The Old Yarn: Uberti vs Pietta

M

manowar

New member
A few years back when I got into cap and ball it seemed like everyone advised me to buy Uberti revolvers over Pietta, and I did.

Lately, it seems like the shoe's on the other foot. I'm reading here and there bits saying that Pietta has worked overtime to refine their product and have succeeded while Uberti's quality has gone down.

Comments, anyone?
 
I've seen and shot both. Fit, finish and accuracy is pretty much the same across the board where i think the Uberti "looks" or the finish might be nicer looking sometimes - SOMETIMES. But really they're both good guns. I say buy the better $$ deal no matter the brand. All the repros seem to have there are act together these days. Can't go wrong basically.
 
The only thing I can think of is with a Uberti Colt the arbor holes are too deep causing cylinder gap problems if the wedge is installed too deep whereas Pietta arbors are usually spot on.
 
Howdy

I bought a pair of Pietta 1860 Colts a few years ago. They were on sale at Cabellas, so I grabbed a pair.

I can tell you for a fact that I was disappointed in the finish of those revolvers. There were burrs on the surface of the frame that should have been removed before they were 'case hardened'. Stuck out like sore thumbs. Remove them after the frames were finished and they will look even worse. Maybe Pietta is doing better now, but that was my experience a few years ago. I shoulda spent a few extra bucks for Ubertis.
 
I should have added that being a competitive shooter my experience is limited to reproductions of the Remington 1858 New Model Army only (primarily in 45). The Remington is simply a better built, and more accurate revolver having the barrel threaded into the frame that has a top strap and no wedge to deal with causing possible alignment issues.
 
I'm considering buying another C&B BP Revolver myself and am leaning towards a Uberti.

I own an 1858 44 cal Pietta with a really gritty action. I also own a Uberti Cattleman Hombre 357 mag. Two completely different designs but the Uberti's action is far smoother than the Pietta.
 
My experience has been that Uberti produces guns that are more nicely finished than those of Pietta. Also, Uberti does a better job, though not always, of hiding the ubiquitous BLACK POWDER ONLY markings, oftentimes placing them on the underside of barrels rather than in full view as Pietta does.
 
I agree w/Hawg

I own both but haven't bought anything new in quite a while. One problem I have noticed with my Uberti Walker is when I load it up for deer season (in Michigan) and get it out into cold weather, it must be checked as it expands/contracts from temperature changes, it can seize up if the wedge is pushed in too far preventing a second shot.

Of course, a second shot is never needed with us big shooters here on this forum! :D

... but then... there's always the Coyotes that might try to move in after the kill...

Birch
 
I have one of each, and am picking up a .357 1873 Piettta tomorrow.

Gritty actions are easily remedied with a good hard stone and a few fine files. Here is a "how to" link that you can follow (even without the added step of installing a Ruger style hand follower). http://www.theopenrange.net/articles/Tuning_the_Pietta_Part_Two.pdf

Alternately, find someone who tunes them for a living. My first BP was a '61 Navy Pietta that I bought already tuned (for no extra cost) and it is extremely smooth. By contrast, the '62 Uberti I bought off GunBroker was coarse and generally awful and unreliable (but beautiful). The '73 Pietta I am picking up NIB is perfectly timed and locks up solidly, almost no grit at the hammer (which will likely disappear with a little oil and use), and just a tiny bit of trigger creep, all easily remedied when I take it apart for its first cleaning. It is a liquidation special which the box indicates was manufactured in 2008.

I specifically sought out and purchased the Pietta 1873 SA over the Uberti for several reasons. First, Pietta has much better case coloring, the Ubertis being almost white with hardly any blue or purple. Second, at least in the 1873s, Pietta uses a Ruger style hand follower, a far more reliable design than the original Colt hand spring. Third, the Pietta can be had with a (again Ruger style) transfer bar that is much more solidly built than the transfer block on the Horseman model Ubertis. (Both make guns to original colt specs. The one Pietta model I handled was gritty, but its more expensive ($650+) "Evil Roy" model built for competition is tuned and very slick.)
 
Or this:

zl2bds.jpg
 
I've bought both Uberti and Pietta products. In both cases, quality is solid. Pietta's 1873 clones are very good, though my favorite has to be the Uberti 1875 Remington clone. One helluva firearm.
 
Which is better - Uberti or Pietta?

Which is better - Sig or Kimber?

Which is better - Smith & Wesson Shield or Glock 43?

It's all in the "eyes of the beholder". ANY brand can have some problems once in a while - that's why most manufacturers have a "service department". If there weren't problems - they wouldn't need service departments. Neither would Ford, GM, Toyota . . .

I have had and do have both Piettas and Ubertis. I have no complaints with either. Both brands have good fit and finish, function well, shoot well - both C & B and cartridge wheel guns.

As far as Uberti's shaving deep cylinder pin holes - a properly fitted wedge should go in and be thumb tight - and should be able to be removed the same way. The problem is that too many people think it needs to be whammed in tight. As far as cylinder gap goes . . . it's all about "tuning" your cylinder pin, wedge, etc. to obtain the cylinder gap you want and keeping it that way by using your thumb on the wedge . . . not a mallet.

Forget about what others "think" . . . everyone has their own individual opinion. Just because you "read it on the net" . . doesn't make it etched in stone. If you are wavering . . . . go to where you can look at them in person and where you can make a selection based on what "you" think. I really don't think a person would be disappointed with either brand. :)
 
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