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1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

The original 1851 "Yank" revolver was as much a part of the trail to the West as the Americans who traveled it. Wild Bill Hickok even carried a pair with ivory grips on the trail and during his lawman days in Abilene. Brass backstrap and trigger guard. Steel frame with case color hardened finish. 7-1/2" Octagonal barrel. Walnut grips. Length: 13-1/2" Weight: 2 lbs. 9 oz.

Average Customer Rating:

4.5 out of 5

34 of 36 (94%) customers would recommend this product to a friend.

Customer Reviews for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

.36 Cal 1851, October 30, 2009
By Crowriver from Rhode Island

"I haven't shot this pistol yet. But I was impressed with the quality for the price. I'll probably refinish the grips but they are fine for a gun in this price range. Although tight, I didn't have any trouble removing the wedge. Not always the case with these revolvers. It points like a dream."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 2 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

Exellant Revolver, October 4, 2009
By Anonymous from California

"This revolver is one of the best purchases I have made. Very good quality and best performance for such a reasonable price. trust me its a deal, because this revolver is being sold for less than it is worth. very accurate, reliable, and fun to shoot. worth every penny. A very fine reproduction."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 3 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

4 out of 5

Impressive Gun for and Impressive Price!, October 3, 2009
By Gogumarocks from California

"Overall, I was quite impressed by the appearance and quality. The revolver seemed pretty solid and built with tight tolerances. It arrived quickly and was bathed in oil to prevent rust. It feels good in my hand and is well-balanced.

There were a few minor negatives. First, the brass was somewhat discolored (rusty brown) in several areas. Second, the wood grips were a bit oversized and were not level with the metal frame. Third, the loader lever below the barrel was a bit loose. This is my first BP gun, so I don't really know if these three issues are typical or not.

I haven't shot it yet, but I really look forward to doing so soon!I don't think you'll be disappointed if you go with this model. I'm already contemplating getting the 1858 Remington Army model...if I can sneak it past my wife!"

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 4 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

1851 colt navy, September 11, 2009
By Sgtbaker

"Great service, product and fast delivery. The $20.00 savings offer also a plus. Keep up the good work."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 5 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

1851 colt, September 10, 2009
By weitzfc from ashland , illinois

"bought mine at cabela's about four years ago. never fired black powder out of it. bought a kirst conversion cylinder and shell ejector, and converted it to 38. long colt and 38. special wadcutters. told the kids it was a horse pistol , and they love it."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 6 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

Pietta Colt 1851 Navy, August 26, 2009
By CBsHellcat from Tennessee

"For an off-the-shelf copy of the Colt Navy, it's great! Fine workmanship with a solid, smooth action, and at a really good price. An outstanding choice for a first black powder pistol or as an addition to a collection. For shootin' or just displaying you can't go wrong with this one!"

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 7 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

excellent product, August 3, 2009
By lee39 from Amarillo Texas

"good service"

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 8 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

1 out of 5

poor workmanship, July 7, 2009
By bguns from granville ny.

"i think this was a veary poor revoler, the only thing good i can say about it was the finish was good, would not recommend anyone getting one for any use but wall hanging."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? No

Review 9 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

3 out of 5

Needs some work, May 1, 2009
By DDave from Huntsville, AL

"Pietta has a problem.
The barrel wedge doesn't fit well so Pietta pounds it into place with a sledge hammer or so it seems. This is true of their steel frame 1860 Army as well. It causes a slight bulge in the metal on the right rear side of the wedge slot on the barrel to boot.
After finally getting the wedge out and marring my finish on my brand new .36 Navy (had to use a brass punch), I found either the slot cut in the cylinder base pin is too far back or the wedge slot cut into the barrel is too far forward. I unscrewed the base pin a half turn and ground about 1 mm off the end so the barrel would slide onto the base pin far enough to seat against the two frame alignment pins.
Once this was done, everything fit together perfectly and the cylinder now rotates freely without any undue looseness.
This doesn't seem to be a problem on the brass frame 1851s so it's possible they are tapping the hole for the base pin just a little too deep on the steel frames.
For the price I guess I shouldn't complain, but Pietta could fix this problem very easily (in my opinion) and have a perfect first pistol for the black powder newbie."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 10 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

Great, fun., April 24, 2009
By BobbyR

"Great pistol. Accurate out of the box, well made, lots of fun."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 11 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

The more the merrier, April 20, 2009
By CaptBilly from R.G.A. Southern California

"Being a re-enactor, I MAY never shoot live loads out of these guys.

