Uberti throats and bores

[KWK]

I've an itch to try a single action. I've read in years past many had mismatched cylinder throats and barrel grooves. How are the .44-40 and .45 Colt jobs being machined these days?

Cimarron indicates Uberti has switched to .429 grooves for all types of .44; did they adjust the throats to match?

Cimarron also says the .45 Colt is a surprisingly small .450 groove, more like a .45 Auto; again, do the throats (usually) match?

Thanks,
   Karl

[Coffinmaker]

In all honesty, they may.  They may not.  Different production runs often vary.  It never hurts to slug your bore and throats to see what you have.  More often than not, cylinder throats and bore will be pretty close.

Ruger single actions on the other hand, are seldom even close.  Throats are notorious for being undersize.

Coffinmaker 

[Cholla Hill Tirador]

I've an itch to try a single action. I've read in years past many had mismatched cylinder throats and barrel grooves. How are the .44-40 and .45 Colt jobs being machined these days?

Cimarron indicates Uberti has switched to .429 grooves for all types of .44; did they adjust the throats to match?

Cimarron also says the .45 Colt is a surprisingly small .450 groove, more like a .45 Auto; again, do the throats (usually) match?

Thanks,
   Karl

  I'll begin by saying I don't measure throats or slug bores unless I have a problem with accuracy or experience leading. All of my Uberti's, .44 Specials and 45 Colts, save one older Cattleman in 45 Colt, shoot with wonderful accuracy. I'm talking about 50 and even out to 100 yds. 
 
   I do have an older one that is in 44-40 and was made for Cabela's. It was produced in '96 if I remember correctly. Soon after I bought it, I order and fitted a .44 Special cylinder from VTI to it and the 44-40 cylinder sat on my bench unused for a few years until I recently bought a 44-40 rifle. I noticed the other day one of my .430" sized bullets would easilydrop right through the mouths of the cylinders. Doesn't have much negative effect on the accuracy of the revolver though.

  I'll be in the shop most of the day tomorrow. I'll try to remember to slug the 45 Colt and my newest .44 Special.

 CHT

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[KWK]

This all sounds good. I'll be at the local store tomorrow and will try a few on for size.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

[llanerosolitario]

my older Uberti:

barrel groove:  11,435 mm=0,450" measured with a micrometer in slugged lead ball, in several balls.

chambers big, around 11,62mm, but vary in diameter from chamber to chamber, some reaching 1,67mm.

I have no idea about the new Ubertis. Mine is 20 years old.

[KWK]

Mine is 20 years old.

Sounds as if the nominal size has been the same for a long time. Thank you.

[Fox Creek Kid]

If you want accurate measurements you need pin gauges. Micrometers are 0.003" + or - at best.

[Scattered Thumbs]

As Cholla hill tirador said. If the revolver Is accurate, no need to bother oneself with measurements. Anyhow, the big problem in accuracy only arises if the cylinder throats are undersized in relation to the bore. The other way around is completely irrelevant. The bullets can be swagged down front cylinder to barrel, accuracy is generally great when this happens. The other way around is the problem, if the cylinder throats swag down the bullets to a diameter inferior to the one of the barrel then accuracy will most certainly suffer.

[Lefty Dude]

When I first received my Cimarron/Uberti 45 I used a pin gauge on the cylinder throats, and then slugged the bore. I was very surprised at the results.
My Bore slugged with the grooves at .450". The throats were all measured with the pin gauge and Micrometer, and all six are  .4505".

With 250 gr. LRNFP sized at .252" or using a Nosler 250 gr. JRNFP and sized .451". This is the most accurate SAA I own. Both rounds shoot at the same POI, at 25 yards.
This piece out shoots my Custom Shop Colt 44WCF's.

Note:
The Nosler JRNFP in .451" is specifically made for the Colt SAA.

And BTW; other than my Bond Deringer, this is the only 45 Colt I own. All the others a 44er's.

[Coffinmaker]

SIDE TRACK ....... Just for funzies

THE most accurate Single Action handgun I have EVER owned, was an ASM built, Sort of Richards 1861 Conversion in 38 Special.  At one time I had 11 of em.  (most were just parts guns).  The three I used for CAS would shoot a ragged one hole group at 20 yards.  You could cover the group with a Nickel.  None of the groups were centered however.  All of the guns were off by a couple of inches, either up, down or sideways.  But, WOW did they ever group!!  A shame the rest of the guns were such Krap.

Coffinmaker

Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

[Cholla Hill Tirador]

  Not a side track at all as far as I'm concerned.

  Aren't accurate revolvers a joy? There is just something immensely satisfying about knowing without a doubt that so long as the sights were where they were supposed to be when the sear broke, the bullet will hit the target.

  CHT

[Fox Creek Kid]

...THE most accurate Single Action handgun I have EVER owned, was an ASM built...

You could cover the group with a Nickel.  None of the groups were centered however.  All of the guns were off by a couple of inches, either up, down or sideways.  But, WOW did they ever group!!...

So, as a gunsmith why didn't you cut a FS dovetail and bring the POA spot on?   

[Coffinmaker]

Humpf.  Left that part out did I??  I did just exactly that.  On the three guns I kept for use in CAS, I cut a dovetail right thru the original
sight mounting point and put new-made from sight on em.  I was able to start out with enough "sight" I could adjust for windage and elevation.  The rest of em weren't worth the work to do that. 

Since I think (Personal Opine Here), the best looking, sexiest, most KOOL sixguns ever built were original Richards Conversions on either
the 1860 Frame or the 1851 Frame.  I will never forgive (as if they cared) ASM for screwing up some really really nice guns.  They could
have bumped the price enough to cover better guns and still sold everything they could produce.  TWITZ

Coffinmaker

FCK, As OEM, the guns grouped all over.  Minute of pie plate.  "After" fixing the barrel to arbor fit and the "other" thing needed on an
open top type gun, Wow, did they ever shoot.  Sold em on when I went to Cap Guns.  I cut new front sights into all my Cap Guns too.