1861 Uberti Navy Civilian

[seniorshooter]

Just received a new Uberti 1861 Navy black powder revolver, 36 caliber. It was extremely difficult to disassemble the barrel from the frame for cleaning the packing oil. I had to use heavy pressure using the loading lever to break the barrel from the frame. When attempting to reassemble, the barrel would not fit to the frame. The pins at the frame bottom line up with the barrel and the arbor starts in smoothly. The connection will just not complete. My suspicion is that the frame to barrel was forced on at the factory. I own several Uberti navies with no problems. Does anyone have experience with such an issue? Thanks.

 

[Bunk]

Tell me about it. My 1851 London (Taylor) had a wedge driven so tight it took a TOW brass wedge tool and a big hammer to get it out. More pressure on the loading lever than I like to use got it apart.
It would not go back on the pins were about 1" apart. But after Hoof Hearted worked on it the barrel pins line up the last 1/16" takes a couple of taps with a hammer handle on the muzzle to close.
I am not impressed with Uberti, but the price was right.
It will make a good shooter, The main spring and trigger/bolt spring have been replaced with reduced tension springs..
Hold Center
Hit Center
Bunk

 

[seniorshooter]

Bunk, thanks for the response. I have not heard of Hoof Hearted. Is this a gunsmith? In my case, the pin holes line up. I have thought of trying to force the frame and barrel together by hammering on the muzzle, but would hate to void the warranty. In any case, one should not have to force the frame and barrel together. My guess is that the frame and barrel are not perfectly aligned. Any other thoughts would be appreciated.
Senior Shooter

 

[Bunk]

Bunk, thanks for the response. I have not heard of Hoof Hearted. Is this a gunsmith? In my case, the pin holes line up. I have thought of trying to force the frame and barrel together by hammering on the muzzle, but would hate to void the warranty. In any case, one should not have to force the frame and barrel together. My guess is that the frame and barrel are not perfectly aligned. Any other thoughts would be appreciated.
Senior Shooter

His name is Gary Barnes I think this is his E mail address
[email protected]
He is located over in east Texas
I don't have a phone number for him at hand
Bunk

 

[Bunk]

Bunk, thanks for the response. I have not heard of Hoof Hearted. Is this a gunsmith? In my case, the pin holes line up. I have thought of trying to force the frame and barrel together by hammering on the muzzle, but would hate to void the warranty. In any case, one should not have to force the frame and barrel together. My guess is that the frame and barrel are not perfectly aligned. Any other thoughts would be appreciated.
Senior Shooter

found it
[email protected] (817) 219 - 2966

 

[GYJ]

Gary Barnes ruined a gun of mine a few months ago with a botched conversion. Not only did he refuse to fix it but he treated me like an idiot for bringing the issues to his attention and slandered me online. Enter at your own risk. Send it to Goon's instead.

 

[Bunk]

Gary Barnes ruined a gun of mine a few months ago with a botched conversion. Not only did he refuse to fix it but he treated me like an idiot for bringing the issues to his attention and slandered me online. Enter at your own risk. Send it to Goon's instead.

That is very because dd I sent him mine which was almost a bag job and got it back in a timely manner. It is tight and runs unmentionables with no problem. The cut was nicely blued and I have no complaints. That cut makes capping the percussion cylinder ridiculously easy and does not detract from the appearance of the revolver.
I have worked with De Goon also and he did a pair of 1860 Uberti Army revolvers and they are now over a total of 1000 rounds (I keep a barrel record) with no cap jams even when I tried to jam them. It is frustrating to fail mucking something up.
The only thing I changed was a Lee's gunslinger main and trigger and bolt spring. and Slixshot cones.
Happy am I when guns work.
Bunk

 

[GYJ]

That is very because dd I sent him mine which was almost a bag job and got it back in a timely manner. It is tight and runs unmentionables with no problem. The cut was nicely blued and I have no complaints. That cut makes capping the percussion cylinder ridiculously easy and does not detract from the appearance of the revolver.
I have worked with De Goon also and he did a pair of 1860 Uberti Army revolvers and they are now over a total of 1000 rounds (I keep a barrel record) with no cap jams even when I tried to jam them. It is frustrating to fail mucking something up.
The only thing I changed was a Lee's gunslinger main and trigger and bolt spring. and Slixshot cones.
Happy am I when guns work.
Bunk

No one was as surprised as I was. I think he normally does good work but when he doesn't, it doesn't go so well.

