Steel backstrap & grip frame for Colt "pocket" revolver?

[Naphtali]

Some time ago I posed a not-as-precise question about steel backstrap & grip frame that fit reproduction Colt 1862/1848/1849 5-shot percussion cap lock revolvers. I think I remember these being available from an after-market manufacturer many years ago. But that's all I think I remember.

I know that some original .31-caliber Colt percussion cap lock revolvers had steel backstrap & grip frame. I do not know whether 1862 police "pocket" 5-shot revolvers also had these steel items on option. But "original" is not helpful; "reproduction" is.

 

[desi23]

I am not aware of any repro colt pockets with steel straps. Some original London Colts did, but I have never run across a repro of these.

 

[Zonie]

The folks in the UK thought brass back straps and trigger guards looked cheap (even though they were silver plated on Colt's guns).

Because of this they insisted that Colt should offer steel back straps and trigger guards.

The London Navy Revolver is a reproduction of the 1851 Colt with these steel back straps and trigger guard. It is made by Uberti.
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=1025

 

[nilo52]

Zonie,
I have a (kinda) related question, do you know of any failures with guns that have a brass back strap ? I know my 1858 army has a steel one (but kept the brass trigger guard)and I was wondering if Colt went to steel due to problems or was it a marketing thing ?
nilo52 :idunno:

 

[Naphtali]

Is the basis frame of the 1851 the same as the "pocket" Colt - 1848, 1849, 1862 - five shooters? A better question is: Will this London grip frame assembly fit "pocket" Colt - 1848, 1849, 1862 - 5-shot frames?

 

[LaBonte]

Is the basis frame of the 1851 the same as the "pocket" Colt - 1848, 1849, 1862 - five shooters? A better question is: Will this London grip frame assembly fit "pocket" Colt - 1848, 1849, 1862 - 5-shot frames?

They shouldn't the five shot frames are a smaller fame while the M1851, M1860, M1861/62, and even the later M1873 with the addition of the top strap are all based on the same frame size ie the M1851 albeit with some minor variations in both the overall frame size and cylinder size.
But even then Colt notes multiple minor changes in both frame and grip sized over the years.

 

[Zonie]

No. Colt guns with a brass grip frame and trigger guard don't have problems with breakage on the guns that uses that material.
The use of steel for the most part seems to be to satisfy the British buyers.

In addition to the London guns, Colt did use a steel grip backstrap on its 1860 Army revolver.
I think the reasoning was that many of the 1860 Army's were made to utilize the shoulder stock which hooks into the bottom of the grip backstrap.

Naphtali
All of the Colt Pocket pistols and the 1862 Police use a noticably smaller grip and frame than the 1851 Navy. The steel backstraps will not work with these small pocket pistols.