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Uberti vs. Ruger


Tequila Shooter

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Yes, someone offers a coil spring conversion for the Colt copies (both top straps and open tops), Remingtons and Ruger Old Armys ( obviously including the other 3 screw models).  The Colts get a direct coil-torsion spring (ea.) for the bolt and the trigger and a frame mounted compression coil spring for the hand (Ruger style). The Remington patterns get a coil-torsion spring (ea.) for the trigger, bolt and the hand.  This setup has proven to be "bullet" proof and with the addition of a bolt block and an action stop, to be an equal to the Ruger for "toughness" ( this goes for all Colt and Remington patterns). I believe I'm the first to coil spring a Remington action. 

  I also found it easier to "redesign" the bolt (cyl latch) coil-torsion spring for Rugers to make a bolt block installation easier. A total redesign/relocation for the trigger spring gets it out from behind the trigger and up in the frame (where it otta be!). It has a much smoother action and more linear feel. (This can be seen in Chronicle in George Baylor's ROAs "Heaven" and "Hell" ). The addition of the bolt block and action stop in the Ruger increases the life of these revolvers as well.

 

I've been doing the coil conversions for about a year now and it is the "center piece" of my service now. 

 No user install kits available at this time. All springs are made "in house" except for the compression hand springs, they are sourced.

 

Mike

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This is only my opinion so please take it as such. Rugers are hardy guns. Well made and will handle a beating. However to me they just dont look and feel right for this game. Personally i'm a remington fan so colt clones just dont do it for me. But even that being said rugers arent exactly colt clones. There's a lot of good things about a ruger but i'll take authenticity and deal with replacing worn parts a little more often.  Pretty much any brand of revolver you buy for this game is gonna need some tuning to make it slick. Once you handle one that's been smoothed up by a professional you'll understand a lot better.

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5 hours ago, Tyrel Cody said:

 

I can't remember if I've tried that or not. Are they thinner than the black plastic factory ones from a few years ago?

Yes, they are.

I've been using them on my OMV 44's for the last 15 yrs.

I'm 5'8", with small-to-medium hands.

OLG

 

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6 hours ago, Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 said:

Howdy Warden

 

This 44 Mag Flattop Three Screw Blackhawk was made in 1958. The hammer spring was very similar to a modern one, with a coil spring around a strut. Yup, I have a pin in there to keep the spring from flying, just like with a modern Ruger.

 

FlatTop44MagParts.jpg

 

 

 

 

 You can see the spring plunger here that sat behind the trigger to push it forward.

 

FlatTop44MagXR3GripFrame.jpg

 

 

 

 

The hammer used the same type of spring plunger that Ruger uses today to trip the bolt.

 

FlatTop44MagHammer02.jpg

 

 

 

 

Three notches on the hammer, just like a Colt.

 

FlatTop44MagHammer01.jpg

 

 

 

 

Bolt is a simple stamped part, unlike the complicated springy bolt of a Colt. Part of the reason a Ruger was cheaper to make than a Colt. A stamped part is so much less expensive to make than the spring bolt of a Colt. The coil spring is what pops the bolt up. The other pioneering development by Ruger was his use of Investment Cast parts. If you look carefully you can see the grainy finish on the hand. Designed to pop out of the mold to finished dimensions, no expensive hand fitting needed. Ruger still uses Investment Cast parts today for the same reason.

 

FlatTop44MagBolt.jpg

 

 

 

 

Look ma, no transfer bar. The hammer strikes the frame mounted firing pin directly.

 

Frame%20Mounted%20Firing%20Pin_zpshci353

 

 

 

 

And of course, the screw heads on a Three Screw Ruger were on the opposite side of the frame than on a Colt. I dunno why Ruger did that, there is no engineering reason for it. Maybe just to be ornery.

 

FlatTop44MagPlumLoadingGate_zps039b323b.

 

Thanks, 

 

I've got one Ruger and it's a 3 screw 45Colt with extra 45ACP cylinder.  It gets shuffled around in the safe from time to time. It's a family heirloom.  I don't think I've ever taken it apart.   Sawmill Mary's brother bought it when the new model came out because the new model were not a welcome change.  

