Brass revolvers-shot loose?

[Poor Private]

A fella who claims to be the armorer of a unit claims that brass revolvers are no good, no value, and waste of time and money... He says that after a couple hundred rounds the frame is so sprung, and battered by the charges that they are loose and out of time. He spouts this off in front of his unit and they take it for gospel.
I am courious on other peoples take on this.
I have several brass revolvers and have fired hundreds of round through a couple of them both live and blanks and have not noticed any apreciable damage. Of course I don't load them like I am trying to take a bear down, or so that the neighbor who lives a mile away can hear them.
And those of you who have them do you keep the brass in a highly polished state or do you let them get that nice patina?

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

That is a longer and more complicated discussion than a short post or three could adequately deal with, but...

In brief and to over-generalize.

The answer is yes, "brass" is a poorer substitute for investment cast and properly hardened steel frames for revolvers.

However, there are "other factors" at work.

It will take a large number of live rounds to start the "wear" and "stress" on the brass frame, and considerably more blank rounds which do not develop the pressures live rounds do.

But...

There are complications such as "brass framed" revolvers that are copies of actual brass framed revolvers or copies of revolvers that were not actually brass framed (ex: M1863 Remington Army and Navy revolvers) are often cheaply and very cheaply made reproductions lacking quality fit and finish, proper hardening and/or tempering of internal parts and springs, and general quality control that all add up to properly functioning, timed, and long-lived gun.

Historically, one has the "expediency" of iron and steel shortages in the South seeing them make copies of Colt Navy's and Dragoons, and Whitney revolvers.

And hisotrically, one has the "authenticity" issues surrounding say a Federal cavalryman using a gun that did not exist during the CW such as a brass framed M1863 Remington or brass framed .44 Colt Navy.

But without getting into a deeper discussion of what is "brass..."

There is also the historical "brass" ("yellow bronze" or "gun metal") receiver of the Henry rifle (initially made as iron) made from 1860-1866, or better yet the receiver of the "Improved Henry" (M1866 Winchester) rifle that was made from 1866 through 1898 (years after the steel framed M1873 Winchester rifle came out).

Others' mileage will vary...

CHS