Uberti .44 Spl. Open Tops

[Coffinmaker]

Way Back in the Wabac (Sherman and the Professor), when I discovered the Barrel to Arbor fit could be corrected in 98% of Open Tops with a 10mm Split Washer, I went running around the CASCity forums yelling about it alot.  It provided a good solution for folks who were unable to do the Machine work for more elegant solutions.  A simple CHEAP fix anyone could do.  Marvelous.  The other advantage to the washer(s) is finding out the Barrel to Arbor error is constant.  The consistency of the error allows the fitting of the different length and caliber of available barrels/cylinders with the same washer.  Don't loose the Washer.  There are sold in packages of multiples.

The next thing I have done for grins and giggles is similar to Crow Choker.  Except.  Once I find the correct Brass Washer combo, I rough up the end of Arbor, mix up some JB WELD and glue the washers to the arbor.  The best way to do this and get it right is to insert the arbor/washer stack into the barrel lug and install the wedge.  Wait overnight.  Here is the catch.  INSURE you lightly coat the the inside of the Barrel Lug .... and the Sides of the Arbor with RELEASING AGENT.  I use Vaseline.  Without the Releasing Agent, the correction of the Barrel to Arbor fit can become really really permanent 

More than one way to Skin a Kat

[Crow Choker]

"Way Back in the Wabac"!! Haven't heard that in a long time. Sundays nights whatever hour it was on always reserved for Rocky and Bullwinkle. Sometimes Mrs Crow will ask be a question and I'll respond "And now we'll hear a word from Mr. Know-It-All"! (Rocky amd Bullwinkle)  The TV Nazi's and PC moron's would probably find some problem with that show today and ban it have big boycott's against the advertisers. 

OK-off my thread hijackin'! I've always thought about epoxin' the brass washers too as you've posted Coffin', but keep tellin' meself as soon as I get a few other projects done, gonna 'Pettifogger' all my open top frame hoglegs. Guess that's why God created 'tomorrows'! Read on a forum sometime "in the Wabac" some guy bought a Brownell's accru-glass kit to glass bed his rifle and forgot to put the release agent on the barrel and receiver. Ouch-Ouch!! He was cryin out for help in what to do. Never did hear how he resolved it. If the internals still worked, that would be one solid shootin stick.  

[Slamfire]

 What , Mr. Coffin said ,, washers ( mine are stainless @ .005 ) always buy by the pack ( More than 3 ea. ) " you will lose 1 ,, break 1,,your friend's will borrow 1 ,, .?

  smoke'm if y'a got'm ,, Hootmix .

[PJ Hardtack]

Thanks for all the tips, Gentlemen!

"Learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to learn from your own."

[Jake C]

Way Back in the Wabac (Sherman and the Professor), when I discovered the Barrel to Arbor fit could be corrected in 98% of Open Tops with a 10mm Split Washer, I went running around the CASCity forums yelling about it alot.  It provided a good solution for folks who were unable to do the Machine work for more elegant solutions.  A simple CHEAP fix anyone could do.  Marvelous.  The other advantage to the washer(s) is finding out the Barrel to Arbor error is constant.  The consistency of the error allows the fitting of the different length and caliber of available barrels/cylinders with the same washer.  Don't loose the Washer.  There are sold in packages of multiples.

The next thing I have done for grins and giggles is similar to Crow Choker.  Except.  Once I find the correct Brass Washer combo, I rough up the end of Arbor, mix up some JB WELD and glue the washers to the arbor.  The best way to do this and get it right is to insert the arbor/washer stack into the barrel lug and install the wedge.  Wait overnight.  Here is the catch.  INSURE you lightly coat the the inside of the Barrel Lug .... and the Sides of the Arbor with RELEASING AGENT.  I use Vaseline.  Without the Releasing Agent, the correction of the Barrel to Arbor fit can become really really permanent 

More than one way to Skin a Kat

I followed Coffinamker's advice back when I got my Uberti .44 Richards, and it was a great decision. Cheap and so easy even I can do it!

