Buckshot Frank Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I just got back from my local gunstore that had a Uberti 1873 in .357. I was planning on waiting to purchase my rifle until after I can try the various options (1873, Marlin, and Rossi) at the next shoot, but this one had a beautiful tiger-striped stock . I have a "thing" for tiger-striped stocks and will buy just about anything with one. I almost went ahead and purchased it (I think that the price was OK at $945), but was unsure of the magazine capacity since the barrel looked pretty short. The clerk pulled out a tape measure and measured from the crown of the barrel to the front edge of the receiver opening and it measured about 17 3/4". Does this mean that it is the trapper model with the 16 1/2" barrel or the carbine with an 18" barrel? The receiver was blued and the barrel was round, if that helps. If it is the trapper model, what is the magazine capacity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Fill 'Em 67797 Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 You're probably looking at the Carbine model. It should hold 10 .38 Specials easily. It might or might not hold 10 .357 Mags. Since most shoot .38s it shouldn't be a problem. Is the gun new or used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Barrels are measured from the muzzle to the breech face. In this case the receiver on a 73 is basically 3/4" deep, so your barrel is around 18 1/2". Plenty long for ten rounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Frank Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 The gun is new. It is almost too pretty to shoot though. The stock is glossy and the grain is beautiful. If it is 18" (which it sounds like it probably is), I'm going to have to seriously consider it. I've looked for a Marlin in .357 for two months without finding one. A large gun store chain in my area called five distributers and couldn't locate one. I went to a different gun store today at lunch to see if they had any Marlins (which they didn't in .357) and was surprised to see the Ubertis. I haven't seen them for sale in person anywhere until today. I still think that it is probably smart to wait to try some different rifles first, but those tiger-stripes are calling my name. Decisions, decisions... Do they all have nicely grained stocks (if I decide to wait), or is this one special? Is the price ($945) good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badlands Beady Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Do they all have nicely grained stocks (if I decide to wait), or is this one special? Is the price ($945) good? From the sound of it, yours is special, and the price is really pretty good. I have an 1873 short rifle (18" octagonal bbl) with attractive but ordinary wood that I know I paid something like $1100 for. If I were you, I wouldn't wait long enough to throw a saddle or bridle on the Chevy; just hop in and go get it. It sounds like not getting it could be one of the things you'll regret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Junky Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 double tap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Junky Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 It's probably an 18 in rifle. Is the bbl Oct or round. The easiest way to tell is look at the forend of the gun and if it has an end cap on it then it’s a rifle. There are other differences but just a quick check......the carbine is a round bbl and the front forend has a bbl band and ends with wood (no end cap). If the wood is that pretty it also makes me think it’s a rifle. Buy it...you can't go wrong with a new 73 at that price. Rifle http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,4021.html Carbine http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,3520.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Sgt. Jake McCandless #3368 Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I would agree with my pard Beady's take on the average Uberti 73,fairly straight grained walnut. I have seen a 73 with the kind of grain you described,about five years back. A pard from N.H. ended up buying it ,gorgeous wood,not your average Uberti wood. P.S. the links Cowboy Junky posted is a good example of the usual wood that ends up on Uberti's Adios Sgt. Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Frank Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 I just got off of the phone with them to get some more info on it. It has a straight stock, round barrel, blued receiver, barrel band, and a saddle ring. The guy on the phone measured from the barrel crown to the breech face at 19". From looking at the various models on the Buffalo Arms website, it looks to be the saddle ring carbine. Is this a desireable model? Still a good price? I like the looks of the case hardened receivers and octagon barrels better, but did I mention that this one has a nice looking stock? From the replies, it sounds like I probably will not find one with as pretty a stock if I wait. I was hoping to find a used Marlin at the next shoot, but if I end up liking the '73 more and miss out on the tiger-striped stock, I'm sure that I will regret it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I just got off of the phone with them to get some more info on it. It has a straight stock, round barrel, blued receiver, barrel band, and a saddle ring. The guy on the phone measured from the barrel crown to the breech face at 19". From looking at the various models on the Buffalo Arms website, it looks to be the saddle ring carbine. Is this a desirable model? Still a good price? I like the looks of the case hardened receivers and octagon barrels better, but did I mention that this one has a nice looking stock? From the replies, it sounds like I probably will not find one with as pretty a stock if I wait. Saddle ring carbine for sure. This model usually runs $50 to $100 cheaper than a 20 inch rifle. Has a more-shoulder friendly butt plate. Front sight not easily swapped out, but a couple of pards here make a "grabber" large bead front sight for the carbine. (Nate Kiowa Jones for one, and i believe Manatee has one, too.) Sounds like, if you like the stock, you have a reasonable price, and it WILL hold 10 rounds of either .357 mag or .38 spl. Go for it, I'd say. