Differences in Manufactures of the 1858 Replica?

Bryan Austin · October 23, 2008, 07:40:04 PM

I didn't want this to become a "who's better" topic so I tried to change the words to be non confrontational.

So we have the rather well known, two modern replica manufactures, Uberti and Pietta. I have learned a lot in the past year. At times one may prevail over the other but I still have to ask.

After looking at the RAG Remington, I learned that the Pietta is bigger and a tad heavier. I like the feel of the RAG better but we all know parts may be harder to find. I have yet to see or even handle an Uberti. I have often herd that you may rather have Uberti 1873 revolvers and Pietta C&B revolvers.

What are some more notices in the guns you have shot?

What ya think?

Wolfgang · October 24, 2008, 12:27:44 AM

Ya like stimulating contraversy . . . . Don't ya ? ! $:-\$

hellgate · October 24, 2008, 01:09:12 AM

You have left out the Euroarms Remington which is even smaller in frame and grips than either Uberti or Pietta. The Uberti has the only functional mainspring tension screw which allows you to lighten the hammer fall without modifying the mainspring. The other two makers have non functional screws that don't engage the mainspring of do so too low on the spring to have any effect. I like the feel of the Euros (light & pointable) but the Ubertis are my "serious match" guns.

Bryan Austin · October 24, 2008, 05:45:36 AM

Quote from: Wolfgang on October 24, 2008, 12:27:44 AM
Ya like stimulating contraversy . . . . Don't ya ? ! $:-\$

Your right so I tried to change the wording in my original post. Is that better?

Sheriff Langston · October 24, 2008, 06:40:07 AM

I have a Pietta Navy, the mainspring screw certainly does affect the hammer fall. It's the only Remy I have, and I haven't tried tweaking other shooters' guns, so I can't say whether mine is more or less readily adjustable than other makes.

hellgate · October 24, 2008, 03:42:27 PM

Sherriff, thanks for the report. I have only owned the older Piettas and they had little or no effect on hammer fall. I'm glat the newer ones are better.

Virginia Mike · October 25, 2008, 09:41:38 AM

Ford, Lincoln....Same company, Lincoln has better quality. Similar as Uberti Pietta. I think Uberti pays alittle more attention to detail. All mine are Ubertis. That could explain why Ubertis are more expensive.

Marshal Will Wingam · October 25, 2008, 10:30:04 AM

Mine are Ubertis. A friend of mine has Piettas and they aren't as good a quality as mine. Bear in mind that these guns are all several years old and I understand that Pietta has improved their product since we bought ours. I suspect that these days, you will be doing fine to get either one.

That said, I prefer the feel of the Uberti because the grip shape fits my hand better. I haven't held a Euroarms yet but hope to one of these days. I also like the Uberti because of the dovetailed front sight. It isn't original in that respect, but it sure is nice to be able to adjust the windage or completely replace a sight easily. I have had to replace one that I messed up. If you shorten one, the front sight is easy to re-install just by cutting a dovetail for it.

hellgate · October 25, 2008, 11:36:09 AM

The Euroarms guns also have a dovetailed front sight you can tap over for windage adjustments. For the Piettas you have to twist the barrel to adjust for windage. The Euroarms grips are narrower and fit smaller hands better. Folks with big hands might complain that the trigger guard raps their knuckle when fired. Not in my case but my paws aren't beefy. I have read, whether true or not, that an original remington was copied by the Euroarms people and thus has the original frame size and dimensions. Who knows? The Piettas have alot of meat in the frame and weigh more.

Marshal Will Wingam · October 25, 2008, 08:24:34 PM

Damn. Just when I thought I had enough Remmies, you go and tell me that.

Bryan Austin · October 25, 2008, 09:08:00 PM

Shot mine again today. Pietta .44 with a 45 Colt conversion cylinder. My shooting stinks but I can't beat a 3" grouping 5 shots at 15 yards with one in the bulls eye...gunfighter!!!!!! Then the wife shoots it for the first time.....3 shots, 3 bulls eyes at 15 yards! SHould I get rid of her or the gun?

mesquito whitey · October 30, 2008, 09:53:22 AM

I have recently purchased the .36 in 61/2" from Pietta. I added a Kirst Konverter and I really like it. It is definately larger and fills my hand better than any of my others, be they Uberti, Pietta or my old Santa Barbara. I intend to add another one today, and may completely go with them over my .44's. I am also lucky enough to own a Cxxt and a Rxxxr and a Gxxxxo and I truly like the .36
Pietta better.

