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Anyone shoot open tops


Irish Pat

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I think Open tops are really cool looking but I don’t know anything about how good they are as  no one at our club shoots them. Can anyone shed some light on the subject As I think I want a pair in 38. Irish ☘️ Pat

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I have a 5 1/2" Army in .45 Colt. Beautifully balanced and not at all bad to clean and take down.

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The answer "Depends"(not the kind in a plastic package).  "Open Tops" can and does include ALL the Colt Pattern Guns without a "Top Strap."  THE Open Top is a specific gun.  THE Open Top was the first purpose built Colt Cartridge handgun.  Incidentally, PIETTA does not build an 1872 Open Top.  Pietta only produces Cap Guns.  SO:

 

I have been shooting THE Open Top for about 20 years.  Well balanced, point like an extension of yer hand.  Available in three calibers:  38 Spl, 44 Spl/44 Colt/44 Russian and 45 Schofield/45 Colt.  ALL of those calibers/cartridges can be shot on the same action, by swapping Cylinders and Barrels.

 

I also functioned as an Open Top specialist in the CAS Gunsmith line in my area.  THE Open Top suffers the same malady of an Abysmal fit of the Barrel to Arbor of ALL Uberti built Open Top type guns.  Before ANYTHING else is done to the guns, that Barrel to Arbor fit MUST be corrected.  Once properly set up, the guns are SWEET personified.

 

The last 10 or so years I spent building CAS ready Pietta Cap Guns.  With the exception of my own set of Open Tops, I did not accept work on Uberti guns.  I found Uberti to be nicely finished "KITS" requiring way too much work to be acceptable for our game.  YMMV

 

 

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2 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

I shoot a pair and really like them. My are Pietta 1872s chambered in 38 special with 7.5” barrels
 

 

Wasn't aware that they made an 1872. Thought they were all Uberti's, except for the bastardized guns that ASM put out years ago.

 

Anyway, the final 12 or 13 years of my competing was done primarily with a pair of 5 1/2 Uberti 38's. I have a pair of 5 1/2 inch 44sp and a pair of 4 3/4 inch 38's that were cut down 5 1/2's as well.

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When I was shooting full time .

I had a pair of Uberti open top  44 Specials with smith shop pins and action work by Long Hunters shop .

With Army grips and 7in barrel's 

They shot very nice .

The best part was they feel and point just like my Colt 1860 Army's .

So it did not matter if I was shooting Cartridge guns or Cap guns .

The gun in the hand pointed and felt the same .

Just sayin 

Rooster

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I shoot open tops most of the time, both army and navy grips. My 38s are navy grips and my 45 Schofields have army grips. I shoot  duelist and have had the hammers lowered due to thumb surgery. Love them especially black powder.  They point so much better than my 73 saa.

Rafe 

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I shoot an Cimarron/Uberti 1860 army open-top, in .44 Colt (it's an early model, and .44 Specials won't fit). It can also shoot the .44 Russian. 

I reload the Star-Line .44 Colt, or .44 Russian. I like both, and shoot both, in my open-top.

I have heard complaints of the firing pin needing to be upgraded, and there is a website that offers a firing pin that is supposedly better.

I have not had a problem, yet, but I may order a firing pin, from the site, and have it just in case I have an issue, at some point down the trail.

But I do really like my open-top. It functions great, and is as accurate as I can make it, plus it does have lots of style points, and looks cool.

Unlike the Type 2 Richards conversion, my open-top has a 7 1/2 inch barrel, whereas my Type 2 Richards has an 8 inch barrel, al la the 1860 Army percussion Colt. 

 

My Two Bits.

W.K.  

 

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1 pair 1851 American Frontier Arms 7 1/2" in .44 Russian

one 1861 American Frontier Arms 4 1/1" in .38 sp

1 pair 1851 Armi San Marco 7 1/2" in .38 sp

 

They all 5 shot better than I can shoot.  They were used by teenagers for 6-7 years shooting one or two matches per month. I like the .44 Russian better than the .38 sp.   The kids never once had one not work at matches but they were all cleaned before each match.  The wedges were adjusted to keep the same barrel clearance and the forcing cones were all cut to 11 degrees.

 

 

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On occasion I shoot Richard Masson Conversions in 5 1/2" 1851's in 38. I love shooting them, but prefer my Rugers. They point very well, there's always the cool factor. They will over rotate, grease on the arbor will stop it. 

 

I'm certain you won't be disappointed with them. 

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I like to shoot these from time to time...

531101578_10UbertiWalker.thumb.JPG.ec6ac854113a6c7754a113f1817ff926.JPG

 

Uberti Walker.   Usually pair it with...

1302274212_13ColtDragoon.thumb.JPG.92313c657ea6fb38ae75e9a4377effb0.JPG

 

Second Generation Colt Dragoon

And then their's this...

1860.thumb.JPG.356f20db23e1180a44571e987d2db6f4.JPG

 

Pietta 1860

And this...

312307797_186032.thumb.jpg.c5166b7389d0703190b767682e98ac6a.jpg

First Gen Colt 1860, .32 Smith and Wesson Long  I wish this one could talk...
 

