Colt 2nd Gen 1860 Army vs Uberti

John Wesley Hardin · June 17, 2019, 03:13 PM

I have seen a few Colt 2nd Gen 1860 Army revolvers for sale recently for around ~$750. I was considering purchasing a new Uberti 1860 Army Replica for ~$450 before I found the Colt's. If the quality of the Colt revolvers is better than the Uberti, I am comfortable with spending the additional ~$300 for an actual Colt. I would love to find a couple Belgian-made Centennial 1860s, but they are getting harder to find than an original Colt.

So I guess my question is- "are the 2nd Gen Colt's better than the Uberti?

Hawg · June 17, 2019, 07:13 PM

Not in my opinion. The finish on the 2nd gens will be prettier and they will have Colt markings instead of Italian markings but basically they're the same guns made from the same parts. Whether that's worth another 300 is up to you to decide.

45 Dragoon · June 18, 2019, 01:03 PM

Yep!!!
In fact, the new Uberti's action parts are far superior to any S.A.s produced in the '70s/'8os. Two new Uberti's may trump a 2nd gen Colt (for the same $) unless you just "gotta have" the pony !! Either way, they have a short arbor . . . . that hasn't changed . . .

Mike

www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks

arcticap · June 18, 2019, 01:57 PM

If one of them were a stainless Colt 1860 then I would say buy it.
I once passed one up at a gun show and had some regret afterward.

But if it were a regular 1860 model then probably not.
However if you inspected it and held it in your hand and decided that it had a special appeal, then I would say that it's entirely up to you.
Some are definitely prettier than others and who doesn't still believe in love at first sight?

John Wesley Hardin · June 18, 2019, 02:24 PM

Arcticap- actually, the Colt I looked at is a Stainless, Fluted 1860 Army.

Fingers McGee · June 18, 2019, 03:49 PM

Colt didn't make a 2nd Gen stainless fluted 1860 Army - But, Uberti did.

Colt made 1278 stainless steel 1860 Armies with rebated cylinders and 2670 blue fluted 1860 Armies

arcticap · June 21, 2019, 03:08 AM

If you don't appreciate the stainless, then another option is the Pietta Old Silver polished steel models.
Cabela's is selling the Old Silver 1860.--->>> https://www.cabelas.com/product/shoo....uts?slotId=13

44caliberkid · June 21, 2019, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcticap

If you don't appreciate the stainless, then another option is the Pietta Old Silver polished steel models.
Cabela's is selling the Old Silver 1860.--->>> https://www.cabelas.com/product/shoo....uts?slotId=13

I have one of those and they are not polished steel, they are plated, possibly nickel, and in person, close up, they have lots of flaws and look pretty bad.
If you are going to shoot it, don't bother with the real Colt, as they only retain or command that price when in NIB, unfired condition. New Piettas, especially those from EMF, have very nice finishes and good wood. Either a Uberti or Pietta would be fine. Fit the arbor and use Slixshot or Tresso nipples and you'll have a great shooter.

Hawg · June 21, 2019, 06:33 PM

Quote:

I have one of those and they are not polished steel, they are plated, possibly nickel

There's a guy on another forum that has one and said his is polished steel.

44caliberkid · June 21, 2019, 08:59 PM

Polishing steel to that high a sheen is labor intensive (expensive) and would cost a lot more than $319. You have to polish steel like that for a master/ royal blue from a custom shop and just the finish is $400 - $600. No way is that polished steel. Nickel covers a multitude of sins. Whatever they use flakes off around the muzzle, and that's new out of the box. I don't think they even bother to polish it as much as a blued gun, because it's going to get plated.

arcticap · June 23, 2019, 09:25 AM

According to Pietta, it does not have a nickel finish

Here's a thread where the Old Silver was tested to see if it had a nickle finish and it tested negative. --->>> http://blackpowdersmoke.com/colt/index.php?topic=2679.0

Page 1 --- "Hi, the Pietta 1851 Old Sliver arrived today. The fit and finish is perfect, it couldn't be any better. Barrel/cylinder gap 0.0045". The revolver was taken down to inspect the internals, perfect. A reduced power spring was installed and the hand shortened a couple thousands to have the .38 Colt/Special conversion cylinders operate properly. Both the Pietta 1851 and in the white Uberti 1851 frame were tested for nickel. The results for nickel are negative. An ohm meter was used to test if the finish was some epoxy clear coat, also negative. I still don't know what the finish of Old Silver is and emailed Pietta. Waiting for their reply."

Page 2 --- " Hi, Pietta answered me back. They said that the Old Silver finish is "white hardened steel"."

