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Thread: 1858 or 1860 remingtons? which do you prefer?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    1858 or 1860 remingtons? which do you prefer?

    too late for the 1851. already gave that one to a buddy who fell in love with it.

    me, i think the 1860 is purtier...

    what loads with .451 round ball or .450 conical LEE?

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy ofitg's Avatar
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    Personally, I prefer the 1858 Rem over the 1860 Colt..... but that's just me.

    I don't have any experience with the LEE conical slug. The .451 round balls could work, but a .454 round ball shaves off a healthier "lead ring" when you load it.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master

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    The Remington NMA is a stronger gun but the Colt Army is a better feeling gun in my hand. The 1860 if fed moderate loads will run over 3000 rounds before it needs tightening. My current favourite for TARGET shooting is a Rogers and Spencer as they have the best barrels. Any of these will win a match for you if you can hold them right. My grandsons both took a first place one with the 1860 and one with a 61 Navy. And I placed with a Remington 1858.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    Grip angle on the Colt fits my hand much better than the tight Remington.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    The 1858 Remington has a hammer set farther forward than the 1860 Colt. I find it more difficult to cock with my shooting hand due to that extra distance from back of grip to hammer spur. Handling is not too different, though I prefer the 1860 Colt to the 1858 Remington due to the hammer spur position. I do like the solid frame and sights of the 1858 Remington, but handle the 1860 Colt better.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Harter66's Avatar
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    Love the Colt lines . They fit and point well ....... But an Escalade/Navagator just ain't truck . After dozens of cap jams and wedges that either worked loose or had to be hammered out despite proper fitting in unmodified box stock pistols , I bought 1858s and have been much happier .
    Except for that Dragoon .......yep had to have that one , because you can load a magnum down but when a standard peaks you're done .
    Actually I'd have taken either a Walker or Dragoon just to fill out the stable .
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  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    I actually like the lines of the Dragoon or Walker over the 1860 Army. I prefer my guns to be more historically accurate but think I’d likely take a .44 cal 1851 over the Army. But I do read that the rammer design is much better for seating conicals which is my projectile of choice.

    I haven’t handled a Colt but do appreciate my Remington. But nothing beats the ROA.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Oh, and I didn’t initially like the looks of the Remington either. I had a .44 Mag I wanted to see about trading for a 2nd model Dragoon but my father asked me to hold off as he had a deceased friend’s family looking to offload some of his guns. He brought an ASM 1860 Army and the ROA. Apparently owning that Ruger for a while softened me to the lines of a Remington as it became my second pistol.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master Harter66's Avatar
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    Got a couple .
    RBH , 2nd Model Dragoon , brass 58 Army and a steel 58 Navy(ish).
    Attachment 220833
    I've had about 3 60s . I just can't find the love when it's time to shoot them . I have an old ASM that needs a couple of screws and a trigger .
    In the time of darkest defeat,our victory may be nearest. Wm. McKinley.

    I was young and stupid then I'm older now. Me 1992 .

    Richard Lee Hart 6/29/39-7/25/18


    Without trial we cannot learn and grow . It is through our stuggles that we become stronger .
    Brother I'm going to be Pythagerus , DiVinci , and Atlas all rolled into one soon .

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    My first black gun was a Remington. It shot very well but the handle was too small in dia for me at the top (I have large hands). The Colts fit me much better.

    The Remington was great for high power loads. Like shooting a .357 Mag.

    The Colts I keep to std loads and have not found one that was as accurate as the Remington I had.

    Last, I think the Colt 1860 is the prettiest of all the C&B revolvers.

    Sent from my SM-P580 using Tapatalk

  11. #11
    Boolit Mold
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    I love the lines of the Remington, but the 1851 and 1860 Colts feel and point so much better in my hands. I actually find the Remington grip and overall feel to be awkward.
    Ron

  12. #12
    Boolit Man
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    For looks and well-fitting grip I like the 1860. But that top strap on the 58 makes me feel a little more reassured for long shooting sessions.
    Steve

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    It's apples and oranges. I like 'em both and the two just don't fit in my mind as comparison.
    But one of my most favorite percussion revolvers in the whole wide world was made from a reproduction 1858.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Good Cheer View Post
    It's apples and oranges. I like 'em both and the two just don't fit in my mind as comparison.
    But one of my most favorite percussion revolvers in the whole wide world was made from a reproduction 1858.
    Why do you feel it’s apples and oranges?