[PJ Hardtack]

The Cimmaron dealer quoted me $649.99 per with a 10-12 WEEK delivery time!

Good grief! I may have to go through an importer and pay the fee if I want them sooner.

[PJ Hardtack]

Well, I done bit the bullet and ordered a couple of Cimarron .44 Spl. Open Tops, one 7-1/2" and one 5-1/2".

I've got a pair of Uberti Open Tops in .38 pl. with the same barrel lengths, so I'll have a pair of pairs, so to speak.

I like the handiness of the 5-1/2" and the pointability of the 7-1/2". With the longer barrel .39 Spl., I have won three annual man-on-man elimination events.

I'm hoping that this will continue with the .44 Spl. In addition to a wagon load of .44 Spl. brass, I do have on hand 500 .44 Russian cases which will get used as well. With BP, they should approximate .44 Henry loading the original Open Tops were chambered in.

[Coal Creek Griff]

With the longer barrel .39 Spl., I have won three annual man-on-man elimination events.

Do you consider it cheating to use the extra .01" to win? 

CC Griff

[Abilene]

Do you consider it cheating to use the extra .01" to win? 

CC Griff

Maybe he just shoots it a lot!  I know someone who years ago built a .50 Cal Hawken from scratch and shot it so much it is now over .60 Cal 

[PJ Hardtack]

The typo police strike again ..... ;>)

[Cowtown]

To the original question...

I have a pair of the revolvers in question and they have Army grips from the factory. I have large mitts but I wish these had the Navy grips. I normally shoot OMV Bisleys but I just can't adapt at all to these Open Top Army gripped 44's although they look great! I"ll just shoot them A LOT slower than usual 'cause they ARE that fun.

Especially with BP.

Yup.

[Crow Choker]

PJ, you'll like those 44 Open Tops. I have both my Open Top and Richards II (long barrels)  chambered in 44 Special. When I first got them (11 yrs ago) I loaded smokeless only in 44 Spec and black in 44 Colt brass, mostly for cartridge ID. I have loaded some 44 Spec in black (around 27 grains of FF) vs the 25 grains of FF black in Colt cases, but mostly did it just do see and do. Any more about all that gets shot through them anymore is Mav Dutch 200 grain soft lead with the 25 grains of FF. Accuracy is very good, recoil isn't much more than smokeless defensive 38 Special rds, actuality mild to moderate IMO. The smokeless loadings were never bad either, accurate, mild-moderate recoil- always kept them around the 750-800 fps level so as not to beat the 'be jiggers' out of the Colt frame styles. Ended up getting a used well taken care of Ruger Super B. Hawk for more potent 44 Spec loadings.

I've never shot or reloaded 44 Russian. IMO unless a gun is chambered in that caliber, the 44 Colt is more desirable or 44 Spec if a shooter doesn't want to invest in 44 Colt brass (available from Starline). My thoughts on the 44 Russian is that it isn't much more than a 38 Special as far as recoil (and stopping power if that would be a factor at all), just a bigger, larger diameter chunk of lead going downrange. I do have a Richards/Mason conversion (5.5 barrel) in 38 Spec, load around 19 grains of FFF black. Its a accurate mild shooter with DD's Snakebites. I've yet to load any smokeless rds. As a side note, I had to fix the arbor issue and bolt timing on the OT, the Richards II was and is the perfect 'child', no arbor or any other issues out of the box. Whatever kinda' beans ya stuff in the cylinders, you'll enjoy dem 44 Colts

[PJ Hardtack]

I just happen to have 500 .44 Russian cases on hand that I bought for my wife's .44 Spl. Blackhawks, which she never liked and sold off.

Like I said earlier, they will approximate the original .44 Henry RF 200 RNFP with BP.

In any case, I'm looking forward to them.