uberti fluted army and excellent service from Taylor's

[coltnavy36]

I wish every Uberti dealer had such good customer service as this.
I had looked EVERYWHERE for a specific model. Notably, the 1860 army, with fluted cylinder and charcoal blue.
No one had any in stock, although they advertised as such.
I ended up placing two different orders, having to cancel both, because they both were out.
FINALLY,
I give Taylor's a call. Talk about go-get-em' energy.
He went to check, and had one left on the shelf, with perfect wood grain on the grips.
Settled it then and there. Along with a decision I made myself for a possible future order for a R@D .45LC conversion for an this. Which (unlike the rest), will have a "charcoal" blued R@D cylynder with gate! Not the regular blued type.
This was the FASTEST service I have ever had.
Period!
They are number 1 in service.
Now, by the time this gun is finished, it will be worth more than many SAA .45LC's out there.
But, it's the type I like, and what I can shoot the best.
Colt navies and armies, are the best for me, because of the balance and sight picture.
Some people do not like the hammer notch sight, but, for me it's the other way around-I love it, and the open top design, is easier to "feel" your target with, to me anyway.
I wanted the .44 for downrange energy, otherwise, I would have stuck with a navy-.36, but i already have some of those, and wanted the fluted cylinder, and the lines of the army model.
I may be mistaken, but i think this is the model ordered by JEB Stuart right before the war started. As the numbered colts under 4000-6000 or so are fluted, and I think he got a pair of the first ones. After that, they went back to round-engraved cylinders, for the rest of the 200,000 made.
I'm not sure if it "really" had anything to do with the strength of the cylinder, and may have had more to do with an "easier" and "faster" method  of wartime production, which is always taken in account.
Much like short-cuts taken with WWII military stuff, in trying to get it "out" there the fastest, without compromising usefulness.
Anyway, to me, this model, has got to be the epitome of the Colt percussions. Not barring the 61' navy, but it is a close run, with an edge going to the fluted cylinder, and the caliber of the .44.
I can hit better with a navy-at any distance, but for self defense, which is mostly never more than up-close range, the .44 is accurate enough, and is a freight train with the criminal on the track.
I mention this, because, I prefer Colt percussions for home defense, and everything else. I have a few .45 auto's, but I'm not good with them.
These, I'm confident with, and can hit with-most every time.
Remember, 99% of home defense hardly ever requires more than one or two, possibly three shots-if it's more than that, your in a war and don't need to be there to begin with.
I pray never to have to use them in that manner, but the way of the world now-who knows.
I am not advocating anyone else to use the for personal defense. These just happen to be what I'm most comfortable with. And I'm definately not advocating violence of any sort, as it makes me sick.
Simply put, it is a good reference to how one should treat these revolvers just as carefully when loaded as any other modern gun, because they WILL do the same thing, and that is what they were made for.
For the joyness though, will be plinking, hunting, and for these dang cottonmouth snakes here in east Texas.
When this gun is finished I will post a pic here.
I will be putting checkered-with fleur-de-lis, aged-ivory grips on it soon, along with the conversion-which I can swap out back to percussion any time.
Just wanted to say I'm very happy with all of this.
Take care, and shoot safely.
--coltnavy36--

[simonkenton]

"Remember, 99% of home defense hardly ever requires more than one or two, possibly three shots-if it's more than that, your in a war and don't need to be there to begin with."

