Uberti or Pietta SAA Clone Quality, Durability and Authenticity?

[Cliff Fendley]

I've owned Colt, Uberti, and Peitta's and in my experience the Uberti is the best bang for the buck. Peitta's finish just keeps getting better and better but they continue to use incredibly soft steel.

Considering this is a Cowboy action forum, tell me what a Colt will do in Cowboy action shooting that the Uberti wont.

[petrinal]

from the practical, real life, point of view,  I must agree with both of you, a UBERTI will do the same than the COLT at a fraction of the price. They are well made with excellent to good steel.

it doesnt pay off to buy a Colt or USFA unless you are a collector, a bullseye shooter or  a romantic that will value the much better finish, a finer barrel and a brand that is allways a good investment.

[Abilene]

...Considering this is a Cowboy action forum, tell me what a Colt will do in Cowboy action shooting that the Uberti wont.

Not a thing, functionally.  I shoot Colts and Cimarron Ubertis and they all function well for this game.  When I shoot my 1901-vintage .45 in one hand and matching anitque-finish Model P in the other, can't tell which is which.  But cowboy action shooting is enjoyed on many levels.  And there is just something kinda nice about knowing you are shooting Colts, even newer ones.  All of my Colts were bought used, so I could always get what I paid for them if need be.  Probably could for the Ubertis as well.  None were bought as investments, just for shooting, and if I can enjoy them without depreciation, I'm happy.

... or  a romantic that will value the much better finish, a finer barrel and a brand that is allways a good investment.

Guess I'm a romantic.   

[Fox Creek Kid]

...tell me what a Colt will do in Cowboy action shooting that the Uberti wont.

The same can be said for Ferrari vs. Ford. They'll both go from Point A to Point B. Well, make that some Fords. 

I own both Colts & Ubertis. With Colt it's a pride of ownership thing. I really wish Colt had done a logical succession after their BP Series and made conversions as well as the '72 OT.

[MJN77]

With Colt it's a pride of ownership thing

You don't think people can be proud of their Ubertis? Or Piettas? Or anything else that doesn't say Colt on it?  

I have owned 1st and 2nd generation Colts. I have owned 100 + year old Winchesters. Never wanted to carry them on the farm and get them beat up. Went to Ubertis. Problem solved. IMHO unless you're just talking 1st generation Colts, there really isn't any history to them. With a new Colt you're just buying a brand name. It's just another new gun. I have had my hands on several Colt SAAs made in the last decade. Not a whole lot of difference between them and a Uberti. At least not enough to justify (for me) paying three-four times the price of a Uberti for a gun that will do the exact same thing. If you buy Colts because you just prefer Colts, great. Buy as many as you can afford. Not a thing wrong with buying what you like. But some folks around here seem to look down on other folks for owning Italian clones instead of a genuine, bonafide, honest to God Colt. That's just kind of stupid.

Some folks can't afford a Ferrari. Some folks just think a Ford is a better deal. Me, I drive a Dodge.

[Cliff Fendley]

The three or four Fords you can buy with the same money will outlast that Farrari.

Any current made guns will never be a true collectors item, especially in our lifetime. As long as Colt is in business and still making them one kept new in the box is worth no more than another new one. Once you start shooting that new Colt it depreciates.

I can understand the pride in ownership but the real pride in ownership to me is first or second gen SAA's. 

The difference in the cost of a new Uberti and a new Colt would be a good start toward buying an actual Colt worth cherishing.

[petrinal]

I have had my hands on several Colt SAAs made in the last decade. Not a whole lot of difference between them and a Uberti. At least not enough to justify (for me) paying three-four times the price of a Uberti for a gun that will do the exact same thing.

well, we should compare the finish, like  the sanding in the steel, for instance, between COLT and UBERTI:

in modern Uberties, I can see today obvious sanding paper marks, and unpleasant tone, in blued parts like Cylinder and barrel,   when compared to excellent  COLT ROYAL BLUE, whose main characteristic  today is not  the polishing, but  the sanding, or more exactly, the lack of sanding marks, giving a delicious umblemished soft touch in the finish, with a very deep deep deep BLUEING,   that in my opinion only COLT gives to their Royal Blue Finish.

the COLT case hardening,  is also years apart from UBERTI, which, by the way, has improved in the last years, but that just cant compare with COLT´s, though I prefer the old Colt casehardening to the new one.

the steel is excellent in both COLT and UBERTI, though, in my opinion, Colt gives less troubles in the bolt stop and hammer notches. I had to replace my Uberti internal parts, but never had to do it with my many times shot 3rd generation COLTS.

I wont repeat the many problems with the rifling in UBERTIS, but some shooters here were so desperate with the poor results in accuracy terms with BP and lead bullets, that they started using balls, that solved the problem and were accurate. I am talking about people competing in 25 meters bullseye historical matches. Very serious matter, no smokeless, no jacketed bullets allowed.

so you are not just bying a brand, by buying COLT. You are buying, specially today,  excellent AMERICAN CRAFTMANSHIP. And believe me, that the "MADE IN USA" logo, is still very respected in the World today.

Americans are still known the world over today  for their excellency in  manufacturing, specially, hand tools and complicated machinery.

pd: Uberti has improved greatly chamber dimensions differences in the last years, but I still dont trust them for top accuracy.

[Cliff Fendley]

Get the US finish on the Cimarron if you want the same case coloring as a Colt. I believe I read the current production Colt's are being done by Turnbull.

