Un-confuse me about Uberti

[JCKelly]

I am an old Geezer with bad memories of a Pietta Spiller & Burr bought from Buffalo Bill's Shooting Store about 2009. Bad timing. Sent it back, the returned it as Just Fine. Still would not align nipple & barrel unless cocked slowly and deliberately. NO and NO, I never fired it. No experience at all with Uberti.
Have maybe 3 replica revolvers marked "Colt" Never fired them, actions SEEM OK

I just would not expect any modern Italian perc revolver to be very desirable. My Ruger is just fine, though.

 

[user 36911]

When I was shooing a lot of CAS. I used two Uberti 1860's. I tried Pietta before the Uberti's. The Uberti's were much better and i'm an old fart.

I had no interest in the Rugers as they weren't modeled after a real gun. They are built well though.

 

[springfield art]

I am an old Geezer with bad memories of a Pietta Spiller & Burr bought from Buffalo Bill's Shooting Store about 2009. Bad timing. Sent it back, the returned it as Just Fine. Still would not align nipple & barrel unless cocked slowly and deliberately. NO and NO, I never fired it. No experience at all with Uberti.
Have maybe 3 replica revolvers marked "Colt" Never fired them, actions SEEM OK

I just would not expect any modern Italian perc revolver to be very desirable. My Ruger is just fine, though.

People have various results. I have an M1860 Colt replica by Pietta, made very recently. (don't recall the exact year offhand). It is bee-utiful, very nicely finished and mechanically excellent. So there really is a difference maybe depending upon which Importer a lot was going to, etc. "Buyer Beware" seems to apply in all walks of interest.

 

[Springerpanhead]

I find it hard to believe that Uberti would spend the money to set up two different factories to produce guns of different quality.
This would basically involve running one factory that uses outdated, worn equipment to produce the parts for the low quality guns and a modern factory using the latest CNC machines and processes to produce the high quality guns. If this was done there would also have to be some method of preventing any of the "low quality" parts from becoming mixed with the "high quality" parts and finally two different assembly lines to assemble these two different quality lines of guns, here again, to keep the "cheap" parts from being mixed up with the "good" parts.

That said, I think the whole idea is total hogwash.

Yes, I've heard that a few companies advertise that their imported Uberti's are better than the ones sold by other competing companies but that is called "marketing".

I had heard that Taylor’s inspects their inventory when received, and will send back what they consider to be defective or blemished. If true, this would result in a lesser chance of getting a gun with an issue from Taylor’s. Of course that may have been in a different era than now, or maybe a legend, a rumor, a fact ?? Only their hair dresser knows for sure.

 

[Springerpanhead]

H

When I was shooing a lot of CAS. I used two Uberti 1860's. I tried Pietta before the Uberti's. The Uberti's were much better and i'm an old fart.

I had no interest in the Rugers as they weren't modeled after a real gun. They are built well though.

Have heard people complain about Henrys being accepted in CAS and the same people think Rugers are ok.

 

[user 36911]

Yup!

 

[hawkeye2]

I had heard that Taylor’s inspects their inventory when received, and will send back what they consider to be defective or blemished. If true, this would result in a lesser chance of getting a gun with an issue from Taylor’s. Of course that may have been in a different era than now, or maybe a legend, a rumor, a fact ?? Only their hair dresser knows for sure.

This is not true. I sold their products for a number of years and knew Sue and Tammy quite well. I used to go by there and ask to see several. I would inspect them as best as I could while they were packed in their shipping grease and pick what I thought was best. Never once did I see one that had ever been out of its plastic bag before I got ahold of it and they never said anything about inspecting them themselves. They are exceptionally nice people and I'm sure they would never sell anything that was substandard if they were aware of it. I did find an issue with one after I had completely cleaned it and was delivering it to the buyer. It was replaced with no questions.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

I have several Uberti's and the quality, fit and finish has generally been quite good. An 1860, an 1858 Remington, a 2nd Model Dragoon and two Cartridge 45's. The loading lever latch on the 1860 is mis-shapen and the under barrel lug was loose in the dovetail. No problems with the others. I had a Uberti 1848 Pocket that was purchased on sale from Cabelas. It had a pimple in the frame, under the hammer and opposite the arbor that prevented the hammer from striking the caps. A few minutes with a Dremel solved that but it should never have been shipped. I had only one Pieta. It was a 5" barreled Remington and it shot too far left to be acceptable and was not correctable since the front sight was fixed. I also did not like the feel of the trigger curvature. It was odd. I traded it.

So, in my limited experience with Italian guns, its been mostly good with some hit and miss. Having said that, I bought a new Colt SAA that had the worst trigger I have ever experienced. I don't they ever intended for it to actually be shot. Just looked at and admired.

You pays your money and you take your chances...

 

[Jay Templin]

I bought my Pietta 1860 brand new from Cabela’s in 1994 for $99 on sale. I have never had a minute’s trouble through 2 decades of Civil War cavalry reenacting and hundreds of live rounds fired at targets and varmints (the 4 legged kinds). I got my Uberti 1860 secondhand in 2004 and have never been able to fire two cylinders in a row without at least one or two caps falling into the action when I thumb the hammer back after firing. The nipples seem to be smaller than on the Pietta.
Jay

 

[SDSmlf]

Only have one Uberti left in the stable. Last few have been disappointing. Short arbor (.100” plus) being biggest complaint. Also found cylinder bore diameter to be significantly under rifling groove diameter, though Pietta’s were also undersized, just not as significant. Both Piettas and Ubertis open tops currently seem to suffer from late bolt timing, although that is easily fixed. Personally, if buying new, would lean towards Pietta. Fewer problems to deal with, at least in my opinion. Unless maybe if you find a great deal on a Uberti. Neither Pietta or Uberti are ‘investment’ guns in my opinion.

