My Leech & Rigdon (ex-1851)

[Ringo]

Leech and Rigdons are very hard to find around here. I would say I don't see a handful in a year, and when any comes to pass by, it fetches prices such that I can't afford.
Sooooo, after waiting for ages and trying to curb my impatience, I eventually made up my mind to make one myself from a 1851 Navy.
I was lucky to find an old (1972) Rigarmi which I thought fit for the task :

I had the octagon barrel turned by a mechanic and then drowned it in some white vinegar to even the color. I then filed and sanded the cylinder to remove the cylinder scene, and there is my Leech & Rigdon :

I since kick my own butt repetedly for using the only proper 1851 Rigarmi I ever found. At least I was able to keep the RAG marking on the barrel lug...

Please don't flame me for the quality of the pictires. I am no photographer, and my camera does its best to balance my clumsiness. 

[sltm1]

Nicely done !!

[Hawg]

I defarbed my Rigarmi Remington.

[Ringo]

I defarbed my Rigarmi Remington.

I don't know about Remington Rigarmis, but correct 1851 Rigarmis appear to be scarce here. You will find brass framed 1851 from time to time, but the one I turned into a L&R is the one and only steel framed I ever found.

[Captainkirk]

Ringo...looks great! Better by far than just another Navy copy. You use what is available to you in your country at the time and never look back.
I say kudos on a job well done!

[sourdough]

Leech and Rigdons are very hard to find around here. I would say I don't see a handful in a year, and when any comes to pass by, it fetches prices such that I can't afford.
Sooooo, after waiting for ages and trying to curb my impatience, I eventually made up my mind to make one myself from a 1851 Navy.
I was lucky to find an old (1972) Rigarmi which I thought fit for the task :

I had the octagon barrel turned by a mechanic and then drowned it in some white vinegar to even the color. I then filed and sanded the cylinder to remove the cylinder scene, and there is my Leech & Rigdon :

I since kick my own butt repetedly for using the only proper 1851 Rigarmi I ever found. At least I was able to keep the RAG marking on the barrel lug...

Ringo,

That is a VERY nice replica rendition of an L&R. Congrats!

I am thinking of doing the same to either a (not yet purchased) Uberti 1849 Pocket .31 or a Uberti 1862 Pocket Navy .36 .

I have a master machinist living next door to me (with his own shop with 3-phase power here in the boontoolies of SW Washington State) who can perform the same, not into firearms, but has done excellent work on an 1848 Pocket for me.

I have a couple of questions for you:

1) I assume the load-lever catch was drifted out before the barrel was turned. Were there any modifications made to the catch after the barrel was turned and re-installed?

2) Were there any markings on the barrel after it was turned?

Correct me if my assumptions are wrong, sir.

I did it another way:

I have a Pietta 1851 Navy .36 Round TG (2014 CM) and a Pietta G&G (2015 CN). The frames, cylinders, and barrels fully interchange. The G&G has the more authentic grip/backstrap/TG as opposed to the 1851 Navy with the proverbial "tail" grip/backstrap/TG. These parts do not interchange and must be swapped as a set, if you follow my meaning.

With the addition of my Pietta 1851 Navy Squareback TG, I can create 5 replica pistols: 1851 Navy 2nd Model, 1851 Navy 3rd Model, L&R, G&G, and S&G, and many "fantasy" pistols.

I can't find it now, but someone posted a couple of pics on the 1858 Rem forum of a replica L&R with a squareback TG. Not historical, but some manufacturer made it.

I will strive to find it again.

Jim

[Ringo]

Ringo,

That is a VERY nice replica rendition of an L&R. Congrats!

Thanks, Jim !

I am thinking of doing the same to either a (not yet purchased) Uberti 1849 Pocket .31 or a Uberti 1862 Pocket Navy .36 .

You should be able to find a 1849 Pocket with round barrel, which would be a simpler way of achieving your goal. They come up every now and then here, so I expect they should be more frequent on your side.

I have a master machinist living next door to me (with his own shop with 3-phase power here in the boontoolies of SW Washington State) who can perform the same, not into firearms, but has done excellent work on an 1848 Pocket for me.

I have a couple of questions for you:

1) I assume the load-lever catch was drifted out before the barrel was turned. Were there any modifications made to the catch after the barrel was turned and re-installed?

2) Were there any markings on the barrel after it was turned?

Correct me if my assumptions are wrong, sir.

1) You are right : I had to tap the catch out. No modification made then. The catch got back in its location just fine :


2) Yes again, they are faint but still there.

Being the law abiding citizen I am, I did not want to erase them, as they are mandatory on any firearm in Europe.

