Pietta or Uberti 1858 new model army?

[MrMystery02]

I want to buy a 1858 new model army but due to severe Uberti shortage I am considering buying a Pietta instead. Is it worth waiting for the Uberti to be in stock?
It does not really matter to me that the Pietta model is further from the original, neither are real Remingtons. What bothers me instead is that the Pietta cannot accept conical bullets and paper cartridges.
On the other hand the way I see it is Uberti is losing it's quality, I heard that recent new army remingtons could have timing issues, I also heard a cattleman owner that the screws get loose after shooting it. The videos I see about these guns on youtube are about 80%-90% of the time Pietta. They say that some replicas made by Uberti is better than by Pietta, other replicas made by Pietta are better then by Uberti.
I need some help decieding which one to get so I have some questions and anyone who can awnser them I thank him a lot.
1. Which one has better and more aftermarket support and more spare parts available?
2. Which one is better quality and lasts longer?
3. Which replica has the conversion cylinder more available? I heard Uberti could have timing issues with the conversion cylinder, does Pietta share these Issues? Timing issues, which can even occur out of the box with Uberti is a massive turn off for me.
5. If conical bullets do not fit while the cylinder is in the gun but If I take it out and load the cylinder, will I have issues firing it after putting it back?
I heard many people say that Pietta makes better quality New Model Army revolvers.
I plan on buying more cylinders so if loading the conical bullets and paper cartridges separately causes no issues then I might order a Pietta.

 

[MrMystery02]

I would also like to say that there are only 2 stores in my country that sell Uberti replicas and about 4-5 which sells Pietta.

 

[Mike in FL]

All the opinions here about Pietta vs Uberti has swayed me in Pietta's direction. I reckon I will pull that trigger when I find the 1858.

 

[TDM]

You will be very happy with a Pietta 1858. And with minor metal removal they will shoot conicals too.

 

[Hawk54]

All the opinions here about Pietta vs Uberti has swayed me in Pietta's direction. I reckon I will pull that trigger when I find the 1858.

Gunbroker has them shipped and right to your house.

 

[Horse]

I've owned both. I kept the Ubertis.

 

[Trapper Scott]

I have two Pietta 1858's and they both shoot and operate fine straight from the box. Maybe I got lucky with my two, but I haven't had to make any adjustments to either one. I've never shot conicals out of them, but round balls do fine. I can't speak of Ubertas because I never owned one.

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

I bought a new Uberti 36 Remington recently from Dixie. I am completely happy with it, both finish and function.

 

[NorthFork]

I want to buy a 1858 new model army but due to severe Uberti shortage I am considering buying a Pietta instead. Is it worth waiting for the Uberti to be in stock?
It does not really matter to me that the Pietta model is further from the original, neither are real Remingtons. What bothers me instead is that the Pietta cannot accept conical bullets and paper cartridges.
On the other hand the way I see it is Uberti is losing it's quality, I heard that recent new army remingtons could have timing issues, I also heard a cattleman owner that the screws get loose after shooting it. The videos I see about these guns on youtube are about 80%-90% of the time Pietta. They say that some replicas made by Uberti is better than by Pietta, other replicas made by Pietta are better then by Uberti.
I need some help decieding which one to get so I have some questions and anyone who can awnser them I thank him a lot.
1. Which one has better and more aftermarket support and more spare parts available?
2. Which one is better quality and lasts longer?
3. Which replica has the conversion cylinder more available? I heard Uberti could have timing issues with the conversion cylinder, does Pietta share these Issues? Timing issues, which can even occur out of the box with Uberti is a massive turn off for me.
5. If conical bullets do not fit while the cylinder is in the gun but If I take it out and load the cylinder, will I have issues firing it after putting it back?
I heard many people say that Pietta makes better quality New Model Army revolvers.
I plan on buying more cylinders so if loading the conical bullets and paper cartridges separately causes no issues then I might order a Pietta.

I'll try to make this brief and I am NO expert. There will be many an expert along soon to voice their learned opinion.

1. When it comes to Rem replicas, I don't know which one is truly better mechanically *. Era's Gone seems to think Pietta Rem's are closer historically than Uberti's outside of the 'billboard' on the barrel. I'd trust his opinion. Both have plenty of spare parts available.

