? re pre / post 2008 Uberti 73's and 66's

[Dutch Nichols, SASS #6461]

what changes were made to the firing pin / extension starting on 08 ?? Is one better or more dependable than the other ??

 

my thanks in advance.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

The "new style" Uberti toggle link guns have a stronger connection between bolt and the firing pin extension. It really is safer, in case you have a severe out of battery discharge. It's a key that fastens the FPE and bolt together, with the front toggle link pin holding the key. For them to separate, the key has to shear - probably 100 times as much force needed as for the 1/16 inch pin. And Uberti seems intent on hanging a complicated name on that key - "firing pin extension stop."

(No differences in dependability, speed, weight, or other features of the rifle.)

That said, it took Uberti several years to come to the conclusion that the old design with the small cross pin was not safe enough, so the frequency of severe injuries must have been pretty small.

 

If you have a failure on an older gun that requires replacing the bolt, be aware that only the new style bolts are available from parts houses. And it requires a new FPE, bolt, key and key retainer pin. All are a new design. That virtually insures that in ten years, most guns will probably have swapped out the old bolt and FPE for the new design, because bolts on toggles get a lot of mistreatment by CAS shooters (poor carrier timing, trying to outrun the gun, OOB discharges and other challenges to long bolt life.)

 

Good luck, GJ

 

For the visually-activated folks out there, compare your old gun parts to this diagram:

 

http://www.vtigunpar...erti+1873+Rifle