A man after my own heart.
I also have a couple of Colt Army .44s for home defense. Most bad guys who are going to come into a house are planning on no shootout. If they knew the homeowner was upstairs with no more than a single shot .22, ready willing and able to pull the trigger, they would go somewhere else. They know that one shot from any gun can kill.
I would bet that in most cases if an intruder were downstairs in the living room, and the homeowner lit off a firecracker in the upstairs bedroom, the bad guy would flee. Is he going to ask himself, "Is that a .44 or is it just a firecracker? Think I will head to the sound of the bang and find out for sure."
No I am not suggesting you defend your family with a Black Cat, I am saying you are not going up against a couple of Navy Seals, you are probably going up against a scared punk.
So I feel pretty safe with five shots from  a .44 Colt. What got me interested in this concept was when I read the post from Gatofeo where he had interviews from Civil War cavalry troops. These combat veterans spoke of how a single shot from a .36 would "knock an enemy trooper from the saddle, and out of the fight".
These Civil War veterans emphasized that the round ball was more effective than the slugs that they were issued. They preferred the slugs for shooting cattle on foraging raids.

Whatever the .36 will do, the .44 will do better.
And, if the bad guy decided to have a few shots at you, he would be bewildered by that cloud of smoke.

[coltnavy36]

Absolutely.
I agree. There are stories about how the round ball, if it did not kill outright, would make them go numb all over and take the fight right out of them.
They seem to have preferred round balls, but curiously, the paper cartridges with bullets would have been easily had and used.
But, the paper cartridges did not hold as much of a charge as loose ball and powder could directly from flask.
They may have had a habit of casting a lot of balls on the fire at night.
But yes, I agree. Wholeheartedly.
I happen to take very good heed to what the old veterans had to say about it, as they VERY MUCH, KNEW what they were talking about.
It is a mystery, as to why this is, about the round ball, but there is something that defies physics, which makes it more deadly.
I would be apt to say, that a .454 ball, would have more effect than a .45acp full metal jacket ball.
Of course, there is no way to test this.
lol-guess we'll have to take the veterans words for it after all.
---coltnavy36---

[coltnavy36]

Come to think of it.
The round ball was something for critters also.
Samuel baker, and a few others still preferred the large bore round ball on elephant, even when bullets had made a big scene.
He was quoted as saying that the round ball put them down better, and settled them, whereas the bullet, from, say, a paradox, would just pass through without stopping them.
Something to think of.
--coltnavy36--

The ones he preferred were 8-bores.
He did have a 2-bore, but he never fired it much, and one can understand why, I'm sure.
Was not until nitro powders that the bullet really made a difference, as far as penetration, which is the key on jumbo's.

[simonkenton]

Twenty five years ago I was a Paramedic in central Ga. My buddies and I were maniac deer hunters, each of us was getting 4 or 5 a year. In hunts in which I was present, I or one of my pals shot 25-30 deer annually.
We all used modern centerfire guns.
I got a wild hair and got a TC Hawken. I didn't know anybody who shot black powder, there was no internet, the only advice I had was Dixie Gun Works catalog.
I decided to see how the old timers did it, so I started out with patched round ball. There was no muzzleloading season then, so I was leaving a scoped Mauser in 30-06 at home when I took the TC into the field.
I figured if the Hawken was no good, I would just go back to my Mauser.
To my astonishment I got BETTER kills with the patched round ball than I did with the Mauser.
On a lung shot, no shoulder, a deer was going to run 100 yards when hit with that Mauser. I got good at blood trailing.
With the patched round ball, the deer would get no more than 50 yards.  It was not unusual for a big buck to go 30 yards and fold up, unheard of with the 30-06. I always got a pass through shot, in 8 kills with that Hawken, which disappointed me a little because I wanted to analyze the ball.
The blood trails were unbelievable with that round ball.
If you compare the ballistics, and don't have experience with the round ball, you would say I am crazy, or a liar, and I have been called both more than once on these internet forums.
From my own experience, I was not too surprised to read Gatofeo's report on the round ball, the pistol, and the calvary boys in the Civil War.
I hear the high tech types talking about how a little slug needs to be delivered at warp speed to cause "hydrostatic shock" blah blah blah. That is some great theory. All I know is, a round ball through the chest, and he is going down.

[Flint]

One factor not to be ignored is that the round ball is cast of pure, soft,  unalloyed lead, and expands very much more than a hard lead bullet.