2. See #1 *

3. Don't know anything about conversion cylinders and quite frankly don't care about them at all.

4. You skipped #4

5. Some conicals will load in Pietta 1858's just fine. Otherwise modify the 'load port'. It's easy to do. Or load off the pistol on a loading stand for revolver cylinders. Why would you have issues firing it if you load off the pistol?

* I strongly believe Pietta makes a mechanically superior Colt replica than Uberti. I don't give a hoot about cosmetic nonsense. Mechanically Pietta is generally better with Colts. Now Pietta does not offer in this country certain Colt models that Uberti does. If you want a Walker or Dragoon, Uberti is the only way to go. Based on what I've seen with Pietta Colt replicas, AND what I've seen with Uberti Colt replicas, I would buy the Pietta Remington replica hoping the same quality crosses over model lines. I own 1 new Pietta 1858 now. It seems to be just fine. Actually better than the Uberti Colt replicas I own in overall quality. I am probably done with buying Uberti as a general rule. Piettas seem to work just fine out of the box. Ubertis seem to take a bit of tinkering to get to the same level as a comparable Pietta. Like I said, all I care about is function. You all can argue about form.

 

[45D]

Wow!!!
My perception is exactly the opposite of NorthFork !!!
As far as main differences go, the Pietta frames are cast while Uberti's are forged. As far as size of Rem. frames, the Pietta is the largest ( probably because it's cast) and I believe the smaller Uberti is still larger than the original.
Uberti is the only manufacturer that produces all four sizes of the differing models ( Horse pistols, belt pistols and 2 sizes of pocket pistols), Pietta makes all their open-top models off of one frame.

Uberti's action parts are actually the best parts ever offered in an open-top revolver and I think Sam would have given up a kidney for like parts!! The Pietta parts are "modern production" (MIM) copies of 80's type parts.

This is not meant to be personal as opinions are just that. Besides, I work on all brands so championing one all the time wouldn't be "prudent" !! I'll just say that my personal open-top revolvers are Uberti's and all are dedicated cartridge conversions and all maintain very close tolerances. I own two Pietta's, a '58 Remington and a Mod.P copy. The Remington is a 5 shot 45C and will make anyone proud at the range!! The Mod.P was a train wreck when I got it but after EXTENSIVE reworking and new (production pulled) action parts, it's an awesome example of a 45C / 45acp convertible . . . . I wouldn't hold my breath for another one though. My Uberti El Patron Competition was an amazing platform to start with!!!

Just an aside, none come from the factory with even decent timing. I see it all the time on all forums about "Mine has perfect timing . . . " . If it's even close to correct it's rare as most folks have no idea what "correct timing" is. But hey, it's ok, that's why I have something to do!!!

Mike

 

[NorthFork]

Wow!!!
My perception is exactly the opposite of NorthFork !!!
As far as main differences go, the Pietta frames are cast while Uberti's are forged. As far as size of Rem. frames, the Pietta is the largest ( probably because it's cast) and I believe the smaller Uberti is still larger than the original.
Uberti is the only manufacturer that produces all four sizes of the differing models ( Horse pistols, belt pistols and 2 sizes of pocket pistols), Pietta makes all their open-top models off of one frame.

Uberti's action parts are actually the best parts ever offered in an open-top revolver and I think Sam would have given up a kidney for like parts!! The Pietta parts are "modern production" (MIM) copies of 80's type parts.

This is not meant to be personal as opinions are just that. Besides, I work on all brands so championing one all the time wouldn't be "prudent" !! I'll just say that my personal open-top revolvers are Uberti's and all are dedicated cartridge conversions and all maintain very close tolerances. I own two Pietta's, a '58 Remington and a Mod.P copy. The Remington is a 5 shot 45C and will make anyone proud at the range!! The Mod.P was a train wreck when I got it but after EXTENSIVE reworking and new (production pulled) action parts, it's an awesome example of a 45C / 45acp convertible . . . . I wouldn't hold my breath for another one though. My Uberti El Patron Competition was an amazing platform to start with!!!

