Got single action Uberti and a Chiappa Questions

archangel2003 · July 4, 2018, 07:56 PM

I do not have a lathe as of yet.

1: Well, the Uberti Hombre 45LC seems like a very decent quality revolver compared to the Chiappa 22/10 shot by far.
I could not afford the extra $300 for the Uberti 22/12 shot.
I'd like to get the Chiappa a matching brass back strap and trigger guard to the Uberty, so I pulled them both and the parts are near enough that if the mounting hardware were the same, both parts would swap right in.
The Chiappa also uses wood screws to hold the back strap and trigger guard in place so I'd have to drill and tap the holes for real screws like the Uberti use.

Question: Anyone know where I can get an inexpensive set of brass parts and one piece wood grip?
Being single action guns and as they are the same size I assume they both might use common Colt Single action dimensions, might there be a lot more options out there?

2: Also, the Chiappa came with 2 cylinders, 22 LR and 22 WMR.
I wanted to replace the cylinder axle with one I'll make that will not fall out when swapping the cylinders (extra notch near the end to catch), so I measured the pin and holes.
The pin is 0.197, but the hole in the magnum cylinder measures 0.203 and the 22 LR cylinder measure 0.199 on one end and 0.203.
The cylinders do feel a little sloppy right up until they lock up.

Question: I'm thinking of reaming everything out larger to match a larger pin, but what clearance should I leave between the pin and cylinder bore?

3: Also, the Chiappa shoots to the right, way to the right, like at only 15 feet it's 6 to 8 inches to the right.
The outer barrel and bore are metal but there is a plastic sheath in between the metal parts and I assume the plastic is not entirely concentric.

Question: Anyone re-barrel one of the cheap shooters?
Could it be that the plastic might be replaced with a concentric aluminum sleeve and pressed back together?

Clock · July 5, 2018, 11:43 AM

In answer to your questions, I have no idea, but it sounds like it's going to be more expensive & trouble then it's worth.
My real reason for responding is to thank you because I was thinking of getting the Chiappa and after reading your post, I'm going to pass.

Bob Wright · July 5, 2018, 12:14 PM

For whatever its worth, I bought a Hy Hunter .357 Magnum with the idea of maybe making a project gun out of it. Then determined that the finished gun was only a so-so gun and maybe not worth what I paid for it in the first place.

Old adage: "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear."

Bob Wright

**Aguila Blanca** · July 5, 2018, 01:23 PM

Try VTI Gun Parts for Uberti parts. They handle parts for both Uberti and Pietta. They do have the one-piece grip for the Cattelman revolver.

http://www.vtigunparts.com/store/

Personally, I wouldn't put a dime into a Chiappa anything. In fact, after testing their "1911-22" I would never buy a Chiappa anything. Just the cost of a Uberti brass backstrap, trigger guard, and grips will just about buy a new Heritage .22/.22 Magnum. They're not great, but they're head and shoulders above Chiappa.

archangel2003 · July 5, 2018, 08:31 PM

I assume the cheaper mounting screws were because 22LR has less kick than a 357, or a 45LC.
Those prices at VTI are way too high!

I did want the 12 shot Uberti but had severely limited funds so had to choose something affordable as I was introducing someone to shooting and as expected, she flinches hard so it's something we need to work on.

I wanted something with more than 6 shots. I can't accept the wasted space between those small rounds so 10 was a somewhat reasonable compromise.

I still don't see why they only make single stack 22LR guns.
If the kel-tec pmr-30 can be a double stack, why not the rest?

**Aguila Blanca** · July 5, 2018, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by archangel2003

Those prices at VTI are way too high!

I agree, they're high. You can't say they're "too" high unless you can find the same parts somewhere else for significantly less, and I don't think you can. The parts you're looking for aren't in high demand, so they aren't widely available.

reddog81 · July 6, 2018, 09:18 AM

Spending dozens of hours or hundreds of dollars customizing a $150 gun is a fools errand. You're still going to have a $150 gun when it comes down to it. You've got champagne taste on a beer budget.

If the gun is shooting 8 inches to the right at 5 yards I'd figure out the cause of that before spending $5 on the gun.

The shape of the .22 lr case limits how magazines can be made. The tiny case with a relatively large rim causes issues. If you want a semi-auto where you can shoot 30 rounds without having to load a magazine, you can buy extra magazines. I'm sure it'd be possible to design a double stack .22 lr, but there'd be issues and it's a question of demand. The PMR-30 isn't exactly a high demand gun.

**Aguila Blanca** · July 6, 2018, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reddog81

Spending dozens of hours or hundreds of dollars customizing a $150 gun is a fools errand. You're still going to have a $150 gun when it comes down to it. You've got champagne taste on a beer budget.

That's the point I was trying to make. Like many things, due to mass production the cost to build one yourself is always far greater than the price of buying one. As a comparison to VTI's prices, I looked at Brownell's web site. They sell grip frames for Ruger revolvers. They won't fit your Chiappa and they don't accept one-piece grips, but it's a price comparison for a similar grip frame. They want $103.99 for one. And they get even more for the Bisley variant.

https://www.brownells.com/handgun-pa...prod44164.aspx

The cheapest wood grips for a cowboy style six-gun that I've seen are from Heritage. They aren't the one-piece style, and they aren't a good fit for a non-Heritage revolver, but they can be made to work.