 

[GR50036]

Might be a dumb question but are the nipples screwed all the way into the cylinder? That can prevent the barrel from going all the way on. The other thing to do is take a 1000 grit stone and stone the arbor and wedge really good. I stone the sides of the arbor so the cylinder rotates smoother, but the other thing I do is stone the edges on the tip of the arbor to break the edges. Same with the wedge. Stone the sharp edges and the top and bottom and sides. Doesn't take a lot; you aren't trying to remove any material-just smoothing down the edges and high spots left over from manufacturing.

 

[Bunk]

Might be a dumb question but are the nipples screwed all the way into the cylinder? That can prevent the barrel from going all the way on. The other thing to do is take a 1000 grit stone and stone the arbor and wedge really good. I stone the sides of the arbor so the cylinder rotates smoother, but the other thing I do is stone the edges on the tip of the arbor to break the edges. Same with the wedge. Stone the sharp edges and the top and bottom and sides. Doesn't take a lot; you aren't trying to remove any material-just smoothing down the edges and high spots left over from manufacturing.

It was the assembly of the gun, the part to part fit. . I tried to put the barrel on the arbor without the cylinder in place and had jolly hell getting it off.
All, in all I think quality control at Uberti is headed by a poorly trained rat.
I know this will cheese off Uberti lovers but that is my personal feeling so don't take offense.
That pair of 1861 Armies are Uberti and run, after the work of Goon, like the Energizer bunny just on and on.
The 1851 runs also after being done by Barnes and runs fine in either configuration.
I don't know perhaps I just got a lemon but it is a great looking gun the model with the steel grip frame.
Hold center
That's a plan
Bunk

 

[springfield art]

Once again this is a great place to read Percussion Revolver advice. There's an Art as well as Science to keeping those things running, I'd say.

 

[NorthFork]

@Bunk wrote "All, in all I think quality control at Uberti is headed by a poorly trained rat."

That is my opinion of Uberti as well.

 

[nkbj]

Tell me about it. My 1851 London (Taylor) had a wedge driven so tight it took a TOW brass wedge tool and a big hammer to get it out. More pressure on the loading lever than I like to use got it apart.
It would not go back on the pins were about 1" apart. But after Hoof Hearted worked on it the barrel pins line up the last 1/16" takes a couple of taps with a hammer handle on the muzzle to close.
I am not impressed with Uberti, but the price was right.
It will make a good shooter, The main spring and trigger/bolt spring have been replaced with reduced tension springs..
Hold Center
Hit Center
Bunk

Had an early Pietta like that. So warped it wouldn't come apart.
Didn't give up, fixed it and now it's a great shooting piece.
Getting there surely was a long drawn out labor of love.

 

[GR50036]

It was the assembly of the gun, the part to part fit. . I tried to put the barrel on the arbor without the cylinder in place and had jolly hell getting it off.
All, in all I think quality control at Uberti is headed by a poorly trained rat.
I know this will cheese off Uberti lovers but that is my personal feeling so don't take offense.
That pair of 1861 Armies are Uberti and run, after the work of Goon, like the Energizer bunny just on and on.
The 1851 runs also after being done by Barnes and runs fine in either configuration.
I don't know perhaps I just got a lemon but it is a great looking gun the model with the steel grip frame.
Hold center
That's a plan
Bunk

I agree with you on Uberti. I bought three Ubertis in the last two years and they all had issues. They look great but their finishing work and fitment leave a lot to be desired. My Walker had a nipple that was torqued on so tight I had to use a breaker bar to loosen it.