Uberti 1860 Backstrap change

[Southpaw]

I have a pair of Uberti 1860s with brass backstraps and just ordered a pair of steel backstraps from VTI. How much "fitting" is usually required. I am a tinkerer but no gunsmith.......Southpaw

[Pettifogger]

Depends on whether they are in-the-white and unfinished or blued and finished.  If they are finished MOST will bolt right on.  With all machines there are tolerances and sometimes "drop-in" parts don't.

[Southpaw]

Well,I don't know I ordered them off the VTI website under Uberti. The choices were brass and steel and did not specify whether the steel was unfinished or blue. I guess I assumed the steel ones were blued......Southpaw

[Southpaw]

Called VTI and they shipped blued and finished straps........Southpaw

[Graveyard Jack]

Let us know how they fit. I've been wanting to put an Army grip frame on one of my SAA's.

[Coffinmaker]

The steel back straps may well be an entirely different shape than the brass ones.  The wood may (probably) not fit.  And to further add cheer to your day, the wood from one gun almost never fits another gun.  Well, Uberti wood never interchanges.  See .... Very cheerful today  

Uberti 1860 grips will install on 1873 (mod P) frames with minor fitting.  If you buy the "set" which includes finished BS/TG and wood, the wood will at least be ...... ah ...... somewhat close 

[Southpaw]

Coffinmaker, What was that topping you put on my Wheaties? If the backstrap was a differant shape I would assume there would be a differant part # for the grip as well. What makes this worse is that they were delivered after my 1st post and last Weds I dislocated my shoulder so I won't be working on these until next month. I will just stare at them and wonder...Southpaw

[Slowhand Bob]

I have found that the things usually fit pretty good when purchased as matched three pc grip sets but not nearly so when purchased as random fitted parts.  I have one Uberti frame, must have been on the far edge of spec, that made this an actual fitting problem for me BUT all others will normally only have a little proud metal showing on the replacement grip sets.  I am slowly replacing all Uberti SAA grips with Birdshead style and all Pietta '60 Army grips with the Pietta Navy style.  I seem to be the only guy around who considers the narrow top Pietta Navy grips to be a God send!

[Southpaw]

I'm OK with a little metal showing, so I'll have wait and see......Southpaw

[Major 2]

I can't say for other's

I picked up a pair of 45 cal. Uberti Cattleman for a bargain.
Nice guns though one had after market grips, some kind of hollow shelll style two piece plastic with a madalian
Black plastic & checkered , one was cracked through the escutcheon screw, making them 3 piece.

I called VTi and ordered a one piece finished grip.... the fit was as they were made for and with the frame !

The other gun had OEM Grips well fitted, aside for the slight color difference between the two they were fine.

[Coffinmaker]

Major 2,

You shoulda bought a lotto ticket

[Coffinmaker]

My most recent foray into "re-gripping" was for a real nasty customer.  ME!  To get what I wanted, VTI had to mix and match.  The brass trigger guard "set" originally had steel Bach straps.  I had VTI swap steel BS for brass BS and the brass have an entirely different sweep.  So I'm cutting grip blanks for a winter project.  Grips are some kind of fickle.

[Southpaw]

Update,I changed the backstraps yesterday. One had to be filed on one side of the hammer slot as it bound up the hammer but that was easy enough,I only took off enough that it operated freely. I have to say they only need minor fitting of the wood and only at the bottom 1/4" of the back strap. About 1/16" wood overhang. My next question is if I sand these down by hand what is recommended as a finish.......Southpaw

[Forty Rod]

I prefer Lin-Speed but had thought they were gone.  Guess what: They're still out there, and give one of the best finishes you'll find.  If you ding or scratch it, it's easy to refinish the spot invisibly

[Major 2]

Major 2,

You shoulda bought a lotto ticket

best not to temp fate....as it was I double my money on both 

[Virginia Gentleman]

If the wood came in raw I would do a simple boiled linseed oil finish that one can obtain from Lowes or HD.  This is a historically correct finish for the wood and can be touched up yearly.  If you want a richer slightly glossy look use Danish Oil or Minwax Tung Oil finish (not really tung oil) that will really enhance the look of the wood with out looking like cheap polyurethane which is how the Italians finish their grips.  If they have come finished, strip them with a good stripper solution, then lightly sand prior to refinishing.