looking @ an 1860 Navy Arms Revolver, are they a decent gun?

North East Redneck · June 9, 2012, 04:30 PM

What do you guys think of Navy Arms? How are their 1860's? Anything bad I should know before buying one?

Kadmos · June 9, 2012, 05:19 PM

The bulk of the one's I've seen were actually made by Uberti. So yeah, pretty good quality

Slamfire · June 9, 2012, 06:44 PM

Look to see if the front sight is at the 12 O'C position or off center at some weird and wacky angle.

If it is not exactly centered, it won't shoot to point of aim.

That in itself, is enough for me to walk away.

Hellgate · June 9, 2012, 10:21 PM

I wouldn't count on them all being made by Uberti. Check the manufacturer's mark on the gun. ASM (symbol ASM or SM), older Piettas (may have letters FAP inside a diamond), & Euroarms (Armi San Poalo, or letters DGG superimposed inside a circle) can be spotty in quality. The more recent Piettas (last 2 years maybe?) are better than the older ones.

Hawg · June 9, 2012, 10:44 PM

ASM internals were pretty soft but the fit and finish on most was very good. Euroarms(ASP) were good guns. Pietta quality before 2000 was spotty but they had some very good guns before then too. Since 2000 they're right there with Uberti, if not better action wise.

buckhorn · June 10, 2012, 01:20 PM

I've got an older Pietta [1991] that I converted with a Howell cylinder. It has never failed to function, EXCEPT when I first bought it I sat around dry-firing it and ruined the timing. I sent it back to Cabellas in 1997, they fixed and returned it to me. But, that's when they had an on-site gun-smith. That's not the case anymore. Anyway, I converted it about 5 years ago and it has operated flawlessly ever since, with .45 cowboy loads. If it's an Uberti, you can expect similar, and according to some, better performance.

zullo74 · June 10, 2012, 04:11 PM

Hey buckhorn,

Dry firing it certainly did not mess up the timing. Dry firing will flatten the nipples for sure, but what you did was wear out the soft internal parts. That would have happened to them even with live fire.

North East Redneck · June 10, 2012, 09:16 PM

Thanks for the input. Now I will know what to look for.

rkukoda · June 11, 2012, 01:45 PM

My very first firearm was an old cap and ball revolver that came from grandpa's attic and was given to me in 1967 ('58 Remington). I shot the daylights out of that one, and over the years acquired replicas in Colt Walker, 3rd Model Dragoon, 1860 Army, etc.

The one I shoot the best is a Navy Arms 1860 Army (Pietta) that I picked up in the early 1980's. I guess I got one of the better ones, thanks to luck of the draw.

I got away from black powder the last couple of decades and shot modern firearms. It happens that one of my son's friends picked up a cap and ball revolver, and once more I am burning black powder on a regular basis.

I decided that I wanted a matching Navy Arms 1860. Since they are no longer being imported by Navy Arms, I started looking at Gunbroker for a used one. After searching for several months, I found a NIB Uberti at a reasonable price, and bought it.

Upon receiving the Uberti, I was struck by the differences. Outward appearance and finish is close enough, although my Pietta has a bit more wear. The finish on the wood grips is satin on the Pietta (oil), shiny on the Uberti (varnish). I will probably change out the grips on both to faux ivory, and then they will look like a matching pair.

The most noticable difference is in the actions. My Pietta is smooth and crisp, but heavier than the Uberti. The action on the Uberti is perfect... I guess I will have to do some internal work to my old Pietta and try to even things out.

buckhorn · June 11, 2012, 03:50 PM

Zullo, the repair invoice, [no charge by the way] was "Cylinder replaced, timing corrected" I think the bolt was replaced as well. Never-the-less, the problem as never repeated. Of course, I don't sit around dry firing since I converted it. I also am 22 years older and know better how to handle firearms. I hate 'cylinder turn rings, and I avoid functioning a revolver unless I'm Firing it, or reloading it. "WITH AGE COMES WISDOM". Thanks for the info. By the way, I dry fired that poor thing hundreds of times, together with my brothers and friends. We used to think we were "Wyatt EARP". No such problem anymore, as I learned respect for firearms years ago.

June 9, 2012, 04:30 PM	#1
North East Redneck Senior Member Join Date: June 6, 2012 Location: Berkshire Hills Posts: 741	looking @ an 1860 Navy Arms Revolver, are they a decent gun? What do you guys think of Navy Arms? How are their 1860's? Anything bad I should know before buying one? __________________ NRA Patron Member SAF Life Member GOAL Member

June 9, 2012, 06:44 PM	#3
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	Look to see if the front sight is at the 12 O'C position or off center at some weird and wacky angle. If it is not exactly centered, it won't shoot to point of aim. That in itself, is enough for me to walk away. __________________ If I'm not shooting, I'm reloading.

