Uberti Model "9054" - 1860 Richards Army in .38 Special

[Zulch]

Howdy fella's. I recently acquired this little gem. Hoping someone here could tell me what they would consider a good and safe load for this revolver? Cowboy load? Never owned a conversion revolver until now. It reminds me a lot of my 1861. Haven't compared it beside my 1861 yet, but will. I only own a number of black powder Colt's so this is new territory for me. It has an 8" barrel and steel backstrap and trigger guard. What do you fella's think of it? I would appreciate any input, good or bad . OH!!! and It's chambered in .38 Special caliber. . Thank you, Z

 

[Captain*kirk]

You forgot to mention it's chambered in .38 Special.
I recommend black powder cartridges for outdoor fun with smoke and flames, and Cowboy Load cartridges kept at or below 850 for indoor range use. No jacketed bullets.

 

[Zulch]

You forgot to mention it's chambered in .38 Special.
I recommend black powder cartridges for outdoor fun with smoke and flames, and Cowboy Load cartridges kept at or below 850 for indoor range use. No jacketed bullets.

Thank you Capt. Kirk. I don't do any reloading but if I were to begin that would you just stick with black powder?

 

[Captain*kirk]

That would be a good place to start, although these Open Tops are proofed for smokeless.
Where I live, a quarter to half of the shooting year is confined to indoor ranges due to winter weather, where black powder is not allowed. So it was natural for me to pick a cartridge that could be loaded for black powder or smokeless loads (.45 Long Colt)
You have pretty much the same situation with .38 Special (or .38 Long Colt) where you could do either/or if you choose, but since you live in a warmer climate you might get a lot more outdoor opportunity than I.
Remember, BP involves more cleanup than smokeless and immediate attention after shooting. Just like the rest of your BP revolvers.

 

[Zulch]

That is awesome Capt. Kirk!. Great point about the Black Powder and the fouling. Cleanup!! Smokeless would be a nice way to go. A nice change, if you will. Thank you sir, I appreciate it.

 

[Captain*kirk]

That is awesome Capt. Kirk!. Great point about the Black Powder and the fouling. Cleanup!! Smokeless would be a nice way to go. A nice change, if you will. Thank you sir, I appreciate it.

Not that you don't have to clean up after smokeless...it just takes a bit less scrubbing, different solvents (Hoppes #9 rather than soap and water) and you have a little more free rein with the time frame to 'get busy' on it.

 

[hawg]

You can use factory ammo as long as it's not high velocity/high speed. I've shot some FMJ out of mine with no issues but it just feels wrong.

 

[1KPerDay]

Very cool revolver. I'd shoot any non-+P factory ammo or similar reloads. Probably best to use lead only, but if they chambered in from the factory in .38 special they have to expect people will use factory .38 special FMJ etc.

 

[Zulch]

Very cool revolver. I'd shoot any non-+P factory ammo or similar reloads. Probably best to use lead only, but if they chambered in from the factory in .38 special they have to expect people will use factory .38 special FMJ etc.

Thank you very much 1KPerDay. I appreciate your thoughts.

 

[Zulch]

You can use factory ammo as long as it's not high velocity/high speed. I've shot some FMJ out of mine with no issues but it just feels wrong.

Thank you Hawg. The consensus thus far seems to be to use lead only and keep 850 fps or below?

 

[Rockrivr1]

Hummmm. I have to disagree with most here. This is a Uberti replica made with modern material and methods. Shooting standard velocity ammo isn't a problem. I have an Uberti 1860 Richard-Mason Conversion in 45LC that I've fed hundreds of rounds of standard velocity ammo without an issue. Gun is still tight and accurate. I don't think you'll have a problem with normal 38 Special ammo.

 

[Zulch]

Hummmm. I have to disagree with most here. This is a Uberti replica made with modern material and methods. Shooting standard velocity ammo isn't a problem. I have an Uberti 1860 Richard-Mason Conversion in 45LC that I've fed hundreds of rounds of standard velocity ammo without an issue. Gun is still tight and accurate. I don't think you'll have a problem with normal 38 Special ammo.

View attachment 1069073

Thank you Rockrivr1, That is a mighty fine looking revolver ya got there and much more beefier than my .38 Do you shoot lead exclusively? any Jacketed? Z

 

[Zulch]

Not that you don't have to clean up after smokeless...it just takes a bit less scrubbing, different solvents (Hoppes #9 rather than soap and water) and you have a little more free rein with the time frame to 'get busy' on it.

