bought 2 new Ubertis - issues with both

[alpinex]

So, I bought 2 new Uberti BP guns in the last week, a '51 London Navy and a 1st Model Dragoon. I bought both through MidwayUSA and used the $30 off $300+ promo for one and the $20 off $200+ for the other, so I feel like I got a good deal on both ('51 London for $294 shipped and 1st Dragoon for $344 shipped).

Both are nice guns. Some minor imperfections in both. I went with Uberti because the word is fit/finish is better than Pietta. I'd have to disagree after these purchases. Overall I'm pleased with the guns and the imperfections are correctable or not worth the hassle of sending back. Will try to post pics later.

While the cocking and actions on the Uberti guns I seems smoother overall than Pietta guns I own out-of-the-box, it seems that Uberti's are not without their fair share of quality control issues.

1851 London - Slight dings/nicks on the case hardened frame, on the edge of the steel on frame between triggerguard and frame. This only could have happened prior to the gun being assembled. The tail end of the backstrap on the grip shows some very slight scratches/nicks from handling or manufacture right out of the box. Other than that, the gun is perfect.

1st Model Dragoon - Trigger "sticks" when pulled. It appears the slot milled in the brass trigger guard for the trigger is slightly off or has a burr, the trigger "drags" and sticks on one side, requiring you to push forward on the trigger slightly for it to reset. Could be dangerous if you cock the hammer the trigger stuck pulled back already (think "fanning").

The box on the 1851 London is marked Stoeger. The box of the Dragoon shows it is a Taylor gun.

[junebug_01]

In recent times, a Pietta and a Uberti gun are about the same quality. I have both manufacturers and for the money, I go with the brothers Pietta.

[Slowhand]

You got a good deal there. I have a Uberti replica of an 1847 Colt Walker and the 3rd Dragoon both have seen very little range time and are in great shape. I also own several old Pietta replicas of various types. Within the last couple of years Pietta has come a long ways in their production qualities and are making some great products.

[madcratebuilder]

With new production revolvers it's pretty much "luck of the draw" on quality, either brand can have stuff that should not have made it past quality control.

[freedom475]

That is why you only buy from Cabela's... you can even shoot the guns and still send them back...as far as I am concerned the gun is defective if it hits right or left....Cabela's even has a retun box in case you ordered 5 of something, picked the best one (most accrurate) and are returning the other 4.

Just try that with those crooks at Midway and they will laugh at you!:barf: Plus they RAPE you on the shipping!

[tpelle]

In 2002 (I believe that's the year. May be wrong.) Pietta overhauled their manufacturing, replacing all of their old, worn out, manually-operated machinery with new CNC machines and new tooling. Their quality after that took a quantum leap forward. With the new CNC machines, the parts are machined to extremely tight tolerances.

One of the issues with "legacy" Piettas has always been that the cylinder arbors were always too short on their Colt replicas. This resulted in a condition where, if you pushed in the barrel wedge too far, the barrel forcing cone would bind against the cylinder. The wedge would actually cause the barrel to become tilted upwards as it pivoted against the bottom of the frame as the wedge forced the barrel to the rear.

In the old days, at the Colt factory they purposely made the arbors too long, and the gunsmith that fitted the barrel would try it in the hole bored for the arbor in the barrel, estimate how much too long it was, and dress the arbor down with a file. He would keep repeating this until he got the barrel and arbor mated perfectly. To do this by hand these days would be prohibitively expenses, even at Italian labor rates. But nowadays, Pietta's CNC machines get it perfect each time every time.

I just bought a brand new Pietta 1860 Army. Arbor fit - one of the first things I check on a Colt clone - was perfect out of the box. The only thing that needed a little attention to detail was the cylinder locking bolt fit to the locking notches in the cylinder.

I know that Pietta has a reputation of being of lesser quality than Uberti. I believe this was due to the fact that Uberti did a little more hand fitting and finishing than Pietta. But I think that recent Piettas, using their new automation, are even better assembled than Ubertis.

[Hawg]

I believe it was 99 or 2000.

[alpinex]

I like Pietta never had a major problem with any of the ones I own, but I think my perception that Uberti was somehow "better" (and worth the extra $) has vanished. I now believe it is true, Pietta = Uberti in out of the box quality.

Only thing Uberti has on Pietta now... markings!! (Uberti puts there's under the barrel, Pietta on the side. Plus Pietta grips seem to be too "pointy" on the back on their colt-type guns.

[tpelle]

Alpinex, I agree. And thanks for the correction as to the dates.

I believe that Uberti makes a more "authentic" replica, in that Pietta sometimes varies some of the shapes of certain parts.

Here's an authentic 1860 Army:



And here's a Pietta 1860 Army:



Note the profile of the barrel just behind the wedge, in the area where the arbor would enter the barrel piece. See how on the original it's smoothly curved, but on the Pietta the piece is squared-off?

And also, Pietta comes up with some non-authentic guns - those that were never originally made - such as .44 caliber 1851 Navy's, for instance, or that recent 1860 "Sheriff" revolver that Cabelas is selling.

