What Is The Fix?

[N.Y. Yankee]

I often hear that Uberti made Colt clones have a "short arbor" and that it is a "pretty easy fix". Can someone explain this for me as I am looking to buy one, maybe an 1860 Army or Dragoon.

 

[Zulch]

NY Yankee. I am no expert but I do know Uberti arbors are short. 45D, on TMF, Mike of GoonsGunworks is a bonafide expert with these. He is also very helpful with explaining the issue and offering advice. I have a couple of Walkers and Dragoons myself that suffer from short arbor syndrome. If you want an 1860 without a short arbor then a modern Pietta 2010 forward 2022 do not have short arbors. If you are set on Uberti? Good choice by the way, but the short arbor is an issue. I’ll let the other more experienced chime in. Thanks Tim

 

[N.Y. Yankee]

What exactly does "short arbor" do or cause?

 

[Zulch]

What exactly does "short arbor" do or cause?

With shooting, Over time, it can cause the frame itself to stretch thus increasing cylinder gap at the forcing cone/barrel which is obviously not desirable. Uberti knows this but will not address it as a problem in the manufacturing process. Why? Who knows. Uberti for instance, in their instructions suggests loading lower powder charges than the original Colts could/can handle for any given caliber. For instance, a Colt Walker can handle 60 grains of BP. Uberti recommends 30 grains for their Walker replicas. You can test and prove there is a short arbor by merely placing a small washer or two, 5mm or so in size, in the Arbor receiving hole. Then push the barrel back into place. It will close up fine with the alignment pins unless there are to many washers in the hole. The arbor in theory should rest against the backside of the arbor receiving hole with no need for washers taking up the gap. Hope that makes sense?

 

[45D]

What exactly does "short arbor" do or cause?

It allows the two assemblies to move at different "rates" when the revolver is fired (it's a harmonics thing). When this happens, the wedge is the "referee" between two opposing forces and it isn't designed to do that. The arbor is (by design) supposed to bottom out in the barrel assy and LIMIT the resulting distance between the barrel and the cylinder (endshake) clearance. This allows the revolver to be the same revolver (dimensionally) each time it is re-assembled. The wedge should be "driven in", not " finger tight" or under "thumb pressure".
That is basically what the " short arbor " is all about. All reproductions ever made have short arbors except for the Piettas of the last dozen yrs or so.

Mike

 

[No second place]

I often hear that Uberti made COlt clones have a "short arbor" and that it is a "pretty easy fix". Can someone explain this for me as I am looking to buy one, maybe an 1860 Army or Dragoon.

Best fix is to avoid Uberti...Current made Pietta Colts does not have that problem...

 

[45D]

Best fix is to avoid Uberti...Current made Pietta Colts does not have that problem...

Yeah, so don't like Walkers, Dragoons, or pocket revolvers!! Lol. Get a "one trick pony" instead!!

Mike

 

[CaptainKirk]

Pietta does not make Dragoons or Walkers. Just sayin'.

 

[No second place]

Yeah, so don't like Walkers, Dragoons, or pocket revolvers!! Lol. Get a "one trick pony" instead!!

Mike

I own and have owned many Uberti and other brands. My comment is based on current production issues...c

 

[springfield art]

NY Yankee. I am no expert but I do know Uberti arbors are short. 45D, on TMF, Mike of GoonsGunworks is a bonafide expert with these. He is also very helpful with explaining the issue and offering advice. I have a couple of Walkers and Dragoons myself that suffer from short arbor syndrome. If you want an 1860 without a short arbor then a modern Pietta 2010 forward 2022 do not have short arbors. If you are set on Uberti? Good choice by the way, but the short arbor is an issue. I’ll let the other more experienced chime in. Thanks Tim

I have a couple Piettas, and they seem to be a real quality product. I know there's "Uberti snobs" out there, but Piettas are fine, too. I have a couple older ASMs, and they are very good replicas.

 

[springfield art]

I own and have owned many Uberti and other brands. My comment is based on current production issues...c

So why doesn't the Uberti company address this issue? Why is it that only the BP guys know and care about it? Just wonderin'.

 

[Zulch]

I have a couple Piettas, and they seem to be a real quality product. I know there's "Uberti snobs" out there, but Piettas are fine, too. I have a couple older ASMs, and they are very good replicas.

Springfield art. I’m with you on that. I have Pietta’s Uberti’s and ASM’s . Shoot, I like them all

 

[Old Hawkeye]

I have a Uberti Navy Colt that has a perfectly fitted arbor and is wonderfully timed in every aspect. It's about the best timed & functioning revolver I have, right out of the box! Maybe I just got lucky, but I think this "short" arbor thing is overblown. It can be easily fixed by anyone with half a brain, so why all the consternation over a minor issue? If you don't bother to fix it, it's not that big of a deal anyway. The average recreational shooter isn't going to know any different & unless you are shooting competition & huge amounts of shots per year it don't matter all that much. Basing one's opinion on a small sample size & denigrating one manufacturer over another is short sighted, IMHO & all it does is confuse the beginner. Just sayin'.

