Uberti Cattleman questions

We as handgun owners and shooters have been deemed too stupid to follow the long tradition among single action revolver owners of loading only 5 rounds and carrying the hammer down on an empty chamber. Also, we live in such a litigious society that those idiots who in fact aren't smart enough to carry their single actions loaded properly will win the law suits against the gun manufacturers for the "dangerous product" they sold, even if the instruction book specifically describes the safe way to carry one. Ruger caved into this idea back in the mid-1970s. Uberti is a little slow to catch up but are on board now.

As you might notice this is a sore point with me, but then I'm old and irritable these days. Oh well, I'm gonna go take my meds now.

Dave

You might be seeing the differences between the earlier cattleman type with just a hammer block, versus the more recent retracting firing pin model? Mine has has the black bar and the 4-click action, bought new in 2015. Firing pin does not retract.

Yup, your new gun probably has the retractable firing pin. I have 2 with that feature and have had no trouble with either of them. I'm not a purist when it comes to SAs so it doesn't bother me.
Personally though if the new firing pin system ever does fail I will be looking for a bypass to make it a fixed firing pin.

My oldest sons cattleman has the hammer block as part of the base pin. 1/4 click on the hammer, push the base pin back one click and it blocks the hammer. Pull the hammer back full cock and it resets the base pin. No idea of the year of mfg.

I've got the 3 click model. I think it's just a hammer swap away from being 4 clicks though. Does anyone know where to find a hammer?

spawndn72 said:

I have a Desperado model that was made in 2017. It has a 4 click action and some type of little black bar beneath the hammer spur.

I recently bought a Nickle Cattleman made in 2019 thinking it would be the same gun with different grips. I got a god deal on it online and figured it was worth the gamble that they would be the same. They aren't' the Nickle isn't as polished, it has a 3 click action and no little black bar beneath the hammer spur. The hammer also has a screw in the back side of the hammer where the Desperado is solid

I;m typing this at work without the two revolvers sitting in front of me, so I hope I have note made any mistakes in my descriptions..

I can't find anything on Uberti's website that list the differences between models.
Any Uberti experts on here want to weigh in on why these models are so different?

Click to expand...

Sounds like your 2017 model has the rotating hammer block. It looks like this from the rear-



...and like this from the side-



...and when the hammer is drawn back to the first "click" the trigger sear actuates a pin that rotates the block up which prevents the hammer from falling were it to be struck-



Such a shame Uberti no longer produces revolvers with this set up because it preserves the 4 "clicks" yet provides for an all but fool-proof safety.

no.5enfield said:

I've got the 3 click model. I think it's just a hammer swap away from being 4 clicks though. Does anyone know where to find a hammer?

Click to expand...

Nope, it's a hammer swap and a trigger swap away. I have one Uberti, a Flat Top Target model that has the new retracting firing pin. I bought an old style trigger and hammer with the rotating block, but the existing trigger pull is so nice and the revolver is so freaking accurate, I just can't bring myself to swap them out.

35W

I predict the new change with the retractable firing pin is going to prove to be a bad decision. I've never heard about any problems with the little hammer block safety and they used it for years and years so why the need to change it is beyond me. I've heard people say the little hammer block would stick but I've not had it happen but if that sticks what do they think is going to happen with all that other gizmo going on inside the hammer?

Rugers have had hammer plungers in their hammers from the beginning.
I've only worked on one of the new "rfp" versions but I was pretty impressed with it. I wouldn't let that keep me from buying a new Cattleman (or any of the variations). It's a much less complicated method than a transfer bar system. I say let's give it a chance to prove itself. "Bugs" can be worked out but I think it'll be a "tolerance stacking" issue more than anything.

Mike

35 Whelen said:

Sounds like your 2017 model has the rotating hammer block. It looks like this from the rear-

View attachment 892856

...and like this from the side-

View attachment 892857

...and when the hammer is drawn back to the first "click" the trigger sear actuates a pin that rotates the block up which prevents the hammer from falling were it to be struck-

View attachment 892858

Such a shame Uberti no longer produces revolvers with this set up because it preserves the 4 "clicks" yet provides for an all but fool-proof safety.



Nope, it's a hammer swap and a trigger swap away. I have one Uberti, a Flat Top Target model that has the new retracting firing pin. I bought an old style trigger and hammer with the rotating block, but the existing trigger pull is so nice and the revolver is so freaking accurate, I just can't bring myself to swap them out.

35W

Click to expand...

Mine is fine as is, but I worry the floating firing pin could fail.

I have a recent production Uberti El Patron that uses a different hammer safety system The firing pin is spring loaded and will retract unless the trigger is fully engaged. When the trigger is fully pulled, it engages a rod within the hammer which rises to prevent the firing pin from retracting. Although, it retains the appearance of the Colt spurred hammer, it looses the 4 clicks that many feel is important. In the few months that I have owned this gun, it has worked flawlessly and the lack of the 4th click isn’t noticed when shooting.
I also have a new Pietta 1873 that uses a transfer bar but with a twist. Once the trigger is pulled the firing pin remains engaged with the spent primer. The trigger remains fully rearward and will not reset until the hammer is pulled rearward thus preventing the firing pin from resting on a loaded round. The Italians are getting pretty clever.

Has anyone actually heard of reports of failures from the retractable firing pin models?

Hokkmike said:

Has anyone actually heard of reports of failures from the retractable firing pin models?

Click to expand...

Yes.

I was at the range a couple of years ago and a lady showed up with one of the new Ubertis with the retractable firing pin. She was having some failures to fire. I asked if I could try. I banged away a cylinder full of her ammo with no problem. But as we talked this lady revealed she has a very slow, deliberate trigger pull. She slowly increases the pressure on the trigger until the gun fires. Just as you are supposed to do. I was shooting the way I usually do in CAS, firing reasonably quickly, and probably yanking the trigger a bit. When I tried her technique, with a very slow, deliberate trigger pull, I had some failures to fire too.

I would have loved to have taken the gun apart to see what was the matter, but it was not my gun, and besides I did not have any tools with me anyway. I suspect there was a burr somewhere in the mechanism that was somehow preventing the firing pin from moving forward properly. That was my best guess.