Uberti V.S Pietta Black Powder Revolvers

[The New Catfish]

I'm confused. I've read some posts in other forums that say Uberti is the only way to go in BP revolvers and everything else is just a "wall hanger" not suitable for shooting. I also read that Pietta had some serious quality problems years ago, especially when conical bullets and larger powder loads were fired in the gun. On the other hand, posts by recent purchasers of the 1862 Army Police .36 caliber say the gun shoots like a dream after firing hundreds of rounds through it without showing any significant wear. I like the way the less expensive Pietta looks. I think it's a more handsome design and it shoots six rounds compared to Uberti's five. But what's the TRUTH ? Does anybody know ? What would you spend your $300 dollars on if you were buying a black powder revolver ? A used (excellent condition) Uberti, or a brand new Pietta ?

[Kev]

Welcome Catfish

There is an entire area of TFL dedicated to BP..(should be called the smoking lounge!) lol


http://thefiringline.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=6

I imagine you will have a bunch of heated opinions in no time.
(I have a 44 cal Pietta and love it)

[The New Catfish]

Yeah Kev. Seems everybody either Loves Pietta or they Hate' em. It's almost like Pietta sells two different guns of the same model. One is Crap and the other is a Real gun, and they throw a die to find out which kind they ship you. The posts critical of the Pietta SOUND very knowledgable and experienced, but then again so did every foreign car mechanic who worked on my Toyota Cilica, and after all, this IS the internet. Right now I'm inclined to buy the Pietta, because I can get a NEW one for under $300 dollars.

[Mike Irwin]

"There is an entire area of TFL dedicated to BP.."

And here we are.

Smoke'em if ya got'em!

[maillemaker]

I own 3 black powder revolvers. Well, 5, but 2 are brass-framed Pietta 1851 "Navy" revovlers in .44 cal that are wall hangers.

The 2 Pietta Brass-framed 1851s are poor quality. I bought them several years ago in blister starter packs for my father and I. The octagon barrel was not screwed into the frame properly so that the top surface was not parallel to the ground. This meant that the front sight post was cocked slightly, and as such the revolver did not shoot windage correctly.

I also bought within the last year a Pietta 1858 Remington and an 1860 Army. The Remington is very high quality and I have had no problems with it. I have blasted a single ragged hole in the paper off a bench at 25 yards but cannot yet do it consistently. The chamber diameter is slightly oversize of the bore diameter which is what you want. The trigger on this gun was terrible. It pulled for what felt like 1/8th of an inch before the hammer let go. I re-worked the sear to get a crisper release. I probably have 300 rounds or less through it.

The 1860 Army wood fit was not quite as good as the 1858. But otherwise the fit and finish is good. Lockup seems good. I have not done much shooting with it. Trigger is good.

For Christmas this year I bought myself my first Uberti - an 1847 Walker. I have not shot it yet, but fit, finish, and lockup seem good. The trigger is excellent on the release on this gun.

Steve

[Kappe]

The only Pietta models that are junk are the brass-framed models. Spend the extra dosh and get a steel-frame model and it will serve you just as well as an Uberti.

Alot of people bash Pietta guns because they aren't historically accurate. For instance .44 caliber 1851 Navies.
I don't mind them. In fact, I'm a little bummed that they didn't exist. There's no reason they couldn't have.

Pietta's 6-shot "1862 Police" is really just an 1861 Navy with a shorter barrel and fluted cylinder, while Uberti's is the real deal.
But if that's what you want, go for it. It'll still be a great shooter.


EDIT: I bought my Uberti '51 Navy 7 months ago new for $259. The price difference between Pietta and Uberti wasn't enough to be a factor for me.

[Doc Hoy]

The difference in quality between Pietta steel frames and Uberti steel frames is not worth the difference in price. But that is an opinion and I accept that some will disagree.

I will also say that there are some darned good examples of pre-cnc revolvers from manufacturers such as ASM and ASP.

There are also some poor ones.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

A couple of years ago Cabelas was having a special on Pietta 1860 Armies. I had been hankering for a pair for a number of years, so I drove up to the nearest Cabelas and bought a pair. Here is a photo of one of them.



Nice enough looking gun, and it functions fine. However I must admit I was not pleased with the burrs that had not been cleaned up on the frames before the color case finish was applied. Not visible in this photo, they are nonetheless there. Tiny bumps on the surface of the steel. They should have been buffed off before the finish was applied. If I were to try to remove the burrs now, it would stick out like a sore thumb. Inside, the parts are OK, no better than the rough tooling marks and sharp edges that Uberti leaves on all their parts today.

