I was gifted this revolver by my father in law but can't seem to find details on exactly what it is. As for the markings I know it is an open top revolver cartridge conversion, .38 special imported by Traditions Firearms with a serial number of 629 (verified on both the barrel and the bottom by the trigger guard. Other than that, I have no idea what it is. I have contacted Traditions Firearms and they were no help at all. They couldn't tell me the model or anything. Only info I got from them was that their company hasn't produced open top cartridge conversion revolvers for many many years. I've been told it was an 1851 Navy replica and 1861 Navy and Army replica and an 1872 Army Conversion. I need to get parts for it and even Traditions Firearms said that it could either be a Pietta model or an Uberti model but they don't know which as they have done business with both companies. So not much help there. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
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What type of open top revolver is this?
- Thread starter Priest78
- Start date
Aguila Blanca
Staff
Contact VTI Gun Parts. They handle parts for both Uberti and Pietta.
https://www.vtigunparts.com/store/
860-435-8068
They may give you an e-mail address and have you send them the photos. I have found them to be very helpful in chasing down odd parts for early cap-and-ball revolvers.
It's definitely not an 1851 Navy clone. It looks like an 1860 Army, but those were .44 caliber. So IMHO it's most likely a clone of an 1861 Navy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_M1861_Navy
https://www.vtigunparts.com/store/
860-435-8068
They may give you an e-mail address and have you send them the photos. I have found them to be very helpful in chasing down odd parts for early cap-and-ball revolvers.
It's definitely not an 1851 Navy clone. It looks like an 1860 Army, but those were .44 caliber. So IMHO it's most likely a clone of an 1861 Navy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_M1861_Navy
Got ahold of them. Yep had to send pics but they were quick to reply. Apparently it's an 1860 Navy Cartridge Conversion .38 special replica made by Armi San Marco, imported by traditions firearms. They kind of confused me though. They called it an 1860 but then said that actual navy conversions were done for the 1851 navy in the .38, but in 1860 and 1861 conversions were on the Army open top colts. So unless I misunderstood, what I got out of that was it's a replica of a revolver that wasn't actually made as a conversion for .38 Navy in 1860? Is that right?
Jim Watson
New member
Looks like it to me.
Long butt like an 1860; flat frame bed like an 1861.
"Reproduction" of a model not actually made.
Long butt like an 1860; flat frame bed like an 1861.
"Reproduction" of a model not actually made.
Aguila Blanca
Staff
Correct.Priest78 said:So unless I misunderstood, what I got out of that was it's a replica of a revolver that wasn't actually made as a conversion for .38 Navy in 1860? Is that right?
The Italians like to make "copies" of guns that never existed. Like the numerous 1851 Navy revolvers being sold in .44 caliber. The 1851 was a .36 caliber revolver -- the original was not offered in .44.
Was VTI able to provide the parts you need?
I am waiting for them to reply. The answer I got was "we do have parts for that model but we will have to check"Correct.
The Italians like to make "copies" of guns that never existed. Like the numerous 1851 Navy revolvers being sold in .44 caliber. The 1851 was a .36 caliber revolver -- the original was not offered in .44.
Was VTI able to provide the parts you need?
Yea I think reproduction is a better word. More like "inspired reproduction". Don't get me wrong, it's a nice piece and I do like it. I just like to have all the info haha.Looks like it to me.
Long butt like an 1860; flat frame bed like an 1861.
"Reproduction" of a model not actually made.
Jim Watson
New member
I went for a long time thinking I SHOULD like the Army grip. The length is fine but the angle is different.
They make an 1872 Open Top Frontier repro with "Navy" grip which I would prefer. There really was such a thing but less common than the Army grip, worth about 30% more.
They make an 1872 Open Top Frontier repro with "Navy" grip which I would prefer. There really was such a thing but less common than the Army grip, worth about 30% more.
Aguila Blanca
Staff
One of the nice things about the Colt single action revolvers is the ability to switch out the grip frame.
Trivia for the day: The 1873 SAA used the "Navy" grip. When Walther/Umarex came out with their CO2-powered BB gun version, in order to fit a standard CO2 cartridge inside the grip they had to use the slightly larger/longer "Army" grip frame. 97.32 percent of people would never pick up on that, but the info came straight from Umarex USA.
https://www.umarexusa.com/colt-single-action-army-45-177-pellet-nickel
Trivia for the day: The 1873 SAA used the "Navy" grip. When Walther/Umarex came out with their CO2-powered BB gun version, in order to fit a standard CO2 cartridge inside the grip they had to use the slightly larger/longer "Army" grip frame. 97.32 percent of people would never pick up on that, but the info came straight from Umarex USA.
https://www.umarexusa.com/colt-single-action-army-45-177-pellet-nickel