L Ross
Well-Known Member
With the 51 size grip frame I drop my pinky finger below the butt.
What is it with S&W...
- Thread starter Matt_G
- Start date
358156 hp
At large, whereabouts unknown.
I've had perhaps 3 or 4 of them. They're very difficult to control without K frame sized grips on them, so I don't see any advantage in them. The concealability advantage is lost, and I believe one would be better served by a 2 inch K or L (preferably) frame. I never seemed to keep them very long and I bought different variations to see if they'd work better. None ever did, and many compact 9mm semi-autos are roughly the same size, plus they carry better.
CZ93X62
Official forum enigma
Not at all. Thankfully both the 1851 and 1860 have pretty light recoil. 70 and 140 grains running 700 FPS doesn't push back very hard. I never tried conicals in my C&B revolvers. Please note--I used 20 grains in 36 caliber and 25 grains in 44 of Goex 3F Flaming Dirt, and these are about 10% downloads from spec max (22 and 28 grains) in the '51 and '60 respectively. Better powders and full fuel loads might have improved things--dunno. Colt 44 Dragoons could manage 40 grains of 3F, and the Colt Walker could run 60 grains--though they had a habit of burst cylinders, so maybe Walkers were a bit much of a good thing. Dragoons and Walkers were known as 'Horse pistols', meant to be carried in saddle holsters that draped over saddle pommels. The Walkers weighed 4# 9 oz, so they were a chunk.
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Rick H
Well-Known Member
The Navy grip is small. The gun is nose/barrel heavy. Somehow if just feels right in my medium to large hand and more importantly seems to point naturally too. Recoil management wont be an issue. I think the smaller grip facilitates one handed manipulation. It certainly isn't my first choice of a fighting weapon. In its day it was state of the art. All for fun now.
RBHarter
West Central AR
The 51' is a smaller version and fully scaled to its 36 cal .
For those not fully engaged 36 cal C & B is requires a .375-.380 ball or conical . They are kind of a J frame relationship to the 1860 . Those that are true to the Navy design in 1858s or 1860s will be a reduced size profile and 36 cal not 44 and both steel and brass versions existed .
If you've wondered how hard they actually hit . A 36 over the full charge of FFFg will dent 1/4" CRS at 25 yd from the 58 Navy .
For those not fully engaged 36 cal C & B is requires a .375-.380 ball or conical . They are kind of a J frame relationship to the 1860 . Those that are true to the Navy design in 1858s or 1860s will be a reduced size profile and 36 cal not 44 and both steel and brass versions existed .
If you've wondered how hard they actually hit . A 36 over the full charge of FFFg will dent 1/4" CRS at 25 yd from the 58 Navy .
Bret4207
Northern NY Dangerous extremist...???
I suppose the thing to do would to gather some "flaming dirt", balls and caps and try it out. After, of course I add the gun to my permit. In NY you can have an antique steekin' peestol with out permit as long as you don't have the stuff to make it go bang. Weird, but...whatever. Also have a Walker here. Needs a part or two but it reminds me of a long barreled Smith or Old Super BH Ruger. Horse pistol indeed!!!