60' RM screw up

[will52100]

Well just got my new 44 colt RM in and went to test fire it this afternoon.  Couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.  Turns out the cylinder is 44 colt, the barrel is 45!  Barrel is marked as 44 colt, and measures .452 grove diameter, cylinder throughts measure .430.  Grip frame on lower left of trigger is marked as 45.    Any idea what they were thinking?

I'm taking it back to the dealer that ordered if for me, he's a good guy to deal with, but it'll be a month before I can even look at a gun again.  I head out for 28 days next Tuesday, and I can't even browse these or any other gun or knife related forums.

[Black River Smith]

OOpppss.  Looks like Uberti messed up, maybe flip-flopped barrels during production.  Would hate to be the person that gets the 45 SW that has your 44 barrel on it.  A 0.452 squeezed to 0.430 in less than 1/2 a second.  That barrel won't stay on that gun too long.

One solution is to create an original 44Colt out of it.  Straight bore (remove throat) with 0.453 - 0.455.  Then shoot heeled or hollow base bullets.  OR Just shoot hollow base bullets without removing throat.  The 0.430 hollow base will move through the throat without any problem then expand to the 0.452 barrel.

[Fox Creek Kid]

Just out of curiousity, flip the revolver over and glance at the serial # on the bottom of the frame & see if it matches the serial # adjacent to it on the bottom of the barrel lug. 

[will52100]

Yep, all serial numbers match, was the first thing I checked.  Should have know, something didn't feel rite from the start.

I have nothing against hollow base ammo, but I can cast 1000 flat base to about a 100 hollow base, and I don't have a hollow base for 44.  That and it should have been a .429 grove, not .452.  Also just ordered a new 6 cavity 44 mould just for times I want smokless and not big lubed black powder.

Funy thing is that I didn't realy notice till the barrel started fouling up and accuracy realy went down hill.  I guess the bullets at first were bumping up a bit.  Of course the sideways bullet imprint on paper was a good indicator.

If I wanted a 45 though I could just get them to send a new cylinder, but if I'd wanted a 45 I would have ordered one.

The thought crowsed my mind that it could have been a 45 going through a 44 barrel, that sounds like a recipie for disaster.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Maybe it was intended toi shoot heeled.451's or hollowbased bullets,like the originals.  Having a .427-9 barrel is a modern "repro" idea!

I'd consult Ottawa Creek Bill before panicking.

[will52100]

Here's VTI part # for 45 schofield, UB:932003 and 44 colt, UB:930003, both # for 8" barrels.  If they had intended for us to use heeled or hollow base ammo the throught should have been reamed out beyond .430 and they would have the same part # for 45 as 44's.  There suposed to be .429 for 44, or at least that's what I've been led to believe from all the literature I've researched before buying it.  It's suposed to be chambered for 44 colt modern, just like the 72' open top.

The thought crossed my mind of using hollow base bullets, but that takes forever to cast one at a time and it's not the gun I paid for.

I've heard of mixing up cylinders before, but never mismarking barrels like they did on this.  I could change cylinder to 45 schofield and everything would work great.

Will

[will52100]

http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/boregroovetwist/bore_groove_twist-Uberti.htm  Found the specs, it is indeed suposed to be .429.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Will;  If your cylinder is throated for a .429 bullet, I'd say that would match up to the .429 barrel you expected!

Ever since I read that the originals used .451 heeled bullets, and the modern ones a .429, i've been waiting for someone to be misled.  I'm glad it's not you!

[Black River Smith]

Will,  no one is doubting that there is a screw up or mistake.  The 44Colts today are set up for the modern sizing of 0.429-0.430.  I have owned an OT in 44 since 2001, a friend of mine has owned a RM 44 since 2004.  Both are set up to the modern day specs of 0.429.  Your particular gun should go back to Cim. with an explanation of the problems.  They will deal with it.

As I stated in my first posting something happened in the factory to that particular gun.  Sorry but it did.

My intentions were to give you options in the meantime not to explain away the glaring mistakes or obvious discrepancies.

I'm sorry when I read your posting the first time I saw "Any idea what"  not the last part "they where thinking"

I gave you some ideas to make it work/shoot for the time being, if you could not get it back for a time period or intended to keep it as is.  My mistake.

The gun is set up Wrong.

[will52100]

No problem, and no offense taken or intended,  and thanks for the suggestions.  Since it's not rite I'll send it back to Cimmeron by the dealer, and the fewer shots and were marks the better.  That and I don't have a 44 hollow base mould and by the time I could get one they should have the gun fixed and I leave for 28 days on the rig Tuesday.

I thought I was going crazy at first.  And since the originals were out side lubed I had to do a lot of checking to make sure that is was supposed to be .429, when I ordered it I just assumed it was modern 44 colt.  Wasn't a 100% sure at first and thought maybe they went a little too accurate with the design till I did some checking.

Kind of agrivating, (read mader than a wet hen) and I sent a letter to Cimmeron basicly saying that they should inspect with a dummy cartrige and barrel plug to make sure the guns the rite caliber be fore someone gets a 45 with a 44 barrel or worse.  I hate to think about what kind of pressures would be generated by a .454 bullet going into a .429 grove barrel.  I know it wasn't there fault that the gun was mismatched and wrong from factory, but if there going to advertise about how much higher there quality is they should at least inspect the guns before sending them out.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Will52100,
I know you said you didn't want to shoot Heeled bullets, so this is for information only: You can get cast heeled bulltes from Gad Custom Reloading at $35.00 for 500. It would be a simple matter to open up the throats of the chambers to .452 and you'd be ready to rock and roll....Just something to think about..

Bill

[will52100]

.07$?  did I figure that rite?  That's near enough to tempt me to just bore out the cylinder!  I've already sent the gun back, and like casting my own but that's a good price on specalty bullets.

Thanks for the info.