I want to collect replicas that are somewhat realistic, and a brasser 1851 in .44 just ain't there. If you want a good shooting .44 Colt replica, get a .44 Dragoon. Second/Third Model, it's up to you.

Forget about an 1851 .44 Navy. It never happened. And a brasser? Crap insofar as a shooter. My brasser G&G is just for show and historical significance.

Why don't you get a Dance .44 steel or an 1860 Army steel if you are so proud of the .44? Brassers are of poor quality as shooters unless with light loads.

I like the .36. No one will ever budge me from that stance.

Have a good night, sir.

Jim
 
My guess is Pietta fattened the grips when enough people complained about them being too small. Especially with Remingtons where the skinny grips were rapping knuckles. I have a Pietta Remington made in 76 and the wood to metal fit isn't too bad and the grips are very slim, not like the obese things they call grips now. They also made the front sights extremely taller on the Remingtons because people couldn't figure out how to shoot with the original size. :D
 
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