I bought a pair as my character was a "partisan" fighter in the Civil War, and these fit the bill.

Review?

Of course their fantastic looking , and just waiting to be converted! My only compliant (and it IS a small one!) is that the fit is just a wee bit off on the grips. I intend on changing them anyway, so it's not a big deal. Finish is just great, action is fine out of the box, and I already HAVE recommended that my friends might want to get a few as well, (before word of this "secret" gets out) !

The money is right, the feel is...well they're 51 Navy's! They are wonderfully balanced, and the coolest looking pistols on the block.

So why are you still reading? Call and order yours! Don't delay! You snooze you lose!

Are you STILL reading? GO!"

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 12 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

4 out of 5

Beautiful revolver, March 10, 2009
By Chaz12

"I was very pleased with the fit and finish of the Pietta 1851 Navy. Blueing, case hardening, and the wood grips were all excellent. The cylinder rotation was smooth, without a lot of excess play. The trigger was also smooth and reasonably light. I don't see how the higher prices revolvers could be any better. I give it 4 stars only because I haven't shot it yet. I expect it to shoot well, however."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 13 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

3 out of 5

1851 Colt Navy .36 caliber, February 28, 2009
By smallbore from Grass Valley, CA

"I just picked this gun up today and planned on shooting it tomorrow so I got right to disassembly and cleaning. First off, the wedge was inproperly fit and was forced into position. It was so tight that I needed to use a brass drift and significant hammer to loosen it. The pin holding the spring to the wedge eventually failed as well. Happily, the entire gun was covered with a protective oil although the bore was dry and had a bit of surface rust although not anything to be too concerned about. It cleaned up fairly easily and allowed viewing of the machine marks in the bore as a result of the rifling operation. Not what I would call a quality job on Pietta's part. Fit and finish is only fair. The wood grips don't fit the brass grip frame too well in some areas. The cylinder timing seems to be very good and when locked up at full cock, the cylinder is at least as tight as 95% of modern revolvers on the market today. The hammer is crisp and smooth when pulled back and when eased back down. The trigger has a considerable amount of travel (creep) before the hammer is released. Cycling the action provides a reasonably smooth feel and the gun feels good in the hand. It is a tad barrel heavy but that is to be expected with that much steel out in front. Best of all, it looks great and the color-case hardening is very good. With the wedge installed the barrel assembly is locked solidly with zero barrel play, just like it should be. The cylinder to barrel gap is only .009" of an inch. This is tighter than several of my other single action pistols. One other thing I noticed is the recess cut in the bottom of the brass grip frame. This usually means there is a rifle buttstock that will attach, turning this pistol into a make-shift short barreled rifle. Looking in the latest Cabelas catalog and on the website I found no such attachment offered. Too bad. And finally, I found that six of the twelve screws were loose at least one-half turn and some by two full turns. For the price it's probably a good deal although not stellar. My previous Pietta guns have always had moderately soft steel and could be more easily damaged (dented/scratched) than modern firearms. Still, it's a beauty."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 14 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

4 out of 5

An excellent pistol, January 26, 2009
By Gramps53E

"My first Pietta was an 1858 new army clone I bought in the late 80's, and it's been a great shooter. My second was Cabela's 1851 navy clone. I have only fired in during one range session, but I am impressed. It locks up tight. It has an excellent trigger pull. The low front sight does make it shoot high, like most of it's kind. At 25 yards, from a rest, I was grouping them on the top of the target. Mild recoil, easy loading, and points great. fit and finish are very good. A blast to shoot. If you are thinking about a blackpowder revolver, this one is a very good choice."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 15 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

4 out of 5

1851 Navy in .36 Caliber (like the originals), January 5, 2009
By DougJB from Northern California

"This is the 4th Pietta black powder revolver I've purchased (all from Cabelas). I'm happy with them all. The first was an 1860 Colt .44 (100% pleased with it). The second was an 1858 Remington and a spare cylinder (also 100% pleased). I can't find any fault with the appearance, workmanship, or functioning of either of these revolvers - I think they are an incredible bargain. The third I purchased was one of the nickel and gold plated "engraved" 1858 Remingtons. I actually bought this for my son as a birthday gift (it's a little gaudy for my taste - but he really liked it). I found it marked way down in a Cabelas store (it was the last one - aparently discontinued). It has a small rough spot or two, but nothing serious. I don't think it is quite as nicely finished as the first two (it may be pretty old and was probably a display model - the box was very shopworn).