Truth is, I wish I had spent a little bit more money on a pair of Ubertis, rather than the Piettas, because of the deficiency of the final finish.

[maillemaker]

Pietta or Uberti, the thing to do is watch for Cabela's sales. You can get some great deals. I bought the Uberti 1847 Walker for $349, shipped to my door. Normally it is $429, plus shipping. I picked up my 1858 Remington for like $150 when I got it on sale plus signed up for their Visa card. And I got the 1860 for $200 plus a free starter kit.

Steve

[OutlawJoseyWales]

The difference in price is why I have Pietta's. You can practically buy them in bulk from Cabela's because they are so cheap. I've handled older Pietta's and older Uberti's and I would agree that Uberti's had a better finish then. But the new Pietta's are great looking and I've not had any trouble. I have brass ones too, and again, because they were just too cheap to pass up. Couple of years ago Cabela's were selling brass "51's" for $119, that's just crazy for a real pistol, not a toy one. I gave several of them away as presents at that time. The brass looks so great, it didn't matter to anyone that they were historically wrong. I don't care either.
If you want a '62 you'll have to buy it from Uberti though, but even then they don't cost very much money for something you'll keep the rest of our life. There's something with the arbor being too short on some Uberti models, maybe someone can explain it.

[tpelle]

All of my percussion revolvers are Piettas, and on the whole I am satisfied with them. I did, just a few months ago, buy a Pietta "CI" code (2013) 1851 Navy. This one had LOTS of issues, and I really should have just sent it back to Cabelas, but I was too stubborn and ended up working on it until I got it fixed.

The biggest issue was that the two pins where the bottom lug of the barrel meets the frame did not line up properly with the holes in the barrel lug! I don't know how they got the barrel on at the factory. Must'a used a hydraulic press or something!

Anyway, from what I've seen, Ubertis always have arbors that are two short, and require either shimming or adding material to the end by welding, then dressing it back down to length. That's a LOT of work, in my opinion.

However, on all of my Piettas, the cylinder bolt is too wide to fit the locking notches in the cylinder, plus it isn't properly timed and drops too late. But those two things I can fix with a precision file and a little time.

The moral of the story is that it's easier to take metal off then it is to put it on.

So I pretty much stick to Piettas, fix the bolt myself, and use the money I save to buy caps, powder, and balls.

[Beagle333]

I got both. I prefer Pietta.

[Doc Hoy]

Between an Uberti Cap and Ball version of the Cattleman and the Pietta equivalent. There were in .44 and I no longer have either of them. Also between Uberti and Pietta 1873 Colts in .45 LC.

I think the Uberti might be slightly better in fit and finish but you have to hold the revolvers side by side to detect the difference.

All these purist might say that the difference is worth the price difference. I am just a casual shooter so to me the differences are never operationalized.

But now, it appears that the difference in price between Uberti and Pietta for similar revolvers (when they are available) is diminishing.

Perhaps Pietta marketing is revealing that the market views the two options is largely similar.

[North East Redneck]

I have no problem with Pietta. I own one that is 40 years old and several newer ones. They work well.

[MJN77]

If you're just a casual shooter, Pietta guns will work just fine and outlast you. Uberti guns have a better finish and if you are a history buff, they are closer to the original guns they replicate in size, shape, weight and balance. It's all in what you want. Over the years I have owned a dozen or so Piettas and a few dozen Ubertis. In my personal experience, I have had to replace more broken springs on, and had way more problems with the Pietta guns than the Uberti guns. I currently own thirteen Ubertis and no Piettas.

[fdf]

Ford or Chevy?

I have a feeling most folks buy Pietta, even at times with their quality issues in the past is because of Cabela's discount prices. Let Cabelas back off deep discount prices and free offers with a purchase and see where the market goes.

I buy Uberti because of the craftsmanship and that the front sight can be drifted to the left or right as needed to sight one in, Pietta front sights cannot be drifted.

[Hawg]

I think the main most difference is Pietta has their name plastered on the side of the barrel and Uberti is a little more discreet.

[Gator Weiss]

Uberti and Pietta parts don't always interchange exactly.

[Doc Hoy]

In many internal parts this is not a problem because even when putting Pietta parts in a Pietta revolver there may be some fitting. The problem arrises when for example you try to match a Pietta barrel with an Uberti frame and you find that the locating pins are not in the right place. Or That the cylinders are different lengths and simply won't interchange.

