Uberti/Cimarron 1866 Questions

[462]

In another thread I mentioned drool running down my chin, as I stared at a very nice consignment Uberti/Cimarron 1866 chambered in .38 Special. I keep dreaming about it, its $725 price seems reasonable, so thought I'd give it a thorough fondling today.

Anyone have any real world experience with the Uberti 1866, regardless the importer?
Any function or manufacturing particulars to look for?
Any and all information is welcome.

Michael

 

[Brad]

That is a pretty decent price. For a 38 special that is a good rifle.
Couple of suggestions. Get a 6 cav mould. Get a progressive press. Get a few thousand cases, at a minimum. You won’t need to get more fun,you will find plenty every time you go to shoot with that rifle. Just realize that 200 rounds goes pretty fast and that cycling the lever will eventually get tiring.

 

[462]

That was sure quick, Brad, thanks.

I have a Lee six-cavity 358-158 RF that feeds the .357 Magnum Rossi 92/EMF Hartford, Blackhawk and Vaquero, and a Lee four hole turret, so those bases are covered, but another set of dies are a very real possibility.

And you right about the levering fun, and the Hartford provides plenty of it.

 

[Brad]

Lever actions are the ultimate plinkers. I have killed many a pop can on the 50 yard berm with mine.
Might be why I own so many?

 

[uncle jimbo]

In another thread I mentioned drool running down my chin, as I stared at a very nice consignment Uberti/Cimarron 1866 chambered in .38 Special. I keep dreaming about it, its $725 price seems reasonable, so thought I'd give it a thorough fondling today.

Anyone have any real world experience with the Uberti 1866, regardless the importer?
Any function or manufacturing particulars to look for?
Any and all information is welcome.

Michael

I bought a 1873 Uberti in 357 mag the first of Feb, and although the load count through it is low (due to weather) I have had no problems with it to date. Not the 1866, but I think the insides are the same and I am sure the workmanship is the same..

 

[462]

Good to know, thank you, sir.

 

[L Ross]

I have had four, and still have two. My .38 spl. carbine failed shortly after I bought it at a CB match. There is a lip on a spring loaded cartridge stop that broke. I ordered a new one from VTI and while I waited for it I soldered on a piece of brass and reshaped it. That repair is still working and I have the VTI replacement part as a spare. All are/were accurate, smooth, and lots of fun. I heartily recommend them. I shoot all of mine with black powder and the 44 spl is the best because it almost perfectly replicates the 44 Henry Flat cartridge of the originals.

 

[462]

Good information, and thank you Mr. Ross.

Since my original post, I've read that that tab can bend/break, and fixes are generally accomplished with JB Weld, or a combination of JB Weld and a piece of steel.

The store owner told me that the owner had a feeding issue and changing the loading gate cured it. The owner didn't know, though, if the replacement gate was Uberti or aftermarket.

Also read that screws are tightened to several thousand foot-pounds.

 

[fiver]

the loading gate fixed a feeding issue?
you don't even need a loading gate for the rifle to function.
I guess it could have had a horrendous burr or something impeding the round from fully releasing from the magazine.... but ??

 

[dromia]

I got my 1866 Uberti sporting rifle (24 1/2" octagonal barrel) three years ago after being on order for another three years previously. Upon getting the gun it would not chamber rounds with the bullet nose catching on the bottom edge of the chamber, the problem I found to be that the lifter seemed to be to minimum tolerances in a receiver that was at maximum tolerances. When the lifter on its riser was at top dead centre there was enough clearance for the lifter to tip forward so that the bullet nose was catching on the edge of the chamber, easy fix I epoxied a couple of brass shims to the front of the lifter and filed to fit the receiver, job sorted.

Next issue was when working on load development I had a jammed action as live round had passed the retaining flange on the loading gate, seems like minimum tolerances on the flange combined with worn/rounded case heads and the round would slip into the action, again another simple fix, a shim of leather was epoxied 'tween the loading gate and the receiver plate sufficient to push the gate in a tad to hold the cartridges in the lifter.

Since then the gun has been faultless (touch wood) and is extremely accurate especially with BP loaded rounds and has had thousands of rounds through it since, in fact I have just loaded 100 rounds at the desk here with a 310 tong tool and Accurate 312 123 gn bullets and will be shooting them later this morning.

By rights I should have returned the gun with these faults but I didn't want to wait another three years for the replacement to arrive, fortunately the fixes were within my limited abilities and it has given me nothing but pleasure since.

I also have a Uberti 1860 Henry in 44-40 and an 1873 in 38-40 both of which I have had no issues with.

 

[462]

The way I understand it is -- and I could very well be wrong not having a disassembled gun to look at --if the tab is bent toward the rear of the receiver, or broken, from rounds slamming into it, then the next round to be chambered sits too far toward the rear of the receiver, and creates a feeding glitch.

From what I've read it is a common problem with several fairly simple fixes.

 

[Ian]

If you're looking for us to talk you out of spending money on it, I doubt you'll get much support from this group!

 

[RBHarter]

I fully support buying new tools .

 

[462]

Yep, Ian, though my long time close friend and gun enabler recently arrived in gun lovers' heaven, he has been replaced by a forum full of enablers. And I do believe that John is still at his old enabling tricks.

Yesterday afternoon I placed the rifle on hold till Tuesday, when the store re-opens, to give me time to do more research. My born-100-years-to-late soul has a very soft spot for 1860 Henrys and 1866 Winchesters, and I reckon this is as close as I'll ever come to owning an original.

In researching, I found that the 1860's magazine was one piece with the barrel. Never having seen one, I wrongly thought that it was a separate piece.

 

[462]

Dromia, thank you for the additional information.

This is the 24 1/4" octagon barreled Sporting Rifle version, too.

 

[Ian]

The 1860 has a very odd magazine by any other rifle's standards, it's more like an integral track on the bottom of the barrel. To load it you slide the follower tab up to the muzzle end and about the last six inches of the barrel swivels to the side capturing the spring and follower and exposing the end of the track so you can insert the cartridges. I'm really not sure how they were put together, and it certainly doesnt appear to be the simplest or least expensive way it could have been done.

After Winchester cut ties with BTH, the forearm and loading gate were added.

 

[462]

The 1860's barrel and magazine are one piece of metal machined to look like two, and the follower's track is an additional complicated machining step.

 

[dromia]

My current collection.

I don't talk much about the 24 1/2" 1873 as being in 357 magnum it is bit of an embarrassment.

Uberti Underlevers

 

[462]

Very nice assortment, sir.

The embarrassment is because of the caliber, or problems(s)?

 

[fiver]

73's should be in the bottle neck case variety,,, with dashes between the numbers.