Racing up a Uberti 1873 Short Rifle

[Buckshot McAllister]

I just purchased a 357 Uberti 1873 short rifle and I'd like to race it up. I've got a gunsmith that will do an action job and smooth it out but I'm curious about the short stroke kits and the aluminum carriers. Whose kit do you like best and why? Should I go short or super short?  Any other modifications out there that I haven't heard of yet?

When I started out in this game I bought a Henry because I didn't know any better. It shoots fine but I've outgrown the rifle and don't want to make another uninformed decision. Any help would be appreciated.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

A couple of thoughts ...

First, a short stroke kit makes it a no go gun for any NCOWS competition ...

But I have a Codymatic from Cody Conagher.

IF you buy from him your gun is delivered fully 'raced up' .... I don't know what it costs to 'race up' a pre-owned gun ...

TTFN,

P.S. Be sure to add FFL fees to and from plus the cost of shipping into 'racing it up'.

[Tall Dark Slim]

Cody can race it up for 275$. It's worth it. If I could shoot a thousand rounds a week through mine I would. It's that much fun to shoot now.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi again,

Here is Cody' web address:

http://www.codyscowboyshop.com/

FWIW, I have never had to contact him again, and I file at least 60-100 rounds per month through it ... I am a VERY pleased customer!

Here is a pic of my Codymatic:





Sorry for the shoe in the bottom of the pic

[Red Cent]

I believe Cody charges $1375.00. He lives up the road from Taylor's (distributor) and he will pick it up, do the work and ship it to your FFL holder.
I have known Cody aka Don Jones and his pretty wife Linda since about 2000. A man of his word, quick turnaround and he will stand by his work. I have three 73s with the Cody-Matic tune. I have faired decent in the cowboy game and I have to give some credit to Cody for a  super rifle. If you send your gun to Cody he tells you to write the serial number down or you won't believe it is the same gun. Tell him Red said Howdy.
Ask if the full tune includes the gold or ivory bead front sight. Another thing he can do and I do not know if it is included. He makes the articulating two piece trigger a solid one piece. Makes for a much better feel.

http://www.codyscowboyshop.com/#Testimonials

[August]

Buckshot:

I felt like you for a long time.  Gradually, I learned that every decision you make on a '73 affects other dimensions and decisions.

In other words, it's not a linear process, but one that must be done with the end product in mind.

For example, a simple thing like adjusting the sear notch can affect the relationship of the hammer to the firing pin extension and that, subsequently, affects the action.  Toggles drop in, but they do not always result in correct headspace -- particularly on recent Uberti's that often "cam over" from the factory!  "Aluminum carrier" is a generic term for a range of different designs with different dimensions -- you must know how to measure the internal channel on a carrier to determine its suitability for your goal.  Firing pin extensions and lengthened firing pins can cause peening inside the bolt that can result in catastrophic failure down the line -- those dimensions must be understood.  Even a simple fitting of lifter and lever springs requires a goal and the dimensions for achieving it.

Please send your rifle to one of our gunsmiths who's work is consistent with what you wish to accomplish.  Then, of course, deciding which of the 'smiths can accomplish your goal is a big decision.

You will eventually pay a good smith to do this work for you.  May as well start out that way.  Then, you get the benefit or their support along the way.  You'll also learn a lot about the game from a good gunsmith if you pay attention.

Good luck.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Something that I have not seen discussed is the warranty ... of course, if one buys a new gegaw  the supplier will warrant it  .... kinda. But not how it affects the entire rifle's workability.

Why not get the rifle done, with one gunsmith who is responsible for the whole rifle?

[Tall Dark Slim]

When I got my rifle Codyfied he told me to give him a call if ever I had problems with it. He strikes me as an upstanding fella. My rifle came to me used and I took it to him after several positive recommendations and a trial of a converted gun.

[Camille Eonich]

You really can't beat Cody's warranty.  I am terribly unlucky with guns and Cody has fixed mine from the tailgate of his truck, he has taken them home at night during a big match and had them back to me the next day.  Heck I even bought one and had a local smith slick it up and put links in it and when the links kept giving me problems Cody too that rifle home with him, removed the links and short stroked it using his method, shipped it back to me in one of his cases and then wouldn't let me pay him for any of it.

He's one of a kind. 

[SPQR476]

Well, I went the DIY route.  I've been a gunsmith for a long while, but had no experience with the '73 or '92, so I did one of each.  I never intended for the '73 to end up stroked, but once I got started, I couldn't stop.  :-)  Now, the rifle has a pioneer super short stroke kit and aluminum carrier,  whisper lever and carrier springs, coil type lever safety spring, lightened mainspring, and all the appropriate action work and smoothing, plus some marbles sights.  It works slick as snot, and is faster than I am at this point. 

That being said...

If it weren't for the intent of learning how one of these things works, times, headspaces, what to smooth, and what doesn't matter, etc...it would be hard for me to say it was a cost effective endeavor.  I ended up with about half way between what Cody charges and what Longhunter charges for completed rifles, that doesn't count that I had everything I needed tool-wise to do it right already, and I get no warranty. It took a long time. Quite a few nights at the bench.  Sure, if I'd left the stroke and carrier out, I'd have had a very, very smooth rifle for not a whole lot of cash...but it's MUCH nicer shortened up a bit.  I have a decent baseline understanding of the platform now, but I've got a lot to learn before I consider myself an old salt on the '73, and some things can be a bit counterintuitive in between those side plates.