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Dave Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 GO BUY IT! Grizz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painted Filly Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 GO GET IT!!!!!!! You will not be sorry. Painted Filly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Junky Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 IMO the sights on the carbine are not competition friendly (as others have said). The front is easy to replace and will cost about 30 bucks to replace with a “good” one. The rear sights on the gun and where it dovetailed varies. You can make the ladder site work if you don’t mind doing your own work and have a dremel but the ones with the dovetail further forward are easier to fix. The bottom line is to get the carbine “right” it will cost you as much as just buying the rifle which all ready has what you want on it. I really like the weight and feel of the lighter carbine though and when you’re done with it I like them just as much if not better than the rifle. PS If you look at the carbine in the link I posted it has the rear sight further away from the receiver which makes replacing it much easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Frank Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Well, Mrs. Buckshot, knowing my affinity to tiger-striped stocks, told me to go buy it. It is going to be my Birthday/Valentines Day/Anniversary present. Before dropping a grand and realizing that I screwed up, I have a question. Will this work reliably without having to do a bunch of work slicking it up? I know that there are plenty of race parts available which will be great down the road when I want to tinker, but this will pretty much blow my CAS budget. If it is going to take a bunch more money to get it usable, I'm probably better off continuing my search for a Marlin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex M Rugers #6621 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Well, Mrs. Buckshot, knowing my affinity to tiger-striped stocks, told me to go buy it. It is going to be my Birthday/Valentines Day/Anniversary present. Before dropping a grand and realizing that I screwed up, I have a question. Will this work reliably without having to do a bunch of work slicking it up? I know that there are plenty of race parts available which will be great down the road when I want to tinker, but this will pretty much blow my CAS budget. If it is going to take a bunch more money to get it usable, I'm probably better off continuing my search for a Marlin. Sure , it will work and be reliable without work. They were used for quite a while before short-strokes were invented , and lots of folks shoot stock guns , without even action jobs. Hard to believe , but it is so. Get it home , enjoy it until you get caught up on disposable cash , then get it slicked if you want to. I just get the feeling that you're not going to run into another one with the wood you have described anytime soon. Good luck , Rex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Chance Morgun Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Buckshot, I know we talked about the '92 vs the '73 before. I'd say get the '73 you've been looking at. The WORST thing that can happen is you don't like it and decide to sell it. As you can see, it looks like there is a pard or two that would be happy to buy it from you. Plus there are always Newbies looking for equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Frank Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Thanks guys. I think that I will go and buy it tomorrow. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait 3 days before I can pick it up. Patience is a virtue that I don't have... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Junky Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Buckshot, It’s a great rifle out of the box and won’t let you down. The drawback is they are pretty stiff at first. You could shoot it for 3 years and break it in or speed the process up a bit. IMO the smoothness is what helps most and it’s really not much to make a 73 smooth. My advice would be look at the poor man’s action job http://www.davidscottharper.com/shoot/PoorMan.htm if you are mechanically inclined or find a start attending local shoots and find a pard that will help you just lighten the springs a bit and you will be MUCH happier at the range. Later, if you get the "bug" it's a great rifle to build on if you feel the need. I have help many new shooters get there gear ready on a budget all the time and there are many folks like me willing to help you out I guarantee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Frank Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Buckshot, It’s a great rifle out of the box and won’t let you down. The drawback is they are pretty stiff at first. You could shoot it for 3 years and break it in or speed the process up a bit. IMO the smoothness is what helps most and it’s really not much to make a 73 smooth. My advice would be look at the poor man’s action job http://www.davidscottharper.com/shoot/PoorMan.htm