Author Topic: Experience With Uberti Single Action Revolvers (Read 6061 times)

RIFLE MAN · « **on:** January 13, 2010, 05:02:25 AM »

Does anyone have any experience with Uberti 1873 Cattleman revolvers?
How well do they hold up? How accurate overall? Are they restricted to
cowboy action loads, or can they take loads that are hotter, but not
high velocity?

Kindest regards,
Rifle Man

MePlat · « **Reply #1 on:** January 13, 2010, 07:30:38 AM »

I would say they would at least take a load that a modern Colt SAA would take. Wouldn't you?
If not why not.
You realize you are going to get all kinds of answers to this question. Which one are you going to pick?
I know of one very well known custom revolver builder that if you knew the load he uses in Colt single actions you would choke.

jimster · « **Reply #2 on:** January 13, 2010, 02:48:18 PM »

I have owned quite a few Uberti revolvers in my life, they will shoot any load a Colt Single Action can handle. Use a reloading manual. Accuracy is as good as any other high volume production gun. They hold up as well as anything of "that type" and parts are easy to get. I have not had any bad experiences with Uberti, replaced some springs like most people, nothing that could not be fixed and parts are easy to get. Fixed sights...it's up to you to get them to shoot to point of aim if they do not shoot where you aim, like most other fixed sighted guns, that is a crap shoot.

Jim

NickSS · « **Reply #3 on:** January 13, 2010, 10:02:51 PM »

I own 4 of them and shoot them a lot. The oldest one is over 20 years old and just as functional today as the day I bought it. They will handle any 45 colt load that is not listed for Ruger or contender only. I really like the fit and balance of them and they are good point shooters. I use my pair of 45s for cowboy action shooting as well and more heavy loads. Mostly I shoot 250 gr slugs at about 850 fps from mine. In my 357 mags I use any listed mag load but mostly shoot 158 gr at around 1200 fps as that is what shoots to point of aim at 50 yards.

rice paddy daddy · « **Reply #4 on:** January 14, 2010, 09:39:00 AM »

I've got a 357 and a 45 Colt. They are well made, in fact Uberti makes SAA's for several companies that put their own name on them.
I do not hesitate to reccomend them to anybody.

Graybeard · « **Reply #5 on:** January 14, 2010, 11:44:05 AM »

I've had four of them also. Three were the short (4.75")

and one a 7.5" I think it was. All have uniformly shot way left of point of aim and it doesn't matter if I shot them one handed in right or left hand or with two hands nor if freehand or from a rest. They just shoot way left for me. I've tried many loads and factory ammo. For me they are pretty useless much beyond 15 yards as they shoot too far from POA. Some shot high some shot low but all shot way left.

They are rated same as any Colt SAA meaning stick with SAAMI loads for safety. You should be able to push a 250 grain bullet to around 875-925 fps safely with them, beyond that you are on your own and might be lucky and might not be.

I'd rate quality and finish over all to be quite good but far from great. Accuracy was what I'd rate as OK considering the primitive sights on them. If mine had shot closer to POA I'd likely still own one or more of them. I doubt I'll ever own another but ya never know. If I could shoot it first and found one that shot to POA at 20-25 yards I'd buy it without reservations.

RIFLE MAN · « **Reply #6 on:** January 14, 2010, 12:10:03 PM »

Friends,
I have a follow up question: when a revolver shoots
too far to the left or right of point of aim, is there a
solution to the problem short of getting rid of the revolver?

Thanks,
Rifle Man

texagun · « **Reply #7 on:** January 14, 2010, 12:15:54 PM »

Quote from: RIFLE MAN on January 14, 2010, 12:10:03 PM

Friends,
I have a follow up question: when a revolver shoots
too far to the left or right of point of aim, is there a
solution to the problem short of getting rid of the revolver?

Thanks,
Rifle Man

I had a Ruger Vaquero that consistently shot 4-5" left of center at 15 yards. I sent it back to Ruger and they turned the barrel. When it came back, it was right on POA. Some might suggest you attempt to bend the front sight...........not a good idea in my opinion. Others have opened up the rear sight channel with a file to correct where the gun points with good success.

