1858 Remington Parts

[sixshootertexan]

I have an old 1858 Remington that I acquired 20 years ago. It was in need of parts so I just put in my safe. Well I was shooting my other C&B guns this weekend and remembered I still had it in the safe. I did some research and found it's a FIE branded pistol. I've read all about FIE and some of it's cheap guns but this one seems ok. It has all the proof marks from Italy but no makers mark. Shoot it doesn't even have the caliber on it. Date on it is 1970 (XXVI). It shows signs that it was shot, how much I don't know. Everything looks to be sound except the internals. I was thinking about ordering a set of Pietta internals for it from Cabela's. I just don't know if they are 100% compatible. If they are close enough but need a little tweeting I can do that.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/shooting/black-powder/black-powder-accessories|/pc/104792580/c/104701680/sc/104218380/pietta-replacement-pistol-parts-kit/740233.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fblack-powder-accessories%2F_%2FN-1100207%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104218380

Ricky

[Vann]

Which parts do you need? If you do buy that kit and try to install the hand, trigger, or hammer, you will have to retime it. If you just need the springs you can buy them separately.

[sixshootertexan]

Springs are fine. Trigger, hand and hammer are wore out.

[bedbugbilly]

sixshootertex - I think there are a number of things you need to consider so I'll just throw it out there .

The problem with many of the older (i.e. 1960s, 70s etc.) C & B revolvers is that of parts availability and whether current day mfg. parts will fit or can be fitted. I've been shooting C & B revolvers for over 50 years and have owned many brands during that time.

Over the years, I have ended up with a number of older C & B revolvers through trades, etc. - or just being able to buy it cheap. Not all of them were great revolvers either due to wear or soft parts, etc. So consider the amount of time you will spend in chasing down parts, paying for the and your time to fit and fix them. Whites fine if you want to do that or the revolver has sentimental value.

Many years ago, the widow of a very dear friend of mine that passed gave me a 1858 Remington revolver that he had owned and he and I had shot many times. It was made by a now defunct company that made BP arms in Blissfield, MI not too fare from where I live. Unfortunately, his kid had taken the loading lever off and lost it . . don't ask me how. The revolver has great sentimental value and I looked for over thirty years for a loading lever for it. A few years back, an acquaintance on another board mentioned to me that he had one of the revolvers but it was a "kit" revolver and whoever had tried to put it together never finished it - pretty rough - but the loading lever was just fine. With what he wanted and the shipping, I had $75 in the kit revolver but I was willing to pay that just to get the loading lever to get my friend's revolver back "whole". I too what was left of the revolver - removed the barrel, cylinder, internals, rough unfinished grips, frame, etc. and split them up into five groupings and listed them on flea-bay. I was totally blown away when all together, the five groupings of parts brought close to $190.00! What can I say, there are a lot of people out there with more money than brains?

If your revolver is going to be a pain to get parts for and fix - and you want one to shoot - then you might consider "parting it out" and listing the parts groups on flabbay. With what you get from that, add little more and then purchase either a Pietta or a Uberti NMA to shoot that you know you can get parts for at this time - as insurance for later on, you could even get the parts kit for it and have it on hand. I have both Piettas and Ubertis and like both brands. I have a Pietta "Navy" NMA in .36 Navy caliber that is a great shooting handgun and I know that if I have a problem along the way that I can et parts for.

Just something to consider. Good luck!

Jim

[sixshootertexan]

Thanks for the reply bedbugbilly. It has no sentimental value but it does have a story behind it. 20 some odd years ago I was working with a young man about 19 years old. He was fresh out of high school and a newly wed. We had flood in the Houston area and his truck got stuck in rising water. He had no insurance or money. We drug it to my house and started the process of drying it out. We got it running so he'd have something to drive until he could find the money to get something else. He had recently been to a flea market and picked up 3 C&B revolvers. He decided to give them to me as a thank you for helping him because he knew I like C&B revolvers. I still have 2 of them. One I sold because I did not like it. The other 2 I've kept. I shoot one of them couple times a year. But this one I'm asking about I knew was in bad shape. It either needed repaired or destroyed to keep some one from getting hurt by it. So if I can get it running for a few dollars I'd like to do that. I know it's not a Pietta or Uberti but I'd like to keep it if possible.

Thanks Ricky

[Vann]

My first thought when you said FIE and 1970 was that is was an Armi San Marco, they seemed more popular back then.

I've been looking around and see that Numrich gun parts list parts for the 1858 New Army for Uberti, Pietta, and Armi San Marco but not for FIE, which would have been nice.

I would check with Dixie Gun Works, they have several good pictures of their parts which may help you determine if they'll fit.

[Vann]

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/default.php?cPath=22_434_443_444If this doesn't help you could call them, they could probably tell you what parts would fit.

[Bent Ramrod]

Also check with VTI Gun Parts. They have amazing know-how about what parts can be substituted into earlier revolvers and what fitting (if any) might be needed.

[sixshootertexan]

Thanks for the info guys. I think I'm going to order the ones from Cabela's. It's the cheapest I've found for the Pietta brand. Here's a pic of the bottom of the grip. The marking on the left is the only one I can not find anything on.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/sixshootertexan/DSC00368_zpsmzlnxg5x.jpg (http://s42.photobucket.com/user/sixshootertexan/media/DSC00368_zpsmzlnxg5x.jpg.html)

[Vann]

That's a proof mark I believe.

[sixshootertexan]

Ok got the parts in and every things working good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf1Lmp3LdiY