Check a 36 or 44 roundball after it has hit a steel CAS target, it doesn't shatter, it smears.  A 22 rimfire is deceptively deadly for the same reason, it is very soft lead.

The Civil War paper cartridge as mentioned had a heavier conical bullet and less powder than a cylinder can accomodate with a round ball, so the velocity was lower.

The more modern rifle cartridge, if it passes only through soft tissue might not expand at all....

[coltnavy36]

Ahhh, which brings to mind why NATO began to require full metal jackets.
People trying to put rules into warfare, in my mind is a little stupid, seeing as how other items the military uses, like depleted uranium, are far worse.
Never made sense to me.
But yes, those old .58 minie balls, were some sure medicine, even if only wounded back then, due to gangrene setting in. When I look at a .58 minie, I can't even think of how one could be hit by one in the torso, and become wounded, and not just dead. Most of the wounded cases, were definately hits to the extremities, arms, legs, etc.

Back on topic,
I should be getting this pistol tomorrow or next day, and will post a pic of it as it comes out of the box, after i wipe off the Uberti grease. They coat that stuff pretty good for going over the ocean.
To be honest, I'm having second thoughts about the gated conversion, and may go with the drop-in, because I do not want to alter the frame, and want to leave it in original form. They say they will have the gated for the 60' soon, at midway, but not yet, so that would be a wait.
Heck, I'm also having second thoughts on even shooting it, wanting to leave it mint, leave it hidden for 20 years, and then bring it back out and say, look what I found!
But, you know, that won't last long.
I'll be shootin' it the next day after it arrives. It's always that way with me.lol Can't help it.
I did order a LEE 200gr. conical mold, and will try them, as I've never used them. I'll see how they do. But, mostly, I'll stick with round balls.
The only type of conical I've ever used were the ones out of the brass-copy molds, that are used for the cased sets.
So, I don't have much experience with conicals.
Heck, I'd love to go all out and buy some more stuff for it, but with the grips, conversion cylinder, and all, it's running up there, and heck, I'm anything but rich, so i'll have to spread this stuff out some as I go.
And heck, everything is iffy. He said the walnut and grain on the wood grips on this one were some of the best he has seen, so, I might not even change them if they are that special, although, I do love ivory, poly or not.
Shoot, no-one I know can afford real ivory.
I'll post that pic soon.

[coltnavy36]

Recieved it by ups, a few days ago-just now have been able to open it up, due to the previous few days being filled with dealing with some family matters.
Well, opened it up---now, bear in mind, I ordered the fluted cylinder version from them.
What I was looking at upon opening the box, was the plain-engraved cylinder!!! Well, as it happens with me from time to time, I looked at it a few moments and thought about returning it. But, something told me to keep it, as I thought it may be an omen of some sort.
I did. Not planning on exchanging at all.
It may very well be an omen.
I love it.

Now, there is more.....
I have NEVER recieved a Uberti, with which I did not have to replace the small pin that retains the loading lever latch.
That small pin fell out on it's on, just like all have in the past.
And I've played with upwards of ten Ubertis in my life.
They ALL have had to have this pin replaced.
I use a small wire-nail, push it through, and cut it off, then peen it neatly on the end that is cut off. Then, I file off any eccess, and sand the heads of the pin with fine sandpaper, then spray lube on it good.
So much for pins like this. This works perfect. Every time.

Also.....
The worse part....
Many, many misfires, and caps that will not pop.

Today, the project is to put on a stronger mainspring.
The mainspring that was on it, was VERY weak, and I noticed this right out of the box.
Next, I'll chamfer the nipples.
We'll see how it's running after that.
The mainspring is the main problem though, and probably the only one, as it hardly has the strength to dent the caps when the hammer lands on them.
I'm still going to post the pic, but need to get this work done on it, and am thinking of a shoulder stock for it.
I'll update soon.
---coltnavy36---