Just received my new '51 Navy from Midway

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

My first BP pistol.
Ordered on the 19th and it arrived on Brown this afternoon. That is the fastest Midway has ever shipped to me.
What a pretty gun. Gritty hammer, but nice trigger.
I'll take it apart and clean it up tomorrow.
I have Pyro P for it and a couple of boxes of ball. Also might try T7fff or no?
My buddy Frank picked me up some #10's the other day but I won't get over to pick them up 'till Tuesday on my way back from a goose hunt.

 

[deermanok]

Sounds good. Where's the pictures?

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

Trying to figger how to post pics

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

Oops I done something wrong getting double pics
Any how it’s much bigger than my little edc P11 and a might heavier

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

When I took it apart to clean it up from the storage oils I find these scratches

 

[Bad Karma]

When I took it apart to clean it up from the storage oils I find these scratches

That’s not ideal... pietta? They make a consistent product and the best of the Italian repops may require some cleaning and de burring before they really run well.

 

[Kowalski1]

Try Triple Seven.

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

Have you shot 777 in one? Pietta manual says BP or Pyrodex only. IIRC.

I'm shooting a light load of 13 Gr. Pyro P with a commercial lubed wad and 13 Gr. vol. filler.
I'm going to make some Gato Feo soon as I get work projects out of the way to get some real lube in the barrel.
Still have a lot of experimenting to do.
BTW: anyone with an 1858 .36 Sheriff steel they want to sell?

 

[Aaron871]

Nice looking rig....

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

At 10 yards it shoots about 4" high with 13 Gr Pyro P, I guess I can call it good, or should I file the sight notch in the hammer?

 

[Frank in Fairfield]

John, How is the front attached? Glued? Larger front sight..

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

Had to go find the pistol, thought I left it at the cabin.

 

[Bad Karma]

At 10 yards it shoots about 4" high with 13 Gr Pyro P, I guess I can call it good, or should I file the sight notch in the hammer?

Shoot it a while until you know what the best loads are and then, yeah you can file the nose of the hammer lower to raise the point of impact...

 

[NIGHTWOLF1974]

.36 or .44?

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

.36, Don't know if I can handle a big .44.
I would have preferred a steel vs brass but this Pietta became available, and they were like hens teeth when I was looking. Still searching for an 1858 .36 Sheriffs model so I can stiffen the loads.
As it is, with about 15 gr vol. Pyro P (I think a .380 brass case full) a plain 1/4 felt and a 1/4 felt coated in Gato Feo lube makes for a nice plinking load.

 

[NIGHTWOLF1974]

I always shot 15 grns. of 3F in my .36s. with a Oxyoke Wonder Wad on top of the powder, and a .375"RB on top of the wad.

And in the 1851s, I prefer the look of the brass frame over the steel.

 

[Half-Cocked]

I contacted pietta and hodgden about running t7 in a brass 1851. Conflicting information...

Hodgden says
Hello Half-cocked, thank you for contacting us.

NO, you can not use Triple 7 for a Brass frame.

You can use Pyrodex P in equal amounts to black powder though.

From pietta

My question in Italian

Ciao dagli Stati Uniti. Ho un ottone della marina 1851 di Pietta. Posso usare il sostituto della polvere nera tripla 7 di Hodgdons in questo? Non c'è polvere nera dove vivo.

Thier response in English lol.
Please use less powder if you want to use Triple 7. 18/20 grains
Regards
Pietta

 

[hrt4me]

BTW: anyone with an 1858 .36 Sheriff steel they want to sell?

yes

 

[Russ4iam]

Both sound right. heavy loads stretch the brass frame and will wear it out quickly. Its best to stick to lighter powder charges.