RH1050 1851 NAVY YANK PEPPERBOX REVOLVER

As usual with DGW I quickly received my 1851 Pepperbox order with their usual efficient manner. I believe they are currently the only store to offer these very unusual firearms. Although not well known there are historical precedents for this Pepperbox. The prototype was based on an original found in Canada by Herb Houze. He is the author of \"Samuel Colt: Arms Art and Invention\"". He described it as a Colt frame with a pepperbox barrel similar to the Blunt & Syms type. The location of that specimen is currently unknown. There are other handguns of the same general concept in existence. This is Pietta's attempt at creating something of like. My copy is well-made and sturdy with the hardened frame. I've watched a YouTube video and the shooter used 60 grains of FFG per chamber! I am looking forward to range day with my very unusual piece. Thanks again DGW!"

Rec. model without loading instructions for Pepperbox. Suggest using DGW loading data as suggested for this model. First impressions-- Looked good overall. Nice blueing and color case hardening. Nice looking stain on wood grips and good fit to frame. Trigger guard and backstrap nicely finished and blended to frame. Inspection remarks-- Grips are smaller and shaped like original Colt design. No Pietta tail. Action timing is correct and cyl. bolt is correctly fitted to cyl. stop slot. Cyl. arbor is correct length for the 1851/61 .36 cal. barrel attachments. (Used my spare barrels for validate fit.) Cyl. bore is same size as standard Pietta .36 cal. 1851/61 cyl. Trigger pull out of box was 3 lbs. Crisp with no creep. All internals were clean with no flashing etc. Final thoughts-- Cyl. attachment screw has RH threads and seats on the cyl. arbor. Cyl. face gap to attachment screw is 0.003\". Attachment screw is an M6 x 1.00\"" thread pitch. Found 4 full threads at end of arbor and partial threads in the wedge slot cutout. The bolt head is 0.104\"" thick. My only concern is how long will this screw hold up under use? (Thinking thread stretch and opening up cyl. gap at attachment screw.) This model is a welcome addition to my collection. Would like to see this model with a Birdshead or Thunderer style grips instead."

Received in good condition fun to play with but not particularly useful. With recommended load took out a fired at wood pile; balls bounced off and hit me in leg broke out laughing. Next tried bird shot volume to volume about 1/3 oz shot; patterned about 2 1/2 ft at distance of 10 ft but no energy. Best practical use for it is training dog to sound of gun fire or chasing squirrels off bird feeder. fun to shoot though. Another notation also is took parts off my other 1851 navy and they all fit right on the frame.

If this is a Pietta the back strap for the hand grip flares back too much at the bottom. This tends to make the gun shoot high when pointed instinctively. One answer to this is to buy the hand grips for a 1861 Navy Colt revolver. These are the proper shape. The screw holes line up so it works fine. When the front sight for the Rogers and Spencer is available it makes an excellent replacement sight for the original one in the revolver. The original sights are not tall enough for accurate aimed fire making the revolver shoot high. A gunsmith can easily remove the original sight and replace it with the one for the Rogers and Spencer. At that point it's a simple matter of going to the range and filing the front sight until the revolver hits where it is aimed. That's a worthwhile update as the 1851 .36 caliber Navy revolver makes a fine small game handgun. During my college days I used a Euroarms 1851 Navy to put a lot of squirrels in the pot. The 36-caliber ball drops them instantly without destroying too much meat.

Bought as a gift for a friend. He says it didnt come with a ramrod, so, youll need to find something for loading it. Seems to function decent. Still playing with it to find a load it likes. Hes been using it like a shot gun. Being smoothbore, im actually not surprised to find it handles buck ok. Only real draw back is a lack of something to use to load it.