Disappointed in Uberti 1873 competition Rifle

[Catgut Cav]

I have had an Uberti 1866 Yellow Boy in .38 for quite a few years now. I purchased the Competition 1873 in .357 as a second rifle since me and the wife are getting into CAS.

Took the '73 to the range to test it and my .38 reloads.  Wanted to also make sure the .38's would cycle reliably.

That went flawlessly.  The disappointment was in how much effort was needed to cycle the action on what is supposed to be a factory "tuned" firearm.

I understand that a short stroke would require a bit more force than a standard linkage, but this main spring is a lot heavier than I expected.

My untuned '66 is much easier to cycle.  

It looks like there are some aftermarket springs to be purchased.  Didn't think that would be necessary with the competition model.

Then, to ad to my angst, I buggered one of the lever spring screw heads during disassembly.

 

I guess I just needed to vent to a group that understands the frustration.

Thanks for listening. 

 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Hope you didn't use standard household screwdrivers.

The screw can be 'dressed' and reblued.

[Catgut Cav]

4 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Hope you didn't use standard household screwdrivers.

The screw can be 'dressed' and reblued.

No, I have the Wheeler gunsmithing set. 

I just don't know how the factory gets the screws that tight without any damage.   It does not want to budge.

[Cypress Sun]

 

There is a young gorilla at Uberti whose job it is to make sure that all of the screws are tight. The young gorilla's dad makes sure that the magazine tube cap is tight also.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

15 minutes ago, Catgut Cav said:

No, I have the Wheeler gunsmithing set. 

I just don't know how the factory gets the screws that tight without any damage.   It does not want to budge.

Wheeler is China made and the bits bend/twists easily. 

Firmly tap the screw with only the screwdriver bit on the screw.

Reinstall with a small dab of copper anti-seize on the screw threads.

[Arth Ritis]

Shotgun boogie's replacement springs for the 1873 come with a torx instead of flat head because even with a new hardened flat head screw the factory spring screws one of the two was  near impossible to get out a second time on mine. It was a real adventure the first time.... fire, oil, impact driver, sledge hammer.

[Matthew Duncan]

1 hour ago, Catgut Cav said:

Then, to ad to my angst, I buggered one of the lever spring screw heads during disassembly.

 

Try taking the side plates off to expose the “lever springs”.  Gently pry the springs off the lever to remove tension and make the screws easier to remove.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

They actually use a soft steel (certainly not heat-treated tool steel) in those screws that stretches as their impact screw guns assemble our Cowboy guns.   That stretch is a work-around to put enough torque on the screws to keep the factory from having to use loctite or similar compounds.  But it almost locks most of the screws into the guns.

 

A hand-driven impact driver is almost a must for taking out the factory installed Uberti screws.   The common version of this takes 1/4" drive sockets, or an adapter to accept the hex-drive screwdriver tips.

 

Get the hardened Uberti replacement screw kits from VTI (and some other parts suppliers) and save yourself future grief!  

 

And get great thin-blade screwdriver bits.  The Brownell magnatip sets are made from much better steel and have true hollow-ground shapes, and lifetime guarantees.

 

In case you have not been instructed yet, almost all of the reproduction Cowboy type guns are "parts kits adjusted only by the factory so that parts fit together" instead of being finely tuned for competition.  That work is left for the owner or his gunsmith, to avoid the price tag being ANOTHER $1000 higher.

 

good luck,GJ

[WindyCity Red]

1 hour ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

They actually use a soft steel (certainly not heat-treated tool steel) in those screws that stretches as their impact screw guns assemble our Cowboy guns.   That stretch is a work-around to put enough torque on the screws to keep the factory from having to use loctite or similar compounds.  But it almost locks most of the screws into the guns.

 

A hand-driven impact driver is almost a must for taking out the factory installed Uberti screws.   The common version of this takes 1/4" drive sockets, or an adapter to accept the hex-drive screwdriver tips.

