CAS TOPICS > Gunsmithing
Newer Uberti arbor lengths.
OD#3:
Anyone else notice that the arbor length fitment on the newest Ubertis are tighter than they used to be? I always address the known arbor length issue on every Uberti I buy, and I just set about correcting this on my two newest Ubertis--a 2021 manufactured Dragoon and a 2022 manufactured 1860 Army. To my great surprise, though they're off, it is only very slightly so--maybe 10-15 thousandth's of an inch at most. I'm going to have to change the way I usually fix this, as there is so little to work with here. Just wondering if this is a thing now, or if I just got "lucky". I put that in quotation marks, because it is actually a little bit frustrating. If the arbor hole depth is going to be off, I'd prefer it be 1/8th of an inch too deep rather than something I'm going to have to dress down a thin washer for.
Abilene:
Howdy. My last two Ubertis, a '51 R-M from Taylors and a '60 Type II from Cimarron, both had proper length arbors. Or at least they are so close that I can not fit the tiniest of washers in the hole ahead of the arbor.
45 Dragoon:
Well so far, I haven’t seen that in new offerings but that's not to say things aren't changing. I had a surprise last week with a "rough as a cobb" 2nd Gen that took a much thinner spacer than normal ( I checked again to make sure it wasn't a first gen. !!! ;) ) so, crazy things do happen . . .
OD#3, I don't like real thin spacers either so in this instance ( and instances like this) I took some material off the end of the arbor so I could install a "proper" spacer. Of course I've explained in the past that I dress the end of the arbor anyway to "dial in" my endshake spec so this time I had to go a little further!!!
Just a heads up if you go that route, your wedge slot will grow slightly ( in total) so a new wedge may be in order or maybe not. In my case, I always install an adjustable wedge bearing so that isn't a problem. I'll keep an eye out for "better" arbor lengths from Uberti ( but ain't holding my breath !!).
Mike
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OD#3:
Thanks for the replies, fellas! Shame to shorten the arbor just when Uberti was so close to getting it right, but that thought did cross my mind. Incidentally Mike, installing an adjustable wedge bearing is something I usually do now anyway, thanks to you.
One other thing has crossed my mind, and it IS tempting....
I know you don't do this, but I, myself do often lap the barrel assembly against the frame as part of my fit-up. Like you, I fit the spacer so that everything bottoms out with very tight endshake, but I do this with the barrel rotated 45 degrees so that the bottom of the frame doesn't interfere. This usually means that by the time I have my desired endshake, the bottom of the barrel assembly has moved past the end of the frame a few thousandths. I know we've discussed the harmlessness of slightly pie-shaped cylinder gaps before, but I just don't like them. So after fitting the arbor depth, I pull the frame pins and lap the barrel assembly to the frame until it won't lap anymore. If I were doing this for a living, I'd have to charge too much, as that lapping-in does take a while. BUT, I end up with a bottomed-out arbor fit and tight endshake with an even cylinder gap. So... it IS tempting with these very close arbors just to lap these barrel assemblies onto the frame sans spacer until the arbor bottoms out and then dress the rear of the barrel with a facing cutter to achieve my desired endshake. That would save me the trouble of making a spacer, and I'd have more meat on the end of the arbor (more threads in the hole for the adjustable wedge bearing). Still thinking on it....
Regardless, can you tell me again which stainless steel screws you used to make your spacers? I dropped the brass spacer for my Walker in the gravel last week and hopelessly lost it. This was my very first arbor fix project for which I'd used a brass locating pin from a Dillon reloading press, and it was just sitting in there loose. Regardless of how I decide to address these latest revolvers, I'm going to have to replace the spacer on my Walker, and I've decided to make it out of one of those screw heads this time and epoxy it to the bottom of the arbor hole.
45 Dragoon:
Hey again OD! I understand your wanting a parallel endshake opening. I get there by "adjusting" the fc. It's never very much as with a thicker spacer to begin with, your starting with the barrel in a more "sight appropriate" position. Dressing down the arbor to spec brings the barrel close to where you want it to be ( without lapping !! WOO HOO !! LOL!). Just another process for you mull over ;) !!
The screws are #14 pan head sheet metal screws for horse pistols/ #12's for belt pistols.
I'll try and post some pics. of the process.
Mike
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