[MJN77]

The finish, the word COLT and that cute little horsey won't make a coyote or raccoon any "deader". And when the gun sits in a leather holster as long as my Ubertis do, that finish isn't going to be pretty for very long. Like I said, I use my guns in the real world, not playing cowboy. None of the Ubertis I have owned have ever failed me. I have seen ill fitting grips, tool marks and crappy finishes on a $1300 Colt too. I have a beat up 20 year old Uberti buckhorn .44 magnum that has been to hell and back. It's ugly and hasn't offered so much as a single complaint. It has eaten a few thousand full power magnum loads. I had to replace the firing pin a few years ago and the bolt spring about 18 years ago. It still locks up tight and shoots quite well.

So you can talk about how the almighty Colt is the one and only true and bestest revolver in the world, and how the lowly Uberti is junk by comparison, but I know better. With all due respect.

[MJN77]

Here's where I get my opinions from. All Ubertis. Missing from this photo is a Uberti 1866 rifle and an 1873 short rifle that I just bought. I sold my henry and 24 inch 1873.

This is the only Colt I still own. 1905 new service in 44-40.

[petrinal]

no one said a UBERTI is junk, but I prefer one original piece like the one below.....




to a "collection" of italian replicas. (note, some replicas a are becoming collectable, but not  exactly the italian)

you are entitled to your opinion, like I am to mine. I cant give you advices on shootings coyotes, but I know what works better for me in the accuracy aspect in the shooting range, and UBERTI is not the best option, specially the older models.

the US finish is around 250 dollars more expensive in a CIMARRON, so the gun would be around 650/750/800 brand new, if I am not wrong.

you can buy a brand new COLT for 500  or 600 dollars more, or just a used one for less than 1k dollars. In my case, I go crazy for used ones, but I have to buy new ones as there are not many used ones here.

[Blair]

pretrial person,

A 5 shot DA Adams revolver is not quite the same thing as a 6 shot SA Colt revolver, now is it?
This does not mean you don't have a very nice revolver in your collection. I just means there is little to compare.
  Blair

[petrinal]

pretrial person,

A 5 shot DA Adams revolver is not quite the same thing as a 6 shot SA Colt revolver, now is it?
This does not mean you don't have a very nice revolver in your collection. I just means there is little to compare.
 Blair

well, in fact, the gun is not mine. It is  a friend´s.

all my Colts are modern, third generation.

but this is the point:

I prefer  investing my money in an original piece or a collectable replica,  even if  the collection is limited to only one pieze or a couple , to spending that same amount of money  in a large collection of italian replicas, that lack any sex appeal for me.

[Blair]

petinal person,

Please provide documentation for what you are posting. (You have heard this before)
Supply information on your own firearms, or at the very least, let us all know what you have depicted is not of your own. Yours, or someone else's?
This information you offer is not specific to this thread!
Do you not understand this concept yet?
 Blair

[MJN77]

no one said a UBERTI is junk,

Read it again, I said "junk by comparison"

Second, going by your logic....

I prefer  investing my money in an original piece or a collectable replica,  even if  the collection is limited to only one pieze or a couple , to spending that same amount of money  in a large collection of italian replicas

.....the twelve Ubertis in the group photo, would translate to 3-4 Colts. Yeah, much better use of the same money. Also, Colt doesn't make five of the models in that pic. You buy a Colt, you're limited to the model 1873. That's it. There was more to the history  of the "old west" era than the almighty Colt.

that lack any sex appeal for me.

Sex appeal is what I look for in a woman, not a gun.

[petrinal]

petinal person,

Please provide documentation for what you are posting. (You have heard this before)
Supply information on your own firearms, or at the very least, let us all know what you have depicted is not of your own. Yours, or someone else's?
This information you offer is not specific to this thread!
Do you not understand this concept yet?
 Blair

I am suppling info based on my own firearms, and  the experiences and troubles I have experienced with 3 brands:

UBERTI
COLT
TAURUS

let me add Armi San Marco, but I sold the gun long ago.





the ones above  are the personal firearms I currently own of the SAA type:

3 COLTS, 1978 (the factory engraved one), 2007 made 38 sp, 2010 made 44/40,  1 Taurus  Gaucho 45 colt (which was a very accurate revolver, far more than the UBERTI), and one Uberti 45 colt.  

all the best

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

My Grandfather bought a Colt single action when he was a young man.  That Colt is still around today.  I bought a Uberti Cattleman 2 years ago and it is still around today.

My Uberti has had more rounds shot through it in its two years of life than my Grandfather colt has had in over 100 years.

It is highly possible that a new Colt will out last a new Uberti, being used equally. But the difference in cost means I can buy 3 Uberti or Pietta's with change left over for ammo, if it is ever available again.

These Uberti's and Pietta's might not last 100 years or even 60 years, but they dang well will last as long as me.

[Grenadier]

I am more interested in the Quality, Durability and Authenticity of the redhead on that calendar! 

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

I am more interested in the Quality, Durability and Authenticity of the redhead on that calendar! 

Single?
Likes old men?
Phone number?

Now there would be some useful information.   

[petrinal]

My Grandfather bought a Colt single action when he was a young man.  That Colt is still around today.  I bought a Uberti Cattleman 2 years ago and it is still around today.

My Uberti has had more rounds shot through it in its two years of life than my Grandfather colt has had in over 100 years.

It is highly possible that a new Colt will out last a new Uberti, being used equally. But the difference in cost means I can buy 3 Uberti or Pietta's with change left over for ammo, if it is ever available again.

These Uberti's and Pietta's might not last 100 years or even 60 years, but they dang well will last as long as me.

I agree, but I will probably place number 1, or 2, or 3, or 4th in the next accuracy match with my COLT.... however, with Uberti, I will place 4 or maybe 5th for sure. An excellent revolver can make the difference between winning or not and thats where you see why you paid more.  This rule does not apply to people shooting at 10 yards, or 7.