Uberti Importer Question 1873 Lever Gun

[PKAY]

I have been looking for an Uberti 1873 Sporting Rifle for a while. I have noted that the gun is imported by a number of different companies (Navy Arms, Cimarron, EMF, and Tristar), and I believe Uberti imports under its own name as well. I have been informed that no matter who the importer is, the rifle is the same. Yet when I see adds on Gunsamerica or Gunbroker, the Tristar imported Uberti's don't seem to move very fast. Is there an issue with the Tristar guns in terms of value, quality, or warranty? Is the rifle really the same? Is there a particular cache attached to certain importers and not others? More importantly, is a Tristar Uberti a less desireable investment unlikely to hold or increase in value relative to the others? Thanks for any info you might provide.

 

[106rr]

PKAY;
Uberti has been purchased by Beretta. While Beretta literature mentions only one mailing address for all their factories in Italy, the Uberti factory is right down the hill from Beretta main plant. The Uberti factory is now called Beretta Due. It means Beretta Two in English. I was in Gardone Val Trompeia, Italy at the Beretta Museum last month.
There has been a big push to improve quality and bring out new authentic models. I suspect the resale will be higher on Berreta Due models. I don't know enough about Tristar to venture an opinion on their guns.
Beretta believes that there is a bright future in CAS both in the USA and elswhere.
Mike

 

[dfariswheel]

A little known option from Uberti is their ability to "tailor" the finish of their guns to different price ranges.

This allows dealer's like Cimmarron or Navy Arms to offer guns with a slightly better finish, with a corresponding higher price, and other dealers to offer guns at a slightly lower price but with a slightly lower quality of finish.

I'm not sure about now, but a few years ago the top of the line guns were from Cimmarron, Uberti-direct, and Navy Arms, the slightly lower quality guns were from EMF and Dixie.

A close inspection will reveal the lower priced guns to have a very slightly lesser quality blue and case job, and plainer wood with a lesser quality of finish.

 

[PKAY]

Thanks for the responses. I've got a hunch that there is a difference among importers as to quality simply because the pricing for the Navy Arms and Cimarron guns is almost $100 more compared to the Tristar imports. There has to be a reason for this, but I haven't been able to objectively confirm it. I do know a couple of Tristar rifles have been for sale on GunsAmerica for months in the $750 range NIB but haven't moved, while others have come and gone. The FFL I've been talking with through GunBroker has a Tristar on consignment. After informing him of my inquiries here he is very interested to see if additional information can be had with respect to the importer/quality matter. If anyone has additional information, it would be greatly appreciated.