New Old Uberti 1860

[Cheyenne Logan]

Recently won on auction, 1860 Uberti, made in 1970. For being 55 years old, it's in great shape.....not fired much, if at all. Action is crisp, timed perfect and lock up is solid.  Mainspring is heavier than current guns, but that's ok as I believe to light a hammer spring contributes to cap jams as the hammer is pushed back by the back blast and the cap can then fly off the cone.....hammer treatment (knurling) is rather simplistic, straight cross cut lines.....what's interesting is the stock screw heads are much smaller than guns from the last 20 years or so. They don't rub against you hand....and this si what I do to them, if they're kept at all.

I wish they would make the 1860 without the stock screws at all....the 3 screw 1860 cut for stock is the most common Colt. but only, to my knowledge, The Belgium Centennial models were the only ones who made this model , as well as a 7 1/2 barreled version....which is another one I'd love to see.

[Cheyenne Logan]

The stock screws.....

[Rube Burrows]

That does look great for being so old.

[U.S.M.R.]

Back in the 1860s Colt made the stock screws with thinner heads for replacement.

[Abilene]

...I wish they would make the 1860 without the stock screws at all....the 3 screw 1860 cut for stock is the most common Colt. but only, to my knowledge, The Belgium Centennial models were the only ones who made this model , as well as a 7 1/2 barreled version....which is another one I'd love to see.

I'm a little confused, or maybe just ignorant.  I don't know as much about percussion guns as cartridge, but I thought there were just two '60's, the 3-screw civilian, and the 4-screw cut-for-stock, both of which I think are available.  Was there a 3-screw cut for stock, and if so how did the stock attach?

[Cheyenne Logan]

Early 1860's were made with both a 7 1/2" & 8 " barrels......the 7 1'2" barrel could be found on the version with an Army grip and usually a fluted cylinder, or a version that the recoil shield was not cut for the stock (civilian) and a Navy sized brass grip frame.....it is usually found with the rebated cylinder, looking for all intense purposes like an 1861 Navy, with a rebated cylinder.

The 8" version became standard as that was what the military wanted. Not long after, I can look it up, but, Colt did away with the fourth stock screw, but retained the the recoil shield cut for stock......stocks for the revolvers fell out of favor and the Government wasn't ordering stocks......as production ramped up for the ACW, this standard configuration was the 3 screw model cut for stock and was the most prolific of the 1860 models, but not current replicas are made.

The fluted cylinders were discontinued as they had a reputation for bursting, and there was only a bit over 3000 (I think) that were produced with this cylinder.....and like not all Number 3's are Schofields, not all 1860's with fluted cylinders are McCullough's.....Texas got 1000 1860's from early prodiction and they were fluted, but the remainder were sold thru Colt's to several other states.

[Coffinmaker]

  CHEYENNE

CIMARRON FA Co shows an 1860 Civilian Model sans the stock screws and without the stock cut in the recoil shield.  Eight inch barrel.  You actually can have it your way!!

[Hair Trigger Jim]

I think Cheyenne's saying it should be available without the stock screws but still with the stock cut in the recoil shield.

[U.S.M.R.]

I would think that Taylor's or Cimarron Arms could have them made that way. After all they only have to not drill and thread two holes.

[Abilene]

Well, Cheyenne, we know from your '61 conversion that you don't mind grinding on an Italian gun, so I guess just buy a Civilian '60 and file away to make the cut.  You might start getting a reputation for this and people will be sending you their guns to modify. 

[Coffinmaker]

  Well Heck

I went a slightly different route with my 1860 Conversions.  At the same time I did the conversion work, I filed the heads of the Stock Screws really really thin and re-cut the slot.  I was actually tempted to remove the screw head entirely, make a slot for the inside of the frame and make the screw flush to the Fram on the outside.  I finally decided the reversed flush screw was a bit much though.  Still . . . . . . . .