1851 Navy Pepperbox

GaryED50 · April 22, 2021, 09:45 PM

Hi guys

Thinking of adding this oddball to my collection. Has anyone here bought or fired one?

darkgael · April 23, 2021, 07:41 AM

Looks like “up close and personal”. I expect that it is a smoothbore.

GaryED50 · April 23, 2021, 07:56 AM

Yep the one I examined at my LGS was smoothbore. Very much a belly gun

AKexpat · April 23, 2021, 03:10 PM

It is nothing more than a Pietta 1851 Navy .36 steel framed revolver. It still has the barrel lug locating pins on the frame and the wedge slot in the arbor. The end of the arbor has been drilled and tapped for the cylinder retaining screw.

If the smoothbore cylinder was available separately, any of my Pietta 1851 .36 Navy "type" revolvers could easily become a "pepperbox".

Regards,

Jim

Hawg · April 23, 2021, 03:47 PM

I'm wondering how long it will hold up with an unsupported arbor.

AKexpat · April 23, 2021, 03:51 PM

^^^+1

noelf2 · April 23, 2021, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawg

I'm wondering how long it will hold up with an unsupported arbor.

Forever if you don't drop it. No guns hold up well if they're dropped a lot. My pietta pepperbox can shoot a 1 inch group in a pie plate at 12 inches.

noelf2 · April 23, 2021, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryED50

Hi guys

Thinking of adding this oddball to my collection. Has anyone here bought or fired one?

They look better with the thunderer grip that comes with the pietta snubbies.

Pathfinder45 · April 24, 2021, 02:51 AM

I think it's ridiculous. I would call it stupid except for the fact that stupid often sells well. So maybe it's actually a smart bet on the part of the maker since there's no shortage of, umm, err..., fellows, that might buy it because they have more money than they need for other more practical things. It invites ridicule, as it should. "If we make it, they will buy it." There are at least several other firearms and related items that are equally worthy of derision; so, yeah, go for it.

TruthTellers · April 24, 2021, 05:33 AM

I normally like the things Pietta makes... but not these. OP, if you must buy one to try one, get it used.

noelf2 · April 24, 2021, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pathfinder45

I think it's ridiculous. I would call it stupid except for the fact that stupid often sells well. So maybe it's actually a smart bet on the part of the maker since there's no shortage of, umm, err..., fellows, that might buy it because they have more money than they need for other more practical things. It invites ridicule, as it should. "If we make it, they will buy it." There are at least several other firearms and related items that are equally worthy of derision; so, yeah, go for it.

Ridiculous guns are one of my interests, and it's awesome to have so much expendable $$...

OP..If you fancy one, get one.You won't be disappointed. The real umm err fellows are the ones that think you should think like them. You do you!

GaryED50 · April 25, 2021, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TruthTellers

I normally like the things Pietta makes... but not these. OP, if you must buy one to try one, get it used.

Cabela's has it brand new for $229

Gary

**Aguila Blanca** · April 25, 2021, 01:17 PM

Cool! Another historical reproduction of a firearm that never existed in history.

GaryED50 · April 25, 2021, 07:54 PM

Do you get the feeling Pietta had a party one night and after a few one of the designers said "Hey I have an idea what to do with some of the extra parts"

noelf2 · April 25, 2021, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryED50

Do you get the feeling Pietta had a party one night and after a few one of the designers said "Hey I have an idea what to do with some of the extra parts"

Not really. Tooling for the cylinder wouldn't be a spare parts sort of thing. But it is a revolver that is a breeze to tune, with no barrel to cylinder gap, arbor depth issues, or need for a wedge. I originally got mine on a Cabela's sale with the intention of fitting a 36 cal cylinder and sheriff barrel to it as well, but the wedge started messing with the screw threads in the arbor's wedge slot so I gave up on that idea. I had an 1851 snub with the thunderer grip, and swapped grips with the pepperbox. The .36 cylinder and sheriff barrel work great on the snub's frame as well so it wasn't a total failure. The pepperbox looks awesome cool with the thunderer grip though.

Hawg · April 26, 2021, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noelf2

The pepperbox looks awesome cool with the thunderer grip though.

If you say so.

noelf2 · April 26, 2021, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawg

If you say so.

I do!

GaryED50 · April 26, 2021, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noelf2

I do!

Looks good to this guy!

jdc606 · April 26, 2021, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noelf2

with the intention of fitting a 36 cal cylinder and sheriff barrel to it as well, but the wedge started messing with the screw threads in the arbor's wedge slot so I gave up on that idea.

Yes, bought a new Pietta 1851 Navy assembled using the pepperbox arbor. Doesn't work as the wedge slot got real sloppy in less than two cylinders fired. Sent the revolver to EMF and Pietta sent a complete replacement revolver.
Discussed the issue first with Pietta who thought the pepperbox arbor should work. The tech at EMF said they've received many returns that demonstrate the pepperbox arbor doesn't hold up if you are planning on switching from pepperbox to '51 Navy revolver should you decide the pepperbox is not to your liking.

101combatvet · April 26, 2021, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pathfinder45

I think it's ridiculous. I would call it stupid except for the fact that stupid often sells well. So maybe it's actually a smart bet on the part of the maker since there's no shortage of, umm, err..., fellows, that might buy it because they have more money than they need for other more practical things. It invites ridicule, as it should. "If we make it, they will buy it." There are at least several other firearms and related items that are equally worthy of derision; so, yeah, go for it.

