Older Uberti Cattleman Quality?

bsparker83 · March 14, 2024, 07:45 PM

I have my eye on an older Uberti Cattleman in 357, dated 1971. Stamp says, A. Uberti & C. Gardone V.T. Italy on the barrel and LA Dist. Inc. NYC - NY on the frame. The color-case hardening and brass caught my eye.

I'll be using this with .38sp and as a casual shooter.

Are there any concerns with this era of Uberti? Are they generally good/consistent quality?

Bob Wright · March 15, 2024, 09:24 AM

I had a 1972 vintage Cattleman imported by Iver Jlohnson, in .44 Magnum. I compared it favrably to the Super Blackhawk so far as strength and quality of fit and finish, may finish slightly superior to Ruger's.

The one problem I encountered was the tendency for the firing pin to "pucker up" a little crater when it passed through the standing breech. Primer flow-back would tie up the gun when fired. I dressed this down with a stone and so far as I know, the problem disappeared. (I did not keep the gun long, but the next owneer reported no problems.)

Bob Wright

44caliberkid · March 15, 2024, 03:51 PM

If you like it, go for it. No quality problems in general. Anything wrong would just be with individual pistols. You also have great parts availability and after market support. I was never a fan of the brass trigger guard or back strap, but that’s just personal preference. Lots of people like them. I have somewhere around 20 Uberti pistols, C&B and cartridge, and one rifle. None have ever had a problem, just areas for improvement if I used them for competition.

**44 AMP** · March 15, 2024, 11:39 PM

Do be aware that there could be a considerable difference in point of impact between the .38 Special and .357 Magnum ammunition.

Friend had one, though I'm not sure it was that specific gun, it was an Italian SAA copy (it was about 35 years ago), but it impressed me as a nice looking well made gun, and accurate, BUT only with certain ammunition.

4 different shooters, same results with all of us. Sights were spot on at 25yds, very accurate, with standard velocity 158gr .38 Special.

At the same range, every .357 load tried, (125s and 158s) shot a full foot low and a foot left for every shooter.

Fixed sights can only be perfectly "on" for one load at one range. Most of the time, other ammo shoots fairly close, but not always.

If you run across anything with "Armi San Marcos" on it while you're looking around, KEEP LOOKING.

Driftwood Johnson · April 3, 2024, 02:08 PM

Howdy

Regarding the firing pin "puckering up" a little crater as it passes through the recoil shield.

This is the recoil shield of an Uberti Cattleman that I bought used around 2000 or so.

This is the recoil shield of a Colt.

When the hammer falls on a Colt Single Action Army, or any of its replicas, the firing pin "finds its way" through the hole in the frame. This is because the firing pin follows an arc as it passes through the frame, but the hole for the firing pin is drilled perpendicular to the frame. That is why the firing pin on most SAA revolvers or their replicas are pinned into the hammer, and free to wiggle up and down a little bit.

The steel of the firing pin is harder than the steel of the frame, so as the firing pin flashes through the frame it tends to peen the metal of the frame a little bit. This can cause a burr to rise up around the firing pin hole.

Colts, on the other hand have a hardened insert pressed into the frame, to prevent this problem. No burr will be raised from the hardened insert.

I had an Uberti Cattleman years ago that suffered so badly from this problem that the cylinder bound up when loaded, and would not turn, because of interference with the primer on a live round in the cylinder. I eventually got rid of that revolver. I still have one Uberti Cattleman, the photo is of its recoil shield. Simply filing down the raised burr did not solve the problem, the burr returned. So I went in through the barrel with a long drill bit and very carefully turned it by hand, creating a bit of a countersink around the hole. This worked because any subsequent burr simply rose up into the countersink. What you see in the photo is a little bit of 'chatter' caused by the drill bit, leaving some unsightly marks, but this solution worked for a long time.

bsparker83 mentioned the color case hardening and brass catching his eye. I assume you mean a brass trigger guard and back strap. If you care, Colt never used a brass trigger guard or back strap on the Single Action Army. Also, Uberti does not use real bone Case Hardening, what you see is a chemically applied finish.

Other than that, I like my Cattleman well enough, although I like my real Colts a little bit better. I bought this Cattleman used around 2000. It is chambered for 45 Colt.

