Reality Check / Age Confirmation on my Navy Arms 1873 Trapper

[Phil Morris]

I acquired this Uberti/Navy Arms 1873 saddle ring trapper a few months ago.  It is chambered in 44/40. 
The rifle looks brand new and I assumed it was a year or two old.  I've been reading through a bunch of old posts on this forum trying to get a little smarter about this model as I have a bunch of lever guns but this is my first 1873.  I found the thread on Italian date codes and looked mine up.  The code on the gun is [AD] which is shown as 1978?  My common sense tells me it is unlikely that this gun survived 43 years in this condition.  I have attached a picture of the gun and the code.  What do y'all think?

Phil

[River City John]

Safe Queen?

[Major 2]

That is the date code   and it is [AD]  1978  you have a NOS or safe queen beauty ...you lucky duck !

If you click on the pictures, it flips and shows the tiger stripe butt in its glory ...nice find

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[Phil Morris]

Thanks for the quick replies.  I guess I need to quit reading the posts on current Uberti production and start looking for posts on Vintage Ubertis.   

[Abilene]

Great find.  You should slug the barrel.  Uberti might have still been using .427 back then.

[Phil Morris]

Great find.  You should slug the barrel.  Uberti might have still been using .427 back then.

Good suggestion.  I will do that.

Thanks - Phil

[Cliff Fendley]

Great find.  You should slug the barrel.  Uberti might have still been using .427 back then.

I have one that is a 78. It and others of that vintage are .427 bore and are 1-36 twist rate rather than the faster twist rate today. They seem to like black powder better than the newer ones.

[Cliff Fendley]

Phil, that sure is a nice find. Great little rifle. That one will have to old style bolt and firing pin extension in it.

[Phil Morris]

Thanks for the additional info!  I slugged the barrel and the bore groves were running .424 and .425  with one spot at .427.  I'm thinking of starting with .427 bullets.  I already have a pile of .430s on order (thinking this was a new gun) but I think I can use them for 44 magnum or resize them.

Phil

[Cliff Fendley]

Thanks for the additional info!  I slugged the barrel and the bore groves were running .424 and .425  with one spot at .427.  I'm thinking of starting with .427 bullets.  I already have a pile of .430s on order (thinking this was a new gun) but I think I can use them for 44 magnum or resize them.

Phil

If they are soft lead I wouldn't be afraid to run them. I've ran .430s in some of my older ones and were very accurate.