Quality in manufacturing tolerances, for instance :
A measurement in my Colt's recently made revolver's chambers indicate around 11,585 mm, 456", with virtually zero variations in all chambers, larger in diameter than first gen. Revolvers, but drilled with Swiss precision.
By contrast, my Uberti Cattleman, with larger dimensions, 11,62 mm, presents important variations among the different chambers...11,62 mm, 11,64, 11,65, 11,67 that shows a less refined manufacture.
Not in vane Colt gained a reputation as a precision machining company in their time.
About finishes, a good heat blueing finish is normally not as durable as an alkaline finish but it is more beautiful if well done. I have done it in the past. It takes time. It is expensive.
For example, this Lefacheux revolver is 160 years old, and still has its original heat blueing finish applied in the Oviedo factory whe it was made.
The photo does not show the beauty and perfection of this finish that surpasses alakaline Italian blueings.
I am both, a collector and a shooter, qualified as first class pistol shooter in Int. Standar pistol and second class shooter in Int. Centerfire, ISSF.
About accuracy, I have shot extensively with ASM, Uberti, and much less with Pietta. Of all them, the most critical in that aspect were the Ubertis. As a bullseye competitor, I am used to shooting accurate guns. So it is not a matter of shooting Ubertis extensively....but a matter of comparing the level of accuracy achieved in the field in comparison with the level of ccuracy achieved with other revolvers, antique or new.
If the gun can't print holes in less than 1,5" at 25 meters, not yards, as this is the international distance for both ISSF and MLAIC, the gun is useless for me.
I have allways being beaten by shooters with original XIX century guns in competition. The original revolvers had excellent barrels.
So I label Italian revolvers, with exceptions like Perdersoli, , specially in lead ball and BP,, as mediocre revolvers in that aspect.
Just by comparison, this is a common Astra revolver, made over 30 years ago and much used and abused....it can print holes in around 1'25 " at 25 meters (28 yards) with an average powder like Vectan and with average Lee cast bullets....with a good Lyman mold and Norma powders the gun would be able to print in 1" or less at 25 meters. Please note that there are 3 holes in the same hole, shooting seated at 25 meters.
For doing decent accuracy shooting, the gun must be able to group in 1,5 inches or less...as the size of the O ring in the Int. Pistol target is 2".
I need to develope a load for 50 meters...as in the accuracy aspect, a load that works well for 25 meters does not normally work so well for 50 and viceversa. I shot my last 3 rounds at 50 meters (56 yards) and I am not happy with the group at all.
This is a group achieved shooting standing, one unsupported hand, at 25 meters with a 100 years old Duque revolver, a basque copy, of good quality, with some mechanical variations, of a S&W MP. The previous 22 lr impacts made by unknown shooter...
It was the first time I used this revolver...with shows accuracy typical of a match gun.
Most original revolvers were tack drivers. Most Italian replicas are not, and the shooting public is not demanding that, as I said...a tack driver needs a good barrel and stiff hammer springs...over sprung actions that today's shooter rejects, as few people compete in bullseye, and there is not much knowledge about it.