Yeah, it reminds me of the self-defense pistols my sister and brother-in-law carry. She carries a .22 caliber revolver, and he has a Derringer cambered in 4-10.

AKexpat · April 26, 2021, 04:47 PM

When Pietta did their "brainstorming" session concerning the Navy "Pepperbox" .36 they completely missed an opportunity to create an even more non-historical revolver with a Dragoon-style kaboom: the 1862 J.H. Dance and Brothers .44 Pepperbox.

Pietta has been manufacturing the Dance .44 based upon a Navy frame that has the complete water table lowered to accommodate the non-rebated .44 cylinder since ~1996 and CNC machined since ~2002. It would have been just as easy to create a .44 cylinder the length of the .36 cylinder.

Pietta Dance .44.

Comparison of cylinder diameters between the Pietta Dance .44 cylinder and the Pietta Navy .36 cylinders.

Myself, I do not understand the fascination with snubbie C&B revolvers other than as a curiosity, and am not downing folks who enjoy them.

A matter of taste, I suppose.

Regards,

Jim

AKexpat · April 26, 2021, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 101combatvet

Yeah, it reminds me of the self-defense pistols my sister and brother-in-law carry. She carries a .22 caliber revolver, and he has a Derringer cambered in 4-10.

I don't want to hijack this thread so I will keep it short. A .22 is better than no gun at all. The .410 derringer is a good one-shot gun with 2-1/2" cartridges having 5 lead round balls, but it is only a one shot gun. I still prefer my slab-sided 1911 .45 inside the waistband for HD/SD.

Regards,

Jim

noelf2 · April 26, 2021, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKexpat

Myself, I do not understand the fascination with snubbie C&B revolvers other than as a curiosity, and am not downing folks who enjoy them.

I got a bit bored with my 1851 Snubby, so I decided to have more options. It can now be a .36 sheriff and a .44 buntline as well.

April 22, 2021, 09:45 PM	#1
GaryED50 Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2012 Location: Dawsonville Georgia Posts: 542	1851 Navy Pepperbox Hi guys Thinking of adding this oddball to my collection. Has anyone here bought or fired one?

April 23, 2021, 07:41 AM	#2
darkgael Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania. Posts: 5,473	1851 Looks like “up close and personal”. I expect that it is a smoothbore. __________________ “Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway ... NRA Life Member

April 24, 2021, 05:33 AM	#10
TruthTellers Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2016 Posts: 3,962	I normally like the things Pietta makes... but not these. OP, if you must buy one to try one, get it used. __________________ "We always think there's gonna be more time... then it runs out."

April 25, 2021, 01:17 PM	#13
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 19,051	Cool! Another historical reproduction of a firearm that never existed in history. __________________ NRA Life Member / Certified Instructor NRA Chief RSO / CMP RSO 1911 Certified Armorer Jeepaholic

April 23, 2021, 07:56 AM	#3
GaryED50 Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2012 Location: Dawsonville Georgia Posts: 542	Yep the one I examined at my LGS was smoothbore. Very much a belly gun

April 23, 2021, 03:10 PM	#4
AKexpat Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2014 Location: SW WA State Posts: 490	It is nothing more than a Pietta 1851 Navy .36 steel framed revolver. It still has the barrel lug locating pins on the frame and the wedge slot in the arbor. The end of the arbor has been drilled and tapped for the cylinder retaining screw. If the smoothbore cylinder was available separately, any of my Pietta 1851 .36 Navy "type" revolvers could easily become a "pepperbox". Regards, Jim

April 23, 2021, 03:47 PM	#5
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,380	I'm wondering how long it will hold up with an unsupported arbor.

April 23, 2021, 03:51 PM	#6
AKexpat Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2014 Location: SW WA State Posts: 490	^^^+1

April 24, 2021, 02:51 AM	#9
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	I think it's ridiculous. I would call it stupid except for the fact that stupid often sells well. So maybe it's actually a smart bet on the part of the maker since there's no shortage of, umm, err..., fellows, that might buy it because they have more money than they need for other more practical things. It invites ridicule, as it should. "If we make it, they will buy it." There are at least several other firearms and related items that are equally worthy of derision; so, yeah, go for it.

April 25, 2021, 07:54 PM	#14
GaryED50 Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2012 Location: Dawsonville Georgia Posts: 542	Do you get the feeling Pietta had a party one night and after a few one of the designers said "Hey I have an idea what to do with some of the extra parts"

April 26, 2021, 04:47 PM	#21
AKexpat Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2014 Location: SW WA State Posts: 490	When Pietta did their "brainstorming" session concerning the Navy "Pepperbox" .36 they completely missed an opportunity to create an even more non-historical revolver with a Dragoon-style kaboom: the 1862 J.H. Dance and Brothers .44 Pepperbox. Pietta has been manufacturing the Dance .44 based upon a Navy frame that has the complete water table lowered to accommodate the non-rebated .44 cylinder since ~1996 and CNC machined since ~2002. It would have been just as easy to create a .44 cylinder the length of the .36 cylinder. Pietta Dance .44. Comparison of cylinder diameters between the Pietta Dance .44 cylinder and the Pietta Navy .36 cylinders. Myself, I do not understand the fascination with snubbie C&B revolvers other than as a curiosity, and am not downing folks who enjoy them. A matter of taste, I suppose. Regards, Jim