Factory new barrel from VTI not fitting Uberti 1862 Police

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TTv2

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Bought a new barrel from VTI this week, was excited to get it and found out that it's not fitting the frame. Wedge from the old barrel won't stay in place no matter how much I tap it, the fit by the two round pins is terrible, the loading lever from my old barrel also is not a good fit.

So, what's the issue here? Is it the parts from my old gun being the issue or is this barrel I bought from VTI junk?

ETA: IDK what year mine was made, I bought it used a few years ago on gunbroker, it wasn't in good condition, bore was badly pitted (which I didn't find out until after I got it and the seller refused to refund me, but it did function fine. I ended up chopping the barrel down to a 2 inch snub and said I'll buy a replacement barrel later on. Finally got around to it this week.

Guess you could say that this Uberti has been nothing but trouble for me. :(

Hopefully VTI isn't a PITA to deal with when doing a return because after this I don't even want to bother trying to see if another barrel will fit it, I'll just as soon buy a brand new '62 Police.
 
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TTv2, Good Morning. I appreciate you posting this. I am sorry to hear there is a problem with fitment. That's frustrating.:thumbdown: I have not purchased from VTI but I have spoken with them because I have been contemplating purchasing an 1860 barrel/loading lever for a Pietta Sheriff. Other folks have suggested that I should not try that due to problems like maybe what you are experiencing at the moment. I think I will re-think this. If it's any consolation, I hear that VTI are good folks and my brief time talking with them on the phone was a good experience. I certainly hope you will not have any issues returning the barrel. Thanks, Tim
 
Is the wedge really loose and going all the way into the slot? Are the alignment pins too big, too small or off set? Does the arbor fit the hole in the barrel snug or loose? Your barrel may be from a later production run after something was changed by the factory. Just a guess.
 
Is the wedge really loose and going all the way into the slot? Are the alignment pins too big, too small or off set? Does the arbor fit the hole in the barrel snug or loose? Your barrel may be from a later production run after something was changed by the factory. Just a guess.
What he said...
 
Is the wedge really loose and going all the way into the slot? Are the alignment pins too big, too small or off set? Does the arbor fit the hole in the barrel snug or loose? Your barrel may be from a later production run after something was changed by the factory. Just a guess.
The alignment pins are either big for the barrel I bought or the holes on the barrel for the pins on the frame are small, whatever the case when I try to put the barrel on it doesn't fit flush with the frame, instead it has a nice gap.

It's possible that if it were flush and mated to the frame correctly that the wedge would work properly, but the loading lever snaps into place, however it's a very loose fit. I've seen this before on a '51 Pietta I bought from Cabela's and returned, but that was factory assembled, this is me taking an old lever and trying to use it with a new barrel.

TBH, this issue with the 1862 has killed any remaining interest I have in Colt reproductions, I mean one of the biggest advantages to the Colt design is ability to swap barrels and now the first time I ever try to do that it doesn't work. Was thinking about getting one of those bird's head 1860's and a longer barrel with a loading lever, but after this issue I won't even bother, seems like it'd just be another disaster waiting to happen.
 
I don't need another Uberti '62, but if I did it could be done. As for the catch I have pressed the pin out and lengthened the slot so the catch will enxtend a little more. There is a wedge "adjuster" that 45 Dragoon does on all open tops check http://www.goonsgunworks.com/
 
I think it makes a big difference when your gun was made. My guess is pre CNC models will not be compatible with some of the newer parts made for current models produced by CNC machines. I personally know of a case where an old pocket navy (same frame on pocket navy and police) and a modern pocket police would not accept each others cylinder (would not time and jammed locked) or barrels. They might be able to work if fitted but then they would still not interchange so that would be pointless.

Funny thing is the modern Uberti police needed some serious arbor adjustment period (the wedge was loose even with the barrel clamping the cylinder tightly) and before adjustment attempts to properly time it were not successful. It took some work the get right. I understand from reviews and youtube videos that my experience was probably uncommon with newer production models an exception at least as far as how terrible the fit was from the factory. The cylinder locking latch spring broke later and replaced with a new one. After correcting the arbor with the stock barrel a brand new shorter replacement (a cool looking snub nose) had to be adjusted to fit that arbor. Now one can choose to use the longer barrel for more range and power or with just a quick barrel change have a cool looking snub nose but neither barrels will fit the older model.

