Uberti barrel

[BIGGUY]

I'm looking at a custom .54 flinter; iron mounted with an L&R lock,P+++ maple and an uberti barrel. Are these barrels an appropriate component on what appears to be a high end rifle?

 

[MSW]

while i don't think that Uberti has the same reputation as, say, Rice or Colerain, i've owned (and still own) a few of their products and i've been happy with them. if this is an item of concern, you may want to contact the maker and ask (diplomatically, of course) why he prefers Uberti to any of the other barrels commonly available.

this is (unless you're very wealthy) probably one of the rew rifles you'll own that's handmade, so (as JackNicholson said in "the Last Detail") ... have it the way you want it

 

[MikeChapin]

I have only one Umberti barrel on a Santa Fe Hawkin. It is a tack driver and has been since the early eighties when I got it. Almost everyone who has one of these rifles say the same. There is not much more that you can ask of a barrel no matter what the manufacturer.

It would not bother me that a custom rifle would have one. MSW makes a good point though. If you are going to put out the bucks for a high end rifle you will have to decide whether it is worth it to you.

 

[BrownBear]

If I was setting out to build a rifle, I probably woulnd't use a Uberti. Considering the total cost of a gun, the difference in price for a premium barrel won't be that much. But will the extra price result in "better" shooting? Nah, I sincerely doubt it. As already noted, Uberti's have a rep for really good accuracy.

But the premium barrel would let you get into swamped or tapered barrels, which dramatically affect the handling and balance of a gun. Maybe that makes it "more accurate" because you simply shoot better with it, no matter what it does on the bench.

By the same token, if looking at an existing rifle with an untapered barrel, where are the bonuses for a custom barrel if it doesn't shoot any better than the Uberti? It boils down to a question of the fit, feel and finish of the gun in my mind. If there's a price penalty for being a Uberti, it would be the cost difference between new Uberti and premium barrels and no more.

If the gun is well made, appeals to you, and especially balances well for good shooting, buy it and enjoy. You might be able to knock off $50 or $75 or even $100 because it's Uberti and not a premium, but don't let that sucker slip between your fingers.

 

[BIGGUY]

Thanks for all the input everyone. If the gun is well made, appeals to you, and especially balances well for good shooting, buy it and enjoy. You might be able to knock off $50 or $75 or even $100 because it's Uberti and not a premium, but don't let that sucker slip between your fingers.

BrownBear, I don't need much convincing that I NEED another gun, so it loks like I'm getting my first custom flinter. :grin: