Mako,
OK. Were talking about the same things, just using different terminology.
Now getting back to Santee ------
You have an 1871/72 Open Top. See what Mako said. Lets begin at the beginning. The barrel/Arbor fit on a Uberti is always bad. Thats where you start. You can get real complicated, or go cheap seats. Lets start with Cheap seats. Drop by your local DIY hardware and pick up a package of stainless 5mm split washers. Take the gun apart, clean up the end of the arbor (there will be burrs), drop a washer down the hole in the barrel (spacer), re-assemble. Tap the wedge in nice and snug. Notice I said "tap," not to be confused with "drive." Nice and snug will work. The relationship of the wedge to the retaining screw on the side of the barrel is immaterial so long as the screw head in the little depression for it in the wedge. Now, with the spacer, the barrel/arbor fit will be really close. and when you tap the wedge in, it will always be the same. Don't lose the washer (thats why you bought a package
Once you have corrected the barrel/arbor fit, go shoot it. See if it binds. Shooting BP, there is always gunk fouling that will build up on the gas ring and barrel frame, so take something to squirt it with. NOT a petroleum based oil. A little soapy water or an equal parts mix of Murphy's Oil Soap, Denatured Alcohol and Hydrogen Peroxide. Some will recommend Balistol. I don't recommend Balistol for anything except softening hard leather boots. Also, lubricate the Arbor with White Lithium Grease. Be generous.
If, after you have corrected the Barrel/Arbor fit, you still experience binding, determine exactly where and we can fix it.
Open Tops are notorious for problem fit from the factory. Once the guns are properly set up, they run with anything out there and point like their part of your hand. Once you know how to set them up, you can order Cylinders and Barrels to change calibers and shoot .38s, .44s and .45s all on the same frame. Capital FUN!!!!
Coffinmaker