Finally, I just bought this .36 caliber Navy. It is also a very nice-looking revolver. I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet, but I do have one minor complaint - it has a noticeable rough spot where apparently one part of the cylinder rubs a bit against the frame (as you cycle the action, you feel more resistance from rubbing at the same place each time - once every six times you cock the gun). This isn't a big issue - everything still seems to work fine, but I do want to take out the cylinder and see if I can smooth out whatever is rubbing (probably a small burr or something). I haven't removed the cylinder, and I can't see anything externally that is rubbing. I don't expect it to have any impact on functioning, and it will probably smooth out on its own with use, but I do plan to take a look at it.

I have quite a few modern, name-brand revolvers (Ruger, S&W, Taurus, etc.). These Piettas all seem very comparable in workmanship and finish. The first two blued .44s I got are really excellent. The .36 would be right up there as well, except for cylinder rubbing issue. I think that's probably just a fluke with this particular gun (and one I can easily remedy or ignore). All have very small cylinder gaps (good) and appear very well made. The blued and case-hardened finishes are very attractive.

I bought this one because I wanted an 1851 in the original .36 caliber (not the more common .44 caliber versions you see - which are not authentic - the 1851 was never offered in that caliber). Most of the 1851s in .36 I'd seen cost $100 or so more than what Cabela's is now selling them for - which is what prompted me to get one.

In addition to the smaller caliber, thr 1851 is a bit smaller than the .44s (shorter grip and barrel). It might be a better fit for someone with small hands (my little finger hangs off the grip). I wouldn't pick the .36 due to concerns about the recoil of the .44s - contrary to what many assume, the .44s with a moderate load and round ball doesn't kick much at all (nothing close to a .44 Magnum as many assume - more like a standard .38 Special).

Doug"

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 16 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

3 out of 5

A lemon, November 28, 2008
By CTI1USNRET from Winchester NH

"I always disassemble, clean and lube a new firearm when I get it home. With a plastic mallet I was able to remove the wedge that retains the front assembly. That's as far as I got. The cylinder would not slide forward on the cylinder pin more than half an inch. Being unable to remove the cylinder meant I was also unable to remove the nipples. So I marked the cylinder pin with a marker and moved the cylinder forward to see where it was sticking. That made it easy to see where a bit of polishing would help. If that was the only thing wrong I could work with it. But there was zero cylinder gap no matter how shallowly or deeply I pushed in the wedge so the cylinder would not spin freely. I'll have to return it or take it to my gunsmith.

Otherwise, the pistol looks great, especially the color case hardening. And the balance in my hand is everything others said it would be. A real pointer."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? No

Review 17 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

3 out of 5

navy colt, October 13, 2008
By donh2

"works for me"

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 18 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

Good over all product., September 29, 2008
By jrshanks

"Good over product. Great pointing Gun"

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 19 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

4 out of 5

Well made, but needs a bit of smithing, September 22, 2008
By Pulp from Oklahoma

"While I am very happy with the gun, there are some things a buyer should know. Internal fit and finish needs some final smoothing to really bring the gun into the area of sweet. The primary problem with this gun was the bolt is wider than the grooves in the cylinder. It will rapidly peen the cylinder grooves. It's very easy to take the gun apart and file the bolt down so it will fit cleanly.
I enjoy minor 'smithing, so it's not a problem for me. A professional gunsmith would probably to the job better and faster than me, but I like to tinker.
I am looking forward to using the gun in an upcoming Cowboy Action Shooting event.
Pulp, SASS#28319"

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Review 20 for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver, August 25, 2008
By TheManBruce from Ontario, CA

"This is a really nice gun. The bluing is beautiful. It functions perfectly. I put 100 rounds through it already and I have not had any problems with it in regards to its function. It is really fun to shoot.

The only problem I have had with this gun is that it comes with the nipples on way too tight. I broke my nipple wrench trying to get them off. I had to use a strong pair of needle nose pliers to remove them. Keep in mind that I never fired the pistol at this point. When you do get them off and grease the threads, ithey do come off easy.

All in all I would recommend this gun. It is fun to shoot and it is priced well."

Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

1-20 of 36

More Reviews for 1851 Navy Model .36 Caliber Revolver

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