Uberti .44 Spl. Open Tops

PJ Hardtack · July 30, 2018, 09:11:19 PM

Does the Uberti Open Top have the Navy or the Army grip frame? I'm thinking of a pair in .44 Spl.

My small paw prefers the Navy grip.

Abilene · July 30, 2018, 09:31:33 PM

PJ, there may have been some change to this, but for the longest time with the Opentop the Army grip was available only on the 7 1/2" models, whereas Navy grip was available on all barrel lengths.

Major 2 · July 31, 2018, 04:52:36 AM

This is mine 7 1/2 " with Navy grips in 44 Special

PJ Hardtack · July 31, 2018, 03:46:12 PM

It is my understanding that Uberti offered Open Tops in .44 Russian. That would suit me as I have 600 .44 Russian cases on hand for the .44 Spl. Black Hawks my wife just sold.

Abilene · July 31, 2018, 03:58:31 PM

Quote from: PJ Hardtack on July 31, 2018, 03:46:12 PM
It is my understanding that Uberti offered Open Tops in .44 Russian. That would suit me as I have 600 .44 Russian cases on hand for the .44 Spl. Black Hawks my wife just sold.

They haven't had that in a long time, but plenty of people shoot Russians in their 44 Spcls.

Major 2 · July 31, 2018, 03:59:09 PM

They did.... but I don't think they continue to , I shoot 44 Russian in mine .

EDIT: I was responding when Abilene posted.... what he said !

Coffinmaker · July 31, 2018, 04:44:58 PM

Once you own Open Tops, as long as you fix the Barrel to Arbor fit .... AT THE ARBOR .... you can swap Barrel length and caliber in just seconds. Wonderful versatility

Cholla Hill Tirador · July 31, 2018, 10:09:22 PM

I don't know what kind of grips these are....

....but the revolver just happens to be for sale!

I LOVE the way Open Tops point.

CHT

Crow Choker · August 01, 2018, 07:45:00 AM

Look Navy to me!

Coffinmaker · August 01, 2018, 09:05:12 AM

Yep. Navy

PJ Hardtack · August 01, 2018, 11:23:24 AM

I've got a pair of '71 Open Tops in .38 Spl., one 7-1/2", one 5-1/2".

If there is a problem with barrel to arbor fit, they sure don't have it. Both are great little guns and fun to shoot, but they aren't .44s.

What is the nature of the barrel/arbor fit problem?

Cholla Hill Tirador · August 01, 2018, 11:30:54 AM

Quote from: PJ Hardtack on August 01, 2018, 11:23:24 AM
I've got a pair of '71 Open Tops in .38 Spl., one 7-1/2", one 5-1/2".

If there is a problem with barrel to arbor fit, they sure don't have it. Both are great little guns and fun to shoot, but they aren't .44s.

What is the nature of the barrel/arbor fit problem?

Mine pictured above has no problems with fit.

CHT

Major 2 · August 01, 2018, 12:28:33 PM

Quote from: PJ Hardtack on August 01, 2018, 11:23:24 AM
I've got a pair of '71 Open Tops in .38 Spl., one 7-1/2", one 5-1/2".

If there is a problem with barrel to arbor fit, they sure don't have it. Both are great little guns and fun to shoot, but they aren't .44s.

What is the nature of the barrel/arbor fit problem?

I'd leave the technical explanation to Coffin maker or Pettifoger....in a nut shell the arbor bore is a tad too deep on many (most ).
This allows the barrel to be seated with the Wedge and one may not have the wedge in exactly the same position each time,
So the gap is slightly different each time you set the wedge....

I'm not great fan of the loose washer " literately " a stop gap solution , but it IS a easy solution and it works.

I'd prefer a more solid cure , but that does require some machine work skills...

PJ Hardtack · August 01, 2018, 03:19:09 PM

If all I have to do is insert a split washer to cure the problem, I regard that as a minor inconvenience compared to the agonies I've gone through with other guns over the years.

PJ Hardtack · August 01, 2018, 03:48:45 PM

I found a Canadian dealer who can order direct from Cimarron. He asked me to check the product number of the model I want but their web site does not list them with product numbers.

I find it interesting that they are offered with Army/Navy grip frames and in brass or steel. You pays you money - you takes you choice!

Coffinmaker · August 01, 2018, 04:39:57 PM

I have always considered the Open Top to be primo CAS fodder. They are, however, for the most part "Kits." Really nice kits, but most need some immediate work. Uberti has been famous, or infamous, forever, for very poor Barrel to Arbor fit. The problem description depends on how you look at it. Either the Bore for the Arbor in the barrel lug is bored too deep, or the Arbor is made too short.

Either way, it need to be looked at and corrected. I can only remember having seen ONE Uberti open top type gun, Open Top themselves and Uberti Cap Guns, with a correct Barrel to Arbor fit. There are several way to fix it, and I highly recommend locating the tutorial on The Open Range (Now a Read Only info site) for Ope Top guns, authored by Larsen E. Pettifogger. That tutorial well explains the problem and how to fix it. Often the Barrel Bore and the Arbor need to be cleaned up just to check the fit. Once straightened out, the Open Tops make fine CAS guns.

Until the barrel to Arbor fit is checked and corrected, further work on the guns is a waste of time and money.

Abilene · August 01, 2018, 07:45:37 PM

PJ, the model numbers are listed on Cimarron's website. What barrel length? 7 1/2" 44 Spcl Navy grip is CA913.
On this page it is listed as SKU : CA913
https://www.cimarron-firearms.com/open-top-navy-grip-44-sp-colt-russian-7-1-2-in.html

4 3/4" is CA9003
5 1/2" is CA911

PJ Hardtack · August 01, 2018, 08:30:03 PM

Thanks! I overlooked the SKU # looking for an actual catalog model number.

I note that in the pics owners posted, they opted for the brass grip frames. Any particular reason other than appearance?

Abilene · August 01, 2018, 08:48:14 PM

I dunno. I shoot Navy grips cuz my hands ain't that big

But also because of lower manufacturing costs the Navy gripped guns are always a little less expensive than Steel army grip guns.

Crow Choker · August 01, 2018, 09:53:56 PM

Ref the Army/Navy grips, I like the feel of the Army vs the Navy. Just feel a lot better, I don't have really large hands, but I like to have my 'pinky' finger wrapped around the grips vs just under it. IMO better control and balance. Never cared for the 1873 Colt Peacemaker grips either which are not much more than the Navy grips. I carried a Colt 357 Mark III Trooper with the large Pachmeyer grips most of my 21 year LEO career, shooting 1000's of rds through it which may have altered my affection for the larger Army grips.

Ref the Colt arbor fix, I bought some Dillion brass buttons like Pettifogger advised to for doing his arbor fix. They're still in the zip lock sack they came in. Haven't taken the time to do 'the proper job', but tried the split washer route. It worked, but then I tried and preferred using three thicknesses of brass washers just a tad smaller than the arbor hole that I got at a local ACE Hdware. Played around with the three thicknesses until I got a combination that worked. Grease em up and stick em in the arbor hole. Most of the time they don't come out when taking a Colt apart, if they do they're stuck on the end of the arbor. Just have to remember to watch for them when taking the gun apart, have never lost any. Has worked for all my cap and balls and three Colt cartridge guns. Actually my Richards II was good to go as came from the factory.