Changeing barrels Uberti 1873 SAA

[sundance44`s]

I have a Uberti 1873 SAA with the 7 1/2 inch barrel ...and have been thinking I would like to put a 4 3/4 barrel on it , I see VTI sells the barrels ..Has anyone ever done this ? before I order a barrel any thing I should know ..like easyest way to remove the barrel .  Thanks for any info .

[St. George]

The 'easiest' way to remove the barrel would be to pay someone familiar with the process to do it.

Seriously.

You'll need a padded vise - fitted barrel blocks and a 'frame wrench' (can be a snugly-fitted piece of hardwood) and perhaps some files.

Then - you need to know how to set the barrel-cylinder gap, and how to 'true' the forcing cone's face.

It's simple to do - yet it's difficult to do well.

Get a copy of Dave Chicoine's 'Gunsmithing Guns of the Old West' before you try doing it on your lonesome.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[sundance44`s]

I`ve had the barrels off a few 1858`s before so it wouldn`t be my first rodeo ..I was figureing with the ejector screw hole tapped in the new barrel of the Uberti 1873 ..the replacement barrel would only have one place to stop so that screw could be installed .
Does Uberti use any glue on the barrel threads ?  My Pietta 1858`s didn`t have anything on the barrel threads ..I just used my padded vise and a padded crescent wrench on the 1858`s barrel ... won`t be able to do that on the 1873 Uberti though because of the round barrel ..Taylors has these barrels on clearance sale for 45 bucks right now ..in the white or blued ..so it got me to thinking ..even if I have to buy a barrel vise from midway ..it`s a good price . Then there`s always the idea of cutting the barrel thats on it off to that lenght ..and dovetailing a new front sight in ...something to think about .

[St. George]

The 'barrel wrench' can easily be made from a hardwood stick cut to fit the frame opening snugly.

A barrel clamp is best made from a piece of drilled-to-the-barrel's OD aluminum - then split.

You clamp it around the barrel and tighten.

Usually, you can turn off the frame halfway easily - though you can help it a bit with a 'good' penetrating oil like Kroil.

At the price quoted - buy the barrel.

No idea at all about any adhesives - maybe VTI can answer that one for you.

If you need more - you can PM me.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[sundance44`s]

Thanks St George .... For the price it might be worth the effort ..If I make a mess of it ..there`s always the longer barrel I can cut down to 4 3/4 ... I really didn`t want the longer barrel but it came to me as a deal I couldn`t pass up ...figured I`d do something like this with it . The barrels came off my 1858`s too easy , was hopeing the 1873 Uberti  would be the same .. and its a deal at Taylors that hard to pass on too . These barrels are 85.00 at VTI .

[Four Eyed Floyd]

OR save the time and put the money into another SSA like a cattleman for $289 with the shorter barrel. I understand doin' it yourself but it always cost me more in the long run. Just my .02 worth.

[Coffinmaker]

Unerti doesn't use glue.  Just real tight.  Cross you fingers the sight and ejector rod screw hole line up when the barrel seats against the frame.  You may also want to check with Taylors to see if the barrels on sale have sight and screw hole already installed.  At that price, they (the barrels) may be bare.  Just a tube.

Coffinmaker

PS:  The 1873 SA frame is REAL easy to warp out of true.

[Maverick3855]

I don't know if it's an option for you but I took a hacksaw and sawed the barrel off my 44 magum cattleman from 7-1/2 " to 4-5/8"
I then carefully too my dremel with a cutting disc and recut the front sight slot and silver soldered the front sight back on.
I carefully filed the end of the barrel smooth and used a countersink and put just a slight crown on the barrel.
That gun shot about 6 inches left and low before I shortened it.
I either did something right or was very lucky as it shoots dead center for elevation and one inch to the left at 25 yards now.
I was really surprised the accuracy improved that much as I really expected it to be worse.
I live in Grizzly country so it's not a competition gun but a hope I never have to use it last ditch grizzly bear gun for trekking through the mountains.

[Black River Johnny]

Hey i just did this on the same gun and parts store but I put a 7 1/2 on what was a 4 3/4. It was simple the barrel did not have to be turned at the shoulder (the sight indexed perfect) and i faced the breech with a file. i only had to remove a couple of thousanths. I made my own blocks out of hard wood and used brownells rosin. of course i do have a forceing cone gauge and a facing cutter but in the end I would not have needed them. I say go for it.

[Singing Bear]

Well, good you already have experience taking barrels off.  I done "sheared" off my front sight trying to remove the barrel from an older Mitchell (ASM).  I have the new barrel and cylinder, but need to find someone who is outfitted to do this type of work.  Got all the parts from VTI and, yeah, they weren't all that cheap, but their customer service helped me find the right parts for my purpose.