Uberti '66 Carbine Barrel Band

[Pancho Peacemaker]

I'm looking at trading for an Uberti '66 Carbine.  Never owned a '66 carbine.

Is the front barrel band easy to remove and replace? 

(Reason:  I'd like to replace the front sight that is currently on the carbine and the sight is attached to the barrel band.)

PP

[Montana Slim]

Pancho,

I've not had mine off of the weapon, but the barrel band / sight appears to be held on with one screw.


Regards,
Slim

[Pettifogger]

It's easy to remove if the screw comes out.  I bought a new one last year and the screw was absolutely immovable.  Had to drill it out.  Once you get the band off you have to modify the existing front sight on that band, buy a new barrel band that has already had the front sight modified, or have the barrel dovetailed and grind and reshape the barrel band to remove the existing front sight.

[Advertising]

[Montana Slim]

Put a few drops of Kroil or similar on any new Uberti rifle/carbine screw that you may be interested in removing. Do this when you get the weapon, and repeat annually. Then, years later when you need to remove the part the screw turns like you would expect. 

One of my "amazing gunsmithing secrets" revealed.

Regards,
Slim

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Put a few drops of Kroil or similar on any new Uberti rifle/carbine screw that you may be interested in removing. Do this when you get the weapon, and repeat annually. Then, years later when you need to remove the part the screw turns like you would expect. 

One of my "amazing gunsmithing secrets" revealed.

Regards,
Slim

Slim,

Thanks for the hint.  If I may ask, what is the science behind this trick?

[Flint]

The "science" is basically lubrication and rust loosening.  Blueing is black rust...  kroil and WD-40 and such are very thin oils that can creep into small gaps that thicker oils can't get into.

After completely removing the front sight from the barrel band and refinishing the shape, install a new front sight in a dovetail on the barrel immediately behind the barrel band.  This is the way the original Winchester was made, it was the Italians that invented the integral barrel band sight.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Flint is correct.

What caliber is your rifle, Pancho?

Why?  (I hear you ask)  If it's a 45 cal rifle, you may have a problem finding a 'smith to cut the dovetail.  Sometimes, there isn't enough "meat" and they worry about cutting right through to the rifling.

I have the same problem with my (otherwise outstanding) 45 Colt 1892 Sporting Rifle.  As you probably know, these rifles - 1860 Henrys 'thru 1892 Winchesters WEREN'T chambered in any 45 cal chamberings until the recent times.

By the way, I got this info from a true expert in the gun mechanic business, Nate Kiowa Jones - a.k.a. Steve Young.  (of Port Arthur, TX)
http://www.stevesgunz.com/index.htm

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Flint is correct.

What caliber is your rifle, Pancho?

Why?  (I hear you ask)  If it's a 45 cal rifle, you may have a problem finding a 'smith to cut the dovetail.  Sometimes, there isn't enough "meat" and they worry about cutting right through to the rifling.

I have the same problem with my (otherwise outstanding) 45 Colt 1892 Sporting Rifle.  As you probably know, these rifles - 1860 Henrys 'thru 1892 Winchesters WEREN'T chambered in any 45 cal chamberings until the recent times.

By the way, I got this info from a true expert in the gun mechanic business, Nate Kiowa Jones - a.k.a. Steve Young.  (of Port Arthur, TX)
http://www.stevesgunz.com/index.htm

It is a .45.  The trade is still pending, so the rifle is not in hand.

[Grizzly Adams]

The "science" is basically lubrication and rust loosening.  Blueing is black rust...  kroil and WD-40 and such are very thin oils that can creep into small gaps that thicker oils can't get into.

After completely removing the front sight from the barrel band and refinishing the shape, install a new front sight in a dovetail on the barrel immediately behind the barrel band.  This is the way the original Winchester was made, it was the Italians that invented the integral barrel band sight.

Actually, up until about serial number 150,000, the front sight was integral with the carbine front barrel band on the Winchester 1866.  The Italians chose to copy this early Type I.  The Type II which followed had the front sight dovetailed in the barrel just behind the barrel band.

You might want to consider this carbine barrel band with bead front sight that available as a replacement:

http://www.longhunt.com/gunparts/winchester.htm

[Grogan]

You can also do this...

(click photo to enlarge)

I did this to my '66, by taking it to a Machinist friend's shop and in 10 min. we had this sight profile (made a BIG Difference in the Sight Picture!)

This mod. along with swapping out the Rear Sight with a Marble's (almost the same as what's on a Ruger 10/22) and opening up the notch a tad gave the Carbine an entirely new (and much faster) set of sights.