[The New Catfish]

I'm not concerned about shooting at great distances or drifting the front sight to get a dead on accurate bead from a bench rest. I have a .50 caliber Hawkins rifle with a scope for that. For me, the "feel" of a handgun, its' natural "pointability" and good trigger "action" are way more important than any flaw in the gun's finish. The two times i was involved in a shootout while working on the Sheriff's Office the range was less than 10 yards. In neither case did I have time to utilize the sights on my handgun. For this reason, I strictly practice quickdraw and combat shooting. When a maniac is swinging around the barrel of a Remington shotgun with a full choke loaded with .00 buckshot at you, you won't care whether you hit him in the shoulder or the groin.. What will be MOST important is whose gun goes off FIRST and inflicts somekind of DAMAGE. My experience is, that an assailant "freezes up", "goes down", or "retreats" the INSTANT he's HIT and usually LOSES the gunbattle. S0 i guess the Pietta sounds like the pistol for me.

[The New Catfish]

Now that i figured out i'm looking for a steel frame Pietta .36 caliber Army Police model with a 5 and a half inch barrel, the next question involves styles of holsters. On the Sheriff's Office, I wore a western style "swivel" holster long after most other deputies had gone to the clam shell-breakfront type holsters. So i'm more inclined to lean towards a traditional cowboy belt-holster as far as speed and comfort are concerned. The higher ride "Ranger" style holster that slips on a belt and is worn at the waist costs less by comparison, but shares the disadvantage with the Police breakfront clamshell. It rides so high on your waist the gunbutt is always in the way of your elbow and you have the tendancy to raise your shoulder in an awkward position whenever the gun is drawn. Again. I can only go on experience. The one time i saw a fellow officer shoot himself in the foot at the range, he was wearing a quick release holster high up on his waist. I am curious to hear though from anyone who's tried cross-draw holsters in combat shooting compared to the cowboy belt holster. Which do you prefer ?

[brazosdave]

I own more than 20 different revolvers, various manufacturers. The newer Pietta's are a little bit more refined in the fit and finish dept than the older ones seemed to be, but both shoot well for me. I like my Uberti Leech & Rigdon, it is one of my favored pistols now, but I did have to do a little work because of the old "short arbor" situation. It's an older one, so I don't know how the newer ones are with that. Another posted stated the Pietta brass guns are junk, some are. However, I have a sheriff model "51 Navy" or whatever, .44 cal, and that is one of my most reliable, most accurate pistols. So I find that is not the rule, but may be the exception. At any rate, find one that fits your needs, and I wouldn't be to concerned about who's name is on the side of the gun, or wherever. Just my humble opinion.

[bedbugbilly]

Over the years, I have owned both mfg. as well as Euroarms, ASM, etc. I really don't know why folks nit pic over which "is better" - Pietta or Uberti. Regardless of who makes it, a person can find fault with something on a firearm. The purpose of the Pietta or the Uberti is to "shoot" - and in my experience, they both do an excellent job of that.

As far as the comment of the brass frames being "junk" . . . they will become junk if you use too powerful of a load in them. Like any thing else - use common sense. I have had sever brasiers and they both shot well - I just didn't load them up to kill bear.

You will run across a bad Pietta or a bad Uberta once in a while - just as you will a Ruger or a S & W . . . out of the thousands made, there are bound to be a problem once in a while - Chevy, Ford, etc. have the same problem - it's called mass production. As Hawg points out - Pietta puts their stampings "out there" - Uberti is a little more discreet - but that has nothing to do with the function of the revolver.

I once read a post where a fellow referred to his 1851 Pietta Navy (steel frame) as "junk and worthless" - cap fragments kept falling down and jamming things up. It wasn't the revolver - it was him. If he'd learn to shoot it like a Colt and do the "Colt twist" when cocking, his problem would have gone away.

Pick the revolver you want . . . shoot it and enjoy it and don't look back. Remember . . . everyone has an opinion and just because you read it on the "net" . . doesn't make it true. Bonjour!

[Kappe]

As far as the comment of the brass frames being "junk" . . . they will become junk if you use too powerful of a load in them. Like any thing else - use common sense. I have had sever brasiers and they both shot well - I just didn't load them up to kill bear

Common sense tells me a fightin sixgun's frame ought not to be made of brass.

I don't doubt that they shoot well, but you don't need to load them "to kill bear" in order to stretch the frame.

[kwhi43]