Uberti or Pietta SAA Clone Quality, Durability and Authenticity?

[Coffinmaker]

Angelika Jakubowska - Miss Poland 2009 

[petrinal]

I'm curious why all the guns in the photo don't have grips on them.

I live in a very wet town, and I preserve my guns without grips on to prevent moisture accumulation between grips and steel, that  more sooner than later leads to rusting.

in the case of some old SWs, and some old military revolvers, I sadly discovered that the wood was probably cured with salt or whatever, so as a careful collector, I better be careful.

I didnt dissambled the Nagant´s grips to avoid scratching or damaging the screws, that are really tight. It is an old revovler, made in 1912, pre communistj zarist Tula markings.  

[Gen Lew Wallace]

Well, I can say that after three matches; the last of which was the state championship this past weekend, I like my Cimarron Pietta 7th Cav revolvers.  They have an action job by Cody Conagher and shoot real smooth.  I have never beheld the Uberti version of this gun so I cannot do a comparison.  I just wanted to say that I like the ones I have.   

[Grenadier]

Petrinal, do you suppose that Nagant revolver migrated to Spain around 1935 or 36? I have a nice 1915 Mosin-Nagant that spent some time in Spain courtesy of the U.S.S.R.

[petrinal]

as a matter of fact, I bought it from a collector in GERMANY, thought you are right, in the Spanish Civil War many of the these revolvers came here (via USSR or via republican agents buying old fashioned guns at atonishing high prices in the international market)

.  I have no idea how the gun ended in GERMANY, but given the german law for collectors, that is very adequate, and allows even some full auto guns collecting, it might probably have ended in Germany as a war trophy of a german soldier or who knows until some collector rescued it. It has no german importer markings or german bank proof house markings.

this one is interesting for being made under the zarist regime. It is also a troop´s model, in other words, it is single action only, no DA...and they seem to be more scarce than the DA models, for officer, or the ever present communist models.

All this revolvers, a bit underrated, have a phenomenal accuracy and the round is powerful, or at least, is very  fast.

[Grenadier]

If it came from Germany, then I would tend to believe it was a "capture" from the First World War. Being that the Czarist markings are still intact, it suggests that the Soviets never handled it. You are lucky with owning it, I would love to have an original Imperial Russian Nagant revolver in my collection.

[Coffinmaker]

ANGELIKA  . Guns ?

[RRio]

$429 plus tax. What's not to like?

[oldironguts]

Had Colts, Uberti's and Pietta"s would buy any of them again.  All good guns.

[Gripmaker]

This has been an interesting read after going through it all. I have an Uberti (1993) and a Pietta GW II(2010) and they are both superb firearms and extremely accurate when shot with a load that is tailored to each gun. Reliability has proven to be excellent with a few thousand rounds through each with full power (36 gr. Swiss) BP loads and some quite stout smokeless loads under heavy bullets. Both are chambered for 44 WCF with .429 barrels. I have also owned Colts that were outshined by both of these(go figure). I also do alot of "longrange" shooting with handguns, ie out to 500 yds and been quite successful at it. NOW, having said all of that (which does not impress me at all and hopefully neither does it you), none of these brands can hold a candle and pale in comparison to my working gun which is a J.P. Sauer .44 mag made in the early 70's and cost me less than a Colt or Ruger. It is more precisely made, stronger, much more accurate and the action from the factory is smoother than either a Janis, Turnbull or Munden worked action (as Eddie Janis told me  13 yrs ago). I can shoot .44 Russian, .44 Colt, .44 Spl, .44 Mag and with another cylinder, .44 WCF in this gun with no leading (think velocity and BHN). I have a smokeless load that will shoot to the same point of impact at 100 yds with either a 200gr. cowboy bullet or a Keith SWC in 265 gr. (think velocity, trajectory and especially practice).

As I said, I read this entire thread with great interest and IMO, buy what trips your trigger and enjoy it. Don't let anyone belittle your tastes in guns, women, hunting dogs or cars because they are just voicing their opinion or experiences which are subject to change. Enjoy yourselves, and if you just have to flame this post, go ahead as I can provide either paper, witnesses or exhibit exactly what has been posted (but you will have to call me: 417-359-8880). God Bless and shoot safe.

[Rye Miles]

I have a pair of Taylor's Smoke Wagons in .44-40 and I shoot only BP. These have been great guns for the last 5 years. I would not hesitate to buy another pair. I have a Colt, 2 Uberti Cattleman and an older EMF that I use as back-ups to my Smoke Wagons.

Have you skinned your smoke wagon lately?  :-\Rye

[Navy Six]

I am puzzled by the comments regarding Ubertis not shooting lead bullets and black powder well. Restricting my comments to cartridge guns, mine shoot fine. Admittedly, six samples are not an exhaustive evaluation, but they are a nice cross-section.
They are:
A pair of  4 3/4" 38-357
A pair of 4 3/4" 44-40 Bisleys
A pair of 7 1/2" 38-40
These guns have never seen anything but lead and blackpowder. No leading and all shoot very close to point of aim. Sorry, I can't show you pictures of group sizes as I haven't had them on paper in a while.
I also agree with a previous comment about the variety of guns made by Uberti. Doubt I would be shooting a pair of Bisleys if not for Uberti. I currently have 10 Colts to compare these Ubertis to. All get shot in cowboy matches and its just a matter of which calibers I feel like shooting that day. I love them all.   Navy Six

[Virginia Gentleman]

I have found all my Uberti guns to shoot well with cast or swaged lead bullets with smokeless and BP loads.

