thoughts on the Uberti 1873

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GIJOEL

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So... I have been thinking about getting into the single action club with a uberti 1873 cattleman with the 51/2 inch barrel. The question is to buy in 45 LC or 357 magnum? I have a little bit of brass and dies to reload 357, but I don't currently have a 357 and could go either way. Does the 45 LC have any more killing power for whitetail? I figure that 38/357 brass is going to be easier to come by at the range, but keeping track of brass shouldn't be an issue with a SA revolver anyway.
 
If the goal is to hunt with this gun I'd suggest you go with a Ruger Blackhawk. The Uberti is a fine gun but the fixed sights will be a bother. As well as this is the fairly popular belief that the guns will soon shoot themselves loose from a steady diet of full power rounds.
 
Shooting a Uberti as much as you will when shooting Cowboy Action matches will be hard on that revolver. Most guys I know who shoot a lot use a Ruger Vaquero because they are extremely reliable. I shoot a 38/357 for Cowboy Action because it's much cheaper to reload for than the .45 Colt. The .45 bullets are twice the weight and almost twice the price. I do own one SA revolver in .45 Colt because, well, it's a .45 Colt!! lol

If you're looking for a more authentic looking SA revolver that will stand up to volume shooting highly recommend a USFA Original Rodeo or the USAF New Rodeo II if you like shinny revolvers. Their prices aren't much more than a Uberti but they are MUCH better revolvers. If I had known about them before I bought my Vaqueros I probably would have bought the USAF Rodeo instead.
 
For hunting I would get the 45 Colt. A 255 gr WFN bullet at 950 or so will do for whitetail. The just general shooting the 357 would be better as the brass and bullets are a bit cheaper. With the right bullet the 357 will work for deer too. Just my .02.
 
I have Ruger and Uberti single action guns..

as well as others . For cowboy action the Uberti is fine and well made but so are the Ruger Vaquero guns. Now, for hunting the 45 Colt in a Ruger Blackhawk is hard to beat. I have a 357 magnum Blackhawk and use a 180 gr bullet and have taken many deer and wild boar with it. That said , It is hard to get the best of both worlds with just one gun.
 
Uberti's are good guns, but if you are even remotely thinking of handgun hunting deer (or anything else), get something with adjustable sights like a Ruger Blackhawk.

For general shooting, .38/.357 is MUCH easier to find in stores than .45 colt IME.

45 Colt, especially with loads that are hotter "Ruger Only" loads can for sure take Whitetail. :)

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So... I have been thinking about getting into the single action club with a uberti 1873 cattleman with the 51/2 inch barrel. The question is to buy in 45 LC or 357 magnum? I have a little bit of brass and dies to reload 357, but I don't currently have a 357 and could go either way. Does the 45 LC have any more killing power for whitetail? I figure that 38/357 brass is going to be easier to come by at the range, but keeping track of brass shouldn't be an issue with a SA revolver anyway.
Standard-pressure .45 Colt will throw a 255 grain bullet at better than 900 ft/sec out of a 5.5" barrel, and that load will quickly dispense with whitetail at handgun hunting ranges. And an 1873 clone will handle that sort of load without much trouble.

The problem is that the sights of an 1873 are crude. Fixed, narrow, front blade; with a simple, tiny, v-notch on the frame for a rear sight. Adjustment for elevation requires filing the front sight (needless to say, this is a bit hard to undo.) Adjustment for windage involves turning the whole barrel. If you don't feel like modifying the gun, then you're stuck guessing where to point the gun to compensate (so-called "Kentucky windage.")

If you want a single-action revolver suitable for hunting white-tails, go with a sturdy adjustable-sight revolver like the Ruger Blackhawk. If you get the .45 Colt, and decide to experiment with loading it up to moose-stomping levels, you'll want the Ruger Bisley Blackhawk (whose grip shape sends the recoil right up your arms, instead of forcing the gun to rotate, like the usual "hog-leg" grip will.)
 
Try to go to a cowboy shoot if possible. Folks at these shoots are always willing to let others shoot their guns. It would be a good way for you to decide what you like best.
 
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