Uberti bore diameters

[Classicflh]

Tale of two guns...

My first Uberti (2017) was the Colt Lightning in .45LC.  It was a beautiful rifle and I spent the time polishing the internals so it was very slick and reliable. 

I had issues with pretty severe blowback and went through lots of reloads, crimped harder, learned to anneal, slugged the barrel, cast the chamber with cerrosafe and was just about to start loading .454 bullets to see if it would seal better.  Before doing that I had a local gunsmith do a chamber casting just to make sure I was going the right direction.  Well, he casted the chamber plus 3 inches and found the bore diameter was .449.  Luckily I didn?t go .454.  He contacted Uberti and they said to send it in and they?d look into it. 

5 weeks later my gunsmith said Uberti determined the rifle was unsafe and irreparable.  They indicated I should pick a different rifle from their 2019 catalog.  There aren?t any Colt Lightning?s in the 2019 catalog!  They?ve dropped it from their product line.  I ended up contacting the original retailer for a credit (approved by Uberti) and applied it to a Uberti 1876 in 45-60.  That was delivered in about 7 days.

Gunsmith called me to pick it up.  Just before walking out the door he asked if he could cast the chamber and 3 inches again.  He came up with .454.  He packed it up and sent it back.  Uberti checked it and said it was in spec and they sent it back.  I pick it up in the next few days.  Gunsmith says I?ll have to shoot .455 or .456 bullets.  What?  So I?m going to have some questions... once I get my hands on it.  This has cost me some extra bucks with dies, bullets, new sights, shipping and FFL fees all over again.  Not very pleased with that. 

Anyone else have a tight barrel like this? 

[greyhawk]

Tale of two guns...

My first Uberti (2017) was the Colt Lightning in .45LC.  It was a beautiful rifle and I spent the time polishing the internals so it was very slick and reliable. 

I had issues with pretty severe blowback and went through lots of reloads, crimped harder, learned to anneal, slugged the barrel, cast the chamber with cerrosafe and was just about to start loading .454 bullets to see if it would seal better.  Before doing that I had a local gunsmith do a chamber casting just to make sure I was going the right direction.  Well, he casted the chamber plus 3 inches and found the bore diameter was .449.  Luckily I didn?t go .454.  He contacted Uberti and they said to send it in and they?d look into it. 

5 weeks later my gunsmith said Uberti determined the rifle was unsafe and irreparable.  They indicated I should pick a different rifle from their 2019 catalog.  There aren?t any Colt Lightning?s in the 2019 catalog!  They?ve dropped it from their product line.  I ended up contacting the original retailer for a credit (approved by Uberti) and applied it to a Uberti 1876 in 45-60.  That was delivered in about 7 days.

Gunsmith called me to pick it up.  Just before walking out the door he asked if he could cast the chamber and 3 inches again.  He came up with .454.  He packed it up and sent it back.  Uberti checked it and said it was in spec and they sent it back.  I pick it up in the next few days.  Gunsmith says I?ll have to shoot .455 or .456 bullets.  What?  So I?m going to have some questions... once I get my hands on it.  This has cost me some extra bucks with dies, bullets, new sights, shipping and FFL fees all over again.  Not very pleased with that. 

Anyone else have a tight barrel like this?

I have a Uberti 45/75 with a good barrel - a little over if anything - my mold drops 460 - 461 - I size to 460 only because the neck is tight on my reformed 348 winchester cases and I cant chamber anything fatter - this gun does not like proper size (.458) boolits. The talk is these are really Pedersoli barels and those have a rep around the traps (here at least) for being a couple thou oversize. Looks like just when we all get used to that, mold makers get tooled up for it and all, then some goose in Italy decides to change it all. These Itlian makers can produce a quality product, attractive finish - all that - but they keep on shooting them selves in the foot - poor quality control and stuff going out of spec.

Or in this case going back into originl spec ------there are several case dimension drawings floating around that show bullet diameter as 454 - for the 45/60 and 45/75 ---- that might be technically correct but it aint smart.

There are a lot of 45 colt repros coming out of Italy at the moment -- I spose this lets them simplify manufacturing by using one run of rifling equipment for both calibres or some such nonsense........................................
 
You have been slung a bunch of BS by Uberti and they should make it right 

[Classicflh]

Thanks for the feedback greyhawk.  It?s going to be an interesting relationship with this rifle and I?ll have to be careful to not over think it. 

It still hasn?t come back from Uberti and today my gunsmith said he?d check on it.  Haven?t heard anything from him yet.

I spoke with a guy at Uberti about my secondary loses and he wasn?t concerned about them.  He just told me to call the seller, Elk County, and have them refund the original value and reorder from them.  Of course they wanted to know what the hell I was talking about.  I had them call the contact at Uberti and they worked it out.  Pretty cut and dry and no kisses. 

