Quest for a Uberti 1873 in uniform

[Baltimore Ed]

Anyone know where I can find a .45 Uberti military 73 or 66? I messed up years ago when I had the opportunity to get a 30 inch oct bbl rifle or the military rifle and chose wrong. I was into the cowboy thing then but now I'm interested in all things military. Anybody got a 30 inch .45 take off round bbl that they want to get rid of?

[Abilene]

If you are talking about the Uberti '66 or '73 musket, that one is not 30".  Maybe 28"?  Don't recall exactly.  Here's a guy shooting one:
 http://www.davidscottharper.com/shoot/Stretch_66.jpg
Uberti has not sold those in a long time, so tough to find.  The 30" octagon rifles (not musket) of course are still available.

[Coffinmaker]

If you'd be enamored of an Original, I know where one (Musket) can be had.  Priced at a paltry $$ 6,999.95 ??  No bayonet.

Coffinmaker

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[Baltimore Ed]

I would love to have the disposable income to buy an original musket but would be hesitant to compete with it. I would build a repro first. I'm curious if my octogon bbl could be turned to a round bbl? Even though a bbl is centered on the ends there can be runout in the center. It's hard to drill true, especially in a 30 in tube.

[Blair]

B E,

The barrel is just one issue. It by itself may not be cheap.
Other costs will be with the other parts you may require to complete the project... forearm, barrel bands, and so on.
I would suggest you check into the availability of these, and there cost before you proceed.
My best,
 Blair

[Professor Marvel]

My Dear Ed -

I too "got what I could get" and years later want something else. :-) in my case I got the round-barrel yellowboy, but desired the octagon . With patience and luck I found an octagon barrel and maazine set cheaply on fleabay and now only await the time
required to make the switch :-)

In your case as Blair poined out, you will need more than just a barrel, but to further your endevour I offer these tidbits:

I see from the webisphere that the muskets were offered in 30 inch barrels, and a shorter 20" length was made for
a "Spanish Contract carbine musket" ~ 1873

I found two original barrels available forunder $200:
1873 WINCHESTER MUSKET BARREL 44 WCF 30 1/4" 44 40   http://www.gunbroker.com/item/560385195

Winchester" 1873 .44 Caliber Musket Round Barrel  http://www.gunbroker.com/item/562853293

and turnbull has one complete musket"as is" for only $2500
http://www.turnbullmfg.com/gun/winchester-1873-musket-log-5134-turnbull-mfg/

good luck on your quest
prof marvel

[Drydock]

Are you determined that it be in a pistol caliber?  (for CAS shooting)  Or would a rifle caliber do?  Winchester 94 Centennial Muskets in .30-30 are plentiful on Gunbroker, and relatively inexpensive.

I too would love to find a Uberti 1873 or 1866 Musket.  Good luck!

[Baltimore Ed]

Drydock, it looks like I am going to try to build a copy of a Spanish contract carbine. Is there one cleaning rod that would look more correct than another? I have also seen photos of an exceptionally long saddle ring mount. Is this a feature of these carbines or some homemade item?

[Baltimore Ed]

After talking to Turnbulls about their reblued 73 musket and hemming and hawing I finally decided to spend some of my sons inheritance and get it. I looked at a lot of original muskets that were as expensive but very rough and the nice rifles were twice as expensive. Haven't found one uberti. I'm waiting for the ups man to arrive. Got dies already and bullets and brass ordered. I think that I've got a socket bayonet that will fit it but the blade will mount on the right and not below the bbl, it could be a 66 bayonet. Don't know if it's correct but maybe it will fit which is all I really care about. And thanks Professor Marvel for the info.

[Baltimore Ed]

Here it is. Addition- Had some .44-40 brass and my bullets came today so I've been shooting her. Other than a killer mainspring I'm hitting my 10 inch 70 yd gong offhand consistently. I'm using my .45 lc cowboy load, 5.2 gr of clay dot but with a .428 dia 210 gr lead RNFP bullit. My old socket bayonet turned out to be incorrect, even though it's a 1873 model bayonet it's not for the 73 Winchester, it's for a Trapdoor.which has a slightly bigger socket. I found some .020 brass thin wall tubing in my shop, cut it down and lined the socket with it, now it fits just fine. The correct Winchester 73 bayonet hangs below the bbl while mine mounts to the right. I want to reduce the mainspring and get my load right and next month I'll shoot it as Color Sgt Bourne, fixed bayonet and a pair of Webleys.
Update: I had one of the 1873 coil spring mainspring contraptions in a uberti src so I robbed it and installed it in the musket. The original  mainspring screw fit it perfectly. Initially it was WAY too weak.  I'm guessing it was just the geometry between the 2 rifles. They are only 120 years apart. I looked through my junk spring collection and found one that fit and had enough juice. It was difficult to install but now no light primer strikes and a million percent easier to operate. I only had 200 bullets to start with so soon as my other bullets arrive and I get a nice day I'll put it on a rest and paper and do a proper range report. I think I'm going to really like this rifle.

[Baltimore Ed]

I've finally had a chance to try my musket out on paper. 35 yds off bags. 8 rds in a group with 2 fliers. I can hit all my steel right out to 70 yds with no problems. My quest for a military 73 is over but now want to explore the history of my musket. I still plan to build my Spanish 73 Carbine though.
I found a correct Winchester 1873 bayonet on eBay and it came today. It's not too pretty though, it has some kind of dried shellac material on it. 600 grit paper and oil is removing the film and polishing it up. Will post photos when done.

[Baltimore Ed]

Well guys I shot my musket last Saturday at my clubs monthly match dressed as Colour Sgt Bourne. I shot the musket clean but had a miss with my Webley-Greene. I also got a P when I shot shotgun targets out of order. Oops. I tried shooting it with the bayonet mounted for a couple of stages too, that's a lot of rifle and then hang more steel onto the end of it. Would hate to be on the wrong end of it for sure.I really liked shooting it but my Marlin is a lot faster. I need to slick the 73 up before I compete with  it again. I enjoyed shooting the 125 year old rifle a whole lot. And don't forget that my Webleys are almost that old too. There's just something neat about shooting a piece of history.

[mtmarfield]

   Greetings!

   BRAVO on your acquisition! Glad to see that it's a shooter! I'd love to get an Uberti '66 or '73 Infantry Rifle
in .44WCF... You scored on the Turnbull Rifle!
   I remember drooling over a Webley-Green at an LA, Ca Gun Show nearly thirty years ago. Beautiful revolver!
It wasn't cheap then, either...

                 M.T.Marfield

[Baltimore Ed]

MT, thanks for the complements. I'm going to enjoy my musket a lot. But my poor WG was once owned by Bubba I'm afraid who decided that the words Webley-Greene on the side of the topstrap was not to his liking so he removed them and reblued the topstrap. Now I can see removing the safety warning from a Ruger bbl in fact I've had that done to my custom Sheriffs s/s model Vaquero when the bbl was cut down but on a Webley? I did get a better deal on it since it was 'customized'. I do have a rare one though, ever heard of a Webley-Wilkinson?  These were sold by Wilkinson Sword so when officers would buy their sword they could get their personal sidearm at the same time which was fine with  the Queen as long as it used .455 British ammo. I've been able to get a provenance on it through Wilkinson and know the Royal Engineer 1st Lt who purchased it in 1904. Couldn't guess how it made it to the colonies. Firearms with a history are great.

[mtmarfield]

   Greetings!

   Yes... Lo, the Bubba. People sometimes do strange things to old firearms. I have a Colt's 1902
Philippine Model DAA .45 that I acquired VERY cheaply; it had been the victim of the "$10 Buffing-
Wheel ReBlue". Most of the stampings are smeared, but present; a little "pepper" in the bore, but
not bad. In other words, a "Clear Conscience Shooter". It came with a 'cowboy' holster. I made up
some BP .45C cartridges, and it shoots really well! Dad suggested that I "pack it around" to wear
off some of the reblue...! I have subsequently become a Colt's 1878 DAA Fan.
    My IDEAL British revolver for Expedition would be a Webley No. 1 chambered for the .577 Boxer
Revolver Ctg.; personally, I'd have kittens if Uberti would bring out the C & B version! Dream on,
huh?!
   I would also love an Uberti 1873 Infantry Rifle, .44WCF, but that's not likely to come my way,
either; nonetheless, YOU did very well with yours! Bravo!

                    M.T.Marfield

[Baltimore Ed]

M.T. Thought that I would let you know that you can still get a '66 Musket from Taylors and Co. I stumbled across a current Taylors parts list for the 66 and emailed them about getting some parts for my project. Through the correspondence I found out that they only make musket parts yearly but I also discovered that they are STILL building complete guns but only do a musket run once a year to fill actual orders!  What's a year? When you're my age a year goes by darned fast. Well, you better know that I put my name in for one, and with no money down you can't loose. The gentleman also said that if I backed out he could sell my '66 with no problems. Duh, then why not build 50/ year and be done with it. Make them actually available. I wish that I had known this a couple of years ago. Give them a call and order your own because you can't have mine.

[mtmarfield]

   Greetings!

   WOW! Well then, I may just do that!!

      Thanks Mucho!

              M.T.Marfield

[Baltimore Ed]

Looks like my musket has arrived from Italy to Virginia. Will post photos. Taylors in VA is shipping to my NC FFL guy so he gets a better deal and he's going to pass some savings to me. That will be enough to pay shipping and for my aftermarket springs and screw upgrades. Should be here next week.
Update....False alert!!!  As I said in the other musket thread, my musket is STILL in italy. When Uberti returns to work next month the Taylors rep will contact them and let me know what happened to my musket.