1858 Remingtons

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

This weekend I bought two 1858 sheriff model Remington Army Pistols .

 

Im already slow and No needing to fight it.

So the way I figure it .

lets see how long I can Make them hold there breath.

 

I sm going to run these 1858 Remingtons and my Henry 1860 44/40 and my Mule eared 12ga .

All with Goex BP.

 

Im have owned a couple ROA in past.

Anything I need to know about Pietta 1858's ?

Edited December 5, 2016 by Rooster Ron Wayne

[Al OVERA, SASS#26238 Life]

I have found Piettas to be a crap shoot, accuracy wise. Some are OK, most I've had aren't. Looking down the barrels, some have good deep rifling, others have almost been smoothbores. At CAS distances I guess it doesn't matter too much, but MY preferences for "58s are Uberti.

AL

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

I have 2 Uberti 58's and a real Remington. All are cartridge converted.

 

I'd assume Piettas are similar enough to the others that this information will be of use to you.

 

Operation wise they are not all that different from a Colt. They fit the hand well, and I don't really notice any appreciable difference in them. The "shape" is a little different of course, but not so dramatically that it feels weird to me.

 

I will say this...

 

Both of my Uberti's and the real Remington developed some timing issues. It seemed to be exactly the same in the original as in the reproductions, which makes me wonder if it's a design flaw. A good gunsmith was able to fix the issue for me on all three pistols. I don't know if the Pietta has the same issue or not. Or if I just got very unlucky.

 

Good luck with the pistols and enjoy them.

[Cowboy Rick, SASS #49739L]

My 58 Remies are very accurate, all 8 of them. The biggest deal is to keep the cylinder face clean and the arbor/base pin lubed. They'll run all day.

 

CR

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

My 58 Remies are very accurate, all 8 of them. The biggest deal is to keep the cylinder face clean and the arbor/base pin lubed. They'll run all day.

 

CR

That sounds a little more hopeful,

Then the first two post .

I thought crap what did I just get myself into ?

 

Just sounded like a lot of fun to Me :-)

[McCandless]

I found mine to be quite accurate, BP fouling needed to be cleaned off the cylinder pin, barrel face and cylinder face after every few stages to keep it running nicely. I widened the rear sights on mine to make front sight acquisition faster. I carried spare parts with me, and had to replace pieces every now and then. (Cheap and easy to get hold of) because it is an old design and we do shoot the heck outa them. Very easy gun to take down and clean or repair.

 

Cap fragments don't fall into the action as with the Colt design, but can get down between the grip and your palm I found that getting aftermarket nipples, like the Slik-X or Treso Ampco and Remington Caps helped a lot.

 

Good Shootin'!

Edited December 5, 2016 by McCandless

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

 

The biggest deal is to keep the cylinder face clean and the arbor/base pin lubed. They'll run all day.

Howdy

 

It does not matter what brand you buy, the lack of a bushing on the front of the cylinder of the 1858 Remington means that Black Powder fouling blasted out of the barrel cylinder gap finds its way easily to the cylinder pin, causing the guns to bind up quickly.

 

I have an old EuroArms Remmie that I bought new in 1975, and a Stainless Uberti Remmie that I bought about ten years ago. Both have been converted to fire 45 Colt cartridges. I find that even with the best BP compatible lube on my bullets, I have to remove the cylinders and wipe off the front face with a damp cloth after every cylinder full, or they will start to bind up. Luckily, it is simpler and quicker to remove the cylinder on a Remmie than a Colt C&B clone.

 

But I do have to do it after every cylinder full or they will bind up.

 

Your mileage may vary.

 

Here is my old EuroArms Remmie with its conversion cylinder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I chucked the cylinder pin in my drill press and used a file to cut some grooves around the cylinder pin. I slather Bore Butter into the grooves to help keep the Remingtons rolling during a match. It does not really help much, but it does not hurt. Just be sure you don't cut the grooves too deep, weakening the pin.

 

 

 

 

 

For what it's worth, this old Remmie with its conversion cylinder is the most accurate 45 Colt revolver I own. More accurate than my Colts, clones, or Rugers. But it is the tight tolerances of the chambers that makes it so accurate, not just the rifling in the bore.