44 Man · « **Reply #8 on:** January 14, 2010, 01:13:10 PM »

Shooting right or left is not a big deal. I have turned the barrel on several single actions to bring them to POA. Any compent gunsmith can do it or even a hobbiest with the proper equipment. You just wrap the barrel with tape to keep from marring the finish, place the barrel in properly sized barrel blocks, and turn it where you think you need it. You will rarely have to move it more than about half the width of the front sight. It is totally un-noticeable when you are done. I've done a Ruger, and three Italian single actions. I did have to bend the front sight on a Colt one time. It was nickel plated and no one would touch it as they said it might marr the finish. So I whacked the front sight against the shooting bench and brought the impact right about 4" at 25 yards. It was dead center over the sights after that. Enjoyed that gun very much. Eventually sold it as I didn't want to carry a nickeled gun in the woods. 44 Man

garyhan · « **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2010, 03:30:11 AM »

My 4.75" Cattleman .45 shoots nice groups, right to point of aim. Maybe I got lucky but that sure has been pleasing to me. I went into the store with the intention of buyin a Vaquero, but comparing them side to side, I couldn't resist the Uberti. I have had no reason to regret this decision.

gary

44 Man · « **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2010, 04:42:17 AM »

Garyhan makes a good point. MOST single actions will shoot where they are supposed to. But you will occasionally get one that does not. Sometimes it is a simple as how we are holding it, or which ammo we are using. I have found that many now shoot to POA with cowboy loads but low with 'real' loads. But that's an easy fix also if that is what you are going to shoot in the gun most of the time. Many of my single actions have a little flat spot at the top of the front sight to fine tune the POI. I also often file the back of the sight flat to eleminate any glare at the rounded top of the rear of the sight. Works for me. 44 Man

SAA · « **Reply #11 on:** January 19, 2010, 02:05:24 AM »

Uberti Cattleman 45colt one-handed shooting at 25meters.

I´d say they are pretty accurate, a friend has another 5½" Uberti and it shoots equally good.
This was shot with a smokeless load of Vihtavuori gunpowder, but I get the same kind of accuracy with my blackpowder loads.

Bitterroot Bob · « **Reply #12 on:** January 19, 2010, 03:24:57 PM »

That's good shooting,
But I'm starting to feel like we need to take up a collection so you can afford to put up a new target once in a while. That's a LOT of pasters!

My first revolver was a used Iver Johnson Cattleman Buckhorn Magnum. Basically it was a SAA clone with adjustable sights. It came with a holster, dies, and a big Pennzoil can with 500 empty cases. After putting about a thousand rounds through it I traded for a FN Browning HiPower. The new owner cut it down, put a bird's head grip on it, and now carries it. Pretty good!

I have a pair of Uberti EMF Hartfords. They are .44 WCF w/ 7-1/2" barrels to match my '73 Winchester clone. They way the grips feel in my hands and the pointability of the guns are exceptional. I only shoot BP or 6.5 grains of Unique behind 200-grain bullets and they will hit POA at 35 yards easily.
I have broken the trigger/cylinder bolt springs and have replaced them with Wolfe music-wire replacements. Other than that, they are both fine after at least 500 rounds each.

Bitterroot Bob

SAA · « **Reply #13 on:** January 19, 2010, 08:45:24 PM »

Quote from: Bitterroot Bob on January 19, 2010, 03:24:57 PM

That's good shooting,
But I'm starting to feel like we need to take up a collection so you can afford to put up a new target once in a while. That's a LOT of pasters!

Please dont ask me to repeat it, I can only shoot like that on an exceptionally good day.
What can I say, pasters are cheap..

Tommyt · « **Reply #14 on:** January 20, 2010, 04:52:11 AM »

Quote from: SAA on January 19, 2010, 08:45:24 PM

G000000oooooood Lord thats Paste-R's at their Finest

Tommyt

chihuahua floyd · « **Reply #15 on:** January 21, 2010, 04:35:59 PM »

The Uberti revolvers will take any standard factory load for the caliber.
45 Colt will take any factory 45 Colt except the high pressure loads special made for the Rugers.
357 Mag will take any factory loads, plus 38 Spl.
I've got 2 of both. The 45's are 10 years old, the 357s are a year. I like the 45s better. None of them have ever seem a jacketed bullet since I have had them, and I bought the new. CAS only.

P.A. Myers · « **Reply #16 on:** January 21, 2010, 06:02:38 PM »

Try the schofield, better in every respect. Co-starred in '3:10 to Yuma'.

BL Drake · « **Reply #17 on:** February 06, 2010, 04:32:25 AM »

Where can a guy find parts for these guns. I need to replace and spring and the trigger guard on one that was recently given to me. I don't have much experience with SA's and would appreciate the assistance.

bilmac · « **Reply #18 on:** February 06, 2010, 05:14:20 AM »

Just remember, no transfer bar safety. There was an article in our paper yesterday about a woman who shot herself with a Uberti when it fell out of her holster.

