Un-confuse me about Uberti

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I have an Old ASM with a dog-knot in the barrel (that’s what started my addiction), it took two months to bust loose all the rusted screws (that’s a whole ‘nother story) but I learned they are really simple pieces.
Since then I’ve acquired a fist full of Piettas, all 44s.
As soon as I take them out of the box, before I even cock the hammer (I don’t want that durned ring around the cylinder!) I strip them completely down, clean, deburr, accurize, polish, arbor check, set bolt width and height and change nipples to no.11s.
Then I load em up and see how crappy the sights are. One Pietta 51 was so bad I dovetailed a new front sight in.
They all shoot fine, I’m not real happy with Piettas’ grip, kinda belled like a trombone.
So I bought some Ubertis, again 44s. Same pre-shoot prep etc.
The last Uberti 60 army I bought made me quit buying. It was and is perfect. Even that crappy sight is dead on with a 6 o’clock hold.
Son now I guess I’ll have to start on 36s... then all those confounded Confederate makers....
It may never end!!!
 
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I regret to add that I just got an 1851Navy, by Uberti that simply would not function out of the box. Apparently, the slot for the cylinder pawl to run through is too tight (& roughly milled), or less likely, the pawl is too 'fat' to function. There is extreme resistance in cocking, indexing the cylinder, and hammer can be pushed down, but will not fall. I admit to extreme disappointment. Where is the simple function check to ensure an operable firearm gets put into a box? Not sure if I should simply return or have a gunsmith/machinist friend make it function....🤔😕
 
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.
Several years ago I bought a SAA .38 made by Uberti after acquisition by Beretta. It is really slick, a real quality pistol. Maybe everyone has stepped up their game, but will perhaps take time to recover from all the covid disruptions. Voted today here in PA.
 
Tks! Although it can be 'made to function', it's a new firearm and shouldn't have to be. I'll contact them!😎
AK
I am absolutely new to BP revolvers so what I am throwing out here is strictly a guess on my part but is based on the following:
I just bought an Uberti 1862 Pocket Police ...before I did so I researched the Italian reproductions finding as you know Pietta and Uberti the dominate players
In my pre-buy research I could find nothing from Pietta in an 1862 Colt Pocket Police but did find several in stock built by Uberti
In each instance the seller touted theirs was from Taylors, Cimmaron or Uberti USA (I do not know if there are other importers ..just these that were confirmed via phone conversation) ... I might add same gun via description I found a $90 spread from high to low during my search😁
I SUSPECT It will be extremely important to go back to the importer who imported the troublesome child for the best results
I like many others hear n read about good/bad/ugly but I would like to think the folks in the business if given half a chance will do all that is reasonable make it right.

I always have to remind myself when I get a new "bad Gizmo" that I/we need these manufacturers and their channels of distribution that are important to my/our beloved past time ..

So UPS says tomorrow I am getting a shipment that requires an adult signature (thank goodness UPS uses a very loose yardstick to measure adult) ..and we will see how this Uberti stacks up

Bear
 
Tks! Although it can be 'made to function', it's a new firearm and shouldn't have to be. I'll contact them!😎

While this is definitely so, a new gun shouldn't require work, the fact is that if the problem is such that it can be relatively easily taken care of (burrs or whatever), you would be much better off just doing it and being done. You could send it back for repair or replacement..... and you could wait a VERY long time to get anything back.
 
One advantage from buying from Taylor's or Cimarron, is that they both have gunsmiths on site should work need to be performed on a troublesome pistol. You can call Taylor's and talk with the Gunsmith if needed. I did return a pistol to Taylor's and they did a one day turn around on the problem.

Historically, Uberti has been given the nod over Pietta.
 
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...
Many years ago they were definitely marketed as a "modern designed, percussion revolver for modern shooters". Fact is they start out with a Blackhawk frame & their design more closely copies the Rogers & Spencer than the Remington NMA. They are what they are, a Ruger that has a cult following. Black powder Blackhawk is probably more correct than anything else, IMHO, no matter what the Ruger ad men say. Probably the strongest C&B revolver ever built.
 
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.
Just got a ROA blue at auction; paid a lot, esp. with the auction fee and sales tax! Having passed on two over the last few years due to not being committed to an ROA, I guess that's my penance! BTW, the one I just got is NIB, even has brown cardboard shipping overwrap to protect the yellow Ruger box. No instruction manual, but I can get that almost anywhere. If Ruger would re-issue them, they'd sell a ton, but that won't happen in this time and era. Plus, they'd be too expensive!
 
I have an Old ASM with a dog-knot in the barrel (that’s what started my addiction), it took two months to bust loose all the rusted screws (that’s a whole ‘nother story) but I learned they are really simple pieces.
Since then I’ve acquired a fist full of Piettas, all 44s.
As soon as I take them out of the box, before I even cock the hammer (I don’t want that durned ring around the cylinder!) I strip them completely down, clean, deburr, accurize, polish, arbor check, set bolt width and height and change nipples to no.11s.
Then I load em up and see how crappy the sights are. One Pietta 51 was so bad I dovetailed a new front sight in.
They all shoot fine, I’m not real happy with Piettas’ grip, kinda belled like a trombone.
So I bought some Ubertis, again 44s. Same pre-shoot prep etc.
The last Uberti 60 army I bought made me quit buying. It was and is perfect. Even that crappy sight is dead on with a 6 o’clock hold.
Son now I guess I’ll have to start on 36s... then all those confounded Confederate makers....
It may never end!!!
ASM - American Society for Metals?????
 
