Question on Cimarron Arms

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tpelle

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I'm thinking about purchasing another percussion revolver - specifically a Colt 1849 replica. I regard Cimarron as providing a generally better than run of the mill product, so am considering purchasing their version of this revolver, which, I understand, is made by Uberti.

The Cimarron product is around $30 to $40 more expensive, however, than the same revolver from other "high volume" retailers, and I wonder what I would be getting for the extra money.

Just for a little background, I am pretty well experienced with Pietta revolvers, especially the 1860 Army. I am VERY particular about the mechanical setup of the revolver, and before even taking my Piettas to the range I go through a process of fitting the wedge, fitting the bolt to the cylinder stop notches (the bolt is uniformly oversized), and adjusting the bolt timing so as to cause the bolt leg to clear the hammer cam about 5-degrees or so before the cylinder is in full alignment (as per the Kuhnhausen manual). On the other hand I find that Pietta's CNC manufacturing process correctly fits the arbor to the arbor hole in the barrel, which is a bit harder for the hobbysmith to correct if it's too short.

So what does Cimarron do to these Uberti revolvers? Do they make sure the arbor is correctly fitted? Do they adjust the bolt timing and make sure it's fitted to the cylinder locking notches? Do they rollmark the revolver in a more discrete location?

I'm not trying to troll Cimarron here - I already own a Cimarron 1873 in .45 Colt on their "black powder" frame, and am exceedingly happy with it. I'm just doing my "due diligence".
 
IME Piettas tend to have the arbor correctly fitted with the bolt often being more of an issue. Ubertis are typically the reverse of that. It'll have a short arbor.
 
All my BP revolvers are Cimarron/Uberti (1851, 1860 and 7th Cav model 1873) and I feel like they are top shelf firearms. The finishes are eye candy and no malfunctions ever. I admit I don’t shoot them very often.
 
I suggest shopping by price. It's pure myth that Cimarron imports a better gun than the rest of the importers. It was true when they first started in business with Uberti but today, they are all the same. Mike Harvey hisself confirmed it on this very forum. I have 18 Uberti guns from the various importers and I find no difference between them. Trust me, if Cimarron sold a better gun, I would be their biggest fan, most vocal supporter and would buy from no other importer.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/cimarron-quality-vs-uberti-notion.825047

If there was a marked difference, you would be able to tell by looking at them.

IMG_9583b.jpg

IMG_9299b.jpg

IMG_9243b.jpg

In this case, one gun has better case colors than the other. Guess which is which?
IMG_9492b.jpg

Same deal here.
IMG_9503b.jpg
 
Where is fancy bread?
In the heart or in the head?
Cimarron’s high luster blued 1911s have their finishes done at Ford’s Gunshop in Florida. They seem to sell a slightly better finished firearm in my erroneous opinion. Probably just in my head. There’s got to be a reason most people prefer to buy from Cimarron. Good marketing?
 
So from what I gather here, Pietta builds their pseudo-1849 on a too-large frame, which is a deal-breaker for me.

Is Uberti, after all of these years, still making their arbors too short? I could shim the bottom of the arbor hole in the barrel I suppose.
 
Yap, still too short. All of them . . . Uberti's, Colt 2nd Gens, , the Sig. Series , all of um.

Yes, shimming the hole is how I do it. Its not too big of a job. The extra money you spend on an Uberti is found in the action parts. They are the best ever made as far as I've seen. Though Pietta corrected the arbor situation (for the most part . . . ) they still have a ways to go with the action parts. The arbor is a tad long for my liking (I like a .002" -".003" barrel/cyl clearance), but it's easier (quicker) to "dress down" an arbor than to shim the hole in an Uberti.

Mike
 
Jimster said:
Cimarron’s high luster blued 1911s have their finishes done at Ford’s Gunshop in Florida. They seem to sell a slightly better finished firearm in my erroneous opinion. Probably just in my head. There’s got to be a reason most people prefer to buy from Cimarron. Good marketing?
Click to expand...
What does this have to do with 1911's? Did you read the post by their president? Then you should be able to pick out the Cimarron's in the above pics and point out the differences. They also have single actions done with their "US Finish" with real bone charcoal color case hardening and carbona blue finishes but those are done stateside. Doesn't change the fact that the guns, as they leave the Uberti factory, are all the same whether they're shipped to Cimarron, Taylor's, Dixie Gun Works, Stoeger or EMF. Like I said, if they were better, they're all I would buy.


tpelle said:
Is Uberti, after all of these years, still making their arbors too short? I could shim the bottom of the arbor hole in the barrel I suppose.
Click to expand...
Pietta doesn't do an 1849. Far as I know, there is only an issue with their 1862 (which 'should' be a pocket model) being basically a shorter 1861 Navy.
 
