1858 Remington

[TXGunNut]

I've had a Uberti 1858 Remington for years but recently I took it out of the safe and loaded each cylinder with 30 grs KIK FFFg, a lubed wad and a handcast round ball. A half dozen caps got the party started and now it's one of my favorite guns. :grin: I'd fired it with some kind of BP wannabe stuff awhile back and wasn't impressed. With Holy Black it was a whole new story! Ol' girl shoots where it looks and puts them closer together than most any SA revolver I own! Decent trigger to boot. First time it shot better than my Colt SAA and Colt replicas I thought it was a fluke but I drag my 1858 Remmy along almost every range trip nowadays and it never disappoints me, always shoots better than my SAA's. I generally shoot offhand one-handed and 1.5-2" is no problem at 15 yds. Someday I'll have to get serious and shoot this thing from a rest to see what she'll do.
Don't want to sound like I'm bragging but I've got to ask; is this unusual? The gun fits me quite well and has a long sight radius but it still surprises me. I used to be a PPC shooter so I know what a good revolver can do but I never expected anything like this from an old C&B revolver. I don't see the sights well enough to really wring this old thing out but she's still plenty impressive, easy on the eyes as well.

[SourMashII]

ALL I know, is my '58 Remmie is my favorite gun ever. It's what I carry in the woods for Canine Carnivore Canadian Transplant repelling.

I just now bought my first batch of "Holy Black" and will never shoot Pyrodex or .451's again.... (moved up to .454)

I did not buy a shooter, it has been a year of buying parts from Dixie, and custom forming them to fit (imported by Navy Arms in '68, unknown mfr), and now mine is finally point and shoot reliable.

Best gun built, EVER.

[shooting on a shoestring]

You're not alone. I find my Pieatta 1858 clone fits my hand well, points well, is not viscious with recoil, is a pleasure to shoot and I get a big kick out of poking big holes with it. Mine took a bit of tuning to get reliable. Had a short main spring. Cleared that up, and it runs great.

I load mine with grits between the powder and ball, then a bit a crisco on top if its a target day, or dry if its going to be loaded for awhile.

I think its a shame more folks don't enjoy them. Maybe they get scared off thinking the cleaning is hard. Maybe its what you get used to.

Yep they're a hoot, and a bargin.

[Wolfer]

I bought one in the mid 70s from EMF in kit form. 65.00 if I remember correctly.
With a conical boolit and a cyl full of fffg it wasn't uncommon to have no paper between the holes at 25 yds. Granted the group might be 1-1/2" across but it was one hole.
I've tried most of the substitutes but will never shoot anything but black anymore.
Frank James once sent a note to the newspaper that stated ( the Remington is the shootenest pistol made)
While it wouldn't be my first choice in a bad situation I would never consider myself defenseless while packing a heavy loaded 58 rem.

[SourMashII]

I hear ya on the tuning, shoestring.

I've had to completely re-do this gun, hand forming/shaping/fitting/tuning (< pick one) every part ordered from Dixie, as NOTHING was plug and play.

But now, aside from a little remedial timing work (still not 100% satisfied with the lock up) and a desire for a lighter trigger (fired a Mac's Special 1911 the other day with 1/2# pull.... sigh), I am ecstatic with this thing. I hand it nd my ACP to any one riding with me, and after firing both, they gravitate towards the Remmie

[lathesmith]

It's no wonder that so many of these hung around long after the '73 Colt came along, they shoot so well. Cartridge conversions were popular for these just after the Civil War, and the fact that there's still quite a few originals around is a powerful statement. I love my '58, both with and without the conversion cylinder, and my favorite propellant for all loads is BP. If it ain't broke, why try and fix it?

lathesmith

[AviatorTroy]

I have an original and shoot it once every couple years. ALWAYS brings a smile to my face!!

[TXGunNut]

Mostly shooting rifles tomorrow but I suspect the Remmy is going along, may even drag a Colt or a clone along.

[Rio Grande]

Absolutely I was amazed at the accuracy of a 5 1/2" Pietta.
I used a heavy charge of Pryodex and round balls, at 50 yards no problem centering on 8 1/2 x 11 paper...as I recall 3 to 4 inch groups. None of that Kentucky windage either, right on.
Maybe because of the much maligned Pryodex cleaning needed to be frequent, or cylinder would jam up.
And that 5 1/2 inch - what a sweet handling revolver.
Like above post, I would not feel undergunned at all with that fine arm.
I think hogs or deer would be easy to take down with it.
Wouldn't hesitate to own one as my only pistol, and I kept it loaded for weeks at a time with no issues.

[Bassleg]

I have one with a 12" barrel it shoots great

[BCRider]

Yours isn't alone. I've got a pair, consecutive serial numbers no less, that shoot similarly. Superb fun using them either for accuracy plinking or in my local cowboy action matches.

I've got a couple of 1860 clones that match the Remmies for accuracy as well. So I don't think it's the brand or model but rather that these old guns are/were simply that good and that as far as accuracy goes we didn't gain or lose anything by switching to cartridge ammo.

Best of all though is the big clouds of white smoke that either fascinates or irritates everyone else on the firing line..... :D

Edit- Let's spruce this thread up with some C&B Remington pics. I'll start. This is the Uberti consecutive serial number pair along with "Jr", an NAA "The Earl" that I simply HAD to buy since it was clearly based on the Remington style. Makes for a great family portrait don't you think? :D

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y252/BCRider/Gun%20pictures/Family.jpg (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/BCRider/media/Gun%20pictures/Family.jpg.html)