UPDATE AT BOTTOM Uberti 72 Open Tops' cylinders and jamming

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

brother has pair of Uberti 72 Open Tops

 

both will have cylinder jam up after first shot--he usually can use off hand to help turn cylinder while cocking it but sometimes even this won't work.

has almost no play in cylinder and frame as well as cylinder and back of barrel.

200 gr RNFP, Red Dot, various brands of primers

done this from beginning

starts off right from first stage with problem

 

ideas to fix this problem?  home gunsmithing? gunsmith?

 

thanks

cheyenne

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

Your brothers guns are Uberti built Open Top design.  The Barrel to Arbor fit is BAD!!  The Arbor is too short which allows the barrel to wedge back against the cylinder face and jam the gun.  This also makes the End Shake wrong.  The first thing to try, before heading out to a gunsmith is to drop by the local hardware, pick ups package of # 10 Stainless Split washers.  Drop one down the bore in the barrel and then seat the arbor with the wedge.  The gun should tighten up just fine with proper barrel gap and End Shake.

 

There are other, more complex (Expensive) ways to fix the problem, but the washer is quick and cheap.  About 3 cents per gun.  You may have to re-fit the wedge. 

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

For the short term, try backing out the wedge some.  Does the cylinder turn fine at half cock?  Make sure you aren't piercing primers, although sharp firing pins haven't been a problem for quite some time.

[Still hand Bill]

There is an article out there on how to slick up the open tops although the links I had saved no longer work   It covers how to fix the arbor fit.  On mine, I had to add quite a bit to fit right.  I tapped the arbor 6-32 and then added a screw with shims to get the right fit.   A very common issue. 

[Jackaroo, # 29989]

Give Boomstick a call in Leonard, he did mine,...reeealll sweet.

[Springfield Slim SASS #24733]

How does dropping a washer down the bore of the barrel help? Does is just shoot out with the next bullet? Seems dangerous to me. I have 5 Opentops and none of them have this problem, but then I don't pound my wedges in that tight.

[Three Foot Johnson]

 

How does dropping a washer down the bore of the barrel help? Does is just shoot out with the next bullet? Seems dangerous to me. I have 5 Opentops and none of them have this problem, but then I don't pound my wedges in that tight.

Down the arbor bore in the barrel. Well, under the barrel, really. He worded it kind of odd.

[Hoss]

I stuffed tin foil in my harbor hole. The “elegant” fix is to drill a hole in end of the cylinder pin, put in a brass Dillon locator pin, then grind the pin down to the correct fit. I’m way too lazy for that! 
open tops are handsome guns, just a lot of work to keep them shooting well. 

[Bailey Creek,5759]

I had mine locking up, The firing pins were pointed, and poking holes in the primers.

Replaced firing pins .

[Springfield Slim SASS #24733]

I knew what he meant, was just being a smarty. Others might not be as gun savvy and do something dangerous. OT get a lot of bad press, but all I have done is replace the firing pins on one and have left the others alone. They are a bit finicky, and are not good guns for people who are rough on their guns. They are not Rugers. I love mine, and feel they are the best choice for shooting BP Duelist. Other categories, maybe not so good. 

[Jailhouse Jim, SASS #13104]

Open tops have a cool factor most of the others do not so would be worth a glitch now and then.  Fix your arbor length and you'll be fine.

[Smokey Dave]

As others have said, the arbors are short. I fix all my Uberti guns with a steel spacer, soldered to the end of the arbor. Dress it with a file until the barrel fit is perfect. Now I can knock the wedge in tight, and the cylinder clearance never changes. I prefer steel over brass, because brass is softer than steel and can change over time. If for some reason, you ever need to remove the spacer, it's a simple matter of applying a little heat and it falls off. No permanent alterations to the gun.

 

 

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

thanks for the replies especially the picture Smokey Dave

we'll get working on them this weekend.

 

we'll just look at them as a 99% kit that's almost finished and go ahead and fine tune them

[El Hombre Sin Nombre]

What everybody else has said about the arbor. Once you get that fixed, everything works great. They are some of the most fun guns to shoot, that point incredibly well, and win most style points. Recently I acquired a really nice pair and had the same issue. I dropped a a small brass washer down the arbor hole (not the bore) and they work fine. A temporary fix until I can affix a permanent solution, but it will at least let you know if that is the only issue you are having.

[45 Dragoon]

Correct, "they are not Rugers" but, they can be made to be as tough, fast and reliable as the fastest Rugers !! They have just as much ability to be in the "winner's circle" as any Ruger .  .  .  .  and I am a fan of Rugers!!!  It's not a slap at Ruger, more a "pat on the back"  that Ruger is the "mark" everyone wants their revolver to meet!!!  It is possible .  .  .  

 

Mike

[Doc Flimshaw Sass# 73310]

On my richards mason conversions (essentially the same as open tops) I simply don't drive the wedge in as far as it will go. You can actually see how close it's getting. It's not the best way to fix it but on mine it works.  

It's a very well known issue

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

We did the washer thing and so this wouldn't be a true scientific experiment also rounded the loading gate where it it was coming in contact with the rims of the cartridges

 

Guns work like a charm.  nary a hiccup over 50 rounds . . . even if we don't know if it was the rounding off or the washer

 

THANKS TO ALL WHO TOOK THE TIME TO OFFER SOLUTIONS