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Pietta 1860 Army Question

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I had not heard the term, 'hard ordnance brass' but it makes sense. I'm sure there's many different mixes of metals to go into brass; it can't all be soft like for some non-gun use. Thanks.
Somewhere (don't recall now) I read an article by a gentleman who had the brass tested at a lab. It came back as...ordinary brass, NOT "ordnance brass", which is indeed a much harder alloy that incorporates a higher content of bronze.
 
You’ll probably find that youll get better groups with your revolver by using less powder than that recommended max load. 15-20 grains of 3F is optimal for targets in a 44.
For me, I train with loads I would use for a fight, and 30 grains is what I would use for that purpose. It's the only reason I don't use lighter charges.
 
Maybe they meant gun metal ? Although commonly known as red brass it actually is a bronze alloy containing copper, zinc and tin, roughly 88% copper, 8–10% tin, and 2–4% zinc. It was used to make everything from tiny pocket pistols to cannons for centuries. YMMV (your metal may vary).
 
So, my new revolver arrived, today, and it looks pretty nicely done. There's a weird mark across one of the lands that looks like a machinist scraped it lightly, but I don't know if it will affect accuracy--it might even smooth out with use.

The Pietta instruction manual shows a max Pyrodex loading of 28 grains, as opposed to a max of 35 grains for black powder. I have a good amount of Pyrodex I bought for use with my Remington, and I've had good results with it, so I'll save my real black powder for my flintlock. Why is 28 grains, a lower amount, recommended for Pyrodex? Why is it such an oddball amount? The spout on my flask is 30 grains, the amount Uberti recommends for my Remington. 28 grains means I'll have to use the measure, which is not terribly convenient.
Usually as far as accuracy is concerned it's more about seating the ball as close to the forcing cone as possible without cylinder revolving interference than it it about powder charge.
Most of us competitive guys will use reduced charges and filler to get the ball out close to the forcing cone. The reduced charges is really about shooter fatigue from recoil in my opinion. I don't frankly see that the reduced filler loads are any more accurate than full chambers full of good grade black powder over a bench rest.
 
The scratch across the lands will I think wear with use. Which brings up
a point importers make. They(Cimmaron,Taylors etc) claim that they
get a finer grade of quality control from the makers due to larger
orders,inspections and business connection/respect. Who, may I ask
was your importer?
The radial scratches are reamer marks and lead balls will not remove them. If you were shooting paper patchs they would smooth it up over time but probably not totally remove them.
Scratches seldom hurt anything accuracy related but tight spots in the bore do nothing for accuracy. I hand lap, re-crown and often touch up the forcing cone on all my target barrels as part of the over haul tune up. I usually will build a new trigger for all of them and new keys for open top guns. The Pietta's at least both seem to have soft steel on these two components.
 
The scroll work on the cylinder is the Navel Battle of Capaci if I spelled that right. I now I would rather have a guy being stuck with a bayonet or with a saber than a boat scene on the cylinder. And I am sure others would agree .But that’s Colt for ya.
 
Top strap strength on the 1858 Remington is an urban legend. The massive arbor on the Colts is actually as strong, if not stronger than the top strap Remmy design. Ask Mike Brackett (Goon's Gun Works) about that one and you will get an education. Maybe he'll jump in here?
why did colt use a top strap on the 1873 in 45 which used 40 grains of BP? to make it weaker then an open top? I do not take any bodies opinion on anything when their means of making money is connected to what they are saying. look at vaccines
 
These are interesting comments from guys who actually used them; You've done a good thing for people who thought, (as I did) that the brass ones "stretched". Thank you. Also, even the good old Dixie catalog for years has had a comment in there that they may stretch a bit. Your comments are appreciated, and may cause someone to pick up a 'brassie' that would otherwise be neglected.
when I was framing houses most were on big farms that got cut up into 5 acre lots by greedy lazy kids after their parents died. I would bring the brass 1858 every day to the job for months firing it 50 60 times with 30 grains of BP along with me and 3 guys working for me. we set up a short 2x8 or 10 with the pistol in hand next to the knee and fire it from the hip. it was a lot of fun powder was cheap and available before all the hoarding
 
why did colt use a top strap on the 1873 in 45 which used 40 grains of BP? to make it weaker then an open top? I do not take any bodies opinion on anything when their means of making money is connected to what they are saying. look at vaccines
Maybe to do away with the troublesome barrel wedge design in exchange for a solid O-frame? Maybe because the cylinder did not require removal for cleaning with the frequency of a Rollin White bored-through cylinder made to fire enclosed brass case cartridges? Maybe to get a jump on the Remington conversions' more "modern" look? Maybe to do away with the hammer notch rear sight in favor of a grooved sight plane? Maybe just the next logical step in the metamorphosis of the dedicated cartridge revolver? (none of which have anything to do with vaccines)
Maybe all of the above? IDK, I wasn't there.
 
Maybe to do away with the troublesome barrel wedge design in exchange for a solid O-frame? Maybe because the cylinder did not require removal for cleaning with the frequency of a Rollin White bored-through cylinder made to fire enclosed brass case cartridges? Maybe to get a jump on the Remington conversions' more "modern" look? Maybe to do away with the hammer notch rear sight in favor of a grooved sight plane? Maybe just the next logical step in the metamorphosis of the dedicated cartridge revolver? (none of which have anything to do with vaccines)
Maybe all of the above? IDK, I wasn't there.
beam me up. maybe they knew their open top wedge barrel system was prehistoric compared to the Remington. so they purposely made the 1873 weaker then the open top? I compared the vaccine to goons gun works cause his income comes from Colt open tops and is pushing to me a bad design. vaccines are pushed by the people making billions off them. they are no good either. how dont you see a connection?
 
beam me up. maybe they knew their open top wedge barrel system was prehistoric compared to the Remington. so they purposely made the 1873 weaker then the open top? I compared the vaccine to goons gun works cause his income comes from Colt open tops and is pushing to me a bad design. vaccines are pushed by the people making billions off them. they are no good either. how dont you see a connection?
Who is "pushing you to a bad design"? Last time I checked, this was America and you are free to espouse any opinion you choose, or any gun design you choose. I'm certainly not telling you which is right for you. As far as Goon goes, he works on open tops, SAA, Remingtons, and ROAs (among others), which two out of the three are top strap revolvers. In fact, his specialty is ROA conversions which are most definitely top strap design revolvers and probably the strongest of the bunch. I've had a number of very educational conversations with Mike on the pros and cons of various revolvers and their designs.
 
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