 

[Zulch]

I have a Uberti Navy Colt that has a perfectly fitted arbor and is wonderfully timed in every aspect. It's about the best timed & functioning revolver I have, right out of the box! Maybe I just got lucky, but I think this "short" arbor thing is overblown. It can be easily fixed by anyone with half a brain, so why all the consternation over a minor issue? If you don't bother to fix it, it's not that big of a deal anyway. The average recreational shooter isn't going to know any different & unless you are shooting competition & huge amounts of shots per year it don't matter all that much. Basing one's opinion on a small sample size & denigrating one manufacturer over another is short sighted, IMHO & all it does is confuse the beginner. Just sayin'.

Old Hawkeye, I respect your opinion sir. Respectfully, I will say this. One thing for certain is, as you well know, we all have an opinion

 

[CaptainKirk]

So why doesn't the Uberti company address this issue? Why is it that only the BP guys know and care about it? Just wonderin'.

If they address the issue, then they have admitted there is an issue. And then they are liable to fix it.

 

[CaptainKirk]

Maybe I just got lucky, but I think this "short" arbor thing is overblown.

It's not.

It can be easily fixed by anyone with half a brain, so why all the consternation over a minor issue? If you don't bother to fix it, it's not that big of a deal anyway

Because it's only a minor issue until it's not anymore. Then it requires a whole lot of repair to undo the damage.

 

[Gun Tramp]

Uberti knows this but will not address it as a problem in the manufacturing process. Why? Who knows.

So why doesn't the Uberti company address this issue? Why is it that only the BP guys know and care about it? Just wonderin'.

If they address the issue, then they have admitted there is an issue. And then they are liable to fix it.

I've asked the question before on this forum and now seems a good time to ask again. Has anybody contacted, and received a reply, from Uberti (in Italy, not a stateside distributor) to find out why they produce revolvers with "short arbors"? I've studied the almost countless posts and replies on this subject since joining the forum and have yet to see anything quoted from the manufacturer. From what I see on Uberti's website, one will need to speak or understand Italian (which I do not) in order to contact them. Until I see something from the manufacturer, I consider all else conjecture.

 

[Zulch]

I've asked the question before on this forum and now seems a good time to ask again. Has anybody contacted, and received a reply, from Uberti (in Italy, not a stateside distributor) to find out why they produce revolvers with "short arbors"? I've studied the almost countless posts and replies on this subject since joining the forum and have yet to see anything quoted from the manufacturer. From what I see on Uberti's website, one will need to speak or understand Italian (which I do not) in order to contact them. Until I see something from the manufacturer, I consider all else conjecture.

Good point GunTramp maybe someone could call them. I think Italians can speak English now.

 

[45D]

I have a Uberti Navy Colt that has a perfectly fitted arbor and is wonderfully timed in every aspect. It's about the best timed & functioning revolver I have, right out of the box! Maybe I just got lucky, but I think this "short" arbor thing is overblown. It can be easily fixed by anyone with half a brain, so why all the consternation over a minor issue? If you don't bother to fix it, it's not that big of a deal anyway. The average recreational shooter isn't going to know any different & unless you are shooting competition & huge amounts of shots per year it don't matter all that much. Basing one's opinion on a small sample size & denigrating one manufacturer over another is short sighted, IMHO & all it does is confuse the beginner. Just sayin'.

No sir, you have an Uberti Navy Colt that may have decent timing but definitely has a short arbor. Everything has already been posted as to how to tell if it's short and the reason it matters if the arbor is short (even a half brain could read it), so if adhering to the main design feature for an open top Colt type revolver doesn't matter to you, then maybe you shouldn't gripe as to why there is a discussion about it in a public forum!! The title of this thread is about this particular subject. What do you expect to see in a thread about this subject. Telling a beginner it's no big deal sounds in and of itself "half brained"!!
By the way, all the reproductions ever made (save for one company as of late) isn't a small sample.
I also find it funny that the " Uberti snobs" was gone since I read this earlier this evening. I'll remind you that the Colt 2 nd gen castings came from Uberti . . . not Pietta.

Mike

 

[45D]

Good point GunTramp maybe someone could call them. I think Italians can speak English now.

Good point!! So, maybe Gun Tramp will call them and report back. I would but just don't have time, I'm too busy correcting short arbors!!

Mike