Just my .2

G. Harbinger · November 03, 2008, 10:09:04 PM

Howdy y'all,
Here's another brand of Remmie fer ya. I picked up a Lyman marked '58 hoping to match it with my existing Uberti-made Lyman. Not the case -- this one is made by Pedersolli and has a dovetailed sight. Didn't know DP made a Remmie till then. But I haven't shot it yet, so no info on that. I will post when I do get the chance.
G. Harbinger
Washington Territory

Books OToole · November 04, 2008, 10:59:43 AM

The Lyman and the Euroarms are cllose by not quite. I had a Euroams and sold it to a friend with a Lyman. They just don't quite match.

Books

hellgate · November 04, 2008, 04:37:34 PM

I have a Lyman that is made by Euroarms. I think Lyman used more than one manufacturer just like CVA used to use ASM and now Pietta but they will likely be marked CVA.

My observations on Remmie makers:

Pietta=good guns, heaviest built, thickest grips, post front sight, meatier frame, best prices.

Uberti=maybe better guns (not seen the upgraded newer Piettas however), lighter frame (less meat around the barrel), dovetail front sight, narrower grips

Euroarms=quality like the old Piettas, lightest I've handled, smallest grips, Uberti cylinder will fit a Euro,dovetailed front sight

Spanish=handled only one, resembled a Euroarms, light frame

ASM, Pedersoli, Hege(?) , etc= don't know

Wolfgang · November 06, 2008, 05:28:50 AM

My three Piettas are all fairly late production and I consider them to be of very good quality for the price that they go for.

And I also have one Armi San Marco, . . .
( bought as part of a deal that was to be 2 Piettas and kept as it was very cheap and shootable for a spare )
. . . . and it is of good quality, lockup, trigger pull, etc. But I've heard that Armi San Marco quality varied highly from one gun to another in all the guns they made.
Might have something to do with the demise of the company . ? . ? .

Taw Jackson · November 06, 2008, 10:37:46 AM

I have a Pietta 1858. The only problem I've ever had is the cylinder pin broke. VTI had a stock replacement, no problem. I shoots good, good accuracy and my mainspring adjustment screw does seem to have an effect on the spring tension.

Willie Dixon · December 25, 2008, 06:23:43 AM

I'll be purchasing two brand new Pietta kits from Dixie Gun Works here pretty soon, and I know a lot about basic pistols, just not so much on single action revolvers. More of either the 1911 category or old-school flint-lock style guns. I purchased a pietta kit from them already for the Harper's Ferry and Kentucky model flintlocks and love them, love them!

I'm really looking forward to these, both because as of right now I'm a broke college student and because they are Remington '58s! I'll be able to post up in-depth reviews of them if you'd like, both internally and externally, along with load testing, trigger pull (such as if that screw works or not, that'd be sweet) and center point of balance.

I'm first picking up the big ones, the 8" and 12" models, and I'll be shooting duelist Frontiersman with them with the 12" in a cross-draw on my left.

Figure probably around the end of January I'll be ordering them.

Wolfgang · December 25, 2008, 06:36:06 AM

Why buy the Pietta "kit guns" ? ? . . . there are plenty of used Piettas offered all the time cheaper than the "kit guns" go for. From what I've heard unless you are really experienced at fitting and timing revolvers the kit guns are a bear to ever get shootable. Just my 4 .03 if of any value. . . .

Cost for pistols :
My brass frame Piettas were $ 120 ea. My really nice steel frame Pietta with the Ajax "Ivory" grips was $ 165. ( And was in 98% condition ) The two Armi Sam Marco pistols $ 100 ea. Ya can't get much cheaper than that. All of them plus postage to my door.

Willie Dixon · December 25, 2008, 06:42:30 AM

Well, the cost for the pietta is just a great bargain period... actually I didn't mean I was buying the kits because they were cheaper... just that they'd be fun to work on. It'd be my gun, assembled by me, sort of thing. It compensates in my mind for the fact that the only nice Remington replicas aren't made here. If I buy the kit, the kit was manufactured in Italy, but at least it was "made" here. LOL I just don't like buying American Icons that aren't made here is all, and I love Remingtons... so the kit just kind of made sense in my messed-up brain!

I like to tinker and work on things, and learn by doing, rather than taking to a gunsmith. Kind of why I decided not to open up a hot-rod shop... in more ways than one I'd be building cars for the people I really don't care for at the car shows. If it's really that hard, I'll reconsider, but I like the idea, and I have a gunsmith friend that said he can help me, no extra charge since I'm his apprentice in the pirate group... I'm trying to get him over here.