Revolver Breakage?

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Azguy

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Just wondering if someone is shooting any of the Italian revolvers (Uberti or Peitta) on a monthly basis (50-100 rounds) how much breakage of small parts should be expected over a years time? Also what extra parts would be good to keep on hand?
 
i admit i dont shoot my Model P Cimarron Uberti on a regular basis but i would think ive put 500 rounds thru it with no defects noted. Did give it a tuneup but nothin was broke and i dont know how many round it had seen before i bought it.
 
breakage

I've been using Uberti Opentops as main match pistols for almost 5 years, no parts broken except hand springs, which I replaced with Ruger coil and plungers. I did make new firing pins from music wire stock as the originals were bending. The Smith Shop and VTI sell improved firing pins for the Opentop. Mainsprings are Wolff.

Before the Opentops I shot Uberti 1851's converted with R&D and Kirst gated. Springs are the only issue.

I occasionally shoot Uberti Schofields and Russians, no problems there either.
 
The only part I've had to replace in any of my C&Bs (Pietta, Uberti, Colt) has been the hand spring; and I've replaced a bunch of them over the years. It's usually the original ones that break, replacements rarely do. I go through 800 to 1000 rounds a year in CAS competition using C&Bs.
 
were the leaf type hand springs or coil modern ones? Mine has the coil hand ive heard the leaf ones were short lifed maybe they were in the original colts to idk.
 
I may depend on when the revolver was made. The new production seems to be much better quality than the earlier ones. A hand spring, maybe a bolt spring well fail Older models would have wear issues on the tip of the hand on some, ASM was kind of bad about this. Hammer and sear notches can wear if the parts are not hardened.
 
Most of my problems were with the ASMs. Every replacement hand & spring worked without failure but the original factory springs broke early in my new guns. Also I've had the triggers become "hair" on the Colt ASMs and need the sears reshaped and hardened on a couple. The Piettas were better (ASM & Pietta Colt styles). The Uberti Remington and Euroarms Remingtons have not had problems but the QC of the Ubertis is much better than the Euros and ASMs.
 
None of my C&Bs have coil hand springs. I have a pair of Navy Arms Frontiersman '51 Navies (Uberti) that broke both handsprings on the same stage in the same match after less than 200 rounds in each. They were made in 2007. I had a pair of Pietta Civilian Model '51 Navies that broke both hand springs during different matches after about 300 rounds. These were made in 2002 or 2003 IIRC. So far, only one of my 2008/2009 C&Bs has broken a hand spring. A Taylor/Uberti '61 Navy broke a hand spring a few months ago. It probably had 500 rounds through it.
 
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Thank you for all the information. What does it take to convert a 1858 & 1860 over to Ruger coil & plunger? Also are there any smiths on the net that do this type of work?
 
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