Colt 1851 Navy Revolver questions

[john@]

I'm looking a the Pietta made Colt 1851 Navy Revolvers Marstar has. Does anyone know how they compare to the originals?
I assume the construction and materials are better quality.
Are they exact copies? i.e. could you use parts from one of these to fix up an original? Like the cylinder/barrel etc...

I dont know much about these revolvers, why did the confederates use brass framed models and the union use steel frame (my understanding of the promotional info on Marstar website)? Were both sides supplied by Colt?

 

[tiriaq]

Some Confederate revolvers - but not all - used cast brass frames. Brass was available (one make used brass from the churchbells of Macon, Georgia), and casting brass requires a lower level of industrialization than forging steel.
Material quality in orginal Colts, and in quality modern repros is certainly acceptable. Originals were well made, so are the good repros. Generally speaking the repros have metric threads. Many parts can be used, although fitting may be required. Barrels and Cylinders? Maybe. I would not assume drop in, no fitting replacement.

 

[mooncoon]

there is a difference in the shaft diameters for the cylinder amongst other things. If my memory is correct the barrel on the original is also thicker than on the reproduction. I will try to remember to check tomorrow.

cheers mooncoon

 

[MauserMike]

I don't know if better quality is necessarily true for the repros. Modern steel is better yes but the originals were constructed by hand with very high quality parts, made of vintage materials of course.

The repros are blued steel. I think the grips are a bit smaller on the Piettas as well.

The Piettas are worth every cent for the price they are sold for IMO. My Pietta 1851 is a great shooter. I'm hoping to add a .44 cal revolver in the near future.

 

[dixda]

Some Confederate revolvers - but not all - used cast brass frames. Brass was available (one make used brass from the churchbells of Macon, Georgia), and casting brass requires a lower level of industrialization than forging steel.
Material quality in orginal Colts, and in quality modern repros is certainly acceptable. Originals were well made, so are the good repros. Generally speaking the repros have metric threads. Many parts can be used, although fitting may be required. Barrels and Cylinders? Maybe. I would not assume drop in, no fitting replacement.

I bought the parts replacement kit from Marstar, and the only dimensionable difference was the thickness of the hammer. (a couple thou. wider)
I also bought the Colt nipples from them, and they fit my original.
I found the old Navy arms 1851 nipple threads are the same as the originals too.
I have a number of spare cylinders (Uberti, third gen Colts, and ?) and will check to see what fits and indexes.
EDIT:
After trying to interchange parts,
the Navy Arms and Uberti barrels do not interchange.
The Navy Arms, the 3rd gen Colt, and one cylinder that I can't identify, fit and index. The Uberti does not.
I don't have any Pietta revolvers, so can't answer your original question. KD