The older model was brought used with an exaggerated rating of in "very good condition." It had a loose arbor, a barrel cut off at the tip ??? and what looked like black powder residue in the cylinder but overall it seemed to work fine and the arbor did not need adjustment other than some carefully applied epoxy to get rid of the annoying arbor wiggle when disassembled.

CORRECTION THAT ARBOR ON THE OLD ONE ONLY SEEMED LIKE IT WAS BOTTOMED OUT. IT WAS FAR FROM SO. THAT ISSUE WAS CORRECTED TODAY AND WHAT A PAIN.

The hammer cam seemed quite hard too (file wouldn't work well so I didn't tune that part it still worked fine though.) The main spring broke and a modern replacement did fit and work fine. My understanding is the older models have different nipples too.

Although my experience with the modern production police model may not be common at least in terms of how bad it was the Uberti pocket models have always been and still to this day are known to be the most quirky of the Colt models.

The current production Colt (replica) belt models such as the Navy and Army should have no problems in most cases as far as parts interchange so don't let your experience with the pocket models taint your view of the other current models which are well made. Ubertis still have arbor problems but will work. Pietta seems to have addressed the arbor issues in their current models.

As far as guns made before the introduction of CNC machines all bets are off and hand fitting of parts to a specific gun is a lot more common with those models.

The is no mistaking a pietta pocket navy model which is just a chopped down 6 shot navy pistol (without the Urberti quirks) with a Uberti pocket navy or police model which is a near exact copy of an original tiny Colt pocket model of navy caliber. The size of the gun and parts are so different (relatively huge vs tiny) that confusion between the 2 is very unlikely.
 
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The alignment pins are either big for the barrel I bought or the holes on the barrel for the pins on the frame are small, whatever the case when I try to put the barrel on it doesn't fit flush with the frame, instead it has a nice gap.

It's possible that if it were flush and mated to the frame correctly that the wedge would work properly, but the loading lever snaps into place, however it's a very loose fit. I've seen this before on a '51 Pietta I bought from Cabela's and returned, but that was factory assembled, this is me taking an old lever and trying to use it with a new barrel.

TBH, this issue with the 1862 has killed any remaining interest I have in Colt reproductions, I mean one of the biggest advantages to the Colt design is ability to swap barrels and now the first time I ever try to do that it doesn't work. Was thinking about getting one of those bird's head 1860's and a longer barrel with a loading lever, but after this issue I won't even bother, seems like it'd just be another disaster waiting to happen.
If you buy parts from the same manufacturer in the same general vintage you’ll have better luck with fitment. Even Ruger has similar issues. I’ve long swapped Super Blackhawk grip frames onto Old Army revolvers. Not one single time have I been able to say it fits like the factory might have sent it out. They always require a little or a lot of file work.
 
@grter I have the Pietta '51 and the issue with that has been the sights not shooting to POA and the wood grips being a poor fit, however the latest problem is the trigger spring broke and I needed to get new ones. Overall, I do not like shooting the '51 Navy, I don't like how it feels and I don't like the loading process compared to the Remington where I pop the cylinder out and load it on a stand.

I'm sure I also wouldn't like the 1860 for similar reasons, but the draw to the bird's head 1860 with the short barrel was the grips and the ability to swap the barrels, which after this issue with the Uberti I no longer trust buying barrels that haven't been fitted to the frame by the factory.

That said, I would be willing to buy a brand new Uberti Police because I think they are the best .36 caliber percussion revolvers available, the Navy is just too big and heavy for the caliber and the .36 caliber Remington repros are "troubled" shall we say.

This issue with my gun and barrel has damaged my interest in cap and ball revolvers at a time I was really getting back into it and wanting to get more of them to have some more variety than just my awesome Pietta NMA and problem Colt repros, but it seems to be that outside of the NMA all the Italian percussion revolvers have problems.
 
I'm calling VTI on Monday, I'll update y'all later in the week on how that goes.
 
Good luck! VTI is a good company, there should be no problem returning your part.

The replica industry has been around about six decades. They have gotten quite a bit correct and lots of stuff wrong in that time. Interchangeable parts have never been guaranteed. Of course Colt’s did not guarantee that either. At least one member of this forum has made it a passion to have two or three frames and multiple barrel set ups that fit all of them. It worked for him but I recall it was a lot of work.

Often, it is easier just to have two revolvers to meet your needs.