Gordon

just my opinion from haveing original and Uberti 1849s : Get an 1862 Pocket ! .36 ball good- .31 balls not so much ! They are same outward size FWIW .
Click to expand...

Have always had a "thing" for the Model 1862 Pocket Navy, particularly the 5 1/2" barrel version! Would go nicely with my Remington Model 1858 Navy.
 
May have been mentioned but the main difference between a Cimarron and a regular Uberti is Cimarron's have markings that try to mimic the originals a bit more closely. You can get Cimarron guns from Buffalo Arms for cheaper than what Cimarron charges. Right now Cimarron lists the 1849 Pocket at $360 and Buffalo Arms has it on sale for $310. If you look at the Buffalo Arms website it describes it as "Uberti imported by Cimarron Fi" so I am pretty sure it's the exact same gun. Call Buffalo Arms to make sure the markings are the same but I believe they are.

https://www.buffaloarms.com/1849-po...olver-4-barrel-31-caliber-standard-blue-ca035
 
LonesomePigeon said:
May have been mentioned but the main difference between a Cimarron and a regular Uberti is Cimarron's have markings that try to mimic the originals a bit more closely.
Click to expand...
So does Taylor's, Stoeger and Dixie Gun Works. Nowadays, even the lettering is comparable between the importers.
 
Curious if anyone has changed cylinders/barrels on the Pocket model to use .31 cal or even .36 cal on an 1860 Army. Should work from what I understand (which isn't all that much I suppose).
 
Here is the difference in the frame sizes between the Pocket models (Including the beautiful 1862 Pocket Police) and a Belt model, specifically the 1851 Navy. Both are Uberti revolvers. Quite a difference.

index.php
 
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CraigC, I have a Uberti Walker from Cabela's and a Uberti 1851 Navy from Dixie Gunworks and neither one has any barrel address. Never bought anything from Cimarron but I was under the impression that their Uberti cap n' balls had a Cimarron barrel address. I like Dixie, they sell a lot of interesting varieties and I know some do have Dixie barrel address.
 
Crawdad1 said:
Here is the difference in the frame sizes between the Pocket models (Including the beautiful 1862 Pocket Police) and an 1851 Navy. Both are Uberti revolvers. Quite a difference.

index.php
Click to expand...

Assuming (and we all know how that can go) this is in reference to my post I was wondering about a .36 Colt pocket model using a .31 cal cylinder/barrel as well as an 1860 Army using a .36 cal cylinder/barrel. I like convertible things I suppose.
 
rodwha said:
Assuming (and we all know how that can go) this is in reference to my post I was wondering about a .36 Colt pocket model using a .31 cal cylinder/barrel as well as an 1860 Army using a .36 cal cylinder/barrel. I like convertible things I suppose.
Click to expand...

Frankenstein Revolvers...........................................:)
 
I have tried the .31 Uberti 49 Wells Fargo barrel on my 62 Police pocket frame, also the .31 cylinder. There is that cut out in the 62 Police frame to swing the rebated .36 cyl ala 1860 Army so the cylinder didn't hit the pawl nor bolt correctly for some reason . The .31 wells fargo barrel did go on the Arbor but wedge fir was incorrect. What I really wanted to see is how the 49 wells fargo barrel looked on my Police .36 . Dropping from 5.5" to 4" with no rammer does make a difference as seen in dickydaltons photo. And being my 49 is gonna stay converted to .32 S&W because I dislike those little .31 balls , that configuration makes a lot of sense for me
 
CraigC said:
So does Taylor's, Stoeger and Dixie Gun Works. Nowadays, even the lettering is comparable between the importers.
Click to expand...
He's referring to the address marked on the top of the barrel to mimic Colts address. As far as I can tell that's the only difference between Cimarron's guns. Supposedly they are sent "higher quality " versions , or are made to a higher standard. At least that's what Cimarron will tell you. I see no difference between theirs and my Dixie Gun Works Ubertis though.
 
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