Thank you Cap. yes, I understand about it needing cleaning as well even though I will most likely be using smokeless. Got to keep these babies in tip top condition.

 

[Rockrivr1]

Thank you Rockrivr1, That is a mighty fine looking revolver ya got there and much more beefier than my .38 Do you shoot lead exclusively? any Jacketed? Z

Ive shot both lead and jacketed and they both are accurate out of the gun.

Thanks! Yours looks pretty sweet as well.

 

[Crunchy Frog]

There’s a difference between a conversion cylinder that is dropped into a cap and ball cartridges and the Uberti revolvers that are designed and sold as cartridge revolvers.

Read your owner’s manual. I’m betting it will say your revolver will happily eat SAAMI spec .38 Special factory ammunition.

 

[hawg]

There’s a difference between a conversion cylinder that is dropped into a cap and ball cartridges and the Uberti revolvers that are designed and sold as cartridge revolvers.

Read your owner’s manual. I’m betting it will say your revolver will happily eat SAAMI spec .38 Special factory ammunition.

I don't think it says but it doesn't say not to. I don't have my box and paperwork handy to check tho.

 

[Seiyoujin]

Hummmm. I have to disagree with most here. This is a Uberti replica made with modern material and methods. Shooting standard velocity ammo isn't a problem. I have an Uberti 1860 Richard-Mason Conversion in 45LC that I've fed hundreds of rounds of standard velocity ammo without an issue. Gun is still tight and accurate. I don't think you'll have a problem with normal 38 Special ammo.

View attachment 1069073

This is generally my thinking on it, and I've had about the same experience with the 3 Open Tops I own. That said, I mostly buy factory ammo, shoot it, and then reload the brass with BP. With rounds like .45 Colt, or .38 Spl., there's no reason not to play around with different loads to see what you, and your guns like.

 

[skfullen]

Nice revolver! I passed up a chance to get one just like it last year, went back to get it later that week and it was GONE like a freight train!

 

[Captain*kirk]

I just bought an Open Top RM in .45 Colt like Rockrvr1's. Problem is, the manual doesn't say what ammo to use or not use, other than "no +P". These open tops were originally designed for BP cartridges (or modern smokeless equivalent) so that's what I intend to feed mine.
Rolling your own gives you a whole bunch more options.

 

[45 Dragoon]

They are modern cartridge guns that can shoot any off the shelf ammo. I'd not shoot hot loads in the 45C . . .
Id definitely correct the arbor and don't Pay any attention to the "how to adjust the wedge" video from Cimarron.

Mike

 

[hawg]

"how to adjust the wedge" video from Cimarron.

Mike

That is ludicrous.

 

[Captain*kirk]

That is ludicrous.

Indeed.

 

[StrawHat]

…Howdy fella's. I recently acquired this little gem. Hoping someone here could tell me what they would consider a good and safe load for this revolver?
... Thank you, Z…

That is a Richards Mason conversion. The firing pin on the hammer is a tell. The Richards has a spring loaded firing pin mounted in the conversion ring.

Safe loads for any of the Italian cartridge revolvers are any of the commonly found ammunition labeled as acceptable for the 38 S&W Special. ALL Italian cartridge firearms are proofed prior to being sold. Much different than here in the US.

Enjoy your revolver! They are a lot of fun.

I have a pair of Richards conversions in 44 Colt.



Kevin

 

[Captain*kirk]

Those are some lookers, Kevin!

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Yep, another one of my dream-guns. Perhaps I'm a bit of a purest, but I'd stick with BP. It's more "fun", and a squirt bottle of Windex will clean it right up in about the same time as cleaning it after shooting smokeless in it. If you use compressed powder (BP) loads it will burn cleaner and require less cleaning.

I'm not sure that it's any advantage to leave a pistol dirty for a longer period of time using smokeless. ?? On the other hand, a BP revolver can be left dirty, in a low-humidity environment, for a long time. I'm not sure why anyone would do that, but I've told the tale before about a friend of mine who shot his 1851, put it in his underwear drawer, and six months later sold it to another friend of mine. There was not a spot of rust or corrosion on it. Was just dirty like it had been shot an hour ago.

Also, without the nipples to contend with, and all the nooks and crannies involved with cones, clean up with a cartridge gun is a snap.

As someone mentioned, shooting smokeless in a BP pistol "just ain't right". (paraphrase) And the easy way is seldom the best way. I would suggest a 200 grain lead bullet over just enough BP to give about 1/16" compression. Or, however much compression you can get without deforming the bullet.