Question about quarter cock on Uberti 1873

[Ben Beam]

Just picked up my first Uberti and was perusing the manual. It mentions that the gun should have a "quarter cock" position which engages the safety, but my hammer only seems to have two positions, half and full cock. I do not hear any click before half cock when pulling the hammer back, and it does not engage until half cock. I do note that when releasing the hammer using the trigger and my thumb that there is an additional click just before it seats, but it doesn't engage there.

Also, between half cock and full cock sometimes there is a click and the cylinder will lock, and then the hammer will move forward to half cock—in this position the cylinder is locked, but the trigger won't pull.

Am I misunderstanding something, or is there a problem that needs attention?

Edit: I created a video to demonstrate the issue:

[Pettifogger]

There is normally a safety notch between the hammer being fully down and the half-cock notch.  Never heard it called a quarter cock before.  When the bolt pops up between the half cock and full cock position and you manually let the hammer back down to the half cock notch you have gotten the gun out of time.  On a Colt style action never lower the hammer from the half cock back to down.  Always bring the hammer to full cock and then lower the hammer.  Unless Uberti has changed something (is this one of the new ones with the retracting firing pin?) there should be a safety notch.  Might be either the notch is to narrow or the trigger tip is to thick.  Real easy to find out.  Take the gun apart and look.  What brand/importer is the gun?

[Ben Beam]

It's an Uberti/Stoeger Mod. 4312 SAA N. M. Improved (from the end of the box). The term "quarter cock" was what was listed in the manual.

I'll be careful about not putting the gun out of time, although it seems surprisingly easy to do. Maybe I'm just a klutz.  Still not sure about quarter cocking, though. I'm not terribly experienced disassembling firearms much what what's normally needed for cleaning. I imagine there are good instructions online somewhere. Although I'm hesitant to do so if it isn't necessary, since I'm apparently a klutz. 

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[Major 2]

The Base Pin w Safety ( look at the main pin you took out to remove the cylinder )
there are two scalloped cuts ....

this is the means of a safety , when the pin is adjusted to the forward most cut , the pin protrudes into the hammer channel and blocks the hammer fall
 about 1/4 of the hammer travel.... simple mechanical block ....

[Ben Beam]

Yeah, about that. I have also been unable to put the base pin into the second safety position. Upon examination just now, the base pin only has a single notch, contrary to what is shown in the manual for both the old and new models: https://imgur.com/a/k2kR9

 

[Ben Beam]

I think I found an answer to my question. Apparently the "improved" model does away with these features and uses a transfer bar inside the hammer. This means it also doesn't have the second notch in the base pin. So I guess everything appears to be working as intended.

Uberti needs to update their manual. 

[Major 2]

Cattleman II

[Ben Beam]

There's apparently three different models: Cattleman (old model), Cattleman New Model, and Cattleman New Model Improved. All the documentation I found (including the manual that came with the gun) was for old and new, but not improved.

[Pettifogger]

There's apparently three different models: Cattleman (old model), Cattleman New Model, and Cattleman New Model Improved. All the documentation I found (including the manual that came with the gun) was for old and new, but not improved.

Documentation from Uberti?  That was your first mistake.  Assuming A.) there would be documentation and, B.) that the documentation will have anything to do with what you bought.  When you buy a reproduction imported handgun it is often a figure it out for yourself proposition.  That is why I asked if you had one of the new ones with the retracting firing pin. Uberti offers a couple of different style "safety" systems for their guns.  The vast majority still have the hammer mounted firing pin.  But some come with a transfer bar and some have a retracting firing pin.

[Ben Beam]

I'm guessing it does, since it moves slightly with my finger. For what it's worth I got to fire it today and nothing exploded except for the powder in the cartridges, so looks like it's OK. I don't plan to lee it on a chambered round anyway, so I suppose it's moot. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything sketchy going on.

[Pettifogger]

I think this is what you have.