uberti open top revolver

[edwin41]

before today ive never seen or heard about an uberti made open top navy
revolver in .38 spec caliber , i believe they called it converted model 1871.
held it in my hands when i was at the gunshop to pick up some reloadstuff .
must say its an impressive revolver , i believe it has a 7.5 inch barrel .
it had no real sights , just a notch on the hammer and a crude frontsight, but fit and finish to me seemed real good , looks like a well build , solid revolver to me.
looked at the pricetag and it surprised me , it dont cost a lot and was brandnew.
i am curious , has anyone on this forum any experience with these italian build
revolvers , are they any good or more a collector type of gun ?
like to hear from you , greetings from holland !

 

[Coyote3855]

I had a pair in .45 Colt with 5.5 inch barrels. They were the most natural pointing revolvers I've ever shot. Uberti is usually good quality. These were excellent in every respect, but I quit cowboy action shooting and wanted money for other toys. I've regretted it. They are definately shooters, not collector guns.

 

[BCRider]

Edwin, the sights are far from crude. Simple maybe, but they get the job done once you tune them to suit the load you're shooting. Sadly that tuning requires a file and maybe a taller front sight than what comes stock. Or the willingness to file down the corner of the hammer and deepen the V a little.

Here's what I managed recently with my C&B open top black powder .44cal round ball clone. The spacing between the rings is 1/2 inch and the target was shot at 15 yards. The two groups around the right hand target bullseye and the upper right were shot using two different points of aim to compensate for the fact that my own sights still need to be tuned. But note the grouping of these two POA groups. For me with my old guy eyeballs and old guy nerves I was more than happy. The only time I can shoot like this otherwise is with my S&W DA revolvers on a good day. The left was sadly shot without taking quite the care to steady and aim as the two cylinders worth on the right.

So don't let anyone tell you that the old style guns can't shoot well.

 

[stormborn]

I had a pair in .45 Colt with 5.5 inch barrels. They were the most natural pointing revolvers I've ever shot. Uberti is usually good quality. These were excellent in every respect, but I quit cowboy action shooting and wanted money for other toys. I've regretted it. They are definately shooters, not collector guns.

Were those the '1860 Army Conversion' models? I've been looking at them on the Uberti site for a while and they're quickly moving up the 'next purchase' list.

 

[ozarkguy]

Edwin41, they are great revolvers. I can see why you like them. I have the Cimarron Richards Type ll in 44 Special and the 1851 Richards-Mason conversion in 38 Special. Both are made by Uberti for Cimmaron, however, the Type ll Richards is only carried by Cimmaron. It is not a catalog item with Uberti. You should visit the Cimmaron Arms Co website just for fun.

I also really like both the Navy and Army framed Open-Tops as well as the 1860 Richards-Mason conversion. Heck, I just love all the open top Colts, including the black powder revolvers!!

Hope you get one. I highly recommend them.

 

[Coyote3855]

Were those the '1860 Army Conversion' models? I've been looking at them on the Uberti site for a while and they're quickly moving up the 'next purchase' list.

No, they were on 1851 size frame and grip. I'm a small guy with small hands; the Navy model was a better fit. But I shot with a guy who had the 1860 Armys and loved them.

 

[StrawHat]

One of my favorite cartridge revolvers.



This is a Richards Conversion in 44 Colt. Not an Uberti but an earlier model made by ASM. No longer available.

 

[ozarkguy]

StrawHat, is that the Type l with the frame mounted firing pin? There's been one (an ASM in 38 Sp) at the last two gun shows, but the guy wants $500 and I just can't do that. They are beautiful!

 

[StrawHat]

ozarkguy,

Yes it is. ASM got a lot wrong on this revolver but the firing pin was not one of them. The rear sight on the cylinder plate is also a nice touch.

That price is not too bad, at least not in ths area but there is room to dicker. ASM had some problems with soft parts and my revolver was no exception so if you can get him down, you will have more money for replacement parts.

I like mine and am looking for another.

 

[edwin41]

very nice strawhat !
ive done some searching and i saw a video on youtube where the revolver was beiing disassembled .
my concern with this type of handgun would be the barrel assembly.
it seems to me that when you clean the gun after a shooting you would have to
take of the barrel and cillinder , wich in my case would be a lot !
dont mind the work , but would the "wedge" and holding slot not rapid wear out?
maby im thinking wrong , but would the point of impact been altered by the tension of the "wedge" since it would be assembled many times ?
is this an issue with the uberti replicas , or am i seeing things wrong ?
thanks for the replys!

 

[edwin41]

"It is this infernal telegraph. We learn more than we need to know about things that do not concern us." Donald McCaig/Cannan

very nice autograph coyote , it s got me thinking , and thats a good thing !

 

[TAG2501]

I have one of the Uberti/Cimmaron Open tops - army grip, 45 schofield, 7.5 inch barrel. Its as accurate as you can imagine with the notch rear site. Very nice, smooth shooting handgun.

 

[CraigC]

Like any other smokeless cartridge revolver, you do not have to take one apart for cleaning every time you shoot. In fact, mine is one of my most-used sixguns and I can't remember the last time I pulled the wedge.

 

[ozarkguy]

Craig, I really like the looks of those imitation ivory grips. My only problem is, it's my understanding they have to be fitted individually to the gun and I have a problem parting with any of my open top revolvers long enough to get it done! One of these days I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and just do it.

 

[CraigC]

Any of them will have to be fitted, particularly if you go one-piece. There's just too much variation among Colt SA's and replicas. The good news is all you have to part with is the grip frame and it's only a few weeks. It's been several years since those were done but if I remember right, it was less than a month.

 

[StrawHat]

CraigC,

Please refresh my memory, for what cartridge is your Open Top chambered?

Mine is a 44 Colt and all I use is black powder and soft lead. I take no special precautions reassembling after cleaning and note no problems with accuracy. But I am not relying on this revolver for target work. For precicion, I have other revolvers. This is a fun handgun to carry and fire and get used mostly on rocks, jugs and such. Although it can be used to throw slug far away, mostly it is used under 100 yards.

 

[CraigC]

Both my Open Top and 1860 Type II are .44Colts. All I use is smokeless, mainly because commercial cast bullets are not lubed with a blackpowder friendly lube. As of late, I've been doing all my .44Colt shooting with Hornady 240gr SWC-HP's, a swaged bullet with a dry lube. Though I did get some Black Dawge bullets to try in the .38-40.