    Curious if this favorite of yours is the custom .41? If so why is it your most favorite?

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    I agree that the 1860 grip feels far better to me, and it beats me why they used what is substantially the smaller Navy grip on the SAA. I think the superior strength of the Remington is pretty illusory too. For the axis pin isn't load-bearing as it is in the Colt, and that can be made of much stronger steel than the frame. The only reason we don't usually know whether it is or not, is that it doesn't need to be.

    Nobody needs to have a dramatic failure with the cap and ball Colts when a suitable powder is used. (I pick my words carefully here, as my factory rimfire conversion Pocket Navy as frighteningly thin metal where Col. Colt meant nipple threads to be.) But if a failure did occur, it would surely take the form of a cylinder rupture, and in that event I would much prefer a topstrap not to be there.

    It has always puzzled me why the Colt front end wasn't threaded onto the axis pin, like the deceptively strong Mariette and Lefaucheux designs. Maybe it was because the person who drives home a wedge will do a slight tightening-up job whether he knows it or not.

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rodwha View Post
    Why do you feel it’s apples and oranges?

    Curious if this favorite of yours is the custom .41? If so why is it your most favorite?
    To me the two don't feel the same, don't point the same, just two different animals all together.
    And yeah, the one John Taylor put together is my favorite (almost in a tie with the 1851 .40 cal). It lets me shoot a variety of loads with off the shelf molds.
    I'd like to have one that was set up that way for some other caliber off the shelf molds too, eh but not likely gonna happen.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    I have 3 .44 remingtons. one is a stainless uberti with a .45 colt cylinder. I keep it loaded in the shop for a just incase. I have 3 .36 remingtons. I have 3 1860 colts and 1 1861. they all shoot well but I like the remingtons better less problems with cap jams. I also have a second model dragoon. also a colt and Remington in .31.

    if I ever have to thin out the remingtons will stay.

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master


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    The 1858 is supposed to be stronger and more accurate. The 1860 points much better and feels better in the hand. The 1860 is usually easier to clear a cap jam too.

    I don't shoot 1858's anymore.
    Old enough to know better, young enough to do it anyway!

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  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy
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    The '58 is a nice revolver but it isn't stronger than the open top Colt design. The problem is, they are apples and oranges. The Remie is easy to manufacture correctly, the open top isn't. Therefore, you're comparing a decent copy (Remie) to a flawed (in its best configuration) copy. The problems with open tops can be fixed. When they are, they can deliver excellent/target gun accuracy. My Dragoons, in 45Colt, are the most accurate revolvers I've ever owned.

    By the same token, the Remington's weak point is the flat springs that are prone to breakage. There are wire spring replacements for the trigger/bolt spring but they lack any "feel" and do break. They have limited range just like the flats they replace. This carries over to the cartridge Remies as well.
    Fortunately, they can be changed over to coil torsion springs and given the life span of a Ruger. Further upgrades can actually make them "tougher" than the ROA!! That ultimately gives you a lighter, tougher revolver than the Ruger!!

    Ok, ultimately, the ROA can also be upgraded as well and the action made "heavier duty", not to mention lightened up considerably!! A truly awesome cap gun. Still heavy though . . . .

    Mike

  20. #20
    Boolit Bub
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    The Remington is a fine revolver, with a bad grip.
    The Colt is a bad revolver with an excellent grip.

    Choose your poison.
    .
    The nice thing about the Remington is, you can sight it in, by twisting the barrel in a vice to get wind-age, and building up the front sight to get elevation.

    My old Remington shoots dead on at 20 yards, with a round ball, after I sighted it...
    And, I can shoot right along side any Glock, or Smith Wesson.
    .
    .
    Me, if I could, I would force Uberti to make me a Remington 1858, with a 5 inch round heavy barrel, and a Colt grip, in caliber .44 , with a high visibility square notch rear sight.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check