Uberti problems?

[KWK]

I have a new Henry on the way. Are there any common troubles to watch for with these?

I'll have 5 days to look the rifle over. I gather Uberti's warranty service is somewhat less than spectacular, so I want to be thorough in my inspection. Thanks.

[Pettifogger]

One of the simplest mechanisms ever built.  If it's new, there's not much to inspect.  Raise and lower the lever a few times.  If the carrier goes up and down and the bolt goes back and forth that's about all you can see without taking it apart.  If you take it apart it will be non-returnable as you WILL mar the brass side plates as they are a bugger to get out the first time.  About the only problems the toggle link Ubertis have is the surface hardening on the internal parts can very a LOT.  If properly hardened the parts will last a long time.  If the hardening is thin the most common problem is for the carrier and lever springs to wear the cams on the lever.  The factory carrier and lifter springs are like the overload springs on an old truck.  They are thick and heavy and put a lot of force on the lever cams.  The first thing I do even if I am not short stroking a new rifle is grind and polish the carrier and lever springs or replace them with Whisper Springs.  The Whisper Springs save a lot of work and will make a noticeable difference in the levering action.  The other thing that is almost universal is that Guido the chimp puts in the carrier and lever spring screws.  Make sure you have properly fitted screwdrivers and use a small impact driver to loosen the screws or you will 100% bugger them up getting them out.  No big deal as there are American made replacement hardened screws.

http://www.thesmithshop.com/springkits.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-piece-reversible-impact-driver-set-93481.html

P.S.  When you order the Whisper Springs, buy a reduced power mainspring at the same time.  Just by changing the carrier and lever springs and the mainspring the rifle will be much smoother and easier to lever.

[KWK]

... you WILL mar the brass side plates

Ah, that does limit the inspection process a wee bit.

If all's working well, I'll load up some mild rounds and have at. I've read of the spring problems, but I assumed I'd send it off to some shop that specializes in action jobs; maybe I'll get ambitious and follow your tips instead.

[Major 2]

just an FYI

I own three Henry's the first is 44/40 bought new in 1981 it has an 80 Date code....
I sold it in '89 after many thousands of cycles both Blanks & live shoots....
the new owner (a friend) , used it for SASS till he had to hang up the hobby due to a Stroke.
I bought it back, in 2009 that's 20 years later  
it is still BOX stock and shoots fine.... course the blueing is well worn.

#2 is a 45 cal. Military Model date code circa 1997..... bought LNIB in 99 , I used it as as my main match (SASS) till 05
I still use it, in rotation with #3

#3 is a 45 cal. Steel frame date code 2007.... I traded a 45 Schofield Spencer for it NIB

All are box stock, point is,  buy your Henry and enjoy it .... mine have had 1000's of rounds through them and I've had 0 issues.

OH wait...in old #1 had needed replace the magazine spring, about 1985 ( seems I hung the Henry up in a Branch while mounted as CW reenactment) the barrel swiveled open and the spring was pinched and crimped.
It still worked, but a call to Uberti , got a replacement sent postage free.

BTW I also had a 66 in 38 ( sadly, I let it get away )  and currently have 73 in 44 Spcl.

[SGT John Chapman]

All I've ever done with mine is tear it down and remove the manufacturing burrs. Once I had done this it was VERY smooth,....it wasn't too bad to start with though....

Mine has had a lot of rounds through it too,...done a little re enacting mainly live fire though....

[Dynamite Bill]

mine is a cimaron uberti, no problems in three plus years of black powder shooting. she do get HOT after ten rounds though.

[Deadeye Don]

I have a new Henry on the way. Are there any common troubles to watch for with these?

I'll have 5 days to look the rifle over. I gather Uberti's warranty service is somewhat less than spectacular, so I want to be thorough in my inspection. Thanks.

Did you buy it through Taylors or Cimmaron?

[KWK]

It's coming from Dixie, Deadeye Don. While the Henry is spiffy, I'm not fond of heavy guns, especially in cartridges of modest recoil. The standard barrel did hang nicely, but I'm sure my skinny wife wouldn't care for the balance, so I bought a shorter barrel. Planning to try BP some day, I preferred the .44-40. Only Dixie had a rifle meeting both. I'm concerned about muzzle blast, but with such a (relatively) small case, I don't think it will be a problem, especially with smokeless. I'll know Friday if "Stumpy" is too weird looking to keep--compromises can be ugly.

[KWK]

Well, I have a 16.5" .44 WCF in the house to evaluate.

It's an Uberti, so: there's one mangled screw slot; and the holes for the lever & trigger screws weren't tapped neatly; and some of the chamfers on holes in the frame are oval instead of concentric; and the follower drags enough that it didn't follow my finger all the way down one time...

On the plus side, it handles nicely; it cycles smoothly; and the wood is decent (but a bit red for my tastes).

Hmmm. It's not an especially well assembled rifle, but it is a Henry and handles well. Given the limited quantities these are made in, the price is fair. I'll mull for a day or two whether to keep it. (Yeah, I'm spoiled; my last rifle was a custom rolling block from the late Dave Higginbotham.)

[Steel Horse Bailey]

KWK, it sounds like you got a Friday rifle to inspect.


I've had an 1866 since around 2000 or early 2001.  (The datecode shows it was made in 2000)  It has been nearly flawless in operation.  I DID have the carrier/lifter springs issue and have bought and replaced the original (truck leaf) springs with the Whisper springs and the screws with the USA-made ones.  When I was having my issues, no Pettifogger told me the hint about buying a reduced power mainspring, so mine is still stock.  No matter  - I must have been lucky because the Whisper springs took my gun from VERY smoothly cycling to its' present cycling, which is something like the feel of what I'd imagine the feel of an oiled glass action would feel like.  It's incredibly smooooooooth and is easily worked by a child's pinky finger.  Actually, the springs do not always provide enough upward force to raise the carrier when it is heavily "grunged" with residue from the very powerful BP rounds I always shoot.  I actually have to spray a quick "shot" of Moosemilk every 40 rounds or so to keep things moving!