June 17, 2019, 03:13 PM	#1
John Wesley Hardin Junior Member Join Date: June 14, 2019 Location: Texas/ Oregon Posts: 5	Colt 2nd Gen 1860 Army vs Uberti I have seen a few Colt 2nd Gen 1860 Army revolvers for sale recently for around ~$750. I was considering purchasing a new Uberti 1860 Army Replica for ~$450 before I found the Colt's. If the quality of the Colt revolvers is better than the Uberti, I am comfortable with spending the additional ~$300 for an actual Colt. I would love to find a couple Belgian-made Centennial 1860s, but they are getting harder to find than an original Colt. So I guess my question is- "are the 2nd Gen Colt's better than the Uberti?

June 18, 2019, 03:49 PM	#6
Fingers McGee Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2008 Location: High & Dry in Missouri Ozarks Posts: 2,113	Colt didn't make a 2nd Gen stainless fluted 1860 Army - But, Uberti did. Colt made 1278 stainless steel 1860 Armies with rebated cylinders and 2670 blue fluted 1860 Armies __________________ Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee - AKA Man of Many Colts - Alter ego of Diabolical Ken; SASS Regulator 28564-L-TG; Rangemaster and stage writer extraordinaire; Frontiersman, Pistoleer, NRA Endowment Life, NMLRA, SAF, CCRKBA, STORM 327, SV115; Charter member, Central Ozarks Western Shooters Cynic: A blackguard whose faulty vision see things as they are, not as they should be. Ambrose Bierce

June 17, 2019, 07:13 PM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	Not in my opinion. The finish on the 2nd gens will be prettier and they will have Colt markings instead of Italian markings but basically they're the same guns made from the same parts. Whether that's worth another 300 is up to you to decide.

June 18, 2019, 01:03 PM	#3
45 Dragoon Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2013 Posts: 656	Yep!!! In fact, the new Uberti's action parts are far superior to any S.A.s produced in the '70s/'8os. Two new Uberti's may trump a 2nd gen Colt (for the same $) unless you just "gotta have" the pony !! Either way, they have a short arbor . . . . that hasn't changed . . . Mike www.goonsgunworks.com Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks

June 18, 2019, 01:57 PM	#4
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	If one of them were a stainless Colt 1860 then I would say buy it. I once passed one up at a gun show and had some regret afterward. But if it were a regular 1860 model then probably not. However if you inspected it and held it in your hand and decided that it had a special appeal, then I would say that it's entirely up to you. Some are definitely prettier than others and who doesn't still believe in love at first sight?

June 18, 2019, 02:24 PM	#5
John Wesley Hardin Junior Member Join Date: June 14, 2019 Location: Texas/ Oregon Posts: 5	Arcticap- actually, the Colt I looked at is a Stainless, Fluted 1860 Army.

June 21, 2019, 03:08 AM	#7
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	If you don't appreciate the stainless, then another option is the Pietta Old Silver polished steel models. Cabela's is selling the Old Silver 1860.--->>> https://www.cabelas.com/product/shoo....uts?slotId=13

June 21, 2019, 08:59 PM	#10
44caliberkid Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2017 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,102	Polishing steel to that high a sheen is labor intensive (expensive) and would cost a lot more than $319. You have to polish steel like that for a master/ royal blue from a custom shop and just the finish is $400 - $600. No way is that polished steel. Nickel covers a multitude of sins. Whatever they use flakes off around the muzzle, and that's new out of the box. I don't think they even bother to polish it as much as a blued gun, because it's going to get plated.

June 23, 2019, 09:25 AM	#11
arcticap Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2005 Location: Central Connecticut Posts: 3,166	According to Pietta, it does not have a nickel finish Here's a thread where the Old Silver was tested to see if it had a nickle finish and it tested negative. --->>> http://blackpowdersmoke.com/colt/index.php?topic=2679.0 Page 1 --- "Hi, the Pietta 1851 Old Sliver arrived today. The fit and finish is perfect, it couldn't be any better. Barrel/cylinder gap 0.0045". The revolver was taken down to inspect the internals, perfect. A reduced power spring was installed and the hand shortened a couple thousands to have the .38 Colt/Special conversion cylinders operate properly. Both the Pietta 1851 and in the white Uberti 1851 frame were tested for nickel. The results for nickel are negative. An ohm meter was used to test if the finish was some epoxy clear coat, also negative. I still don't know what the finish of Old Silver is and emailed Pietta. Waiting for their reply." Page 2 --- " Hi, Pietta answered me back. They said that the Old Silver finish is "white hardened steel"."