Pietta Dance Bros.

[nkbj]

Well, once again the big sale at Cabela's doesn't include the Dance Brothers percussion revolver.
Anybody have one to tell about?

 

[SteveFink]

i got one during the holidays using cabela's employee pricing coupon they had sent out - if I remember correctly it was about $20 more than the 61 army they had on sale then

 

[hawkeye2]

I got one on sale from Cabela's a couple of years ago. I think it was just a little more than a Remington at the time but I haven't seen them on sale since. The fit and finish are nice, action works well though like all Italian guns it could stand a little work. Overall the gun is larger than an 1860 Army but the balance is better than any of the "Colts" that I own. No, I haven't shot it yet.

 

[nkbj]

Hawkeye, that's about what I was suspecting, what you said about balance and all. I keep watching for a sale!

 

[Zonie]

Glad to hear the Dance Brothers .44 is larger than a Colt 1860.

Their pistol was modeled after the Colt Dragoons of the time, that being the only .44 in common usage so if the Italians were doing their homework the pistol should be larger than a 1860.

 

[FishDFly]

"Well, once again the big sale at Cabela's doesn't include the Dance Brothers percussion revolver.
Anybody have one to tell about? "

So far no tell, what is one and no pictures, sharing would be nice, what is a Dance Brothers?

 

[rodwha]

I don't see one listed on Pietta's site.

 

[Coot]

"Well, once again the big sale at Cabela's doesn't include the Dance Brothers percussion revolver.
Anybody have one to tell about? "

So far no tell, what is one and no pictures, sharing would be nice, what is a Dance Brothers?

The Texas firm of J. H. Dance & Brothers made a very limited number of revolvers (I have seen estimates of 350-450) for the Confederacy in both .36 and .44 calibers. Their guns were modeled after the Colt Dragoon rather than the Colt 1851 Navy that was the model for most Confederate handguns. An original in any condition is rare & highly sought after.

 

[dickydalton]

What sale? I just looked and didn't see a single lower price. Just putting the same "sale" on each weapon doesn't mean a real sale. :idunno:

 

[Zonie]

You forgot to mention the most interesting and unique thing about the Dance Brothers pistols.

They didn't have a "recoil shield" behind the cylinder.

The frame in the area where the Colt's recoil shields are is flat, leaving the rear of the cylinder on both sides of the pistol totally exposed to the rear.

Although there has been a lot of speculation about why they did this, it turns out that no one knows for sure.
https://www.google.com/search?q="D...YK-e90QG2o4GwBg&ved=0CC4QsAQ&biw=1400&bih=750

 

[George]

So far no tell, what is one and no pictures, sharing would be nice, what is a Dance Brothers?

Google "dance brothers percussion", follow the "Dance Brothers Percussion Revolver" link for a nice spread of pictures of an original in good shape.

Spence

 

[FishDFly]

I did and thanks.

 

That's interesting, I did not know they were larger. Might have to get my paws on one. I got the warm & fuzzies over the Spiller & Burr and the Rogers & Spencer on my recent trip to Dixie Gun Works but never handled the Dance & Brothers.

 

[Forty Rod]

There were a handful of .36 Dance guns made, maybe a hundred or less, also without recoil shields.

Also, all the repros I've seen have square-back trigger guards but all of the pictures of originals that I've seen show oval guards.

 

The Pietta has a round triggerguard.
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=883

 

[nkbj]

Ended up I got one on sale shortly after the original post for about $200.
About why the Dance had no shields on the sides, legend has it that the recovered steam engine boiler plate used in the frames limited the material thickness.