Seriously, that IS my one tiny complaint about the Whisper Springs."  The gage (gauge?) or thickness of the WS wire is pretty small and I wish it were a couple sizes thicker.  But ... as I said, a quickie spritz of Moosemilk or Hoppes #9 PLUS BP cleaner, or even a quick wipe with a handy rag will keep the rifle cycling well.  I probably had 6000 to 7000 rounds (all at full power, either with BP or smokeyless) BEFORE I changed out the springs (and screws) and the difference was amazing instantly and has continued on well for the last 6 or 7 years.  I have taken the rifle apart a few times since then (cleaning any stray residue that gets in the action) and one time I carefully "bent" the spring legs VERY slightly to allow the springs to "push" a little harder.  But if you do this, BE very careful because they look fragile and you could easily screw up, if not done carefully.  Needless to say, if you DO feel the need to "tweak" the springs, do NOT use a pliers so as not to induce a "gouge" or scratch the spring, or it will probably break there where the "scratch" or "gouge" is, from where the pliers dug in.  The only other thing I did the 1st time I disassembled the rifle completely was to lightly sand/stone/file any burrs on the action ... and there were very few, I must add.  My '66 is the nicest, smoothest working rifle I've EVER had the pleasure to shoot or own.  It is VERY accurate, and your Henry will probably be even more accurate, because of the magazine being attached to the barrel keeps that barrel totally rigid with less of the barrel "whip" (the twist or bend caused by the torque of the bullet speeding downrange at over 25,000 RPM and over 1000 MPH) that happens when ANY rifle or pistol is fired.  Only high-speed photography and very sensitive measuring tools can allow the engineers to SEE this happen, but happen it DOES, on a minute and VERY fast scale!  Every time.  And that "whip" or twist affects accuracy.  Target barrels are ALWAYS much thicker than standard, and this minimizes this reaction to firing for the "Bullseye" shooter.

Anyway, I predict that you're gonna love your new Henry.

Keep yer powder dry!
... and have fun!

Jeff  "Steel Horse Bailey"
1866 Winchester "Improved Henry" shooter

[Steel Horse Bailey]

One thing that I forgot:  When I did the majority of my work on my my '66 I also stripped off the red, heavy polyurethane the Italians seem to love to put on their repro rifles.  It was VERY well done, but I like the look of a more natural finish .. like linseed oil (hand rubbed a LOT) and/or Tung oil ... also generously hand-rubbed to perfection.

Underneath the red shine that almost looked like translucent shiny plastic, I discovered some VERY nicely figured European walnut.  The forearm is especially beautifully figured, and the buttstock, while not nearly so well marked, is still very lovely and matches the forearm very well.

I LIKE Uberti firearms. The 5 or so I've owned since (starting in) 1975 have all been very well-made and 3 still serve me well ... the 1860 Army C&B revolver since 1975 and many thousands of rounds and cycles!

[KWK]

... is easily worked by a child's pinky finger...

Oh, that sounds nice!

Thanks for all the advice folks. I'm afraid I've let all you down: I sent the Henry back. Once I finally got the very balky loading gate to open (it never did open readily), I could see the walls on the two sides of the magazine differed in thickness almost 2:1, and I decided that was enough. Quality wasn't Job 1 that day.

The Henry was a (the?) pioneering repeater, and I like it's quirky solutions to the problem, but frankly this thing felt like a brick compared to my new rolling block sporter. The RB has a 30" barrel yet weighs more than a pound less than the 16" Henry. It handles beautifully in comparison. Add the unimpressive build quality, and I couldn't make myself want to keep this rifle--no matter how much I liked the idea of having a Henry.

I won't rule out getting a '66. Those knock about a pound off the weight, but this first encounter with Uberti is rather off putting. Still, I have on my PC a picture from Madis' book of an early '66 with a finely tapered barrel and a buried magazine; I drool every time I see it. Maybe...

So far, Dixie has been very accommodating. I'll report back the final outcome.

Thanks again.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

The  brass/bronze-framed guns (Henry, 1866) ARE heavy (& the receiver is longer) due to the extra metal needed to make the receiver strong enough to withstand the pressures.  The extra strength vs. weight of steel made the 1873 weigh less than the 1866  (or Henry) even 'tho they are essentially the same gun, only with different material for the main receiver.  And stronger.  (I know that there are other details that are different between those guns but basically, they are nearly the same ... the 1866 is closer to the '73 than the Henry is to the '73, but the basic action is about the same.  And even more so in the Uberti replicas.)

Hope you're happy with what you settle on.  You haven't let ANYONE down.  It's your gun and your game after all.



Steel Horse B.

[KWK]

I've never seen a published weight for the actions of the '66 and the '73 as made by Uberti. Nor have I had a chance to see the actions apart for comparison of the internal sections. The only number I could readily find are the weights published by Cimarron for their various configurations, and those suggest the '66 is a bit lighter. However, the '66s may have had thinner barrels and woodwork, so I don't have a valid comparison there. Both are easier to find locally in various barrel lengths than the Henry, so I'll try them out a couple of times over the next few months.

[KWK]

So far, Dixie has been very accommodating. I'll report back the final outcome.

USPS delivered the rifle back by Registered mail without a hitch. Dixie gives you a 5 day inspection period, and they promptly returned the price of the rifle. While that Henry didn't work out for me, Dixie proved to be a fine place to do business.