F.lli Pietta 1851 Navy Sheriff .36 Brass-Frame Cap-and-Ball Revolver, 4 7/8 in Barrel, Made in Italy
This F.lli Pietta 1851 Navy Sheriff is a modern Italian-made reproduction with a brass frame and a short 4 7/8 in octagonal steel barrel. It is a black powder only, percussion cap-and-ball revolver in .36 caliber with a six-shot cylinder, combining blued steel components with brass furniture and color case-hardened controls. Year-of-proof is stamped 2020, and it carries Italian proof marks from the Gardone/Brescia proof house in Gardone Val Trompia, Italy, indicating proof testing rather than place of manufacture.
Condition
Overall Condition: Very good condition, showing only light, superficial signs of prior handling or use.
Bore Overall Condition: Excellent - Clean, mirror finish, no signs of wear.
Bore Rifling: Excellent Rifling - Sharp lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: Minor superficial scratches and small blemishes are present from prior handling.
What’s Included
- Traditions Performance Firearms factory box with model label FR1851136S
- F.lli Pietta instruction and safety manual for black powder muzzleloading revolvers
- Traditions Cap & Ball Revolver Shooting Information pamphlet
The Sheriff configuration features an approximately 4 7/8 in octagonal steel barrel paired with an open-top Colt-style frame secured by a transverse wedge. The brass frame and receiver contrast with the blued steel barrel and cylinder, while the hammer and loading lever are color case-hardened. A smooth one-piece wooden grip completes the classic profile.
Chambered in .36 caliber, this percussion revolver is black powder only and operates single-action only. It uses a six-chamber steel cylinder with cylinder safety pins. Sighting is straightforward and period-correct, with a brass front bead and an integral rear notch.
Markings include "F.LLI PIETTA – MADE IN ITALY" and "BLACK POWDER ONLY 36 CAL." The revolver bears Italian proof marks, including CIP PN and the Gardone/Brescia proof-house crest, and the barrel is stamped with the 2020 year-of-proof. Country of origin is Italy.
This example has a plain cylinder without the naval scene roll engraving often seen on some 1851-style cylinders. The finish combination of blued steel and brass, along with the compact Sheriff-length barrel, gives it a distinctive 1851 Navy variant look while remaining a modern reproduction suitable for cap-and-ball shooting.