Using a Uberti 1873 SAA grip on a 1860 Army? Yes or No?

You must also change the back and front straps (and mainsping) as the 1873 grips are shorter, like the ones on 1851 Colt.

I think it may have to do more with the manufacturer of the said pistols. I know you stated Uberti, but Uberti has been around for a long time. They originally were Gregorelli and Uberti (G&U) in the 60's and many changes since then have happened.

Those were the days when CNC machining did not exist as it does now so there are very many variables.

You might have to try one just for S&G. You might even have to do a bit of fitting, but that is half the fun.

The 1851 has (or should have) the same grip as the 1873.

At least with my Pietta's - IIRC the trigger on the 1860 is longer than the trigger on the 1851. Meaning the 1860 trigger won't fit in the 1851 trigger guard. I bought a $150 brass sheriff fantasy confederate 44 for the parts. 1st attempt was to put the shorter grip frame on my 1860. Didn't work. Trimming some length off the trigger would probably do the trick.

Next attempt was to buy a steel Pietta 1860 frame and make this. For a fantasy gun it looks good to me but it still needs more work. The hand needs fitting or I need to try one of my stepped 1860 cylinders in the gun.

Both VTI and Taylor's list the same back strap and trigger guard for 1851, 1873 & 1861, so at least on recent production guns they should fit without problems. 1851 and 1860 triggers are also the same P/N.

You should be able to mount an 1851/73 trigger guard and back strap on the 1860 frame. The grip area will be a bit smaller, but the screw holes should line up. However, be advised that the grip frames and grips are hand-ground to fit and match the frame as the gun is being assembled. Both grips and grip frames are made purposely over-size and won;t be a simple replacement. I have mounted hundreds of 1860 grip frames on '73 SAs for the cowboy action crowd and generally found that if you stick with parts from the same manufacturer they would bolt up fine, The amount of wood and metal that needed to be ground off to match the frame could vary a lot from gun to gun.

Yep, and this is the exact reason why a hobby tinkerer should choose brass back strap and trigger guard - easy to work with and does not require re-bluing. IF ClemBert decides to go that road...

How about these people?

http://www.tombstonegrips.com/mm5/m...=TGG&Product_Code=Colt_60c&Category_Code=Colt

Don't know if all of their options are available you'll have to call them but there is a bunch of options.

Look over at all the options they give you for the Uberti 1860. natural ivory, aged ivory, extra aged ivory, pearl, grey pearl, antiqued pearl, all sorts of stuff.

Curator said:

However, be advised that the grip frames and grips are hand-ground to fit and match the frame as the gun is being assembled.

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I believe that to be incorrect. I would like to know where your info comes from.

In this day of CNC machining, even wood has certain tolerances, and I know that the Pietta 1851 wood does not match the frame well, at least from 2014 to present. I have 6 copies of Pietta 1851 Navy "types". If the factory matched the wood to the frame via hand ground, all of the Piettas I own would have seen wood fit perfectly to the frame, but they do not.

Hand ground? Show me a factory Pietta you have that the wood fits exactly to the frame with no overlap and no extraneous fitting..

Jim

expat_alaska said:

I believe that to be incorrect. I would like to know where your info comes from.

In this day of CNC machining, even wood has certain tolerances, and I know that the Pietta 1851 wood does not match the frame well, at least from 2014 to present. I have 6 copies of Pietta 1851 Navy "types". If the factory matched the wood to the frame via hand ground, all of the Piettas I own would have seen wood fit perfectly to the frame, but they do not.

Hand ground? Show me a factory Pietta you have that the wood fits exactly to the frame with no overlap and no extraneous fitting..

Jim

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I'm interpreting curator's statement to mean the back strap is ground to fit the receiver and that the wood is ground / sanded to match the grip frame. This process is done by hand.

Here's a quick video of Uberti. Skip to 1:40 the grip is uniquely marked and that number is stamp on the frame / back strap.

Thanks drobs,

expat-alaska, I have been to the Uberti Factory in Brescia, Italy. I also toured the Iver Johnson factory in New York and later New Jersey when they were assembling 2nd Generation Colt cap & ball revolvers. That is one of the "problems" with hand labor involved in the manufacture of the Colt style single action revolver. I strongly suspect Pietta uses the same system. As I stated, I have hand fitted many Uberti and Pietta SA 1873 revolvers with new "Army" grip frames. However, you are welcome to try to mix and match grip frames to prove me wrong.

ClemBert said:

If the SAA grip is slightly larger is a few spots then I'll do it but if some of the dimensions are too small then forget it. Anyone have a more recent Uberti SAA and 1860 and let us know?

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Single action army's have a navy grip, not an Army. The Army grip is longer, wont come close to fitting the navy backstraps.