 

[user 36911]

I bought my Pietta 1860 brand new from Cabela’s in 1994 for $99 on sale. I have never had a minute’s trouble through 2 decades of Civil War cavalry reenacting and hundreds of live rounds fired at targets and varmints (the 4 legged kinds). I got my Uberti 1860 secondhand in 2004 and have never been able to fire two cylinders in a row without at least one or two caps falling into the action when I thumb the hammer back after firing. The nipples seem to be smaller than on the Pietta.
Jay

You can't blame the gun for that. You need to have the proper nipple to cap fit on any caplock. I could fire my 1860's as fast as I could pull the hammer and trigger and never had a cap fall off. CAS shooting is all about speed. Different make nipples are different sizes and different make caps are different sizes too. You need to find a proper match. Treso nipples and Rem #10 caps is a pretty good fit. On my Hawken I use Uncle Mike's nipples and RWS #11 caps. It's impossible to get the cap off once it's pressed on. It's easier to just shoot the gun.

 

[Old Hawkeye]

You can't blame the gun for that. You need to have the proper nipple to cap fit on any caplock. I could fire my 1860's as fast as I could pull the hammer and trigger and never had a cap fall off. CAS shooting is all about speed. Different make nipples are different sizes and different make caps are different sizes too. You need to find a proper match. Treso nipples and Rem #10 caps is a pretty good fit. On my Hawken I use Uncle Mike's nipples and RWS #11 caps. It's impossible to get the cap off once it's pressed on. It's easier to just shoot the gun.

Jay is talking about a FIRED cap falling into the hammer recess & jamming up the revolver, not about unfired cap fit. Cap jams can be a common problem with C&B revolvers, but the "fixes" are easy & it doesn't have to be put up with no matter the brand of revolver.

 

[user 36911]

Yes, we put guards in to prevent that. Caps that are hot are a bigger problem because they blow to pieces. RWS is the worst because they're so hot. Not a problem in a rifle but bad in a revolver. I always used the Rem #10. They held together pretty good. No need for hot caps in a revolver.

Another thing we did was fire and then point the barrel straight up and cock the hammer. The caps will fall out instead of dropping in the action.

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

Many years ago I attended the Ruger Armorer school in Newport, New Hampshire. Back then if you were lucky and he was around you got to meet the "old man" as part of the factory tour.

Anyway, we were discussing the different models and their inspirations. Some felt that the ROA was based on the Remington, I referred to it as a "black powder Blackhawk." Oh boy, did that result in a healthy lecture.

Bottom line, it was not a "black powder Blackhawk" but a modern designed, percussion revolver for modern shooters...

 

[Jay Templin]

You can't blame the gun for that. You need to have the proper nipple to cap fit on any caplock. I could fire my 1860's as fast as I could pull the hammer and trigger and never had a cap fall off. CAS shooting is all about speed. Different make nipples are different sizes and different make caps are different sizes too. You need to find a proper match. Treso nipples and Rem #10 caps is a pretty good fit. On my Hawken I use Uncle Mike's nipples and RWS #11 caps. It's impossible to get the cap off once it's pressed on. It's easier to just shoot the gun.

Thanks for the tip!
Jay

 

[springfield art]

I bought my Pietta 1860 brand new from Cabela’s in 1994 for $99 on sale. I have never had a minute’s trouble through 2 decades of Civil War cavalry reenacting and hundreds of live rounds fired at targets and varmints (the 4 legged kinds). I got my Uberti 1860 secondhand in 2004 and have never been able to fire two cylinders in a row without at least one or two caps falling into the action when I thumb the hammer back after firing. The nipples seem to be smaller than on the Pietta.
Jay

I recently bought a second-hand but unused Pietta M1860 Colt sold by Cabela's; it is very high quality and came from CA here to PA somehow. Box fully labeled and printed "Cabela's", so I assume they have an agreement with the factory to keep standards up.

 

[springfield art]

Many years ago I attended the Ruger Armorer school in Newport, New Hampshire. Back then if you were lucky and he was around you got to meet the "old man" as part of the factory tour.

Anyway, we were discussing the different models and their inspirations. Some felt that the ROA was based on the Remington, I referred to it as a "black powder Blackhawk." Oh boy, did that result in a healthy lecture.

Bottom line, it was not a "black powder Blackhawk" but a modern designed, percussion revolver for modern shooters...

That's really interesting, not many can say that! Thanks!

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

Yes, he was interesting. Not to hijack the thread, but I don't get star struck. But meeting him all I could think about was that is what America is all about. He had an idea that he could do it better and he ran with it.

Back to the thread, in the 1980's Uberti was the one to have. I also saw a lot of Armi San Marco revolvers. I think today they are all pretty decent. It does pay off if possible to look at a couple of different examples and pick the one you like. Before the pandemic you could go to Taylor's showroom in Winchester and look at all types. Hopefully soon you will again.

 

[Smoothian]

Which Uberti has the most $$ invested in it would probably be a Uberti from Hege in Germany. They work on Uberti guns and modify them, for example can have a Lothar Walther barrel, part or fully engraved, custom grips. They are restamped and leave as Hege Ubertis, i have a rifle of theirs and it is very nice. Prices are somewhat different to standard.

 

[RB POWELL]

And not to hijack the thread but the first paragraph, I have always been told the Uberti's were better than the Petta's. True or not?

And I would also like to know which source of Uberti's is best.
Inquiring minds would like to know.

Uberti better than Pietta...? Not necessarily so. There was a time when this was true, but Pietta stepped up their game several years ago. Both have their fans. I have both, and like them both. There are so many models, and reliability, finish, etc. can vary gun-to-gun. I think that generally speaking there isn't much about either brand that can't be fixed (if needed), with a bit of minimal fussing.