Uberti Remington 1875 Outlaw sight problems

R

reed

Inactive
I recently received an almost new Uberti Outlaw copy of the Remington model 1875 in 44-40 for Christmas. It seems like a well made handgun, the action is tight, trigger pull is decent. The first trip out I never fired it, it locked up as soon as I loaded the cylinder. That was an easy fix. Apparantly it had been dry fired enough to raise a burr around the firing pin hole on the inside of the frame that would drag on the cartridge rims. Stoning the burr off cured that problem.
Next trip out it function fine, no action problems at all. Nice gun to shoot. Now the problem.
It shoots about two feet high & a foot to the left at about 30 yards. I tried using some RMA 200 grain jacketed loads that came with the gun & some of my 205 grain cast handloads. No difference. It took a few cylinders to even get close enough to a target to see where it was shooting. It has the fixed post front sight & frame groove rear. Does anyone have any suggestions or experienced a similar problem with these guns? I don't expect great results with these sights & my eyes but it would sure be nice to actually get close to a steel plate or aluminum can at 25-30 yards!
 
Honestly, I would like to suggest you make a call to Uberti Customer Service and see about the installation of a new front sight or a re-barrel. I may be way out in left field, but it sounds like the firearm's front sight might have been filed down for the use of Cowboy Action or SASS light loads. OR- maybe the previous owner had a thing for holding at a certain distance with a 6 o'clock hold. Either way, the front sight needs to be higher if you don't dot the "I".
 
The windage correction process is pretty straight-forward, but needs a solidly mounted vice and a pair of wooden "vee-blocks" of the proper size to grip the barrel tightly without marring it. With the cylinder and (most likely if the barrel is relatively short) ejector rod housing removed and the barrel clamped firmly in the blocks, a stout hammer handle or similar piece of wood can be run through the frame "window" and used as a lever to turn the barrel slightly towards the direction where your hits are landing. This might take a few tries to dial it in as it were, but it does work.

Correcting the elevation is (as has been said) going to take either a new, taller front sight or the work of an "Ace" TIG welder. Then it's a matter of "shoot a group, file a couple of strokes off the top of the sight, shoot another group" until it's hitting where you want with your chosen load.

You can try contacting Uberti and see what they say, but as you're not the "original purchaser" they might balk at fixing it for you under warranty. Or they might not. Might be at least worth a try, IMO.
 
Last edited:
Thank you for the input guys. I suspect Uberti would not be too helpful since I am not the original purchaser & it is an older model. I don't think they even offer them in 44-40 anymore.
Nothing looks modified, or even used much if at all. No trace of modifications to the front sight. I honestly hadn't thought of rotating the barrel. Should be pretty straightforward, no extractor cuts or headspace to worry about.
Does anyone know what holds in the front sight? Press fit? Silversoldered?
 
The front sight is silver-soldered. You can build up the height of the front sight by using some J-B Weld - dab some black paint on it and it'll be good-to-go.

FWIW, I currently have my Uberti at my local gunsmith so he can turn the barrel in a bit more to correct for windage. I wouldn't try doing it myself using Claddagh's recommended method, BUT that appears to be pretty much how they're done a the Uberti factory - look here to see how they're made and you'll see how they install the barrel: http://youtu.be/qYOJa8ZNxmE
 
Hello, reed. How were you shooting the revolver? Off sandbags or some type of rest? I have a 2nd. gen Colt S.A.A. 71/2" .38 spec., that I tried sighting in when I first got it. Fireing was done at 25yds. with both frame resting on sandbags & with only wrists resting on bags. Gun was shooting low & right..I am talking the very bottom right hand corner of large cardboard backer!..nearly 2' low..1' right! Tried every load I could think of..some printed closer..but all were still low & right.
Finally the o'l light bulb came on..and I shot the revolver as it was intended to be shot..one handed..or at most..left hand supporting right wrist.
As if by magic gun started printing group right on top of where front sight was held..with perfect windage! So don't be in too great a hurry to get out the files..I almost made that mistake. Try differen't bullet weights & styles..different powders & loads. These old style guns have a mind of their own.
 
If the gun was not sold by the current Uberti USA Company that's importing them under the Beretta umbrella, they won't do anything for you under warrantee.

You can't just send any Uberti gun off to them for work, if they weren't the original importers.
They may or may not agree to work on it, for a fee. They're under no obligation to do so, though, it's not their problem if they didn't sell it, regardless of whether you're the original owner or not.
Denis
 
I'd say live with it personally, its always an issue with fixed sighted guns. Try some different ammo first, but you might just figure out what range you can hit a tin can at and call it a day. I have two 45's that wont hit anything past 15 yards but they still get their use for other things. Also remember those old guns werent made to shoot cans at 30 yards. Some can but many cant. Your gun was made for hitting drunks over the head, robbing trains, back shooting outlaws at one yard, and head shooting calfs caught in barbed wire. All of which im sure your gun will still do just fine.
 
Thanks again for your input guys.
Interesting handgun "how it's made" video. Pretty high tech barrel instalation procedure!
As for the shooting. It was just offhand plinking pretty much. 1 hand & 2, no rest. 4 of us on a family outing, 4 shooters. A Smith & Wesson Chief Special snubnose 38 made the Uberti look pitiful & at longer ranges. On a 1000 round day shooting .22 long rifle up to 50-70 Government I don't think anyone besides myself put more than two cylinders through the Uberti it was so bad.
In my opinion any handgun that can't hit anything past 15 yards is good for using as a hammer & not much else.
Thanks again, you've given me some ideas to play with. I'll do some serious shooting with it in a couple weeks after I load some more ammo.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top