[Shotput79]

I have been ordering from cabela's for a long time, They are number one in my book. My 1858 is made by Pietta, it's over 23 years old, it's been a faithful shooter all these years. Sence then I have ordered five others. Never had a problem with any of them. The writing on the side of the barrels don't do anything to the way they shoot. I like Uberti for the finish on the revolver's, I rather have a revolver that I can go out an shoot time after time, than a pretty revolver that needs a gun smith right out of the box. If Pietta had made the Walker I would have ordered it instead of the Uberti. I bought my Walker out of a gunshop, now I want one of the Dragoon revolvers so I may bite the bullet and pick one of them up for long. It be nice if Pietta would make the Walker, and Dragoon models. The writing on the barrel, don't do anything to the way the revolver functions. Pitta just needs a little shootin to smooth them out that's all.

[Scooch]

I've not been a fan of Pietta and until recently, didn't own a single one. All my BPs were uberti and I've been impressed with all of them. I wanted a Griswold & Gunnison '51 Navy (Brass Frame) to represent the South among my small collection and was therefore forced to buy a Pietta which was also my first purchase from Cabela's.

Quite simply: Wow! The price was incredible, the gun showed up 2 days after I ordered in a very nice Cabela's box, packed perfectly. The gun is beautiful and perfect in every regard (So far, I have not shot it yet). Everything operates smoothly, the barrel to cylinder mating is tight but doesn't bind and I can knock the wedge out or seat it securely with my knuckle. I guess the only thing that would really top it off is if Pietta finished their wood grips with the same glossy shine that Uberti does.

Looks like I'm a convert.

[Hawg]

You LIKE that ghastly Uberti orange?

[Scooch]

Mine seem to be very dark brown. It could be my hand oils over time but I have a new 1858 is that is so dark brown that it's hard to see the grain of the wood.

Orange?

[Hawg]

Maybe they changed. Uberti grips used to be a glossy orangish shade. I prefer the non glossy Pietta look.

[Scooch]

I scrolled back up to the pictures in this post and now that you mention it, I guess they do seem a burnt orange. But hey, I live in Austin and people here bleed that color (for UT). I'd be real popular at the range if I showed up with burnt orange grips on my pistols!

BTW, that's a great looking rig.

[Hawg]

It looked ok but was a POS Oklahoma Leather buscadero rig. It's long gone.

[Scooch]

Looks can be deceiving then. I'll know not to buy Oklahoma Leather. I bet somewhere in here there is a discussion on best/worst leather.

[Hawg]

Yeah it's been discussed a few times. Oklahoma Leather is chrome tanned and not worth wasting money on unless you're just going to use it now and then. Thats why it's so cheap.




I sold it on ebay for 80 bucks. Not gonna say what I had in it.

[maillemaker]

Cabela's even has a retun box in case you ordered 5 of something, picked the best one (most accrurate) and are returning the other 4

That seems a little underhanded, to me. You've now created 4 pistols that Cabela's can't sell. Someone is going to pay for that trial-and-error, and it's going to get reflected in the cost of products.

Steve

[freedom475]

Well, I agree and think it might be a little chicken $h** to order 5 and then acctually go test them for accuracy and return the least accurate ones. But if I order a fixed sight pistol and it hits a foot the left, it IS defective, and the fact that Cabela's will exchange it for another, guarentee's that I will be sending them all of my business for new Cap&Ball revolvers. (I have returned a Pietta that the wedge was way too tight on),

But if you read the return form that comes with every Cabela's purchase, you will see a return code "number 70" just in case you ordered extra's and are retuning the unwanted ones.

I know Cabela's is not always the best price...but they stand behind everything that they sell Completely, 100%, No questions asked ever.

With that, I feel very comfortable ordering from them and Know, without a doubt, if I am unhappy, they Will make it right

[Zathras]

I bought my first BP gun from cabelas on sale...Pietta 1851 colt navy...best bang for the buck...put about 100 balls through it..not one issue..fit and finish is great..I'm putting in an order for an 1858 new army next week..

[Hardy]

Well -you can't beat cabella.

I've sold a lot of guns but I never sold enough to make any decent money--but enuff to keep me still doin it I just try to break even.

Uberti is best for the tradional C/B revolver.(1851 navy, 1861 navy and rems dragoons and Armys. Pietta makes all kinds and the upper end models are great. Watch out for the $199 specials. You get what you pay for. And better buy now! here is why:

Distributor told me today: All prices are up--freight charges mainly. I paid at distributor price for a screw for trigger bolt spring/ sear/ Pietta 1860 Army---$5.00 ---the small frame studs are over $2.00 Now--if Cabella can sell these guns at such affordable prices--better buy them now. And, of course. Italy goes on vacation in August.

We send 1/3 of guns purchased through the net back because of defects. But that is better than 50/50 chance. Make sure the hammer goes into correct cocks and plungers slips EASY in chamber at 6 o'clock when fully cocked. If that doesn't happen then don't look for cosmetics--send it back.

WBH