if you are mechanically inclined or find a start attending local shoots and find a pard that will help you just lighten the springs a bit and you will be MUCH happier at the range. Later, if you get the "bug" it's a great rifle to build on if you feel the need. I have help many new shooters get there gear ready on a budget all the time and there are many folks like me willing to help you out I guarantee. Thanks for the link. I'm a gun tinkerer, so I'll most likely give this a try. Any future work, I will do myself- at least until I screw something up that I can't fix. Luckily, this has yet to happen. I'm going to go back to the store at lunch today and see if it still grabs me like it did yesterday. I've been slowed down a little by comparing the carbine to the short rifle. I like the looks of the short rifle better, and it sounds like it has better sights. The carbine seems to lighter and handier and has a quicker handling buttstock shape. While I think I prefer the rifle, I can justify buying the carbine since it will probably be the better choice for my wife to shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phiren Smoke GUNFIGHTER Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Buckshot, You have received lots of good advice above. Cowboy Junky's link has lots of helpful info. I don't have the address but you could google Marauder's website for some more do it yourself info. If it is like every Uberti rifle I have torn into it will have some very heavy tool marks running diagonally across the main spring. These can lead to stress fractures. I would suggest polishing them out before using the rifle a lot (as in a full season of cowboy matches). This can be done by any one with any mechanical ability and will increase the spring's life considerably. When reinstalling the spring tighten the mounting screw til the spring touches the frame then back off one to one and one half turns then tighten the strain screw (the small screw in front of the mounting screw) until you get reliable primer ignition. While you are that far in the lever/trigger safety spring can be "adjusted". Slip a small screw driver under the spring and pry it up just a tad. My test is if the safety stays engaged when the gun is upside down it has plenty of tension. The lever and lifter springs can do with some polishing also. I think these springs would hold up the front of a one ton truck. I have not had good luck with leaving these springs' mounting screws loose as they always back out and cause problems. I have put very thin flat washers under the springs to adjust them with success, however. While not a full action job these adjustments are an easy DIY and will make the gun more reliable and much more pleasant to shoot. Hope this helps Smoke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Frank Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 I just bought it. The stock still looked as nice today. The .45 colt carbine (same model) that was sitting next to it had a plain looking stock which is probably more representative of the typical stock. I can see why the carbine sights aren't that great. I would have prefered the short rifle and inquired about them ordering one for me. He said that they could get one but the price was going to be significantly higher because the two carbines in the store have been there for awhile, and their distributer's price has gone up since they were purchased. I think that the price was fair and there was little chance that what I ordered would have had as nice of a stock, so I went ahead and bought the carbine. Hopefully, this will be the last big expense for me. I think that I now have everything that I need to get started. I remember when I checked out my first match a couple of months ago, someone told me that it would be $2000 to get started. I figured, maybe for most people, but I'm a thrifty shopper. Almost $3,000 later... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Dave Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Yup, I reckon I put about 3300 out to get outfitted, worth every penny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badlands Beady Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 The "getting started" part isn't so bad. It's the momentum you build up while you're getting started that kills ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Frank Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 I finally was able to pick her up this afternoon after the 3-day waiting period. If the waiting period is supposedly a cooling off period, why is it three business days ? I can't wait to get home to cycle some snap caps through her. I've got some .357 and .38 snap caps just to see if it is picky about OAL. I'll try to take some pis of the stock tonight. How do you post pictures on this board anyways? Just paste the photobucket link? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Dave Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 yes just post photobucket link. Congrats on your new shooter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Frank Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 Well, here is a picture of the stock: http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y273/ruotolof/DSCF0053.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe E.S. Corpus SASS #87667 Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 You were right about the stock. That's a nice piece of wood. See the other thread running about snap caps before you buy any. I was about to order some before I read that the A-Zooms may not be ideal for use in the Ubertis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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