Warning: Newbie with questions

[RB98SS]

Hello, first post with dumb questions.  Here goes.  i'm planning on purchasing either a conversion or open top cartridge revolver from Uberti and am confused reading much of the information i'm finding on a number of forums.  Currently Uberti offers these models in 38 Special or 45 Colt.  If I didn't read so much about the 45 models having issues with the forcing cones cracking it would be a no brainer for me which model I'd buy.  I'm not interested in any shooting competition or authenticity for that matter but want one 'cause they look cool.  Although I own a number of revolvers, none of them are the older replicas.

I'm reading that a number of people have these revolvers in 44-40 and 44 Special or Colt versions.  Is it possible to convert one or is there another company that sells in these calibers?  Are my options really only 38 or 45?  Please educate me.

Thanks in advance

[Abilene]

The '71-72 Opentops, Richards-Mason conversions, and Type II Richards conversions are all available in .38 Spcl, .44 Colt, .44 Spcl, and .45 Colt.  None are available in 44-40.  Only Remington conversions are available in 44-40.  These are all made by Uberti.  Taylors only carries these guns in .38 and .45 but Cimarron carries them in .44 as well.  I'm not sure what calibers are available in Stoeger-branded guns.  If you buy a percussion gun and a conversion cylinder and "do-it-yourself" then .38 and .45 are available, with some issues to consider that I won't go into.

Cracks at the thin spot at the rear of some .44 and .45 barrels are not the big problem you might expect from reports on the wonderful internet, and those were mostly earlier guns.  I spoke with Cimarron's gunsmith recently and he has seen very few of these in the last year or two.  I would, nevertheless, suggest using only mild loads in a .45.

BTW, " 'cause they look cool " is a perfectly good reason for buying a gun  

[RB98SS]

Abilene,

Thanks for the info.  I did go to the Cimarron site and looked at the offerings there.  Indeed 44 Colt and Special available.  Another question if I may.  You had mentioned about the 44 and 45 barrels having the cracked forcing cone issue and being as I'd rather have a large bore revolver do you think the 44 would be a better choice in trying to avoid this potential problem?  I reload and plan on using Trail boss only in this gun so if you think there would be no difference between the two i'd rather go the 45 Colt route.

What do you think?

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[MJN77]

Cracks at the thin spot at the rear of some .44 and .45 barrels are not the big problem you might expect from reports on the wonderful internet, and those were mostly earlier guns.

I have never heard of cracking on a .44. All the reports I've read and heard were always about the .45 open tops and conversions.

[Abilene]

I heard of a few .44's cracking some years ago.  I think there was some blame of the owners having done a forcing cone cut (to 11 degrees or whatever) which had removed some metal there.  I would not be worried about shooting a .45 OT if it was recent manufacture, the problems have been small percentage-wise and have decreased greatlly.  And if it cracks within a year it is under warranty.  I'd just keep my loads mild.  Now if I was going to go buy one I'd get 44 spcl just because I love that round! 

[Mike]

I have an Open Top in 45 Schofield and it has no problems, I also have one in 38sp.
I have a Richards Type2 in 44 Colt and this is the only round to have in this gun in my view. I am waiting on a 44 Colt cylinder and barrel to fit to the 38 also.

The 45 barrel on the 45 Schofield is the same bore dia as my 1860 so I have no problem with the barrel, the cylinder may get change to a 44 Colt one day and I will shoot Heeled bullets out of it.

So in short get a 44 Colt.

[Slowhand Bob]

It is not really practical from a money point of view but I went at this from a totally different perspective.  I started out with a pair of 44 cap and ball pistols of my choice and sent them to Hoof Heated to be converted to .45Colt BUT will be using the shorter Cowboy 45 Special.  I found the feel of the Uberti Conversion models to not be the same as the actual C&B versions, they just felt bigger/bulkier to me.  There was an earlier gun made by ASM(?) that more closely duplicated the earliest Colt Richards Model, including the rearsight on the ring, and this is the one that I wish Pietta would enter an improved version to of.  Even with their QC problems those guns did have a strong following and are almost impossible to obtain, even at obscene prices.  Considering that they were reputed to be little  more than kit gun projects, there was something in that format that shooters wanted.

[Southpaw]

I have both an open top and army conversion from Uberti in 45. I have put hundreds of rounds thru them with out issue. I prefer the 45 as I just reload 1 caliber for them,the Henry,1873 and Cattleman..........

[Long Juan]

I shoot Type II and R-M Conversions in .44 Special all the time.  I have put several thousand rounds through my Type II's and have had no problems whatsoever.  I use180g RNFP bullets over Trail Boss at the higher end of cowboy loads.  +1 more who thinks these guns look cool and that is a perfectly good reason to buy a gun.    

[Major 2]

My Type II is in 44 Colt ..no issues

I used to have a 45 Schofield OT but I sold it to get my Kenny Howell Type I 
The current owner shoots the same matchs I shoot no problems either...

[MJN77]

I have a nickle plated open top in .44 colt, a R/M 1860 in .44 colt, and a R/M 1851 in .38. Love all of them. Good balance, great accuracy if I do my part and there is just something about an open top revolver that other guns don't have. I only shoot full BP loads and have had no problems with any of them except a firing pin that was too long on the 51.

[RB98SS]

Wow, great info guys!  I think I'm leaning toward the Cimarron Richards type II in 44 Special with a 5 1/2" barrel -- http://tinyurl.com/av2g5gr How about I push my luck and go for two more questions.....  I noticed the grip angle appears to be more Bisley like than what I have on my Ruger Blackhawks and my Cattleman.  Is this correct?  The other question is regarding the sights on the Type II. Do you find them to be fairly accurate or do you consider them to be not so accurate?  I'll be honest, I had some issues with the sights on my Uberti Cattleman where I ended up sending the pistol back two different times while it was still new.  I finally got so fed up I took it to a local gunsmith and paid to get the sights true.

Thanks again

[Abilene]

All of the 1860 conversions and some of the Opentops have what is known as the Army grip (steel grip frame).  The 1851 conversions and some of the Opentops have a Navy grip (brass grip frame).  The Army grip is longer than the Navy, but I personally don't think it resembles the Bisley.  The rear sight on the conversions is a notch in the hammer nose.  That notch can be filed one direction or the other to change windage.  But many folks report good accuracy with the conversions.