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Yup - like others pointed out, Rugers are USA made, strong, and have great customer service. I shoot gunfighter with "Original Model" Vaqueros and I do not have big hands.

 

The Uberti's action is 'Colt like" and they can be worked over to make a fine revolver for CAS.

 

Ultimately, it's personal taste which has also been mentioned already.

 

GG ~ :FlagAm:

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Coil springs are cheap and easy to manufacture. A machine in Asia can turn them out by the billions.  More reliable?  Maybe so by some small margin.  But I could cover my bed a couple deep with guns over a hundred years old that have, to the best of my knowledge,  original flat springs and they are still doing their job.

 

I have had one trigger/bolt spring go dead on one of my Cattleman revolvers during a match.  I can't say if it was a Uberti spring or a Wolff - more likely a Wolff. Then again, maybe the action had some gunk in it from shooting black powder. 

 

Flat springs don't bother me one bit.

 

In fact, I'd rather have the flat spring on the hand then the "mouse turd" plunger and spring setup.  I've never had the flat hand spring to fail.  But I've spent a lot of time looking for the lost plunger and/or spring that I forgot to manage when taking a gun apart. Then having to take the grip back off to install it because I forgot to put it back in. 

 

 

 

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Without reading any other replies I say, it's personal preference. I just don't like the way Rugers feel! I like Colts.......... and Uberti's and Pietta's  have the same feel as a Colt. I'm not putting down Rugers but I just don't care for the feel of the action! Just MHO

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9 minutes ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Without reading any other replies I say, it's personal preference. I just don't like the way Rugers feel! I like Colts.......... and Uberti's and Pietta's  have the same feel as a Colt. I'm not putting down Rugers but I just don't care for the feel of the action! Just MHO

 

Go ol' Randall Powers can fix your Ruger grip to feel like a Colt.

 

 

He can supply parts to make the action more like a Colt.

 

 

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31 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said:

 

Go ol' Randall Powers can fix your Ruger grip to feel like a Colt.

 

 

He can supply parts to make the action more like a Colt.

 

 

That's real nice but I don't have a Ruger and never will! I have 3 Colts and 3 Uberti's and a Pietta! I'm happy with what I have. Thanks!

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16 hours ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

I've got medium hands... Small for being 6'2". I now shoot FCD (DD) using OMV''s.

 

It's not that bad...

 

Phantom

YOU...FCD....and DD????  "get out o here" :D

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Rugers to me don’t feel right. The weight and balance feels off. The size is different. But most importantly, the action is way different. Now I get why they are the most used guns in the game. Tanks, sure. But they are easy to use (had a shooter borrow a clone once and could not figure out how to load it), most are the same so it’s easier to get grips, are cheaper than colts, and can be made race ready with just the changing out of springs. As far as the fragile colts, I haven’t had any springs break in any of mine. I’ve seen more transfer bars break than colt springs. Now perhaps the clone springs are weaker? Most clones these days also have the coil plunger hand spring so that part is a non issue. Like most have said, it’s personal preference and they all work. 

 

Im going to disagree with two top posters here. First, NKJ, I think the model T/muscle car analogy is wrong. No driver, no matter how good, is going to beat a muscle car with a model T, where as good shooters can win with rugers or clones. 

 

And Driftwood I can absolutely feel the difference while shooting between a three click clone and a four click. Maybe it’s because  I don’t shoot that fast? Either way, it’s not just the clicks. The travel between clicks is obviously different. I had one and swapped out the hammer and trigger for an older model one. Parts dropped in with very little fitting. From what I understand, those old model hammers and trigger won’t be available for much longer. But who knows? Uberti may decide to go back to them in the future. I’ve got one more hammer and trigger set aside just in case I come across a clone I can’t live without. 

 

 

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5 hours ago, Warden Callaway said:

But I've spent a lot of time looking for the lost plunger and/or spring that I forgot to manage when taking a gun apart. Then having to take the grip back off to install it because I forgot to put it back in. 

