Arbor Length

[rodwha]

As Pietta doesn't make the two Colts I need ('62 Police & Walker) it's Uberti or nothing (I want new).

I also don't care for Pietta's way undersized chambers. Fly reamed my Remington's chamber to 0.449".

[wicket]

 Goon, the pocket navy is a tiny little sucker, no doubt about, but I do kinda like it despite its predictable flaws. I'd like to hack an inch or so off the barrel, which I'll probably do when I come up with some notion of how to shorten the loading lever, it's that or cut a hole in my pocket so the little bastid can live up to its name.

[ssb73q]

Hi wicket, I love these little bastards too:



But they are a pita shooting BP with them. Getting a correct ball size, small powder charge, short sight radius are all issues. They cap suck big time. These are a couple more of my itty bitties with similar issues:



The solution for me is to use .32 S&W in conversion cylinders. Unfortunately, there isn't a conversion cylinder available for the .36 1862 Navy Pocket.

Regards,
Richard

[wicket]

Richard...
 With some whittling the navy runt will make a good saloon pistol, I have faith in it.  Like you I enjoy tinkering with the things, it's half the fun of owning them. This habit of cap eating has me wondering though, seems like it must be something universal, like that all these little .36 pistols lack mass in the hammer and just can't help themselves? I fed the runt a miserable 14 grains, and I swear the hammer jumped. If the front sight was taller I'd run a rubber band back to the hammer spur and see whether that helped.

[ssb73q]

Hi wicket, IMO these pockets are evil little pistols designed by Satin that don't deserve to exist. I think that Colt sold these things with total consumer ignorance. Having said that, they did provide an intimidation value. One gut shot from even a .22 was a death sentence back in the day. If these revolvers were sold for anything other than historical significance today, they would be subject to recall. IMO there are three Colt revolvers that really make any sense, the 1851, 1860, and the Walker series.

Having said that, I love those damn little things, fondle them, and have become a microColt pervert. 

Retards,
Richard

[G Dog]

Retards,
Richard

Colt sold more ‘49s than anything. Yep, thirty-one is a nasty little caliber - but handsome in most models. 

Ssb – you left out the ’61 on “Colts that make any sense”.  Inadvertent I suppose, but if not don’t let Fingers here you omitting like that.

[wicket]

 Many a strapping lad has quailed at the squeak of a mouse gun; the picayune mechanical terror frequently leaving more men dead and dying upon the floor than managed to escape by way of the doors and windows. I had rather face a blunderbuss full of nails and broken glass.

[ssb73q]

Hi G Dog, IMO the 1861 is just a mix of 1851 with a short 1860 like barrel hybrid. It is BP revolver stew trying to get a design jump ahead of the Italian replica manufacturers. 

Regards,
Richard

[rodwha]

I'd actually like to see a ballistics gel test on the .31 and .36 pocket.

I've seen a couple of .44 with a moderate load of weaker powder give over 20".

At one time I was considering making some gel and had talked to the range owner who, knowing me a bit (I had been talking with him often about my BP guns thinking he was just a RO) said he'd allow it if I rented a private stall (also would allow me to try weak loads out of my .50 cal Lyman rifle to see if it would work as a small game gitter). Alas we moved and there are no convenient outdoor ranges and they won't allow any of that. Oh well...