Pietta Alloy 3.5" 6rd Brass Backstrap Revolver

Pietta has been building traditional pattern revolvers since 1963, and the Alloy series is the lighter side of that catalog. This one pairs a 3.5" barrel with a six shot cylinder in a matte black alloy frame. The short barrel keeps the whole gun compact and quick to bring up compared to the 4.75" and 5.5" lengths that dominate the traditional revolver market, and the alloy frame keeps weight down where an all steel gun of the same size hangs heavy on a belt.

The visual hook is the brass. Backstrap and trigger guard are brass against an otherwise matte black gun, the same contrast that has been on Old West pattern revolvers for a century and a half. Grips are black and checkered, so the gun stays planted in the hand without the slick feel of polished wood. The matte finish is a working finish rather than a display one, and it hides handling marks better than bright blue or nickel does. There is nothing modern about the layout and nothing that needs learning: six rounds, a short barrel, and a manual of arms that takes about a minute to pick up.