 

Yup, been there, done that.

 

Ask me about the new 1911 I just bought and I forgot how strong the recoil spring is and how it can launch the spring cover thingy into the next county if you are not careful when you field strip.

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Well for me Rugers been dang good---started playing this game nearly 22 yrs ago----bought new set o Vaqueros in 44 mag---later on a pair o 45 Vaquero Beasleys followed me home---got addicted and overdosed on a pair o 45 colt sheriffs  models & a pair o 357 sheriffs models --thought I was recovering well then one day Ruger came out w/ the 32 mag baby Vqueros-had to have em----------Each & every one of has only need smoothing out by lubeing w/FLITZ & dry fireing 3 or 4 hundred times----have NEVER had any kind o problem outa any o them-------aint no fast shooter but got a bunches o awards for clean matches---I like hitting what I'm shooting at!!

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The only problem i see with rugers longevity is it made me come up with new excuses why I needed different guns, worn out and broken don't work for rugers anymore.:D:)

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On 3/29/2019 at 7:42 PM, Lead Friend, SASS #53635 said:

The other strategy is to start buying guns and see which you prefer although that gets expensive.

 

 

Yes, but it's far more fun.  It's  what I did until I retired; by then, I had settled on "my" guns, plus had a few for trading/selling stock.

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Others have said it, what draws you to the game, winning, authenticity of your guns, looks?  You can buy Colts, pay twice as much (at least) and have a better looking gun that some (not me) claim handles/feels better or you can pay half the price and get a more durable gun that will shoot just as well as a Colt will. 

 

I don't much care about looks and I don't think Colt's handle any better than Rugers so I have a couple of Colts, but I have 6 Ruger SA revolvers.  We use the Rugers every match, the Colts will never be used in a match.  If I had to get rid of a pair for some reason the Colts would go first. 

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54 minutes ago, The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 said:

Why choose? Get both!  :D

That's actually what I prefer.  Rugers for lower hammer Spurs for duelist-style and Colts for a two-handed hold.  Just what feels right and what works best for me.  

 

Mike Brackett is working up a pair of coil-spring slicked up 1860s for me.  When I get them I'll report back on them and do a video.

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1 hour ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

Others have said it, what draws you to the game, winning, authenticity of your guns, looks?  You can buy Colts, pay twice as much (at least) and have a better looking gun that some (not me) claim handles/feels better or you can pay half the price and get a more durable gun that will shoot just as well as a Colt will. 

 

I don't much care about looks and I don't think Colt's handle any better than Rugers so I have a couple of Colts, but I have 6 Ruger SA revolvers.  We use the Rugers every match, the Colts will never be used in a match.  If I had to get rid of a pair for some reason the Colts would go first. 

Let me know when you do. I’m always in the market for more colts

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2 minutes ago, Redwood Kid said:

Let me know when you do. I’m always in the market for more colts

LOL, pretty much kidding.  I keep them around because my dad gave them to me, kind of like the Belgium Browning A5 and the pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in 300 Win Mag, I don't have much use for them, but I like having them.  If we ever get invaded by elephants I may pull the Winchester out of the safe. 

 

I'll put more rounds through one of my Rugers in one match than I will through one of them in a decade.

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2 hours ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

LOL, pretty much kidding.  I keep them around because my dad gave them to me, kind of like the Belgium Browning A5 and the pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in 300 Win Mag, I don't have much use for them, but I like having them.  If we ever get invaded by elephants I may pull the Winchester out of the safe. 

 

I'll put more rounds through one of my Rugers in one match than I will through one of them in a decade.

Can’t fault you there. Some great guns passed onto you. 

 

For what its worth, most of my colts are used and I put more rounds through them in a month than the previous owners did the whole time they’ve owned them. I still haven’t had to replace a single part in any of them. 

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25 minutes ago, Redwood Kid said:

Can’t fault you there. Some great guns passed onto you. 