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

I found mine to be quite accurate, BP fouling needed to be cleaned off the cylinder pin, barrel face and cylinder face after every few stages to keep it running nicely. I widened the rear sights on mine to make front sight acquisition faster. I carried spare parts with me, and had to replace pieces every now and then. (Cheap and easy to get hold of) because it is an old design and we do shoot the heck outa them. Very easy gun to take down and clean or repair.

 

Cap fragments don't fall into the action as with the Colt design, but can get down between the grip and your palm I found that getting aftermarket nipples, like the Slik-X or Treso Ampco and Remington Caps helped a lot.

 

Good Shootin'!

 

What spare parts should I get to have on hand ?

[Flinch Lock]

Rooster

I shot Pietta 58's 44's for years, I ran 454 balls with lubed wads, after every stage I would pull the cylinders, wipe them and the pin down, use a loading stand, load the cylinders and grease up the pins with mink oil, that made em run smooth. The main problem I had was banging my middle finger with the trigger guard and catching caps in the palm of my hand, that will make a man out of you with a burning cap in your hand and still hitting the target...

[McCandless]

What spare parts should I get to have on hand ?

These have everything you might need... http://www.cabelas.com/product/Pietta-Replacement-Black-Powder-Revolver-Parts-Kit/740233.uts

[watab kid]

i want one of these in the worst way - i love these ild revolvers ,

[Cowboy Rick, SASS #49739L]

i want one of these in the worst way - i love these ild revolvers ,

Watch the sales at Cabelas. You can get them for well under $200 from time to time

[Cemetery]

My pair of 1860s used to bind up real bad, even during a stage with clean cylinder faces, and fresh loob on the arbor.

 

Not sure what you use, but I found synthetic grease on the arbor, and a drop or two of Triflow in the cylinder/arbor gap when the gun is reassembled keeps 'em running for five stages without any problem. Maybe this combo might work on your Remmie's.....

[Hoss]

Rooster

I shot Pietta 58's 44's for years, I ran 454 balls with lubed wads, after every stage I would pull the cylinders, wipe them and the pin down, use a loading stand, load the cylinders and grease up the pins with mink oil, that made em run smooth. The main problem I had was banging my middle finger with the trigger guard and catching caps in the palm of my hand, that will make a man out of you with a burning cap in your hand and still hitting the target...

The cap in the palm will definitely get your attention!

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

The cap in the palm will definitely get your attention!

LOL I can picture it lol

[Noz]

I've had the palm cap that was hot enough that I had to pull the cap and a sizeable chunk of skin to get it off.

 

It WILL get your attention.

[Cowboy Rick, SASS #49739L]

I've taken to wrapping the base of my index and middle fingers with waterproof bandage tape. Helps a LOT

 

CR

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

I've taken to wrapping the base of my index and middle fingers with waterproof bandage tape. Helps a LOT

 

CR

To help with hitting on the back strap ?

[Tommy tornado]

I used to shoot 1858 Remingtons. Yes, either wipe the cylinder face and pin, or be lazy like me and carry a small spray bottle of Balistol or the the like. Make sure you have a towel for your hands.

[Smilinjeff]

Great guns, but your middle finger sure takes a beatin

[Pit Bull Tex]

I got small hands and my 58 uberti don't hurt my fingers.Mr. McCandless must have taught these SS Uberti s not to hurt my fingers.The lower hammers sure make them easy to cock. But I still get a spent cap in my palm some time.Hope you enjoy the 58s.They sure point good with 5 1/2" barrels.

[Cowboy Rick, SASS #49739L]

To help with hitting on the back strap ?

This prevents the occasional spent cap from embedding itself into those parts of my hand. I find that the Tresso nipples hold the caps better than the Slix brand, but both will occasionally remind me that I forgot to apply the tape

 

I have big hands, but the Pietta 58 grips seem to work out OK. Lowering the hammers made them more like my Rugers with the Super Blackhawk hammers and make them easier to shoot.

