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1866 fancy carbine


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:FlagAm: I recently purchased this very early Uberti/Navy Arms import 1866.  Serial number is 914, production code XXVll which equates 1971.  Factory engraved.  44WCF caliber.

Uberti in Italy so far not willing to look into history.

I am curious if anyone here has ever seen or owned a similar example.

Thanks for any information provided.

Regards,

Chas B

PS I am aware of lack of parts similar to newer production guns.

 

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Although the original owner has passed, his son, Val Forgett III, heads Navy Arms, which is now located in W. VA.  He might be able to give you some information on the carbine as it would have been a special item.  Nice looking piece.  I also had a low serial number carbine I bought at an auction many years ago.  Like yours it had a lever safety, which was on the early models.  The lever was bent and I sent it to Navy, who repaired it.  Handy little carbine. 

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I also have a very early one by Navy Arms, and I find it to be a nice gun.  The previous owner had removed the lever safety and had done, in my opinion, a far too aggressive action job to it.   The hammer fell so slowly that it would not hit the primers hard enough to make them go bang.   I took the gun to Happy Trails and asked him if he could return it to "more or less factory specs."   He did.   The action is still smooth, but it now goes bang, or boom, when I need it to.  Lever safety is back.   It does not seem to be short stroked.

These very early ones, you will notice, have a kind of a notch in the receiver in the ejection port.   That's because they made them very, VERY close to the specs of the originals, the ejection port of which is to small for .44-40's.  Thus, the notch on these early ones that is not on the current productions.   And, this is why the parts are not all that compatible with the new ones either.

But, if I found another one in .45, I'd probably get it.   They are nice guns.

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:FlagAm: The very first long gun Apple Annie started with in 1998 was an early Navy import '66 carbine in .38spl.  Serial number was just below 900.  She shot that gun for many years with zero problems.  The previous owner finally talked her out of it.  She replaced it with a Sante Fe Arms import '73 carbine, engraved side plates and nickled in .357mag.  Again, never a problem.  Fairly early as well but later dimensions.

 

Tex Jones, thanks for the advice.  I sent Navy an E-mail with above pics. 

Chas B


 

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1 hour ago, watab kid said:

nice looking rifle , id not see one of these early ones before 

 

I can't resist that comment.   :)

Here's some pics of mine.  it has a 1200 range serial number.

1895503678_66right.thumb.JPG.02cf3dd653ed03eec0b89e8399f81f53.JPG419306729_66Left.thumb.JPG.0b40a9873467db20cc536684fd9d7265.JPG

 

As you can see, mine is not as fancy as the the one that started the thread, and the saddle ring has been removed.  Not been able to find a replacement.

 

Here's a closeup of the lever safety.

 

341663559_66LeverSafety.thumb.JPG.ef58273a0ca768f087e7dc2ec1e0606b.JPG

 

And here's the above mentioned notch in ejection port.

1239856010_66EjectionPort.thumb.JPG.8c71756986b75a12e2206fd99c7cb032.JPG

 

Now you've seen 2 of them!

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2 hours ago, watab kid said:

thats nice as well , see the saddle ring has been removed , by you ? why ? 

 

Removed by the previous owner.   I don't know why.   I'd like to replace it, but I've not been able to find one.   I'm not sure the modern made ones have the same dimensions as these early Navy Arms ones.

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8 hours ago, Tex Jones, SASS 2263 said:

Although the original owner has passed, his son, Val Forgett III, heads Navy Arms, which is now located in W. VA.  He might be able to give you some information on the carbine as it would have been a special item.  Nice looking piece.  I also had a low serial number carbine I bought at an auction many years ago.  Like yours it had a lever safety, which was on the early models.  The lever was bent and I sent it to Navy, who repaired it.  Handy little carbine. 

:FlagAm: Navy Arms contacted me today.  Unfortunately, when Val passed on and the original company closed, all records were turned into the BATF.  Thus the current company has no way of researching this gun.  I am hitting a brick wall on this one.

Chas B 

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I think that's the one that was stolen from me about 18 years ago. I appreciate you recovering it and will send you details on how to return it to it's rightful owner.

After all, it's way too pretty to stay in Arizona long.

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7 hours ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

 

Removed by the previous owner.   I don't know why.   I'd like to replace it, but I've not been able to find one.   I'm not sure the modern made ones have the same dimensions as these early Navy Arms ones.

hope you find one that fits , i too would want it back like it was suposed to be , but i understand that we cant always control how things come to us , shame previoous owner didnt save original bits to pass along when sold - i do that if i alter something 

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I to have a early model Navy Arms 44/40 with the lever safety 1866 Uberti .

Mine has had the barrel removed and recut to 44 special .

They are excellent built rifles with much as possible attention to the original 1866 frame size .

As stated earlier the reason for the injection Port notch .

Rooster

 

 

 

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I used to live near Navy Arms before they moved to Va.  One of the men who worked there before they moved was the firearms department , manager at Ramsey Outdoor in Paramus NJ , I don't know if he is still there , if so, he might be able to help you with your questions, if not maybe they can put you in touch with him.

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I can't read the Proof marks well on yours.

 

Here is a list of the Italian proof marks and dates:

 

1945 = 1 1967 = XXIII 1989 = AU
1946 = 2 1968 = XXIV 1990 = AZ
1947 = 3 1969 = XXV 1991 = BA
1948 = 4 1970 = XXVI 1992 = BB
1949 = 5 1971 = XX7 1993 = BC
1950 = 6 1972 = XX8 1994 = BD
1951 = 7 1973 = XX9 1995 = BF
1952 = 8 1974= XXX 1996 = BH
1953 = 9 1975 = AA 1997 = BI
1954 = X 1976 = AB 1998 = BL
1955 = XI 1977 = AC 1999 = BM
1956 = XII 1978 = AD 2000 = BN
1957 = XIII 1979 = AE 2001 = BP
1958 = XIV 1980 = AF 2002 = BS
1959 = XV 1981 = AH 2003 = BT
1960 = XVI 1982 = AI 2004 = BU
1961 – XVII 1983 = AL 2005 = BZ
1962 = XVIII 1984 = AM 2006 = CA
1963 = XIX 1985 = AN 2007 = CB
1964 = XX 1986 = AP 2008 = CC
1965 = XXI 1987 = AS 2009 = CD
1966 = XXII 1988 = AT 2010 - CE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

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That looks like the imports for the Bicentennial era, were advertised in some gun magazines.  The Henry was offered in .44 Rimfire or .44-40, I think the 66 was offered in the same calibers.  The first rifles I think were made by Euro something then Val got into the repo game and changed everything.

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On 1/17/2022 at 6:52 AM, Chas B. Wolfson, SASS #11104 said:

:FlagAm: ...1866.  Serial number is 914, production code XXVll ... I am curious if anyone here has ever seen or owned a similar example.

 

 

The staple is "J"-shaped, threaded on long leg.  When installed, tip of short leg sits in forward hole. Long leg extends far enough through rear hole for small nut to be threaded onto shank and tightened from back and inside of receiver. Maybe any Uberti 66 or 73 staple will fit?  Removed the staple from my early 66 'cause I don't like floppy-noisy-obtrusive things hanging from my firearms.

 

Serial numbers seem to be consecutive and mixed with Henry versions, running to high-40,000s, or about 1980, when the carrier was lengthened and notch dissappears.  When were first Uberti 1873 rifles advertised?  1980?

 

The Judge ran a Santa Fe 1866 in .38spl, with a brass plated (or all-brass) magazine tube.

 

I have a 44-40 Henry rifle with receiver notch and lever safety, early serial number.

 

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