Ok, about a year ago I bought a uberti 66 in 44-40 off of gun broker cheap. about 450. it stated the gun was pretty hoggy but for that, I figured I could play with it. I have a couple 73 that I use in SASS and wanted something earlier to go with my cap and ball pistols. It arrived, the add was right. I couldn't even get the lever open. Took it all apart, it was full of junk and I cleaned it up. I did take notice of the insides surfaces resemble what would look like from a sand casting. Very rough. The togle ling and other innerds were not that smooth. I had some parts left of from a short stroke project I did on a 73. the fit. And a couple of hours with a drimmel tool, fine stone, polished out the bearing surfaces nicely. New sprints from VTI and the gun cycles nicely.
I shot it pretty much all last year with goex 3f and DD big lube. Absolutely no issues.
OK, now I'm thinking, Id really like to see if I can convert it to 44 Russian. the rational, more closer to the 44 rim fire cartridge. I get the barrel in 44 special from VTI, and the carrier from the smith shop. I claim the fame of being more of a parts butcher-er than anything else during a DYI. I have a barrel vice and so took the rifle apart, and pulled or the barrel with no problems.
thats when the problems start. as I'm screwing the 44 special barrel in, i take notice of a bit of a different cut on the 44 special barrel than the 44-40. At the end of the threads on the 44 barrel, there is a void cut about 1/8 inch long. Looking at the 44 special barrel at the end of the threads, there is a spot milled down, but no void cut. I'm looking at the barrel I took of the 73, and the special looks just like it. Plus theres about 3/8" more threading on the special barrel too.
I sent a note to VTI on the barrel, they said I had the correct barrel of the 66. I then stated apparently not for this receiver, and asked to return the barrel. Their response was, enjoy your new barrel.
so anyway, I've put the 44-40 barrel back on and restored the rifle to the before the 44 Russian project.
My question is, and I'm guessing here, does anyone have a history on uberti manufacturing? did the maching change some time. My rifle has the date stamp BD and looking at the codes that stands for 94.
Comments?