Navy Arms Gregorelli & Uberti 1851 Navy

[ShotgunDave]

I'm sure some of you know, that Alaskanguy and myself, made a deal for the G&U Navy he had. It arrived today, and I am well pleased! It's pretty rough, but not beat up. It is going to have lots of love lavished onto it.




With it's very low serial number (1379) and lack of any date code, it's hard to pin down the exact year of manufacture. But I saw one that recently sold, with the serial number 1350 and it was billed as a 1959. So that's what I'm going with, at least for now.





I have big plans for this gun. Since it's far from pristine, and sans papers and box, it has little to no collector value. So it won't hurt it a bit if I restore it. Which is what I intend to do. I want to return it to it's former glory. So keep an eye out for future updates.

Just looking at this gun, it's obvious that it has Uberti DNA. The fit and finish is better than any Pietta. The brass to steel fit is nearly perfect. There is no step between the parts. Just a nice smooth melding of pieces. Same for the wood. It doesn't stand proud of the metal. It's obviously been fitted by hand. Overall, I'm very impressed with this first example of the replicas, we've come to love. And before you ask, no, the arbor is not short in this gun. LOL!!!

I'll be making more observations, and posting more pictures. I just wanted to tease you with these a little.

[AlaskanGuy]

Hey Now, that is one nice Gun!!!  had one that looked just like that, low SN and everything, but I let it go... Been kicking myself ever sense... 

Go Get em Dave!!!

oh, and you forgot the mention that the wedge fits like its suppost to!!!  he he. i just hate an improperly fitted barrel wedge.

AG

[bigted]

Very cool. Neat old revolver. Looking forward to your progress. I bet you will be more and more in love with it as you and it get further down the road.

All of my projects get more valuable to me the more I fiddle with em and improve them for my taste. Been referred to as " grown up LAGO "  and I agree

Again congrats and watching for the progression.

[ShotgunDave]

Thanks Fellas.

Here's one of the differences I've found so far. Look at the hammer wheel. It's much bigger and has much more contact with the mainspring. The bosses that hold the wheel protrude less than a newer made gun. The pin that holds the wheel is also much bigger in diameter. It's a little thing, but a big thing too.




The grips on this gun are completely different than the newer guns too. Very slim and svelte. I'm sure I could pick this gun up in the dark, and recognize it just by the grip profile.




It all makes me wonder, how much closer to the originals are these older guns, than the newer ones?

[sourdough]

Very nice find, Dave!

I would like to add a couple of comments, if you will.

That grip comparison with a modern Italian repro is very telling between the span of 40-50 years! Just to throw another wrench in the cogs, here is a photo from " '51 Colt Navies" (Nathan L. Swayze, 1967) showing 3 different style Navy grips:



Here is a link (below) from Dr. Jim L. Davis' RPRCA site (Replica Percussion Revolver Collector's Association) written by Dennis Russell, but taken from a chapter of William B. Edwards' book "Civil War Guns" from the early 1960's. It tells of how he and Val Forgett got a pristine 1851 Navy (with non-matching numbers) into Italy for G&U to use in order to produce Navy Arms' first revolvers, some of which were brass-framed, part round barrel guns (think G&G). Produced at the same time as the steel Navies, IMO they were a less expensive marketing item for Navy Arms consumers as both the brass frame and the part round barrel were cheaper to produce than the Navies.

http://rprca.tripod.com/GunThatStartedItAll.htm

We are all awaiting to hear of your progress, Dave!

Jim

[LonesomePigeon]

Congrats! I like the old GU's too, very different from current Uberti's. I would say current Uberti's are probably better out of the box shooters, on average, but the old GU's have some neat features that you don't see on today's Uberti's.

[Necessaryevil]

"It all makes me wonder, how much closer to the originals are these older guns, than the newer ones?"

My original 1851 Navy looks like the one on the left, pretty close as far as I can see.

Just a suggestion, measure your grip across the bottom and I'll measure mine. Then we will have an accurate comparison.

[ShotgunDave]

Great idea NE!

I'll get out the caliper in a bit and post the measurement.