And that's what I have for open tops.   Try to shoot each of them at least once a year.  They are fun, and Walker/Dragoon combo get's a lot of fun comments.

 

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I have shot a match or two with 1872’s from uberti.  After adding a screw on the mandrel to get the fit right they work well.  I got them for shooting FC as they are easier to clean as thats What they were designed to do.  Barrels come right off to get soaked in hot water.  

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31 minutes ago, Irish-Pat said:

Are all open tops made by uberti?

All cartridge OT's and conversions are made by Uberti.  Pietta makes cap'n'ball pistols that some people convert to cartridge with Kirst or Howell conversion cylinders.  For those, the barrel needs to be removed to reload, unless you buy a gated conversion cylinder and mill out a loading port on the right side of the recoil shield.

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I’ve not been to a match since pre-COVID but my main match pistols are both Uberti Open Tops in .44 Special. One is an 1872 Open Top 7.5 inch barrel and one is a Richards Mason conversion 8 inch. I shoot black powder exclusively. After many many matches the only repair done was to the 1872 on which the firing pin became crooked and looked terrible but still functioned fine.  I finally replaced it.  In a world of SAAs Open Tops are perfect for me. 
 

Seamus

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2 hours ago, Rafe Conager SASS #56958 said:

I shoot open tops most of the time, both army and navy grips. My 38s are navy grips and my 45 Schofields have army grips. I shoot  duelist and have had the hammers lowered due to thumb surgery. Love them especially black powder.  They point so much better than my 73 saa.

Rafe 

plus 1 for this. My open tops balance much better than my ‘73s and point much better. PLUS!  They are much cooler. 

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I have been shooting Uberti 1871 open tops for several years. The only problem I have had is the screws loosen up and need to be tightened before each match. 

 

I just like the way they feel and point.

 

Silver Rings

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On 6/25/2021 at 12:08 PM, Irish-Pat said:

I think Open tops are really cool looking but I don’t know anything about how good they are as  no one at our club shoots them. Can anyone shed some light on the subject As I think I want a pair in 38. Irish ☘️ Pat

Is that open tops, or topless?

I really like them too.  38 is just about perfect. 

Cowboy jargon, you know. 

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There is just nothing cooler than open tops and black powder!

image.thumb.jpeg.7b1dd0b9d202b75af0e85087b172c5de.jpeg

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Bought this .45 from a fellow shooter for my Rafe Covington impression and honestly don’t care much for it, maybe with a shorter bbl. Pretty gun but feels awkward to me. 

7078016A-092A-47F5-AF93-EB61CBD86CE3.jpeg

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I have been shooting Uberti 72 Open Tops for several years, 38 cal. then got the set up to switch to 44 special. 5 1/2" on everything. Great pointers, great shooters.

 

I put in wide triggers, removed the hammer safeties, made my own firing pins and drilled and installed Ruger hand springs. I had to do some fitting of course but that was expected. That made them fit and work for ME. My daughter bought the same set as me just recently and they were much better out of the box than mine were. 

If they fit you and point well for you then I say they are as good as any repro. The newer productions are much better than they used to be.

 

Doc Nelson

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Ed you have 1860 Richard masons not opentops, little differences 60 have the rear slot notch on the hammer ot have an actual rear sight on the barrel, ots do not have the cylinder ring breachplate. Conversions were Colts way of using up existing percussion parts, ots were Colts stopgap until the saa was ready to roll out.if have a few sets of both and I must say that my opentops are getting much more range time.

Rafe

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1 hour ago, Baltimore Ed said:

Bought this .45 from a fellow shooter for my Rafe Covington impression and honestly don’t care much for it, maybe with a shorter bbl. Pretty gun but feels awkward to me. 

7078016A-092A-47F5-AF93-EB61CBD86CE3.jpeg

.45 Colt or Schofield? I love that one!

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Hi Rafe :P  Don't look now, but ALL of the Colt Pattern guns without a Top Strap are technically "open tops."   Himself, Mr. Samuel Colt, called the Remington and "others" Strapguns.  And he meant it derogatorily.  Originally what we know as The Open Top was the Colt Model 1871 or the Colt Model 1872.  "Open Top" was ascribed by the general public.

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17 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

Hi Rafe :P  Don't look now, but ALL of the Colt Pattern guns without a Top Strap are technically "open tops."   Himself, Mr. Samuel Colt, called the Remington and "others" Strapguns.  And he meant it derogatorily.  Originally what we know as The Open Top was the Colt Model 1871 or the Colt Model 1872.  "Open Top" was ascribed by the general public.

True! I like them both, RMs were my main match until I got my 71-72 Ots  dialed in.  

Rafe 

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I have been shooting 2 Uberti 1872 Opentops in 44-40 with 7.5" barrels for the last 6 years or so, have had no problems with them. I shoot FCD and found these pointed much better for me when shooting one handed than my SAA's. 

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I shoot Cimarron 7.5 inch  72 open tops in .45 schofield.  Had them for 20+ years, if memory serves.  I really like the 1860 grips and they point really well.  I also love my Colt SAAs, but the 72s are special.  

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