Barrel bulge & replacement question

bigminnow · August 28, 2011, 01:07 PM

My uncle bought a used 1860 Uberti 44 and it shoots well but there is a bulge in the barrel about halfway...so I wanted to see if the barrel could be replaced. (He didn't notice the bulge when he bought it...his eyes aren't what they used to be...)

I ordered a Uberti 1860 Army 44 cal barrel from Numrich and it looks identical but...it lacks about 1/8 inch going all the way on the base pin. It seems to hit bottom and will not fit as a result.

Is this a defect or did Uberti make dimension changes somewhere along the line? I don't know whether to send it back to Numrich for a swap on another barrel to see if it will fit or just return for credit.
Thanks...

Hawg · August 28, 2011, 01:35 PM

If it shoots good with the bulged barrel I wouldn't worry about it. The arbor hole is too shallow on the replacement. Odd for a Uberti since their arbor holes are usually too deep.

g.willikers · August 28, 2011, 04:48 PM

Yes, a bulge in a barrel doesn't necessarily render it a candidate for the trash.
A friend managed to bulge the barrel in his Browning HP, with a squib load.
Too poor (or cheap) to replace it, he used the gun that way for many years, with no nasty consequences.
The gun didn't even noticeably lose any accuracy.

zullo74 · August 28, 2011, 06:21 PM

The arbor hole in the barrel assembly can be drilled deeper to achieve that 'perfect fit'. You are actually a lucky bast@rd!

bigminnow · August 28, 2011, 07:28 PM

Looks like I have both options...drill it deeper or send it back...I will see what Numrich says about returning or exchanging and let that be the deciding factor...it is still shooting ok so if I send it back it's good to know it is still ok to shoot....thanks !!

Noz · August 29, 2011, 09:25 AM

Bulge is no big deal. I've been shooting an Uberti 1866 for several years now with a buldge near the front sight. Just looks ugly.

Hardcase · August 29, 2011, 10:12 AM

One of my Winchester 1897s has a bulge near the end of the barrel. Not only does it shoot fine, that bulge opened up the full choke a tad and now it's an ace of a skeet gun. I show up with the old warhorse and all those guys with their fancy-pants over/unders eat crow by the end of the match.

I know, not quite the same as a pistol, but it's another data point.

BTW, the bulge got there when my grandfather accidentally plugged the muzzle with snow back in the late '30s. Let that be a lesson to you to watch where you stick the business end of your gun!

bigminnow · August 29, 2011, 08:36 PM

So I read everyone's input and decided to leave the bulge alone...I'm sending the barrel back to Numrich for credit...and I took the money I would have spent on the barrel and ordered another black powder revolver from Cabela's...

an 1858 New Army 44...well, it didn't pay for all of it, I had to add a little more fundage to it...plus the two extra cylinders...and the holster...and and ...this is addictive!

Maxem0815 · August 30, 2011, 05:33 AM

I have a ring in my Thompson SMG about 1/3 down the bbl shoots excellent, I lost only 23 fps on velocity
No one can see it from the out side so who cares.
Mace

August 28, 2011, 01:07 PM	#1
bigminnow Member Join Date: August 12, 2011 Posts: 98	Barrel bulge & replacement question My uncle bought a used 1860 Uberti 44 and it shoots well but there is a bulge in the barrel about halfway...so I wanted to see if the barrel could be replaced. (He didn't notice the bulge when he bought it...his eyes aren't what they used to be...) I ordered a Uberti 1860 Army 44 cal barrel from Numrich and it looks identical but...it lacks about 1/8 inch going all the way on the base pin. It seems to hit bottom and will not fit as a result. Is this a defect or did Uberti make dimension changes somewhere along the line? I don't know whether to send it back to Numrich for a swap on another barrel to see if it will fit or just return for credit. Thanks...

August 28, 2011, 04:48 PM	#3
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Yes, a bulge in a barrel doesn't necessarily render it a candidate for the trash. A friend managed to bulge the barrel in his Browning HP, with a squib load. Too poor (or cheap) to replace it, he used the gun that way for many years, with no nasty consequences. The gun didn't even noticeably lose any accuracy. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

August 29, 2011, 10:12 AM	#7
Hardcase Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2009 Location: Sunny Southern Idaho Posts: 1,909	One of my Winchester 1897s has a bulge near the end of the barrel. Not only does it shoot fine, that bulge opened up the full choke a tad and now it's an ace of a skeet gun. I show up with the old warhorse and all those guys with their fancy-pants over/unders eat crow by the end of the match. I know, not quite the same as a pistol, but it's another data point. BTW, the bulge got there when my grandfather accidentally plugged the muzzle with snow back in the late '30s. Let that be a lesson to you to watch where you stick the business end of your gun! __________________ Well we don't rent pigs and I figure it's better to say it right out front because a man that does like to rent pigs is... he's hard to stop - Gus McCrae

August 28, 2011, 01:35 PM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	If it shoots good with the bulged barrel I wouldn't worry about it. The arbor hole is too shallow on the replacement. Odd for a Uberti since their arbor holes are usually too deep.

August 28, 2011, 06:21 PM	#4
zullo74 Junior member Join Date: August 8, 2009 Posts: 374	The arbor hole in the barrel assembly can be drilled deeper to achieve that 'perfect fit'. You are actually a lucky bast@rd!

August 28, 2011, 07:28 PM	#5
bigminnow Member Join Date: August 12, 2011 Posts: 98	Looks like I have both options...drill it deeper or send it back...I will see what Numrich says about returning or exchanging and let that be the deciding factor...it is still shooting ok so if I send it back it's good to know it is still ok to shoot....thanks !!

August 29, 2011, 09:25 AM	#6
Noz Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Posts: 643	Bulge is no big deal. I've been shooting an Uberti 1866 for several years now with a buldge near the front sight. Just looks ugly.

August 29, 2011, 08:36 PM	#8
bigminnow Member Join Date: August 12, 2011 Posts: 98	So I read everyone's input and decided to leave the bulge alone...I'm sending the barrel back to Numrich for credit...and I took the money I would have spent on the barrel and ordered another black powder revolver from Cabela's... an 1858 New Army 44...well, it didn't pay for all of it, I had to add a little more fundage to it...plus the two extra cylinders...and the holster...and and ...this is addictive!

August 30, 2011, 05:33 AM	#9
Maxem0815 Junior member Join Date: May 23, 2011 Posts: 216	I have a ring in my Thompson SMG about 1/3 down the bbl shoots excellent, I lost only 23 fps on velocity No one can see it from the out side so who cares. Mace