Years ago I had a Beretta Laramie. Due to some health issues I had to sell it and now I'd like to try to find one. Unfortunately, it seems pretty tough to find one of these in 38. I understand that these were made by Uberti, but I don't see an Uberti model that is the same as this. Was this a one-off design that they no longer make?
Beretta Laramie analog?
- Thread starter kruuth
- Start date
For a short period of time, after Beretta acquired Uberti, Beretta decided to dabble in the CAS market with Uberti-made variations under Beretta branding.
The project died fairly quickly.
Most parts were interchangeable, but Uberti does not produce anything currently in those exact Beretta-marked configurations.
Denis
The project died fairly quickly.
Most parts were interchangeable, but Uberti does not produce anything currently in those exact Beretta-marked configurations.
Denis
By cylinder lock, are you referring to the barrel-mounted latch that opens the revolver? If so, I believe the Uberti replica of the S&W American #3 and the S&W Russian have the barrel mounted latch. The Schofield replica has the latch mounted on the frame. That improvement was intended to facilitate ejecting empties and reloading while holding the horse's reins in the left hand.
The Uberti break top replicas are expensive. I believe some models are available in .38 Special.
The Uberti break top replicas are expensive. I believe some models are available in .38 Special.
Go to a website that imports Uberti breaktops & look at the various models. You should be able to find photos that show the difference in latch types.
The top-strap/barrel latch was the standard, it requires two hands to open.
A military officer named Schofield developed the frame latch to allow opening the gun with one hand.
Denis
The top-strap/barrel latch was the standard, it requires two hands to open.
A military officer named Schofield developed the frame latch to allow opening the gun with one hand.
Denis
Driftwood Johnson
New member
Howdy
Smith and Wesson manufactured five distinct models on the #3 size frame. Although they were basically all the same size, each was slightly different.
Uberti has made replicas of three of the #3 Top Breaks, the Russian model, Schofield, and New Model Number Three. No one has ever produced a replica of the American Model.
The Laramie was a replica of the New Model Number Three. This was the last of the large frame Top Break revolvers S&W made, and the most advanced. This model was cataloged from 1878 until 1908.
The Russian model was an earlier design, produced from 1871 until 1878. The 2nd and 3rd Model Russians had the distinctive spur on the trigger guard, and the large hump on the frame. This is a 2nd Model Russian. The replicas made today by Uberti are replicas of the 3rd Model Russian.
Both the Russian model and the New Model Number Three had the same type of barrel mounted latch. The shooter raises the latch and then rotates the barrel down to open the gun. This is a two handed operation, one hand lifts the latch, the other hand rotates the barrel down.
The Schofield model had the latch mounted on the frame.
The serpentine shaped latch included the rear sight. The latch was designed this way by Colonel Schofield to be easily opened with one hand by a mounted trooper. The trooper would pull the latch back with his thumb, then open the barrel by brushing it against his leg.
It's really too bad that Beretta stopped producing the Laramie, because it was the best of the three designs. I say this from experience. I also suggest against buying the Russian model, again from experience. The large hump on the grip requires regripping in order for the thumb to reach the hammer spur. This places the palm of the hand in direct contact with the pointy hump. Then one has to regrip again to get the palm back below the hump. If the gun is fired with the hump in contact with the palm, recoil will drive the point into the hand, and it will hurt. Trust me on this.
If I were looking for a replica S&W #3 Top Break, I would buy the Schofield replica. Much easier to shoot than the Russian. Also, any or these revolvers chambered for 38 Special is going to be a heavy gun. The originals were 44 and 45 caliber revolvers. A 38 is going to be quite heavy.
Smith and Wesson manufactured five distinct models on the #3 size frame. Although they were basically all the same size, each was slightly different.
Uberti has made replicas of three of the #3 Top Breaks, the Russian model, Schofield, and New Model Number Three. No one has ever produced a replica of the American Model.
The Laramie was a replica of the New Model Number Three. This was the last of the large frame Top Break revolvers S&W made, and the most advanced. This model was cataloged from 1878 until 1908.
The Russian model was an earlier design, produced from 1871 until 1878. The 2nd and 3rd Model Russians had the distinctive spur on the trigger guard, and the large hump on the frame. This is a 2nd Model Russian. The replicas made today by Uberti are replicas of the 3rd Model Russian.
Both the Russian model and the New Model Number Three had the same type of barrel mounted latch. The shooter raises the latch and then rotates the barrel down to open the gun. This is a two handed operation, one hand lifts the latch, the other hand rotates the barrel down.
The Schofield model had the latch mounted on the frame.
The serpentine shaped latch included the rear sight. The latch was designed this way by Colonel Schofield to be easily opened with one hand by a mounted trooper. The trooper would pull the latch back with his thumb, then open the barrel by brushing it against his leg.
It's really too bad that Beretta stopped producing the Laramie, because it was the best of the three designs. I say this from experience. I also suggest against buying the Russian model, again from experience. The large hump on the grip requires regripping in order for the thumb to reach the hammer spur. This places the palm of the hand in direct contact with the pointy hump. Then one has to regrip again to get the palm back below the hump. If the gun is fired with the hump in contact with the palm, recoil will drive the point into the hand, and it will hurt. Trust me on this.
If I were looking for a replica S&W #3 Top Break, I would buy the Schofield replica. Much easier to shoot than the Russian. Also, any or these revolvers chambered for 38 Special is going to be a heavy gun. The originals were 44 and 45 caliber revolvers. A 38 is going to be quite heavy.
Trum4n1208
New member
Taylor's & Co. sells a reproduction of the New Model Number 3, but it's only chambered in .45 Colt.
Driftwood Johnson
New member
No. All the reproductions of the Russian model have the spur on the trigger guard.
It was fairly common for owners in the Old West to saw off the trigger guard spur.
It is not a finger rest, it is a stylistic embellishment the Russians insisted on.
Some will tell you it is meant to be a finger rest to help steady the gun. I have not found this to be true, placing a finger there just makes shooting the already awkward grip worse. Others will tell you it was meant to protect the hand when parrying a blow from a sabre. This may be true. Still others will tell you it was put there to make the gun easier to hang from a sash without a holster.
My take on it is that the trigger guard spur is simply a stylistic embellishment that the Russians wanted. Many 19th Century European revolvers had similar trigger guard spurs.
In fact, the New Model Number Three was available with a similar trigger guard spur on special order. This can make identification confusing.
Don't forget what I said about how awkward the Russian model is to shoot.
All the Smith and Wesson #3 Top Breaks required a longer reach to the hammer spur in order to cock the hammer than a Colt Single Action Army did.
Sorry for these photos being a little blurry, I was holding the gun in one hand, my phone in the other. Things got a little bit wobbly.
I have fairly large hands. With my hand underneath the bump on the grip (S&W calls it a Knuckle), I cannot reach the hammer spur with my thumb.
In order to reach the hammer spur, I have to regrip, placing my hand higher in order to reach the hammer. If I fire the gun this way, with the knuckle pressed against my palm, even with the relativity light recoil of the 44 Russian round, the point of the knuckle gets driven into my palm and it hurts. Trust me on this.
In order to fire the gun I have to regrip again, getting my hand under the knuckle.
So if you want to shoot left handed and cock the hammer with the other thumb, without regripping, go ahead and buy a Russian model. But if you are going to shoot one handed, I do not recommend it. That is my experience.
With a Schofield, if I cram my entire hand onto the grip, I can reach the hammer spur and don't need to regrip.
The same with a New Model Number Three.