March 14, 2024, 07:45 PM	#1
bsparker83 Junior Member Join Date: May 24, 2020 Posts: 2	Older Uberti Cattleman Quality? I have my eye on an older Uberti Cattleman in 357, dated 1971. Stamp says, A. Uberti & C. Gardone V.T. Italy on the barrel and LA Dist. Inc. NYC - NY on the frame. The color-case hardening and brass caught my eye. I'll be using this with .38sp and as a casual shooter. Are there any concerns with this era of Uberti? Are they generally good/consistent quality?

March 15, 2024, 09:24 AM	#2
Bob Wright Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 2,989	I had a 1972 vintage Cattleman imported by Iver Jlohnson, in .44 Magnum. I compared it favrably to the Super Blackhawk so far as strength and quality of fit and finish, may finish slightly superior to Ruger's. The one problem I encountered was the tendency for the firing pin to "pucker up" a little crater when it passed through the standing breech. Primer flow-back would tie up the gun when fired. I dressed this down with a stone and so far as I know, the problem disappeared. (I did not keep the gun long, but the next owneer reported no problems.) Bob Wright __________________ Time spent at the reloading bench is an investment in contentment.

March 15, 2024, 11:39 PM	#4
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,860	Do be aware that there could be a considerable difference in point of impact between the .38 Special and .357 Magnum ammunition. Friend had one, though I'm not sure it was that specific gun, it was an Italian SAA copy (it was about 35 years ago), but it impressed me as a nice looking well made gun, and accurate, BUT only with certain ammunition. 4 different shooters, same results with all of us. Sights were spot on at 25yds, very accurate, with standard velocity 158gr .38 Special. At the same range, every .357 load tried, (125s and 158s) shot a full foot low and a foot left for every shooter. Fixed sights can only be perfectly "on" for one load at one range. Most of the time, other ammo shoots fairly close, but not always. If you run across anything with "Armi San Marcos" on it while you're looking around, KEEP LOOKING. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

March 15, 2024, 03:51 PM	#3
44caliberkid Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2017 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,104	If you like it, go for it. No quality problems in general. Anything wrong would just be with individual pistols. You also have great parts availability and after market support. I was never a fan of the brass trigger guard or back strap, but that’s just personal preference. Lots of people like them. I have somewhere around 20 Uberti pistols, C&B and cartridge, and one rifle. None have ever had a problem, just areas for improvement if I used them for competition.

April 3, 2024, 02:08 PM	#5
Driftwood Johnson Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2014 Location: Land of the Pilgrims Posts: 2,033	Howdy Regarding the firing pin "puckering up" a little crater as it passes through the recoil shield. This is the recoil shield of an Uberti Cattleman that I bought used around 2000 or so. This is the recoil shield of a Colt. When the hammer falls on a Colt Single Action Army, or any of its replicas, the firing pin "finds its way" through the hole in the frame. This is because the firing pin follows an arc as it passes through the frame, but the hole for the firing pin is drilled perpendicular to the frame. That is why the firing pin on most SAA revolvers or their replicas are pinned into the hammer, and free to wiggle up and down a little bit. The steel of the firing pin is harder than the steel of the frame, so as the firing pin flashes through the frame it tends to peen the metal of the frame a little bit. This can cause a burr to rise up around the firing pin hole. Colts, on the other hand have a hardened insert pressed into the frame, to prevent this problem. No burr will be raised from the hardened insert. I had an Uberti Cattleman years ago that suffered so badly from this problem that the cylinder bound up when loaded, and would not turn, because of interference with the primer on a live round in the cylinder. I eventually got rid of that revolver. I still have one Uberti Cattleman, the photo is of its recoil shield. Simply filing down the raised burr did not solve the problem, the burr returned. So I went in through the barrel with a long drill bit and very carefully turned it by hand, creating a bit of a countersink around the hole. This worked because any subsequent burr simply rose up into the countersink. What you see in the photo is a little bit of 'chatter' caused by the drill bit, leaving some unsightly marks, but this solution worked for a long time. bsparker83 mentioned the color case hardening and brass catching his eye. I assume you mean a brass trigger guard and back strap. If you care, Colt never used a brass trigger guard or back strap on the Single Action Army. Also, Uberti does not use real bone Case Hardening, what you see is a chemically applied finish. Other than that, I like my Cattleman well enough, although I like my real Colts a little bit better. I bought this Cattleman used around 2000. It is chambered for 45 Colt.