 

CR

[Blood Washed SASS #79269]

I've taken to wrapping the base of my index and middle fingers with waterproof bandage tape. Helps a LOT

 

CR

Now Cowboy Rick...that just ain't right....Here I thought all this time that you was just a tough ole cowboy and nothing bothers ya...Ha, now I know

[Cowboy Rick, SASS #49739L]

Now Cowboy Rick...that just ain't right....Here I thought all this time that you was just a tough ole cowboy and nothing bothers ya...Ha, now I know

Tough and fireproof are two different things

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

I just ordered me four new cylinders.

This way I will only need to load two times at a shoot.

You all have a Blessed Holiday Season :-)

[John Henry Quick]

I just ordered me four new cylinders.

This way I will only need to load two times at a shoot.

You all have a Blessed Holiday Season :-)

 

You can open up the access to the nipples so that you can easily use a capper - do a search because I recall there being photos posted. If you can't find them, let me know and I'll snap a photo of mine.

[Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129]

I had a Pietta and I have a Uberti 58 ...

The Pietta was junk !!!

The Uberti will shoot better groups at 75 yards than the Pietta will at 50 Feet ...

 

I kept the Uberti not so the Pietta ...

 

I find cocking the Remmies to be slow and a hard reach for the hammer ... They are fine for target work ...

 

But they do NOT fit my hands near as nicely as a Navy Grip Colt ... Nor do they point as naturally ...

 

Jabez Cowboy

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

You can open up the access to the nipples so that you can easily use a capper - do a search because I recall there being photos posted. If you can't find them, let me know and I'll snap a photo of mine.

Thanks Pard .

I did watch a Video on Youtube by Duelist1954 .

Spells it all out :-)

Have a Marry Christmas.

[John Henry Quick]

Thanks Pard .

I did watch a Video on Youtube by Duelist1954 .

Spells it all out :-)

Have a Marry Christmas.

 

Excellent - you'll be glad you did.

 

Merry Christmas!

[Seldom Seen #16162]

Rooster,

 

I recommend that you disassemble your gun and check the inside of the action for burrs. Mine had a very sharp burr on the inside of the slot that the hand rides though. If left there it would have quickly wore a groove into the hand causing problems. I removed the burr with a small flat file. However if you do not have a small enough file this is something that needs to go to a gunsmith.

 

Also the mainspring is way to strong and really smashes the caps. I have thinned mine some but it still can benefit from more thinning. It makes for a simple cold winter day project.

 

Your 1858 needs to be carried in period correct leather holster;

 

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

I have one, and although I really enjoy shooting it, I haven't bothered shooting it in a SASS match. The only other cap-and-ball I have is a '51 Navy, and it tends to experience severe lockups when a piece of the cap falls down into the action. The Remmy doesn't do that, so it's on my "someday" list to get another one for SASS.

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

I am planning on using my 58s a couple times

A year for Cowboy action

 

I do see the more you shoot them

The more you like them .

 

I going to take some advice I was giving

And work up to 12 cylinders.

Load them all at home

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

I am planning on using my 58s a couple times

A year for Cowboy action

 

I do see the more you shoot them

The more you like them .

 

I going to take some advice I was giving

And work up to 12 cylinders.

Load them all at home

 

Get yourself a single shot rifle and shoot the Plainsman at big matches. It's my favorite side match.

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

Get yourself a single shot rifle and shoot the Plainsman at big matches. It's my favorite side match.

I have a Pedersoli Remington rolling block 45/70 Creedmore .

Will this work ?

[McCandless]

Congrats on your cap guns! I have a few myself. The Piettas are just the ticket if you're going with extra cylinders. They won't break the bank and they're readily available. With all my Italian percussion pistols I broke them down and stoned the slots for the hand and the bolt. Uberti, Pietta, Ami San Paolo, Armi San Marco, they all had burrs and roughness in the slots. Check to see if the sides of the hammer rub against the frame as it falls. You night have to relieve a bit there too.

When buying extra cylinders, try to stay with new ones, or ask the seller if they are the newer-wider slot cylinders or not. The older guns had a narrower bolt and a corresponding narrower slot for the bolt stop.

 

Good shootin' and Merry Christmas!

Edited December 25, 2016 by McCandless