[Virginia Gentleman]

Lately has Pietta put back the patent dates back on their frames?

[Abilene]

Lately has Pietta put back the patent dates back on their frames?

They have been putting them on their guns for Cimarron for several years.  I do not know if they put them back on all their other lines (GW II, Traditions, etc)

[Cholla Hill Tirador]

This has been an interesting read after going through it all. I have an Uberti (1993) and a Pietta GW II(2010) and they are both superb firearms and extremely accurate when shot with a load that is tailored to each gun. Reliability has proven to be excellent with a few thousand rounds through each with full power (36 gr. Swiss) BP loads and some quite stout smokeless loads under heavy bullets. Both are chambered for 44 WCF with .429 barrels. I have also owned Colts that were outshined by both of these(go figure). I also do alot of "longrange" shooting with handguns, ie out to 500 yds and been quite successful at it. NOW, having said all of that (which does not impress me at all and hopefully neither does it you), none of these brands can hold a candle and pale in comparison to my working gun which is a J.P. Sauer .44 mag made in the early 70's and cost me less than a Colt or Ruger. It is more precisely made, stronger, much more accurate and the action from the factory is smoother than either a Janis, Turnbull or Munden worked action (as Eddie Janis told me  13 yrs ago). I can shoot .44 Russian, .44 Colt, .44 Spl, .44 Mag and with another cylinder, .44 WCF in this gun with no leading (think velocity and BHN). I have a smokeless load that will shoot to the same point of impact at 100 yds with either a 200gr. cowboy bullet or a Keith SWC in 265 gr. (think velocity, trajectory and especially practice).

As I said, I read this entire thread with great interest and IMO, buy what trips your trigger and enjoy it. Don't let anyone belittle your tastes in guns, women, hunting dogs or cars because they are just voicing their opinion or experiences which are subject to change. Enjoy yourselves, and if you just have to flame this post, go ahead as I can provide either paper, witnesses or exhibit exactly what has been posted (but you will have to call me: 417-359-8880). God Bless and shoot safe.

  Gripmaker you are spot-on regarding those German-made Hawes revolvers. I've had three of them pass through my hands and all of them were superbly crafted. Cocking one of them reminded me of locking my safe; once the hammer was drawn back, everything locked up tight. All of mine have been very accurate. If they had made one with a 4 3/4" barrel I'd own it! In fact it's occurred to me to buy another and have a good 'smith cut the original 6 1/2" barrel back to 4 3/4" and reset the sight.

CHT

[sfc rick]

My take on Colt or Clones is...Only FOOLS still think on that level. Being that you don't here about Colt 1911's being better than Singers or Ithaca's or what not. I tend to think that they are all Single Action's and as long as they are manufactured we all benefit. The SAA's today are better in every aspect of manufacturing and metallurgy as any before Colt or whatever.

I have no horse in this race... but I find the premise of it all too funny.

[llanerosolitario]

After 25 years shooting and visiting museums and observing many original and clone revolvers, I have no doubt that the original Colt revolvers were much better made, by better professionals and gunsmiths, were better finished and were more accurate than the italian clones.

In the  Museum of Connecticut History I had the opportunity to observe many original Colts and there is no possible  comparison in finish to the clones.
Heat or rust blueing versus mediocre alkaline blueing......real case hardening versus fake one....match barrels with deep rifling versus shallow riflings ......forged small parts like hammers and triggers versus invesment casting parts .

The same applies to Winchesters  or Remingtons..or Sharps...or European revolvers or rifles....the originals, in general, shoot BP better if well preserved and are more beautifully finished.

Also, most  World champions who compete in breechloading and MLAIC matches agree that the original guns made by our ancestors are superior. Usually, it takes them more time and effort to get top results with a replica than with an original.

[45 Dragoon]

From the machining I've seen in the 1st gen models of open tops I've had the pleasure and privilege to observe/work on, I'd say the Italians are light years ahead.  The hardening of action parts can still be done, re finishing to ones liking can be done, etc, etc.

If enough folks would/could pay $1,800-2,000 for a nice, hand fitted S.A., thats what you'd see, but they won't/can't.  Italians need money, we want Revolvers, they do what they can and we fix to suit as needed. Different times, different circumstances. We aren't the "China" of the world anymore. We had cheap labor at one time, not anymore. We had the opportunity and inventiveness once but too many (and big brother) have their hand out for a piece of the "too little pie".  Too many Regs. that snuff out reasons to " go for it" today.  So we buy what we can and fix it to our need. 
  I'll say, you can make an Italian copy every bit as good and better than the first gens. After all, Colt still can't/won't offer a S.A.A. in .44 mag. Uberti has been doing it for some time .  .  .  .  . 

It's not the will or the want or the know-how, it's the ability more than anything.

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks

[llanerosolitario]

They  can replicate a perfect clone  as you said, but  it will cost more. The finish will cost more...the forged parts will cost more....making a deeper rifling will cost more...who is going to pay 1500 dollars for a Italian copy with no collector value?

In short, the originals are  allaways better.. They cant replicate them with original quality....no market. You get what you pay for when you buy Uberti and Pietta.

This is why I prefer to buy 1 original, and spend 2000 dollars, to buying 3 clones.

By the way, the Italians are raising prices...Pedersoli are becoming quite expensive .and Uberti long arms too.

Anyway, a Italian clone can be improved with better finish and fitting by the expert...but not their rifling, which in general and with exceptions like Pedersoli, , is  quite mediocre.