Uberti 1866 copy. Questions

[Dai.S.Loe]

I am currently leading an auction here in NZ on the above firearm. They are horrendously expensive new but this rifle is advertised as in a rough condition hence the lead price is about $125 US.

The current owner describes it as having a shot out barrel but with rifling visible the length of the bore.

The saddle rind is missing as is the ring that attaches it to the rifle. Moinor as i know I can get the replacements very cheaply.

What i want to know from you lot is re the barrel.

It is currently chambered for 44-40. If the barrel is shot out as suggested is it an easy matter to just replacxe it with an aftermarket item?

Or the other idea i had was to have the barrel re bored for the .45 colt round.

The present owner does say that he has been only firing BP in this rifle and to have knackered the barrel he must have fired a lot of rounds.

This is something i have been after for a while now and will bet reating this as a project.

Your help and advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

[Will Ketchum]

I doubt that the barrel is shot out.  Most likely it is leaded very badly.  If the price is right, which $125.00 is, I would buy it assuming that the barrel just neads a good scrubbing.  If you get it let us know what you find.

Will Ketchum

[Flint]

I agree with Will Ketchum, the bore is unlikely to be shot out, since lead bullets aren't that abrasive, and I doubt the former owner shot jacketed bullets at a high velocity.  Unless the former owner simply never cleaned the bore properly from black powder fouling and it is rusted out, it is most likely just full of lead in the grooves.

Lead can be removed with a Lewis Lead Remover, though you will have to make your own adapter to get it on a long enough rod to reach the length of the 66 barrel, as the kits seem to be made only for pistols.  The rod end has to be as large as the Lewis rod to properly hold the screen in place.  Don't waste your money on an Outer's lead remover rod, the Lewis rod is the proper diameter.

Method two works well, provided you can get your hands on a small supply of Mercury.  Plug the bore at one end securely and fill it with Mercury and let it soiak a day or two.  The Mercury should leach out the lead.

If all fails, your price is low enough to pay for a new barrel and still be ahead, I would think.  44-40 is a better black powder round than the 45 Colt, if you are goiung to shoot black powder.

[Capt. Augustus]

I don't know if you can order parts from VTI, but they have Uberti parts.

[Dai.S.Loe]

Still leading the auction with 1 day to go. Bid is now $200 NZ or $120 US, i have a max bid of $300 NZ ($180 US). A new version costs $1700 NZ here.

As to cleaning I'll get a Lewis lead remover, also a lot of Balistol and some phosphor bronze brushes. May be able to gfet a lot of lead out with that.

Current owner claims he only fired BP rounds in it. I'm guessing he didnt use soft lead and a suitable lube for it.

From the picture the frame has scratches that should polish out. Saddle ring unti is completely missing (not expensive to replace) and the wood work shows signs of a hard life but should restore quite easily.

Looks like a case of neglect rather than worn out.

I couldntr understand how a low pressure round like thew 44-40, especially a BP load, could wear a barrel out without having fired tens of thousands of rounds.

Keeping my fingers, toes and eyes crossed.

Chris

[DarbyFett]

Did you win? Thats a hell of a deal.

[Dai.S.Loe]

No

Was pretty upset but another shooter had a bid on auto that kept bumping me by $1.

Still took him up to silly money. More than a good quality 2nd hand version cost.

Dissapointment has been aleviated a lot this weekend by the delivery of an original Springfield Cadet rifle.

Blueing is worn in places but the bore is ammaculate as is the wood work.

After getting out the magnifying glass and going over the entire rifle and refering to the book by Roper, it is a genuine Cadet.

As there were only 22,000 made they are faked a bit. This one had all the right bits, all the right markings, nothing jumped out saying it wasnt as it professes to be.

Tonight I load up some 45-70 rounds and test the accuracy. Thursday I have arranged to go deer hunting with it. Son in law lives 200 miles away in a prime hunting area. HE has a spot where he has seen lots of red deer and quite a few wild boars.

Either way the old rifle is going to bark in anger again.