Fitting Cylinder on 1873 SAA

[davelid]

I am thinking of getting a .45 ACP cylinder to put on a Uberti Cattleman. Normally shoot with .45 Colt and black powder/Pyrodex, but I have a bunch of .45 ACP just sitting around. Do the Uberti cylinders require much fitting? If so, just what is involved?

Thanks!
Dave

 

[Curator]

I bought a .45ACP cylinder for my Uberti "Cattleman" .45 Colt revolver a few years ago. I did have to take about .002" off the front of the cylinder bushing to get the cylinder to spin freely and not drag on the revolver's forcing cone. Other than that it works great. It is fast to reload using a 1911 magazine to feed cartridges into empty cylinder chambers.

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

Are you using Lead bullets?

 

[Curator]

I load both lead and jacketed bullets for .45ACP loads. I only use lead bullets loading .45Colt cartridges. I tend to use my .45ACP cylinder to shoot up loads that don't feed or function well in my 1911 pistols. As long as they chamber, they shoot fine in the Cattleman revolver.

 

[rcmodel]

I put a 2nd. Gen Colt 32-20 barrel & cylinder in a Uberti .45 Colt several years ago.
The cylinder dropped in and timed perfectly, with a new base pin bushing fit to the frame.

But the Colt barrel had to be shortened on a lathe, and a new forcing cone cut to fit the cylinder.

I would expect tolerances are held close enough they don't cut every barrel for every frame and cylinder now though.

They ain't got time for that and still make a profit.

I would expect the chances are good a second Uberti cylinder would drop right in.

But, I could be wrong too??

You pays your money, and you takes your chances.
Unless you send it back for a new cylinder, or have the means to correct it yourself.

rc

 

[44 Dave]

I have 2 Uberti Cattlemen,built 2 years apart, The cylinders do not interchange. Could take a very little of the one, but the barrel/cylinder gap is so nice and tight on the one I don't want to change anything.
Only by a couple thousandths.

 

[rcflint]

When fitting a cartridge cylinder, check and adjust (if necessary) the headspace first and foremost, then the bushing. The cylinder gap will be whatever it becomes at that ploint.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

I have 3 conversion cylinders. One in .45 Colt fits both of my 1858's is a Kirst, one in .38spl for my 36 cal 1858 is a R&D and one in .32S&W for my 1848 is a R&D. All of them worked out of the box, all the guns and the conversion cylinders were bought used at different times and and from different sellers. I don't know whether I am just lucky or what, but it doesn't extend to my purchase of lottery tickets.