Dave Markowitz
Member
Yesterday I went to Dixon's in Kempton, PA and bought an Uberti Colt 1862 Pocket Police percussion revolver. My dad had a Second-generation Colt 1862 when I was a kid that I enjoyed shooting so I recently developed a hankering for one.
The Pocket Police is one of the less common 19th Century percussion Colt revolvers. Colt made made from 1861 through 1873 and I've read different production figures given, from 20,000 to about 47,700. It's a 5-shot .36 caliber revolver built on the small frame originally used for Colt's .31 caliber guns. The originals were made in several barrel lengths; my replica has a 6.5" barrel. It weighs about 26 oz. The overall size is similar to a Ruger Single Six.
The Uberti's external finish is very nice but the action is not as smooth as older Ubertis I've handled and shot. For example, my Uberti 1851 Navy came from the factory with a very slick action. I may do a complete tear down and carefully polish the internals.
I put 20 rounds through the 1862 last night using 12 grains by volume of 3Fg Triple 7 powder, a Wonder Wad, a Hornady .375 ball, and Remington No.10 caps. It took me about 10 rounds to get on paper at 10 yards. My target was a paper plate and it turns out that the gun shoots about a foot and a half high at that range, due to the tiny front sight.
Once I figured out where the gun was shooting I was able to get a decent, fist-sized group shooting one-handed at 10 yards.
Unfortunately, I ran into some trouble with the '62. After the 13th or 14th shot, the lug attached to the underside of the barrel, to which the loading lever is latched, fell off. It landed on the table I was shooting over and I was able to tap it back into place but after several more shots, it fell off again. I decided to call it quits with the Uberti then. Darn annoying.
I also brought my Pietta 1858 "New Army Police" .36 so I shot that the rest of the night. 
This morning I reinstalled the lug. I first degreased it and the dovetail with some denatured alcohol, then put some Solder-It silver bearing solder paste in the dovetail. After I tapped the lug back into the dovetail and heated the joint over a candle. I think I got enough paste into the joint and heated it enough, but the true test will be when I shoot it again.
I'll post a follow up once I get to shoot the 1862 again and after I'm able to take a decent picture.
The Pocket Police is one of the less common 19th Century percussion Colt revolvers. Colt made made from 1861 through 1873 and I've read different production figures given, from 20,000 to about 47,700. It's a 5-shot .36 caliber revolver built on the small frame originally used for Colt's .31 caliber guns. The originals were made in several barrel lengths; my replica has a 6.5" barrel. It weighs about 26 oz. The overall size is similar to a Ruger Single Six.
The Uberti's external finish is very nice but the action is not as smooth as older Ubertis I've handled and shot. For example, my Uberti 1851 Navy came from the factory with a very slick action. I may do a complete tear down and carefully polish the internals.
I put 20 rounds through the 1862 last night using 12 grains by volume of 3Fg Triple 7 powder, a Wonder Wad, a Hornady .375 ball, and Remington No.10 caps. It took me about 10 rounds to get on paper at 10 yards. My target was a paper plate and it turns out that the gun shoots about a foot and a half high at that range, due to the tiny front sight.
Once I figured out where the gun was shooting I was able to get a decent, fist-sized group shooting one-handed at 10 yards.
Unfortunately, I ran into some trouble with the '62. After the 13th or 14th shot, the lug attached to the underside of the barrel, to which the loading lever is latched, fell off. It landed on the table I was shooting over and I was able to tap it back into place but after several more shots, it fell off again. I decided to call it quits with the Uberti then. Darn annoying.
I also brought my Pietta 1858 "New Army Police" .36 so I shot that the rest of the night. This morning I reinstalled the lug. I first degreased it and the dovetail with some denatured alcohol, then put some Solder-It silver bearing solder paste in the dovetail. After I tapped the lug back into the dovetail and heated the joint over a candle. I think I got enough paste into the joint and heated it enough, but the true test will be when I shoot it again.
I'll post a follow up once I get to shoot the 1862 again and after I'm able to take a decent picture.
