Upgrading to an 1851 navy steel frame replacement

If you're looking for an 1851 navy steel frame replacement, you've probably realized that while those brass frames look great on a shelf, they don't always hold up to heavy use. It's a common story: you buy the brass-framed version because it's affordable and looks like a classic Confederate-style piece, but then you start shooting it regularly, or maybe you decide you want to try out a cartridge conversion cylinder, and suddenly you're worried about "frame stretch." ...

May 26, 2026 · 7 min · Manish Daniero