I did it another way:

I have a Pietta 1851 Navy .36 Round TG (2014 CM) and a Pietta G&G (2015 CN). The frames, cylinders, and barrels fully interchange. The G&G has the more authentic grip/backstrap/TG as opposed to the 1851 Navy with the proverbial "tail" grip/backstrap/TG. These parts do not interchange and must be swapped as a set, if you follow my meaning.

With the addition of my Pietta 1851 Navy Squareback TG, I can create 5 replica pistols: 1851 Navy 2nd Model, 1851 Navy 3rd Model, L&R, G&G, and S&G, and many "fantasy" pistols.

I find that "fantasy" is one of the  most beautiful words in any human language. Without fantasy and its sister imagination, I expect we still would be living in caves and be the prey of any predator passing by, and even if we would not, life would be long and dull...

I can't find it now, but someone posted a couple of pics on the 1858 Rem forum of a replica L&R with a squareback TG. Not historical, but some manufacturer made it.

I will strive to find it again.

Jim

Chances are that L&R never made a squareback, be it only because they were pressed by time, and round TG are easier to make, but who knows really ?... Maybe we'll see one surface someday... I don't find squarebacks easier to hold than rounds, but they do look mighty better.
Cheers !

[Hawg]

I defarbed my Rigarmi Remington.

I don't know about Remington Rigarmis, but correct 1851 Rigarmis appear to be scarce here. You will find brass framed 1851 from time to time, but the one I turned into a L&R is the one and only steel framed I ever found.

Mine is steel.

[Bishop Creek]

Really nice gun Ringo!

[Hewy]

Nice.Perfect thing to do. I also was thinking of .44 Dragoon because of the round barrel , but favour a .36 so here it is hmmmmmm.....here I go again.

[sourdough]

Nice.Perfect thing to do. I also was thinking of .44 Dragoon because of the round barrel , but favour a .36 so here it is hmmmmmm.....here I go again.

Using 3 Pietta 1851 Navy .36 type pistols (an 1851 Navy Second Model, an 1851 Navy Third/Fourth Model, and a G&G), I now have:

A Leech & Rigdon (Third/Fourth Model steel frame with oval/round TG, G&G barrel and plain cylinder):



An 1851 Navy Second Model Dragoon "fantasy" (Second Model steel frame with squareback TG, G&G barrel and plain cylinder):




My only regrets about doing this type of thing: how is a new repro collector going to know what is a mix-and-match parts pistol as opposed to what Pietta produced at the factory?

Having said that, I am not going to lose any sleep over it.   

Jim

[sourdough]

Here's a nice find for those who don't have one:

As advertised...

Navy Arms Gregorelli Uberti Colt 1851 36 w/Case

Date Code XVII.

Navy Arms Gregorelli Uberti Colt 1851 36 Caliber In wooden presentation case with powder flask, percussion caps and ball bullet mold. Description This is not marked blackpowder only. The only marks are "NAVY ARMS CO" on the left side of the frame and on the barrel top flat, on the right side of the barrel "MADE IN ITALY" and the letters "GU" in script. The Serial No. is 4156. These guns began production in 1958 to be ready for the Centennial of the Civil War. They were produced by Gregorelli and Uberti. They are the earliest Navy Arms made. In the early days of the Navy Arms / Uberti connection, Gregorelli actually produced the metal parts for the revolvers and Uberti assembled them. This is a copy of a "Civilian Model". None of the attachments for the shoulder stock are on this revolver. The hammer does sport a non-traditional square notch for a rear sight, very well done and visible to my old eyes. The cylinder is not engraved but smooth. Very nice and very early production. Finish is in very good condition.. These are very scarce and near impossible to find in such fine original condition. These revolvers are extremely collectible. This is one of the first Uberti made replicas that Val Forgett had imported. Great find and it's worth preserving this very collectible piece.

It is a cased Navy Arms GU Leech & Rigdon, steel frame, nice wood, & plain cylinder to boot! If I didn't have a Pietta copy, I would pay attention to this one. No bids, $199 start, no reserve!

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/615003586

Good Luck!

Jim

[Ringo]

No international shipment! How can i ever get one? These L&R have not been sold in Europe, America only!

[sourdough]

Ringo,

I remember trying to email you files about Dragoons and all the problems we encountered, but we finally resolved it. This is a different situation.

I sincerely wish you luck. I am on at least 6 different forums and I wish my brain had the same capacity as it did 20 years ago.

I believe that there is a gun store in North Carolina named "Cherry's". They ship to international addresses. Maybe this will help.

http://www.cherrys.com/exportservices.htm

It may cost you a bit of money to do this.

Let me know if this helps a bit.

Jim

[Ringo]

Many thanks, Sourdough. I do appreciate your help.
I will see now whether they can help me.