Trying to understand this “short arbor” on Uberti revolvers

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Not saying open top frames are inaccurate or unreliable just designed differently from rigid frame guns. My 60 is very accurate!
I follow you... the weakest link is the sighting system but even that can be overcome. When I first began shooting this gun I looked at the tiny little sights as an advantage, aim small, miss small. I hadn’t heard that saying back then but I knew it was true. Under 30 yards I’ve killed a ton of those Richardson’s ground squirrels. High and wide defense pistol type sights won’t work at all for a target less than an inch wide and 5 inches tall.
 
I can tell you that a wide front sight and a square partridge rear with some light showing either side of front post will be far more accurate for you with a six o'clock hold. It will give you both better elevation and windage definition as you can see the whole target. It also will be more accurate for moving shots.
 
I can tell you that a wide front sight and a square partridge rear with some light showing either side of front post will be far more accurate for you with a six o'clock hold. It will give you both better elevation and windage definition as you can see the whole target. It also will be more accurate for moving shots.
That’s definitely true for my old eyes... unless I have very good light the smaller sights are difficult to find anymore. But I persist... Mrs Woodnbow will tell you that stubbornness is one f my chief virtues. Or something.
 
That’s definitely true for my old eyes... unless I have very good light the smaller sights are difficult to find anymore. But I persist... Mrs Woodnbow will tell you that stubbornness is one f my chief virtues. Or something.
One thing I tried on my home made horse pistol was a rear aperture soldered into the rear sight mounted on the barrel just as you would a partridge open rear and a square ( post profile) blade up front. The aperture is very large , close to 1/8th in diameter but it seems to work perfectly for me at arms length holding both elevation and windage. It was an experiment that I did not think would work but it does. Apparently my eye will center it at arms length just as it does when mounted on the tang of the rifle.
 
One thing I tried on my home made horse pistol was a rear aperture soldered into the rear sight mounted on the barrel just as you would a partridge open rear and a square ( post profile) blade up front. The aperture is very large , close to 1/8th in diameter but it seems to work perfectly for me at arms length holding both elevation and windage. It was an experiment that I did not think would work but it does. Apparently my eye will center it at arms length just as it does when mounted on the tang of the rifle.
Interesting... I may have to try something like that with a replacement front sight on a standard length 8” barrel...
 
I didn't think it would hold elevation but I tested it out to 50 yards over sand bags and it was as accurate as if I had a target partridge rear. I need to get the ole girl out again and see if it still is true with my aging eyes.
 
I didn't think it would hold elevation but I tested it out to 50 yards over sand bags and it was as accurate as if I had a target partridge rear. I need to get the ole girl out again and see if it still is true with my aging eyes.
I know what you mean, been going around the sun since 1946 and my vision is still 20/20 but if the light isn’t good I struggle to pick up the smaller sights at arms length. Who was it that called these the golden years?😤
 
Its all the gold we need to stay healthy.

I, too, don't need glasses, but it took some gold to make that happen to eliminate the cataracts.

Last checkup the doc says I have cataracts developing. It’s not noticeable yet but frankly the thought of eye surgery scares the pudding out of me. of course it’s not the thought of surgery so much but what if it doesn’t go right? I guess I’ll do it when I have to.
 
I did a fair amount of research on the doctor who did the surgery and the quality of the outcomes. Only one eye at a time is operated on. @Woodnbow, get good recommendations from your optometrist and I also asked for a reference from my primary care physician.
 
I watched an aviation documentary where they recreated the Kitty Hawk Flyer. They struggled to get it to fly.. and just couldn't figure out why it was so unstable...
I found the whole thing humorous... and nostalgic.
 
Woodnbow, I had cataract surgery about 10-12 years ago. It is very routine and I wouldn't be afraid of it. Any surgery carries a risk, but with this one it is extremely small. Thousands of them are done every day. If you need it get it done and don't look back pun fully indended.
 
Had the eye thing done to my right (dominant) eye two months ago. When asked what forced me to get the surgery done, i responded that I could not see the 100 yard line at the range. Your sight type, small or large, pistol or rifle, don't matter if everything from six inches to six miles is fuzzy. The surgery was all of 10 minutes, the post surgery eye drops were more of a PITA than what the doc did. The end result, was fabulous. Now I can once again hit the man gong at 100 with my Walker.
 
So getting back to my 1860, I have the arbor bottomed in the hole, barrel lugs just kiss the frame. I get .004” cylinder gap, so I am happy with that. However, I ordered a new wedge because I thought I had filed down the original too much. But this one still goes in just past the barrel on the right side, or even a little more with good thumb pressure. People say that’s too far in, but my cylinder gap doesn’t close up anymore which is good. So I’m a little confused as to why the wedge is on the small side. Or am I just split’n hairs
 
As long as the wedge doesn't bottom out on the screw side,,,,everything is good to go. The bunnies🐰🐰 need to watch out for the axe.
 
The wedge is like a three leg stool. The three contact points that count are the front of the window in the cylinder arbor and the two rear shoulders of the barrel slots. The top and bottom of the wedge do nothing. The wedge needs to be narrow enough to appear at the far side of the barrel rear shoulder and wide enough to not go past the outside of the rear edge of the barrel window on the near side (some wedges have a lip or screw channel that bottom out and stop insertion). If it goes in too far forge it (overall or mostly along centerline) thinner and wider, doing so will not change the cylinder gap and give maximum area of the three contact patches.
 
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