Colt replicas, brass or steel frame cap and ball revolvers, which do you prefer and i

[Ozzieman]

Colt replicas, brass or steel frame cap and ball revolvers, which do you prefer and if you care to, why.

I have a large number of Italian cap and ball colt replica revolvers, one of them is over 35 years old and has shot probably close to 1000 rounds plus, and is still very tight and shoots well.
The reason that I started this thread is that in another several people mentioned that brass framed revolvers are crap. I have had nothing but good experiences with my brass guns and although I only have one that’s a steel frame I really don’t see any disadvantage in the brass,,,, and they do look better

[Ozzieman]

Sorry ran out of letters for the title.
And didn’t catch it before I entered it.

[the rifleer]

I bought a ruger old army. I was planning to buy a cheap brass frame, but i got an offer to buy the ruger very cheaply, so i did. I'm also glad i did because its turning out to be an exceptional little shooter.

With that said I think that if you can buy a steel frame, do. Its nice to know that you have the best there is. However if you buy a brass frame and it works well, why does it matter what others think? I'm sure that if i had bought a brass revolver and it worked well, I wouldn't care.

[CraigC]

Brass backstraps or triggerguards are cool but with all due respect to my Confederate forefathers, brass receivers just never did look quite right to me.

[Smokin_Gun]

Remington Revolvers and all of um were steel.

Couldn't help myself

Colt made no brass framed Revs that I'm aware of...
But I like both Brass or steel framed replica Navies in .36 or .44 . And of course I like all CSA Brass & Steel framers.

[madcratebuilder]

I have had nothing but good experiences with my brass guns and although I only have one that’s a steel frame I really don’t see any disadvantage in the brass,,,, and they do look better

+1 My experience also.

Brass frame open tops are historically correct. I have some confederate replicas with brass frames and I have a few other brassers and they shoot well, you just need to know that you can't fill them up with powder like some folks do.

[Doc Hoy]

But I would not let them worry you and you will know why when you read about them.

1. (One time) Brass frame 1851 pattern in Navy caliber (Sheriff's model) I knocked the arbor loose in a chain fire event and have not shot it since. It is the only time I ever had a revolver chain fire so I don't know if a similar event in a steel frame revolver would damage the arbor/frame mating. Others may want to wade in here.

2. (Continuing) When I polish up a brass frame revolver with Neverdull or Brasso, it shines like a ruby in a goat's a__ __. I hate to shoot them when they look so nice. I let them tarnish a bit and then I don't mind so much. The result is to reduce the number of pistols I shoot from 18 down to 14. BUT when I do shoot them, the oldest one I have, (like yours) is still tight. (Accept for that Sheriff's Model)

Tnx,

[arcticap]

I like the color silver better than golden yellow.
I also like the look of white gold better than yellow gold, case color, blue or black steel better than plain brass, cast iron engine block better than aluminum, and steel frame modern guns better than a plastic/composite frame.
I think that it's mostly just personal taste along with some perception about the relative strength of each as well as their weights.

[Deadguy]

I have a brasser as well, put hundreds of rounds through it, never any problems. As long as you keep the loads moderate I'm sure your brasser will be a good shooter at a great price. It just will never be a "magnum" pistol. Oh well, it was never meant to be!

[4V50 Gary]

Brass is fine for non-stress parts like the trigger guard or even the back-strap. It will do in a pinch for a frame, but won't have the longevity of a steel frame. Brass was used as an expedient and had the Confederates the steel, they would have used that instead.

[Hawg]

Brass frame open tops are historically correct.

In .36 not .44

Make mine steel.

[sundance44s]

I like mine Historically correct ..in caliber and metal finish .
So I can not say I like the steel frame better than the brass .
also the only purdy guns to me are the ones that shoot straight ..
Guess I`m picky ...

[Dingoboyx]

But to shoot, steel is for me. If I wanted another one for looking at only or display purposes only, a brass one would be nice. Why? Evidently brass ones dont last if shot alot, brass is soft. I can't remember who, but one of the guys on here has buckets of stuffed brass frames, Piettas & colts from memory.

I think if you put another option in the poll

"brass to look at/collect or steel to shoot regularly"

I reckon that would get most of the votes (would get mine, TFS)

I voted steel BTW.

[SigP6Carry]

I have a Pietta Brass Frame .44 Navy (is that the weirdest thing you've ever heard?) that I've yet to fire. When I do decide to sink the money into firing it, I've decided that I'm going to use the lowest rating of powder possible to fire it and prevent wear, I'm thinking 12grains. It'll be enough to have fun shooting without worrying about too much power or strain, I'm thinking. I do prefer the look of brass, but looking back, I'm wishing it were steel instead, just for longevity.

[budroe]

Dixie Gun Works, which has been around for a lot of years used to put a disclaimer in their catalogs saying that brass frame handguns will not hold up well under continuous heavy loads. The only BP revolver I've owned was a 1851 Colt (steel frame). I gave it to my F-I-L.

[Doc Hoy]

Thomme,

Remember the strain you put on the revolver during the loading process. Might want to stick with .451s if they work for you.

Tnx,

[SigP6Carry]

well, Pietta suggests .454 balls, but if you think the .451's would work better, I'll give those a try.

[Noz]

Thomme, 12 grains is awfully light. You may not be able to get any compression in an Army without going to a filler of some sort.

[madcratebuilder]

well, Pietta suggests .454 balls, but if you think the .451's would work better, I'll give those a try.

I have the same revolver, chambers mic .445 to .447, and my manual (if you can call it that) recommended .451rb. This particular one shaves a good ring with .451 but some may need the .454 to get a good ring of lead. .454 may shoot better because of a wider contact area with the barrel lands so if you can ram that size ball go for it.

[James K]

The C.S. manufacturers used brass because they had to; the state of the Southern industry was not up to using cast or wrought iron. In fact, steel at the time was not in use for revolver frames, it was too rare and expensive. That was the reason for case hardening frames; iron cannot be hardened, so case hardening was the only way to make a revolver frame that would resist wear from the movement of the internal parts.

Still, brass simply is not as hard or strong as even iron, let alone modern steel. It may look good (or be historically correct for copies of C.S. revolvers), but for shooting, the high quality steel of modern replicas is much preferable.

Jim

[Ozzieman]

Good inputs every one,,, thanks,,,

[Doc Hoy]

What MCB said about .454s.

[Hawg]

The C.S. manufacturers used brass because they had to; the state of the Southern industry was not up to using cast or wrought iron.

Not true, they used gun metal which was bronze that was heavy on copper because it was cheaper than iron. They used the iron for other purposes like rifle barrels.

[CraigC]

Bronze is typically stronger than brass. I have to wonder if the old Confederate bronze frame sixguns were actually stronger than our modern brass framed replicas???

[Dingoboyx]

Thomme, why don't you keep your unfired brass one unfired.... look for a second hand (or new) steel one to flog to death and keep the nice brass one as a 'looker'?

My idea of getting a second hand one, is it is already a bit used and knocked about, so you can just knock yourself out and shoot the shot out of it & have a real blast