A couple of BP pistols

[Guest eggman]

Here are a couple of pistols a guy gave my for the 20 dollars he owed me. The one with shiney brass says <FAP> FLLIPIETTA-MADE IN ITALY. On the other side it says BLACK POWDER ONLY 44 CAL.

The dull one says on top of the barrel: EUROARMS OF AMERICA. And on the lower side of the barrel says: SM BLACKPOWDER ONLY 44 CAL. MADE IN ITALY.

I do not know anything about these and was wondering if anyone else could tell me something about them.

Thanks eggman:koolaid:

[Moped]

You got a great deal for the $20! Those pistols are at the cheapest worth $150 a piece. Actually they are worth more than that. I'm just being conservative. Now that is assuming they are in good shape. These are replicas and the pietta is made in Italy. I suspect that the other one is also made in Italy as well.

The one on top is a brass framed reproduction of a Colt 1849 Pocket Pistol.

The one on the bottom one is a Colt 1860 .44. It was the primary sidearm of the Union Army during the Civil War.

Go here and look them up.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Browse.aspx?Cat=2324

[Mark@Sea]

Both are decently made pistols. I covet the euroarms piece, it has the cutouts for a shoulder stock (which I have). It is a repro of the Colt 1860 Army. The brass frame Pietta is a cut down, commonly called a "sheriffs'" model. Sorry, Moped, it isn't the pocket dragoon, which had a much smaller frame and grip, and was a 5 shot .31 caliber.

Rough guess on value, assuming they are in excellent condition (check the bores for pitting) would be in the neighborhood of $85-100 for the Pietta, and 130-150 for the euroarms.

They sell for more new, of course - but these are used, and not too many folks buying black powder pieces in this new era of hope and change, judging from the sales fliers I get occasionally.

If you want to shoot them, you'll need some .457 round balls, #10 caps, and fffg black powder. I'd suggest starting around 28 grains per cylinder and working up to an accurate load. I'd also suggest the use of lubed wads (felt rounds).

Edited January 5, 2010 by Mark@Sea

[Moped]

Actually, I believe we are both wrong about the top one. I think it's a Colt 1851 Navy Sheriff. They are produced in .44 with a brass frame.

Pistol is second from the bottom here.

http://www.iar-arms.com/modelblkpwdrearly.htm

The Cylinder is stepped near the middle on both pistols and it was bothering me. The 1849 isn't stepped like that. It's probably done for greater cylinder strength.

[Mark@Sea]

You're right, and thats' what I was trying to say when I called it the "Sherriffs model". The stepped cylinder of the pietta isn't historically accurate for that (1851) pistol, but then again the cut down barrel wasn't, AFAIK, made by Colt anyway. The brass-framed pistols were never made by Colt, that was an innovation in the iron-poor south. Pietta just went with the short barrel to add something to their product line.

The 1849 is really a cute little bugger - the 'pocket pistol' of its' day.

[Mike.357]

you did great for 20 bucks.

reminds me I need to clean mine up and get them out for a shoot.

Both of these guys have covered what you need to know.

[Mark@Sea]

Mike, while home over Christmas I got my '60 Army out for a few rounds, and a visiting buddy went home with a pair of '58 remmies and a reb '44.

My favorites are still the .36's though...

[Mike.357]

them .36's are nice ones. Especially the little one. I dunno why mine are sitting unused. I really need to get the 1873 out next time I go shoot.

[Moped]

I love that little one too! Need to get mine back out and shoot it too! Never enough time in the month to do all I want to do. I have a new to me Chinese Mosin Nagant M44 that need to make a man out of me too!