Just an aside, none come from the factory with even decent timing. I see it all the time on all forums about "Mine has perfect timing . . . " . If it's even close to correct it's rare as most folks have no idea what "correct timing" is. But hey, it's ok, that's why I have something to do!!!

Mike

Yep, you and I are gonna have to agree to disagree!

 

[Bad Karma]

All the opinions here about Pietta vs Uberti has swayed me in Pietta's direction. I reckon I will pull that trigger when I find the 1858.

I’ve owned quite a few replicas (way too many! I’m not posting a number on the chance my wife is looking over my shoulder) and a number of originals. Of all of these the survivors are 99% Ubertis, 2nd Generation Colt, or original. Only one is a Pietta and I’m selling that one.

 

[45D]

Yep, you and I are gonna have to agree to disagree!

Well, I can help with that some maybe:
In your response:

1. You admit you don't know which is better mechanically. So I pointed out that Pietta's across the board are cast and Uberti's are forged. And as far as parts, Pietta's are MIM parts which are hard . . . which makes them much more time consuming when tuning plus, the bolt arms are thick (80's style!!) which is not conducive for an easy/smooth action or longevity.
Uberti's on the other hand have cut steel parts and a correctly made bolt with a thin left arm and thicker right arm ( just like the originals!). So, on both points, the nod would go to Uberti.

3. You don't like conversions and I'm totally fine with that but, . . . with conversions you can shoot "smokyless" powder. That type powder is much harder on revolvers than black powder and can turn one into a rattle trap in short order!! Therefore, if someone figures out how to shoot really "quality" ammo out of a converted open-top and it NOT be destroyed but rather keep tight tolerances, it is a much better b.p. revolver than before!! That should allow some appreciation for those of us willing to " push the envelope" to bring you better revolvers across the board!!

Mike

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

As to this "perfect timing" stuff - if the cylinder locks up with no slop and the chamber is aligned with the bore every time you pull the hammer back and shoots every time you pull the trigger, and does this year after year, why would the timing be considered to be a problem?

 

[45D]

As to this "perfect timing" stuff - if the cylinder locks up with no slop and the chamber is aligned with the bore every time you pull the hammer back and shoots every time you pull the trigger, and does this year after year, why would the timing be considered to be a problem?

Believe it or not, there IS a "correct" timing sequence. Leave it to the manufacturer to actually have a "correct" setup for their product as opposed to an "it can function" setup like the reproductions.
I would argue that having correct timing is the best situation just as with anything else mechanical with a designated operation sequence. If not running correctly, parts will wear differently - possibly damaging other parts. As to the owner understanding / being familiar with correct timing, it's HOW you detect when something is wrong or when "wear" accelerates and parts need adjusting / replacement.
A "for instance" being WHEN the bolt drops ( drops off the cam allowing the head to contact the cyl). It's the 2nd click heard when cycling the action. It should "drop" in the approach (if one is available) at least one bolt width before the notch. If this "click" starts happening sooner, it's indicating a problem. Could be bolt arm wear, cam degradation. If not attended to, will only get worse- not better.

It's why competition (cowboy shooters) guns get attended to right from the beginning. They don't want a worn-out revolver halfway through a match . . . that they're winning!! The "active" shooters will likely shoot more in a year than the average shooter will shoot his or hers - ever!!

Typically, if you like nice things, you want them "right". If you don't really care, then it won't really matter.

Mike

 

[William P Sepessy]

FWIW, last year I bought a pair of 8" charcoal blue Uberti Remingtons. The actions were exceptionally crisp with zero hammer overtravel. These were the first Remingtons I owned and I was expecting to encounter the reported fouling issues. After 36-40 rounds each both guns were still functioning normally. Up till this time I had only owned Open Top Colt percussion pistols (Colt, Uberti & Pietta), and I scratched the other itch by acquiring several Rogers & Spencers which run all day long. I'm glad I finally gave the Remingtons a try am I'm certainly satisfied with the quality of these two Ubertis.

 

[Bad Karma]

End shake is critical with revolvers… generally a smaller gap allows less fouling to be deposited on the pin or arbor.