Flint · « **Reply #19 on:** February 06, 2010, 08:37:58 AM »

It's supposed to be in the holster with the hammer down on an empty chamber. Her accident shouldn't have happened.

Uberti revolver parts at VTIgunparts.com

Frank V · « **Reply #20 on:** February 06, 2010, 12:49:32 PM »

I have found when loading a Colt SAA or clone without a transfer bar, bring the gun to half cock, load one chamber, skip one chamber, load 4 chambers. Bring the hammer to full cock & carefully lower it. It will now be hammer down on an empty chamber.
If you should cock the gun & decide not to fire, carefully lower the hammer ( it will be hammer down on a loaded chamber so use care!) now bring the hammer to half cock, rotate the cylinder four clicks,( they can be both felt & heard) then bring the hammer to full cock & carefully lower it, it should now be back on the empty chamber. It has worked every time for me.
Also a SAA is designed to be brought to full cock after loading or unloading it, then lower the hammer. If you lower the hammer from half cock you can tie up the gun making disasembly neccessary to correct the problem. I've had it happen to me when I foolishly lowered the hammer from half cock. Another result will be a increasingly large turn line on the cylinder as the locking bolt will be lowered to make contact with the cylinder middway between the locking cuts. Hope this helps.
Frank

greener · « **Reply #21 on:** February 15, 2010, 01:36:44 AM »

I've had a 4 5/8" .45 Colt Cattleman for about a year. Shoots about 4" low at 15 yards and I've not gotten around to filing the front site. I've been very pleased with the revolver. Fun to shoot. No problems so far.

painted horse · « **Reply #22 on:** March 06, 2010, 06:44:04 AM »

My wife has two cimmeron thunderers in 357mag made by Uberti. Fit and finish are excellent. Wood grips are very nice, way better than any that came on my Rugers, blueing is deep and shiny with color case hardning as good as any I've seen. These are the copys of the 1st gen. colt, (not as good a base pin lockup as the later colt models). At 50ft. top of front sight in sight groove, right on the money. Both these little guns are very accurate, once again, better than my Ruger 45s. Not complaining about the Rugers, they shoot just fine, and are a lot stronger, but these Cimmerons will shoot a little better. Maybe it's the caliber, don't know. If all I was going to shoot were standard pressure 45 colts, I would be very content with a Uberti . More than likely a Cimmeron. Another worth looking at is the EAA bounty hunter, not made by Uberti, and maybe not as nicely finished, but a very strong revolver, almost Ruger strengh..also less expensive than either of the above.

NickSS · « **Reply #23 on:** March 15, 2010, 01:40:54 AM »

I've just read all the posts on this thread and found them interesting. Of my 4 Uberti's only one shot off to one side. It shot about three inches left at 25 yards. I gave the front sight a whack with a hammer and bent it slightly to the left and it now shoots to point of aim. With a 250 gr slug at 850 this revolver shoots the center out of a 25 yard pistol target with a six oclock hold and does the same at 50 yards with a center hold.

Flint · « **Reply #24 on:** March 15, 2010, 10:38:30 AM »

Uberti parts are at VTIgunparts.com

Tommyt · « **Reply #25 on:** March 21, 2010, 05:58:59 AM »

I'm posting all over this board here is my New Addition

Tommy

shaner · « **Reply #26 on:** March 23, 2010, 01:53:07 PM »

ive had good luck with all 5 of owned, except the one i just sent to ubeerti for repairs, i wasshooting it and the cylinder all of a sudden developed a lot of free travel on its own , even with the hammer down , the cylinder can be turned even wit hthe load gate closed , i called uberti and she said to mail it in and they would take care of it an mail it back , sooooo other then that , all the others ive had i never had a problem one of them, and would buy another today if i had the money to right now

44 Man · « **Reply #27 on:** March 24, 2010, 08:54:35 AM »

Beautiful gun Tommie T! 44 Man

OLDPUPPYMAX · « **Reply #28 on:** March 25, 2010, 10:46:33 AM »

I've owned a Uberti 1858 New Army conversion for about a year now and couldn't be happier with it. .45 LC, 8" barrel and nearly 2lbs 10 oz. It's the only SAA that comes close to competing with Colt for "feel", balance, smoothness of action and that solid cylinder click. A darned fine pistol which shoots very straight.

Old Fart · « **Reply #29 on:** March 25, 2010, 11:15:35 AM »

I owned one for a few months.
It was a real nice gun.
Seemed well made and shot very accurately.