June 9, 2012, 10:21 PM	#4
Hellgate Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2010 Location: Orygun Posts: 869	I wouldn't count on them all being made by Uberti. Check the manufacturer's mark on the gun. ASM (symbol ASM or SM), older Piettas (may have letters FAP inside a diamond), & Euroarms (Armi San Poalo, or letters DGG superimposed inside a circle) can be spotty in quality. The more recent Piettas (last 2 years maybe?) are better than the older ones. __________________ With over 15 perCUSSIN' revolvers, I've been called the Imelda Marcos of cap & ball. SASS#3302 (Life), SASS Regulator, NRA (Life), Dirty Gamey Bastards #129 Wolverton Mtn. Peacekeepers (WA), former Orygun Cowboy (Ranger, Posse from Hell)

June 10, 2012, 01:20 PM	#6
buckhorn Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2012 Location: mid michigan Posts: 196	1860 colt I've got an older Pietta [1991] that I converted with a Howell cylinder. It has never failed to function, EXCEPT when I first bought it I sat around dry-firing it and ruined the timing. I sent it back to Cabellas in 1997, they fixed and returned it to me. But, that's when they had an on-site gun-smith. That's not the case anymore. Anyway, I converted it about 5 years ago and it has operated flawlessly ever since, with .45 cowboy loads. If it's an Uberti, you can expect similar, and according to some, better performance.

June 10, 2012, 09:16 PM	#8
North East Redneck Senior Member Join Date: June 6, 2012 Location: Berkshire Hills Posts: 741	Thanks for the input. Now I will know what to look for. __________________ NRA Patron Member SAF Life Member GOAL Member

June 9, 2012, 05:19 PM	#2
Kadmos Member Join Date: April 27, 2010 Posts: 93	The bulk of the one's I've seen were actually made by Uberti. So yeah, pretty good quality

June 9, 2012, 10:44 PM	#5
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	ASM internals were pretty soft but the fit and finish on most was very good. Euroarms(ASP) were good guns. Pietta quality before 2000 was spotty but they had some very good guns before then too. Since 2000 they're right there with Uberti, if not better action wise.

June 10, 2012, 04:11 PM	#7
zullo74 Junior member Join Date: August 8, 2009 Posts: 374	Hey buckhorn, Dry firing it certainly did not mess up the timing. Dry firing will flatten the nipples for sure, but what you did was wear out the soft internal parts. That would have happened to them even with live fire.

June 11, 2012, 01:45 PM	#9
rkukoda Junior Member Join Date: March 16, 2012 Posts: 2	My very first firearm was an old cap and ball revolver that came from grandpa's attic and was given to me in 1967 ('58 Remington). I shot the daylights out of that one, and over the years acquired replicas in Colt Walker, 3rd Model Dragoon, 1860 Army, etc. The one I shoot the best is a Navy Arms 1860 Army (Pietta) that I picked up in the early 1980's. I guess I got one of the better ones, thanks to luck of the draw. I got away from black powder the last couple of decades and shot modern firearms. It happens that one of my son's friends picked up a cap and ball revolver, and once more I am burning black powder on a regular basis. I decided that I wanted a matching Navy Arms 1860. Since they are no longer being imported by Navy Arms, I started looking at Gunbroker for a used one. After searching for several months, I found a NIB Uberti at a reasonable price, and bought it. Upon receiving the Uberti, I was struck by the differences. Outward appearance and finish is close enough, although my Pietta has a bit more wear. The finish on the wood grips is satin on the Pietta (oil), shiny on the Uberti (varnish). I will probably change out the grips on both to faux ivory, and then they will look like a matching pair. The most noticable difference is in the actions. My Pietta is smooth and crisp, but heavier than the Uberti. The action on the Uberti is perfect... I guess I will have to do some internal work to my old Pietta and try to even things out.

June 11, 2012, 03:50 PM	#10
buckhorn Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2012 Location: mid michigan Posts: 196	Zullo, the repair invoice, [no charge by the way] was "Cylinder replaced, timing corrected" I think the bolt was replaced as well. Never-the-less, the problem as never repeated. Of course, I don't sit around dry firing since I converted it. I also am 22 years older and know better how to handle firearms. I hate 'cylinder turn rings, and I avoid functioning a revolver unless I'm Firing it, or reloading it. "WITH AGE COMES WISDOM". Thanks for the info. By the way, I dry fired that poor thing hundreds of times, together with my brothers and friends. We used to think we were "Wyatt EARP". No such problem anymore, as I learned respect for firearms years ago. Last edited by buckhorn; June 11, 2012 at 03:57 PM.

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