 

For what its worth, most of my colts are used and I put more rounds through them in a month than the previous owners did the whole time they’ve owned them. I still haven’t had to replace a single part in any of them. 

Yep! Just because I prefer Rugers doesn’t mean I don’t like Colts.

 

Colt makes good guns. With 4 cowboy shooters in the family, and maybe 5 soon if my younger daughter decides to join us, $6,000 plus for 10 revolvers works better than $15,000 plus especially considering all the other stuff you need to buy.

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We enjoy our Rugers for competition.  Cody James shot a stock Ruger for years and was competitive.  We now all have Rugers with Shotgun Boogie kits.  Love them.  We own Colts and also enjoy them.  When it comes to competition we all go Boogie!!!!

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2 hours ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

Yep! Just because I prefer Rugers doesn’t mean I don’t like Colts.

 

Colt makes good guns. With 4 cowboy shooters in the family, and maybe 5 soon if my younger daughter decides to join us, $6,000 plus for 10 revolvers works better than $15,000 plus especially considering all the other stuff you need to buy.

Well I’m not quite there yet. My kids are pretty young. But they have both expressed interest in playing this cowboy game. Hmm, now that you put it that way, it might be me selling off my colts and buying rugers in a few years. 

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2 minutes ago, Redwood Kid said:

Well I’m not quite there yet. My kids are pretty young. But they have both expressed interest in playing this cowboy game. Hmm, now that you put it that way, it might be me storing my Colts in the back of the safe and buying rugers in a few years. 

 

Fixed that for you.

 

 

Selling Colts has to be some kind of Blasphemy. 

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2 minutes ago, Tyrel Cody said:

 

Fixed that for you.

 

 

Selling Colts has to be some kind of Blasphemy. 

I was only joking. I’ve already started putting away extra colts for my kids too. Even a pair of 22 scouts to get them started. I’ve only ever sold/traded two colts and that was to bring in two different colts I liked more

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I started off with OMV's in 44-40. Shot them with no problems for about 10 yrs, 1-3 matches a month. All I did was change the mainspring to a 19 pounder. Went to the dark side and 38-40 . Couldn't find OMV's in 38-40 . Didn't want Blackhawks. Had a 1st gen. Colt and an antiqued Uberti 38-40 I got from Taylor's tent at a Mule Camp. In the "scratch and dent" showcase. Shot those a few times, ran across a OMV in 38-40/40S&W. But it was stainless , I bought it anyway. "I don't like shiny guns". So I bought another one, shot them for a while. Then, there it was ,,, a late 3rd. gen Colt in 38-40 that followed me home, I looked for another one ,, found it, bought it. Smoothed and cleaned them up and shot them. They were great and trouble-free. Still wanted blue OMV's in 38-40. Friend's suggestion ,,,,, why don't you just get a pair of 357's and bore them out ,,,, "brilliant" . Found and bought a pair, sent then off, got them back,  range checked them ,,, worked great. Used them in the next match and they felt really odd in my hands. I'd been shooting the Colts for so long ,, about 10-11 yrs, 1-3 matches a month. But, Colt or Ruger ,, never had a lick of trouble. I've got a pair of early 3rd gen Colts in 44-40 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, not Colts best work. Whatever feels good in "your" hand Ruger, Colt or one of the Italian pistols ,,,,, get it.

Good luck,

Isom

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I started with Clones...….had the USAF Long Hunter's with the LH serial numbers....really low too I might add. They shot great and never failed but he did do a Ruger fix on em' for the weak link the clones have.

 

Then I got a pair of Ruger's from Jimmy Spurs as a back up set or a good excuse to buy more guns. What I did what shoot the plate rack over & over calculating times & misses and for whatever reason the Rugers won that test for me. 

 

I'm more worried about winning than if my guns are Colts or clones or Rugers so I went by that......it might be the fit or the action or just me but since it's just me that lives with the outcome that's the pair I chose. 

 

I bought a pair of Colts when I was having a case of authenticity blues but I just couldn't bring myself to beat them up in action shooting so I sold them for what I have in my rifle, SKB & Holster rig...……….lol

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