Kevin
 
Good luck! VTI is a good company, there should be no problem returning your part.

The replica industry has been around about six decades. They have gotten quite a bit correct and lots of stuff wrong in that time. Interchangeable parts have never been guaranteed. Of course Colt’s did not guarantee that either. At least one member of this forum has made it a passion to have two or three frames and multiple barrel set ups that fit all of them. It worked for him but I recall it was a lot of work.

Often, it is easier just to have two revolvers to meet your needs.

Kevin


VTI is TOP-NOTCH .

The OP needs to find a modern frame on ebay
 
@grter I have the Pietta '51 and the issue with that has been the sights not shooting to POA and the wood grips being a poor fit, however the latest problem is the trigger spring broke and I needed to get new ones. Overall, I do not like shooting the '51 Navy, I don't like how it feels and I don't like the loading process compared to the Remington where I pop the cylinder out and load it on a stand.

I'm sure I also wouldn't like the 1860 for similar reasons, but the draw to the bird's head 1860 with the short barrel was the grips and the ability to swap the barrels, which after this issue with the Uberti I no longer trust buying barrels that haven't been fitted to the frame by the factory.

That said, I would be willing to buy a brand new Uberti Police because I think they are the best .36 caliber percussion revolvers available, the Navy is just too big and heavy for the caliber and the .36 caliber Remington repros are "troubled" shall we say.

This issue with my gun and barrel has damaged my interest in cap and ball revolvers at a time I was really getting back into it and wanting to get more of them to have some more variety than just my awesome Pietta NMA and problem Colt repros, but it seems to be that outside of the NMA all the Italian percussion revolvers have problems.

If mixing and matching barrels is what you intend to do, late model Pietta's are the go to . . . not Uberti's. I have 3 different design and length barrels (.44 cal.) that can be installed from shot to shot if wanted. Pietta has a common frame design, barrels are built to fit that design.

Loading off the gun is a modern "thing" so you obviously aren't "enamored" with "period" procedure . . .
Looks like Remies are your thing!! Lol Also, stay away from the 5 shot pocket guns(Uberti's) if you don't like "hiccups"!! Yikes!!!

Mike
 
If mixing and matching barrels is what you intend to do, late model Pietta's are the go to . . . not Uberti's. I have 3 different design and length barrels (.44 cal.) that can be installed from shot to shot if wanted. Pietta has a common frame design, barrels are built to fit that design.

Loading off the gun is a modern "thing" so you obviously aren't "enamored" with "period" procedure . . .
Looks like Remies are your thing!! Lol Also, stay away from the 5 shot pocket guns(Uberti's) if you don't like "hiccups"!! Yikes!!!

Mike
Other than the barrel swapping issue and the occasional cap jam, I haven't had any issue with my 62 Police. It's too bad that it was not in good condition when I bought it because I really do like how it points and shoots compared to the larger Colt models. I like it enough that I'm willing to spend the money to buy a factory new one.

The 62 Police is the one I had the most interest in swapping barrels for, the Pietta 1860 BH's 3" is cool, but after this not something I care to spend $350-500 on to run into the same issue.

Popping the cylinder out of an NMA and loading off gun is faster at the range and that makes it more enjoyable for me. Not that I can't enjoy loading on the gun, it's just cumbersome.

Sad thing with the Remmie's is the 63 Pocket is a dumpsterfire, nobody makes a repro Police model, and the Army models in .44 are all the same, maybe only the ones with adjustable sights are any different. Would like the 12 inch Buffalo, but those have been hard to get for years now, I may have to cave and just get an 8 inch with the adj. sights.
 
Been seeing brass frame "buffalo" remmies on gunbroker for a while. I have an old ASM 12" remmie that was given to me as a basket case. Shoots very well, quality just ain't there.
 
TTv2 your Pocket should have a datecode on it somewhere. Either Roman numerals like XXII or two capital letters like AB. That would give you an idea as to why the new barrel is not mating to the frame.
 
TTv2 your Pocket should have a datecode on it somewhere. Either Roman numerals like XXII or two capital letters like AB. That would give you an idea as to why the new barrel is not mating to the frame.
Where would this code be located?
 
Yes usually on the side of the frame. Sometimes on the underneath where the frame meets the barrel assembly. It can also be on the frame beneath the trigger guard and you have to remove the trigger guard to see it.
 
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