Uberti .357

[ftlupton]

Stil thinking Uberti in .45 but since I have so much .357 stuff(dies, molds etc.) may go that way. Question is, people tell me the Uberti's are not safe with hotter .45 loads but how are they with .357 loads. Factory .357 is pretty stout, and I doubt I would go much above factory anyway. Just wonderin.  I got the itch for the Thunderer or Birdshead pretty bad.

[Blackhawk44]

First, don't even think about going "much above factory".  That is the very reason so many companies produce loading manuals.  Full power factory ammo for the .357 is loaded to pressures up to 36,000 pounds per square inch and that is the industry maximum.  They have set that standard so that experimenters like you don't garner nicknames like "Stumpy". 

Compare the two guns and you will see that the larger chambers of the .45 leaves far less metal for chamber walls therefore requiring lower overall pressure limits over the .357.  The Uberti is fully proofed for standard factory level loadings, whether .357 or .45 Colt.  No, the .45 Uberti will not withstand loadings listed for "Ruger Blackhawk or T/C ONLY" but will handle loadings of a 250gr bullet up near 1000fps, and that is nothing to sneer at.   With your preferred Thunderer/birdshead grip, I believe that you will have found about all of the fun that you can stand.  In reality, this load will do about all that could be expected of a handgun of this size at reasonable ranges, and that is certainly well beyond throwing spitwads.  Take care and BOL.

[ftlupton]

You just confirmed what I thought. In fact my .45 auto load is 230 gr at 850fps  so if I could just match that in a Uberti that would be all I would need. Factory .357 is also fine with me, I'm not much of a hot rodder. I broke 100 straight in registered trap using a 1 oz load instead of 1 1/8 oz. I shoot what works. Thanks.

[NickSS]

I have both the uberti 357 and 45 colt revolvers.  I love the 357 for small game while hiking around and the 45 colt I use for cowboy action shooting with light loads.  Both work very well and shoot just fine for me.  I mostly use light magnum loads in the 357 with lead bullets and use 200 gr lead bullets at 750 in the 45 colt.  I have stoked up the 45 cot with 255 gr semi wad cutters pushed by 8 gr of unique.  This results in 835 fps in my 5.5 inch barrel.  This is more power than I get from a 45ACP and plenty of poop for just about anything I want to shoot with a revolver.

[ftlupton]

Well, I did it! Found a like new Uberti .45 Birdshead, 3 1/2" barrel. It is in the safe as we speak and I love it already. Ordering dies etc. in the morning. Will post when I shoot it. Also bought a new Taurus 94 in .22 mag, 2" barrel for carry and woods walkin, 8 shots of .22 mag should be pretty effective.