So...if its a money thing, it's hard to come out ahead of where you'd get with one of the smith's that specialize in this.  If you're a decent gun crank, and you don't mind scratching your head a bit...I got great results with the PGW super short kit and aluminum carrier.  I will warn you that there were some additional fitting steps beyond what's found in the instructions, and it would be easy to screw up if you didn't understand the timing.  Also, if you don't slick it up well, it will end up being a lot more like running a hi lift jack than levering a rifle. So if those things are concerning, then send it off.

[Red Cent]

" I ended up with about half way between what Cody charges and what Longhunter charges for completed rifles........".

Not sure I understand this statement. Cody charges approximately$1395.00 for a "full race ready " rifle. Since a "Border Deluxe" as they used to be callled, costs a little over a thousand dollars, that would mean you did it for less than $700.00.    I must not understand your statement.

[Camille Eonich]

I think that he meant somewhere between the difference that Cody charges vs what Longhunter charges.

[Red Cent]

Got that. So he is charging himself labor and wholesale on parts? No agenda and just curious. 

[August]

No one said this, but there is an implication here that may be misleading to the novice.  When people talk about a '73 from Cody or Jim Finch or whomever they are using those distinctions as ways of carrying on a conversation.  Let's be clear, there are BIG differences among these various products.  An Uberti Factory rifle, a Longhunter rifle, and a Cody Conheger rifle are three very different and distinct things.  They are only alike in superficial appearance. 

It makes me anxious to hear folks talk about "putting in a short stroke kit".  Or, to hear folks compare various rifle tuners on the basis of what they charge for a "finished" rifle.  Each of the noted 'smiths has a different approach to the job.  This approach often derives from how they, themselves, shoot the game.  Sometimes their work reflects their business orientation.

Here is a place where the potential customer must be well educated.  This, in my experience, takes a lot of experience -- and open mindedness.  Neither to be found in abundance on the web.

[SPQR476]

Got that. So he is charging himself labor and wholesale on parts? No agenda and just curious. 

What I meant was that with what I have in the base rifle and parts (at retail), not counting anything in labor, I have about $1400 or so in the rifle, which is between a Cody rifle and a Longhunter rifle in spend.  Buying a finished rifle is obviously a better deal if you are paying retail for everything. Price wasn't the point for me, though...learning was, and I understand the "risks" of doing it how I did.  I also have the stock links, lifter, and carrier, with no other parts in the rifle altered so as to be incompatible, so if at some point I want to shoot NCOWS, I can swap out. Not that that may mean anything to others, but I certainly don't understand the rifle well enough to alter things the way Mr. Conagher does, from my limited understanding of his methods.

My Rugers, from Longhunter, are awesome, and I'm sure I would have been more than happy with a rifle from him.  In fact, I corresponded with both Cody and Jim before making my purchase decisions.  I'm certainly not saying that what I've done is equal to what either gentleman would have given me with a race-ready rifle- I haven't handled either of their handiwork in a rifle.  But, I'm very happy with how it turned out, and if something doesn't hold up, I'll learn from it.

 I had my first paying gunsmithing job 21 years ago, so it's not like I just decided that I was gonna give this gunsmithing thing a try and ordered some '73 parts.  (I'm not saying I've got 21 years of full-time gunsmithing time, either...I've been mostly a rabid hobbyist other than 4 years as my main job).  This was worth it to me to learn the rifle better.  

[SPQR476]

No one said this, but there is an implication here that may be misleading to the novice.  When people talk about a '73 from Cody or Jim Finch or whomever they are using those distinctions as ways of carrying on a conversation.  Let's be clear, there are BIG differences among these various products.  An Uberti Factory rifle, a Longhunter rifle, and a Cody Conheger rifle are three very different and distinct things.  They are only alike in superficial appearance. 

It makes me anxious to hear folks talk about "putting in a short stroke kit".  Or, to hear folks compare various rifle tuners on the basis of what they charge for a "finished" rifle.  Each of the noted 'smiths has a different approach to the job.  This approach often derives from how they, themselves, shoot the game.  Sometimes their work reflects their business orientation.

Here is a place where the potential customer must be well educated.  This, in my experience, takes a lot of experience -- and open mindedness.  Neither to be found in abundance on the web.

Yes, "throwing in a short-stroke kit" is not a realistic statement.  There was a significant bit of fitting involved, and if all you did was fit the kit, without everything else that needed done, you'd have a largely unusable rifle.

[Camille Eonich]

Cody doesn't use a short stroke kit.  In fact I recently had him remove a short stroke kit from my main match rifle and then perform his magic on it.  The original action job with the short links was great for a long time and then it just started hiccuping every so often and at very bad times, namely during matches.  The original smith tried to fix the problem several times but it kept popping back up so I just sent the rifle and the original links to Cody.

[Red Cent]

SPQR476, if one would start with the details your newbies would be really confused. Suffice to say Cody did my shortstroke or Lassiter or ColdMcCallister, or Nate Kiowa Jones.
I have three 73s that are CodyMatics. It can't get better than this .

My main match pistols, Ruger 3 screws , were owned by Cody. Faces of newbies are something to behold when they cycle the revolvers.

[SPQR476]

Red, I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to say.  Might be the failings of my public school education, or maybe I'm just slow.

[Red Cent]

I forgot. What was the question? .

In the eyes of a new shooter, there is not any distinction of shortstrokes. If he knows what makes a shortstroke. Trying to explain the differences of the 'smith would be confusing.

Its true that Cody does not use a "kit". I guess he would put one in if you wanted.

I have  20" Border Deluxe that has been welded and bent. My first cowboy rifle. That wonderful rifle has has been running since 2000. I add this because a few 'smiths used to look down their nose at Cody's shortstrokes.

Cody can give you your personal shortstroke measured as you instruct.

No, I am sure your education is fine. Some times my responses need added encouragement

I have said this to point out that we kinda do "throw in" a shorstroke kit.