Uberti anyone?

[shooting on a shoestring]

Feedback from Uberti users please. I'm looking for an alternative to Ruger's Bird's Head .45 Colt short barrel SA (they quit making them before I got to get one, can't find one now). I tend to shoot my revolvers more than most folks and I'm wondering if the Uberti in .45 Colt could eat 500 rounds a month of 250 gr SWC at about 900 to 1000 fps without indigestion. Has anyone shot a Uberti to the breaking point? How many rounds without problems?

 

[ScottsGT]

I've never shot the Uberti, but I did fondle one when I was making a decision to purchase one. In all honesty, it looks to be made as good as if not better than my Ruger. Only reason I went with the Ruger was the transfer bar safety in the Ruger. The Uberti was impressive. So impressive, I'm about to order me a Uberti 1866 Yellowboy in .45LC, sight unseen.

 

[rtl]

Haven't shot the Uberti, but Beretta's Stampede Marshall has the transfer bar and is available in .45 Colt: http://www.berettausa.com/product/product_pistols_main.htm

 

[panther22]

Beretta owns Uberti now and their single action guns are made by Uberti.
They are nice guns, made to copy Colt's design very closely. If I were going to be putting alot of rounds through it on a regular basis though, I'd get a Ruger.

 

[rich52us]

I have an Uberti Cattleman 4 1/2" in .44mag. It shoots and looks great. I got mine about 18 yrs ago. If they have maintained the same quality over the years, I can highly recommend them.

 

[Jim March]

Brass Bird's-head grip frames for Rugers with panels are available at Brownell's. Being brass it's easy to fit them to your gun with simple files. They can even be adapted to the New Vaquero, you just have to get an "old Vaquero" length mainspring and mainspring strut. This makes the internal lock on the New Vaq go away.

I'm either going to do that on my New Vaq with a 4.68" barrel, or possible buy the aluminum grip frame from a New Model Blackhawk (XR3-RED) and have it modified to hell and gone . The latter would seriously reduce the weight.

 

[shooting on a shoestring]

So there is a Uberti shooter

Rich, Thanks, I guess you're the sole Uberti shooter out there. I was expecting some of the Cowboy Action folks to chime in with a few failure stories. Maybe they're all satisfied customers like you.

Jim, Great idea. I'll look up Brownell's and see what that angle looks like.

Thanks all.

 

[moewadle]

I am a Uberti shooter

but my first Uberti made gun was just acquired last week. I bought a Navy Arms Scout, a slightly smaller frame than full-size SAA clone and in 38 special. It is really a Uberti Stallion with slight different color metal and grips than Stallion. I like it so far. It looks well made. But that is all I can say at this time.

The other thing to add is that I talked with a guy with a table at a gun show recently. He is not really a gun dealer but had 3 Cimarron Lightnings on his table. They are Uberti made. He claims there is information that Uberti has different levels of quality they market. (You must know that there are several companies that put their names on Uberti made revolvers.) His premise is that he believes Cimarron revolvers are some of the best made Uberti products. Take that for what it is worth.

 

[timothy75]

1000fps is kinda hot, but I've put 500rds at around 900fps through a brand new Uberti with no problems.

 

[ScottsGT]

The other thing to add is that I talked with a guy with a table at a gun show recently. He is not really a gun dealer but had 3 Cimarron Lightnings on his table. They are Uberti made. He claims there is information that Uberti has different levels of quality they market. (You must know that there are several companies that put their names on Uberti made revolvers.) His premise is that he believes Cimarron revolvers are some of the best made Uberti products. Take that for what it is worth

I was going to ask about this in another thread, since I'm looking to purchase the 1866 short rifle. I see that EMF, Navy arms and Cimmiron are the three importers, and I was wondering if there was any quality difference between them. I'm even thinking of joining the SASS website just to post this question. Not sure if I could do all that funny typing talk though. Calling everyone "pard" and using words like "Howdy"

 

[Onmilo]

I am an avid Uberti SAA shooter and I have had hand springs fail on the guns several times.
No biggy to fix but it can be annoying at a Match, no bother to me I rarely win against some of the most excellent shooters around my area I just enjoy the sport.
I have also had the blackpowder frame cylinder pin screw fall out of a gun during a Match also.

If you are looking for an absolute dependable Match gun the Rugers are hard to beat.
Since I am a purist and Rugers were not around in the time frame I have never personally considered using one but don't lambast the guys that do, they win most of the time.
Except for springs breaking which happened to genuine Colts too in days of old there is no reason an Uberti gun will not stand up to the level of shooting you wish to do.
Just plan on replacing a spring or two during the duration.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Uberti...I think ?

I have a single action that I think is a Uberti. The gun has a Colt barrel on it (nicely installed) and is a very accurate shooter. The cylinder base pin is definitely "Uberti-ish". It also is the black powder type frame.

I did a trade on it a few years ago and NO, it wasn't represented as (nor did I get it as) a Colt.

It had the one piece wood grips on it. I further contributed to the illusion by putting some grips with Colt medallions on the Gun...the wood is back on now.

Shoots great with 7.0 grains of Unique under a cast .250 grain bullet.

Makes me wannabe a cowboy...

 

[Jamie C.]

I had an old Uberti SAA back 8 or 9 years ago... It was a 4-3/4 inch barreled Cattleman, I believe.

The thing was an absolute tack driver. The first 5 rounds I ever fired through it made one clover leaf-shaped hole, about 4 inches to the right of the bull's eye at 25 yards. The next 5 did about the same thing right on the bull's eye, once I corrected where I was aiming.
( I filed the rear sight notch out square and to the left once I got home and it shot dead on after that. )

The only problem with it was that it ate cylinder bolts like they were made of wood or something.

I ended up selling it and the holster and gunbelt I made for it for twice what I had in them. And although I made out pretty well on the deal, I wish I still had 'em both.


J.C.

 

[mec]

They can be very accurate. Also some of them (like the one pictured) have spring/plunder hand springs and round wire trigger bolt springs. This should enhance durability significantly

 

[shooting on a shoestring]

Gee Thanks.

Thanks for the posts. I looked at Brownells. They want about $166 for Birds head grip frame and panels to convert a Ruger. I think I'll look for a Uberti with Birds Head grips and see if it fits my budget. Sounds like Uberti users are generally pleased with the product.

I have a 7.5" Blackhawk .45 Colt in this motel room with me. Great gun, shoots well, sure is long. I think a 4" barrelled Birds Head would be easier to live with on the road.

I love the .45 Colt caliber. Those big holes make it easy to shoot clover leafs at 10 yards. I'm convinced 250 gr SWC at 900 to 1000 fps are adequate and efficient defense loads. Although I just got a 300 gr wide flat nose mold and plan to shoot some of those this weekend. That may be my new bad guy ventilator/deflater round.