Perhaps the grip frame on your Chiappa can be brass plated. A couple of companies offer home plating kits.

I don't understand the comment about the base pin (what Archangel calls the "axle") falling out. It's designed to be removed when the cylinder is removed.

reddog81 · July 6, 2018, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aguila Blanca

That's the point I was trying to make

FWIW, I wasn't trying to argue with anything you've said in this thread. I'm not familiar with the exact revolver being discussed, and everything you've said seems to be on point and logical.

July 4, 2018, 07:56 PM	#1
archangel2003 Member Join Date: June 30, 2013 Posts: 38	Got single action Uberti and a Chiappa Questions I do not have a lathe as of yet. 1: Well, the Uberti Hombre 45LC seems like a very decent quality revolver compared to the Chiappa 22/10 shot by far. I could not afford the extra $300 for the Uberti 22/12 shot. I'd like to get the Chiappa a matching brass back strap and trigger guard to the Uberty, so I pulled them both and the parts are near enough that if the mounting hardware were the same, both parts would swap right in. The Chiappa also uses wood screws to hold the back strap and trigger guard in place so I'd have to drill and tap the holes for real screws like the Uberti use. Question: Anyone know where I can get an inexpensive set of brass parts and one piece wood grip? Being single action guns and as they are the same size I assume they both might use common Colt Single action dimensions, might there be a lot more options out there? 2: Also, the Chiappa came with 2 cylinders, 22 LR and 22 WMR. I wanted to replace the cylinder axle with one I'll make that will not fall out when swapping the cylinders (extra notch near the end to catch), so I measured the pin and holes. The pin is 0.197, but the hole in the magnum cylinder measures 0.203 and the 22 LR cylinder measure 0.199 on one end and 0.203. The cylinders do feel a little sloppy right up until they lock up. Question: I'm thinking of reaming everything out larger to match a larger pin, but what clearance should I leave between the pin and cylinder bore? 3: Also, the Chiappa shoots to the right, way to the right, like at only 15 feet it's 6 to 8 inches to the right. The outer barrel and bore are metal but there is a plastic sheath in between the metal parts and I assume the plastic is not entirely concentric. Question: Anyone re-barrel one of the cheap shooters? Could it be that the plastic might be replaced with a concentric aluminum sleeve and pressed back together?

July 5, 2018, 12:14 PM	#3
Bob Wright Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 2,987	For whatever its worth, I bought a Hy Hunter .357 Magnum with the idea of maybe making a project gun out of it. Then determined that the finished gun was only a so-so gun and maybe not worth what I paid for it in the first place. Old adage: "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear." Bob Wright __________________ Time spent at the reloading bench is an investment in contentment.

July 5, 2018, 01:23 PM	#4
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,458	Try VTI Gun Parts for Uberti parts. They handle parts for both Uberti and Pietta. They do have the one-piece grip for the Cattelman revolver. http://www.vtigunparts.com/store/ Personally, I wouldn't put a dime into a Chiappa anything. In fact, after testing their "1911-22" I would never buy a Chiappa anything. Just the cost of a Uberti brass backstrap, trigger guard, and grips will just about buy a new Heritage .22/.22 Magnum. They're not great, but they're head and shoulders above Chiappa. Last edited by Aguila Blanca; July 5, 2018 at 01:37 PM.

July 5, 2018, 08:31 PM	#5
archangel2003 Member Join Date: June 30, 2013 Posts: 38	I assume the cheaper mounting screws were because 22LR has less kick than a 357, or a 45LC. Those prices at VTI are way too high! I did want the 12 shot Uberti but had severely limited funds so had to choose something affordable as I was introducing someone to shooting and as expected, she flinches hard so it's something we need to work on. I wanted something with more than 6 shots. I can't accept the wasted space between those small rounds so 10 was a somewhat reasonable compromise. I still don't see why they only make single stack 22LR guns. If the kel-tec pmr-30 can be a double stack, why not the rest? Last edited by archangel2003; July 5, 2018 at 08:39 PM.

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July 5, 2018, 11:43 AM	#2
Clock Member Join Date: November 29, 2015 Posts: 77	In answer to your questions, I have no idea, but it sounds like it's going to be more expensive & trouble then it's worth. My real reason for responding is to thank you because I was thinking of getting the Chiappa and after reading your post, I'm going to pass.

July 6, 2018, 09:18 AM	#7
reddog81 Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2014 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,634	Spending dozens of hours or hundreds of dollars customizing a $150 gun is a fools errand. You're still going to have a $150 gun when it comes down to it. You've got champagne taste on a beer budget. If the gun is shooting 8 inches to the right at 5 yards I'd figure out the cause of that before spending $5 on the gun. The shape of the .22 lr case limits how magazines can be made. The tiny case with a relatively large rim causes issues. If you want a semi-auto where you can shoot 30 rounds without having to load a magazine, you can buy extra magazines. I'm sure it'd be possible to design a double stack .22 lr, but there'd be issues and it's a question of demand. The PMR-30 isn't exactly a high demand gun.