The BROWN Truck Stopped By Today ...The Uberti 1862 Pocket Police is in hand ..that's the good news..
The speed hump is it will take some work before it's first outing ..fit finish is fine ..cocking is rough and the hammer spring seems plenty strong ...but one (same chamber each time) cylinder position refuses to move at the attempt to cock ..I can worry the hammer a bit forward n back it will sometimes cock but more times than not I have to jiggle the cylinder ........
The timing is good in that it does not over or under travel cocking fast or slow and lock up is solid running it fast or slow ....
I suppose I will have to decide whether to send to the importer or tackle it myself .......
(thinking either the hand is hitting something in the channel it travels in or a burr on the back of the cylinder that interferes with the hand at that particular chamber) ..at half cock cylinder spins fine with no encountering of the barrel ...
I did not have time to pull it apart as the poor UPS guy did not get here until after 8PM and I'm packing

Sadly.. I'm packing to go see an Army buddy in Alabama who called to tell me he's stage 4 inoperable and wants to talk ... Kinda pales an 1862 not cocking correctly ...Krud I hate digging up stuff I bottled up and put away a half century ago ..so my attention to this thread and the 1862 will be sparse 5/6 days

Bear
 
The BROWN Truck Stopped By Today ...The Uberti 1862 Pocket Police is in hand ..that's the good news..
The speed hump is it will take some work before it's first outing ..fit finish is fine ..cocking is rough and the hammer spring seems plenty strong ...but one (same chamber each time) cylinder position refuses to move at the attempt to cock ..I can worry the hammer a bit forward n back it will sometimes cock but more times than not I have to jiggle the cylinder ........
The timing is good in that it does not over or under travel cocking fast or slow and lock up is solid running it fast or slow ....
I suppose I will have to decide whether to send to the importer or tackle it myself .......
(thinking either the hand is hitting something in the channel it travels in or a burr on the back of the cylinder that interferes with the hand at that particular chamber) ..at half cock cylinder spins fine with no encountering of the barrel ...
I did not have time to pull it apart as the poor UPS guy did not get here until after 8PM and I'm packing

Sadly.. I'm packing to go see an Army buddy in Alabama who called to tell me he's stage 4 inoperable and wants to talk ... Kinda pales an 1862 not cocking correctly ...Krud I hate digging up stuff I bottled up and put away a half century ago ..so my attention to this thread and the 1862 will be sparse 5/6 days

Bear
Be with your buddy, he needs it, if he's married his wife will need all the support everyone can give her, especially afterwards. I know, there are a few of us here who have lost our spouses to cancer.
 
I regret to add that I just got an 1851Navy, by Uberti that simply would not function out of the box. Apparently, the slot for the cylinder pawl to run through is too tight (& roughly milled), or less likely, the pawl is too 'fat' to function. There is extreme resistance in cocking, indexing the cylinder, and hammer can be pushed down, but will not fall. I admit to extreme disappointment. Where is the simple function check to ensure an operable firearm gets put into a box? Not sure if I should simply return or have a gunsmith/machinist friend make it function....🤔😕
People have said the covid has really disrupted personnel issues; if it was made recently, maybe some factory workers just were under the influence of lockdowns, etc. I'd personally keep it and have it worked on; then you'd have a nice "slicked up" gun that you'd be aware of all the issues on.
 
Seems there’s a lot of Italian clones shipping rough. Sounds like they’re leaving Italy with a lotta sharp edges. The hand slot can be deburred with needle files then a coffee stir stick wrapped with 600 grit or emery cloth.
Larsen E. Pettifogger
SASS # 32933L
has several free .pdf tutorials that help immensely.
Just google:

Tuning the Pietta Cap & Ball for Competition Part 1: Diagnosing the Problem Areas

Colt, Remmy, Pietta, Uberti tuning tips, some simple some fairly advanced.
I’m guessing pert near everybody with a cap n ball can use some of his tips.
 
I have an Old ASM with a dog-knot in the barrel (that’s what started my addiction), it took two months to bust loose all the rusted screws (that’s a whole ‘nother story) but I learned they are really simple pieces.
Since then I’ve acquired a fist full of Piettas, all 44s.
As soon as I take them out of the box, before I even cock the hammer (I don’t want that durned ring around the cylinder!) I strip them completely down, clean, deburr, accurize, polish, arbor check, set bolt width and height and change nipples to no.11s.
Then I load em up and see how crappy the sights are. One Pietta 51 was so bad I dovetailed a new front sight in.
They all shoot fine, I’m not real happy with Piettas’ grip, kinda belled like a trombone.
So I bought some Ubertis, again 44s. Same pre-shoot prep etc.
The last Uberti 60 army I bought made me quit buying. It was and is perfect. Even that crappy sight is dead on with a 6 o’clock hold.
Son now I guess I’ll have to start on 36s... then all those confounded Confederate makers....
It may never end!!!
There's a specific way to avoid the 'cylinder drag mark'; I forget the details, but you could google it.
 


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