I?m still pissed about losing the Lightning to some issue that?s not clear to me.  I haven?t seen any public info regarding safety issues with the Lightning but them pulling mine as fast as they did and having dropped it from the product line is a pretty good tell something is greatly amiss. 

That my new 1876 went back due to undersized bore is worrisome.  That they told my gunsmith it was inside SAMMI spec isn?t making me feel any better.  There are no current SAMMI specs to be found.  I see some CIP specs and I?ll have to get smart on them... but there I am back to over thinking.

While I?ve been waiting, I spotted an old wooden rifle in the gun shop.  Thought the price tag was $1000 but I took a closer look and it was $100 even.  I got my hands on it and found it to be an old 7.65 Argentine, sporterized and in excellent condition.  With my old eyes, I?m able to hit gong at 250 yards, open sight.  Now that relieved my Uberti funk some.

When I get the 45-60 back home, I?m reslugging it and will start my search for the proper size bullet.  Will need to find a source for custom or odd sized casts and 45-60 dies.  I hear 45-70 might work but I?m not too sure about that.  A friend has some so will give it a try.  Figure pushback is about the worse that can happen if I?m careful.

After getting through that, I?ll see if I need to deal with Uberti again.  I?ve got a 5 year warranty and I?m not going to shy away from using it.  They might have to deal with me the whole time.

Thanks again...

[Classicflh]

Received my rifle back two days ago.  Didn?t get a chance to talk to the gunsmith before taking it home. 

I slugged the barrel vs. casting it, using fishing sinker lead, when I got it home.  I found a few spots where the slug measured .456.  ??

So I slepted on it, thinking maybe my slug wasn?t done quite right and I?d make a better one and do it again. 

Ended up cutting a 325 WSM case and melted soft lead into it.  Ended up with a good sized slug measuring a bit over .50.  I slugged that through the Barrel and was able to find more .456 spots on this better made slug.  And it actually pounded through pretty easily, consistently  and smoothly.

I hate doubting my local gunsmith as I know he?s been at it for over 25 years.  He casted and didn?t slug.  I watched him do it and measure it.  I even asked about the cerrosafe needing to cool before measuring it but he said it didn?t have to.  He used a caliper and micrometer to measure it so I can?t believe it?s worn equipment.

I measured .456 twice.  On different days and sober on each.  I?m loading .458?s and will watch for signs of too much pressure.

I sure hope I didn?t lose a favorite gun due to bad calipers or casting technique.  If so, I hope this 1876 learns to make me like it as much... hell, better make that more.

I?ll post info after I punch paper and take a pic or two.  I have a Skinner Peep sight I may put on it if things work out.

Meister 350gr to start.  I have Varget and will give that a go.

She?s a long rifle.

[wool]

My Uberti 1876 in 45-60 was made in 2007; I slugged the barrel yesterday using a soft lead slug, well lubricated. It miked up at .4570", after pushing through the bore with no tight spots.

[Classicflh]

I tore into the '76 to get to know it better.   I was pretty pleased with how well machined the parts were and that there was very little need to file or sand.  It looked like someone had already been in there and knocked down some spots.  I may have one issue but that's to be determined after I make a few more boolits.  I think my first set (9) were a bit short (2.15 COAL).

I slicked it up a bit using some of Tom Horn's suggestions http://marauder.homestead.com/files/Slicking_the_1876.pdf as the action seemed to catch a bit in a few places.

My very first shots (4) were at a cardboard target at 100 yards.  Sights were initially set on the lowest notch.  First shot is low so I moved it up two notches.  Second shot was mid-way to my point of aim.  I picked it up another two notches and my third shot was a few inches wide but right on vertically.  The fourth shot brought it in a bit tighter and confirmed the vertical setting was right on.  Pretty pleased with that result.  I had 5 other rounds - I couldn't resist and shot them at gongs at 200 and 250 yards just to see what the drop was going to be like.  I was surprised that at 200 it wasn't much of a drop... maybe 4-5 inches.  250 yards seemed more like a 12-14 inches but I didn't have a spotter confirming.

Bullets were from Buffalo Arms:  .458" 350gr FN Hard Cast Lead 20-1 in front of a good amount of Varget.

I think I can shoot this rifle just fine.  May need a sling and shooting sticks as it's a weighty beast.





 

[Coal Creek Griff]

Excellent! Thanks for the range report.

CC Griff

[Classicflh]

I had mentioned earlier that my rifle was sent in to Uberti after my local gunsmith said the bore was undersized.  Uberti sent back a diagram, with a hand written comment, stating that the 45-60 has the same bullet and bore dimensions as the 45-70 Government.  They also told the gunsmith that this rifle was in spec.

I've attached a copy of the sheet Uberti sent back and have included a European spec sheet I found for the 45-60.  Just takes a calculator to do the conversion.  Link -> https://bobp.cip-bobp.org/uploads/tdcc/tab-ii/tabiical-en-page110.pdf

Now I have to get back to making boolits for this long stick.