 

[springfield art]

I want to buy a 1858 new model army but due to severe Uberti shortage I am considering buying a Pietta instead. Is it worth waiting for the Uberti to be in stock?
It does not really matter to me that the Pietta model is further from the original, neither are real Remingtons. What bothers me instead is that the Pietta cannot accept conical bullets and paper cartridges.
On the other hand the way I see it is Uberti is losing it's quality, I heard that recent new army remingtons could have timing issues, I also heard a cattleman owner that the screws get loose after shooting it. The videos I see about these guns on youtube are about 80%-90% of the time Pietta. They say that some replicas made by Uberti is better than by Pietta, other replicas made by Pietta are better then by Uberti.
I need some help decieding which one to get so I have some questions and anyone who can awnser them I thank him a lot.
1. Which one has better and more aftermarket support and more spare parts available?
2. Which one is better quality and lasts longer?
3. Which replica has the conversion cylinder more available? I heard Uberti could have timing issues with the conversion cylinder, does Pietta share these Issues? Timing issues, which can even occur out of the box with Uberti is a massive turn off for me.
5. If conical bullets do not fit while the cylinder is in the gun but If I take it out and load the cylinder, will I have issues firing it after putting it back?
I heard many people say that Pietta makes better quality New Model Army revolvers.
I plan on buying more cylinders so if loading the conical bullets and paper cartridges separately causes no issues then I might order a Pietta.

Pietta is every bit as good as Uberti.

 

[Horse]

I would wait for the Uberti.

 

[NorthFork]

Well, I can help with that some maybe:
In your response:

1. You admit you don't know which is better mechanically. So I pointed out that Pietta's across the board are cast and Uberti's are forged. And as far as parts, Pietta's are MIM parts which are hard . . . which makes them much more time consuming when tuning plus, the bolt arms are thick (80's style!!) which is not conducive for an easy/smooth action or longevity.
Uberti's on the other hand have cut steel parts and a correctly made bolt with a thin left arm and thicker right arm ( just like the originals!). So, on both points, the nod would go to Uberti.

3. You don't like conversions and I'm totally fine with that but, . . . with conversions you can shoot "smokyless" powder. That type powder is much harder on revolvers than black powder and can turn one into a rattle trap in short order!! Therefore, if someone figures out how to shoot really "quality" ammo out of a converted open-top and it NOT be destroyed but rather keep tight tolerances, it is a much better b.p. revolver than before!! That should allow some appreciation for those of us willing to " push the envelope" to bring you better revolvers across the board!!

Mike

#3 first. Check out forum rule #10. We do not discuss metallic cartridges or conversion cylinders on this forum. While I understand your opinion on this subject, like I said before, I personally could not care less about them or the use of them. BP with round ball or conicals in paper cartridges only. And it's the forum rules.

Concerning Remington replicas, no I don't know for a fact Pietta is better. My sample size of 1 Pietta 1858 in my collection is not enough to form a solid opinion. However it is a great shooter with a smooth action compared to Uberti 1858's I've shot and handled. When it comes to Colt replicas, yes generally speaking Pietta is superior out of the box comapred to Uberti.

#1 Forged is not ALWAYS better than cast. There are too many variables at play to make a blanket statement like that. However in the ever on going debate of Uberti vs Pietta, I will agree that if comparing similar models, Uberti frames are ultimately stronger.

That said, Pietta frames are certainly strong enough for a long life with BP and sensible loads. If someone insists on cramming as much T7 into the chamber AND still being able to seat a heavy conical, then the Uberti will likely be the better choice. However MOST cap and ball shooters do NOT do this.

Pietta's MIM parts does not bother me in the least. Most unmentionables actions these days are comprised wholly of MIM parts. Seems to work just fine for them. Pietta's also seem to generally work just fine out of the box. Could they be improved by tuning, well sure. But they work well out of the box for most folks. Uberti's seem to need work to function well. They certainly look better. I'll give anyone that. Most folks will NEVER have their revolvers tuned, so the whole idea that Uberti's are easy to tune than Pietta's is lost to MOST shooters. If you are a competitive shooter then tuning I would imagine is something that IS very important to you. Most folks just want to plink, informally target shoot, or hunt. And they want the revolver to work right out of the box to a reasonable standard without a further outlay of cash to 'fix' imperfections in the action. Pietta's fit that bill perfectly.