 

Get the hardened Uberti replacement screw kits from VTI (and some other parts suppliers) and save yourself future grief!  

 

And get great thin-blade screwdriver bits.  The Brownell magnatip sets are made from much better steel and have true hollow-ground shapes, and lifetime guarantees.

 

In case you have not been instructed yet, almost all of the reproduction Cowboy type guns are "parts kits adjusted only by the factory so that parts fit together" instead of being finely tuned for competition.  That work is left for the owner or his gunsmith, to avoid the price tag being ANOTHER $1000 higher.

 

good luck,GJ

Is that VTI.com?

[Frontier Lone Rider]

10 hours ago, WindyCity Red said:

Is that VTI.com?

 

www.vtigunparts.com/store/shopcontent.asp?type=home

[Windy City Kid]

Back to the rifle. I shot the Ubert Comp for half of a season, before giving it to my smith. Yes, it was stiff out of the box, but after working the action over and over (some watching some westerns) it did get a little better. After my smith's work on the springs and innards, it is smooth as silk. Hang in there, its a good rifle. 

[Catgut Cav]

Don’t get me wrong, I do really like the Uberti rifles. They are fine firearms in my opinion.  I just expected a bit more from a rifle marketed as a competition model.  

On to spring kit recommendations. 
Separate thread for that to follow. 

Edited October 1 by Catgut Cav

[Rye Miles #13621]

1 hour ago, Catgut Cav said:

Don’t get me wrong, I do really like the Uberti rifles. They are fine firearms in my opinion.  I just expected a bit more from a rifle marketed as a competition model.  

On to spring kit recommendations. 
Separate thread for that to follow. 

Was it a cut and weld by any chance? I had one and it ran okay for a while but I eventually had to get a short stroke kit and a new lever. Works great now!

Edited October 1 by Rye Miles #13621

[Griff]

1 hour ago, Catgut Cav said:

Don’t get me wrong, I do really like the Uberti rifles. They are fine firearms in my opinion.  I just expected a bit more from a rifle marketed as a competition model.

Yep, it's a "competition" model... as in, I hope all my competition uses one!  Just kidding... they are a bit better than other stock models, as in they are slightly short stroked over the standard rifle or carbine. 

 

I've long maintained that there isn't a factory produced firearm used in cowboy action that was capable of competing at anything resembling an advantage.  Anything you'll buy will need work to be truly competitive.  Sure, if you want to poke along with me at 40-60 seconds per stage... you factory guns will be fine... but, will they be just as good 40 years later?  I highly doubt it.   While I poke along at my own pace, I do so with guns that are as finely tuned as I can afford.  Ain't a one among them as is stock.  My 3 single shots are as close as that comes, and even they have had trigger work.

[Blackwater 53393]

What most people don’t take into account is that these rifles are set up at the factory to handle and fire the crappiest ammunition they might get loaded with.

 

Those chassis springs are there for just that purpose! They are not purpose built for the CAS market, in spite of the fact that they DO build a lot of the things we ask for!

 

It doesn’t excuse the use of those crappy soft screws!

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

The biggest problem with the Lever Side Springs is the end of the spring boss is not shaped to fit the curve of the frame.  This causes the spring to "cock" at a weird angle seriously binding the screws.  BEFORE you re-install the springs be sure to contour the end of the spring to fit the frame.  This applies to your '66 also.  Turning the springs out of the frame relieves this pressure and will make the springs much easier to remove.

[DukeSoprano]

 

[Catgut Cav]

24 minutes ago, DukeSoprano said:

 

Thanks Duke.  I remember seeing that post.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

Catgut,  25% of the lever load is from the OEM lever side springs.  If you don't reduce them the lever load will still be a bit heavy.  If your not knowledgeable of "spring grinding 101" I would suggest SlixSprings for the side springs (minor fitting), already shaped fro the frame.  With reduced Main Spring you should also reduce the Firing Pin Return spring.  A little polishing don't hurt neither.  Have Fun