Open-Top Uberti/Cimarron Questions

[NY-1]

I've always loved the looks of open top revolvers, and recently discovered that Cimarron imports a number of Uberti-made reproductions of the 1871/1872 cartridge versions. I've contemplated adding one to my collection, but I'm torn on what configuration to order (or attempt to order given lackluster availability these days).

Obtaining one chambered in 38 special would be convenient since I have a decent amount of ammo on hand for it. On the other hand, the guns were originally chambered in 44 Henry, and the closest I suppose I can get to that are the reproduction models chambered in 44 Special. Getting a 44 Special would present a unique shooting experience since I don't have any other guns chambered in that caliber. I don't think I have the ability to reload ammo at the moment, and I'm concerned about availability and long-term cost for ammo though. (I don't have much space at all to work with - are there portable reloading setups, or ones that could work with a Lifetime folding table?) Given the guns' lack of a top strap, are there any concerns with prolonged usage of standard pressure 44 special?

There's also the matter of barrel length. The 7.5" barrels look more period correct to me, but the 5.5" barrels look like they'd be a little less unwieldy at the range. Most of these reproductions are sold with Army or Navy grip styles - what are those like? I generally prefer being able to fit all of my fingers onto the grip.

To the owners of these guns and those familiar with them, any recommendations?

 

[Milton]

I had one but my son now owns it! They are fun to shoot and mine was beautifully finished,really a nice looking revolver.Mine was in 38 Special ,shot very well BUT that barrel is very heavy in 38.If you can handle the front heavy revolvers you are good to go,if not the 44 sure sets well in the hand!

 

[Ruger 13]

Have several Uberti revolvers both cap and ball and center fire. All are top quality and have functioned flawlessly!

 

[SFC Rick]

If there ever was one Colt to have elegance in style and function it would be an Open Top 71/72 Model. I have a few in different configurations that scratch that itch in EDC duty and the range. I favor the 45Colt chambering since it's what I reload for and have enough ammo for several lifetimes. Like many here I pair the revolvers with corresponding rifles and or carbines of the same caliber. As far as the grips Army vs. Navy, I prefer the full sized Army grips which are better in full sized man hands. Navy sized grips are better for concealed carry or smaller hands.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

There was and is another chambering. 44 Colt! IT is almost rimless, short and, made the use a round ball or 1.5 dia. Conical and black powder. Uberti doesn't make this . But I have seen many at Cowboy shoots. It is definitely a reloading proposition! This is the cartridge the 44 Army were converted to.

Ivan

 

[2152hq]

I've got the exact gun you have pictured...5 1/2" in 44spcl.
Bought it slightly used at a show along with another that looked still NIB that was a nickel plated 5.5" but in their version of 44Colt.
I sold the nickel 44Colt gun and kept the 44Spcl

IIRC that Uberti/Cimmaron '44Colt' caliber was nothing more than a 44Russian chambering.

The orig 44Colt used a heeled 45cal bullet (.451/452 dia. The heel was .429 that portion that was held inside the case.




But the casehardened & blued 44spcl I ended up keeping.
It had a couple of issues.
It would pierce primers quite regularly, actually nearly every one.
The firing pin on these is very long and ice pick shaped. That's not athe real problem.
It was just a few .000 too long and the tip was shaped to a point.
Reshaped/rounded point and shortened a few .000 and no more punctured primers.
I have rear that others have had the same issue with some of the OpenTops.

The loading gate was a bear to open. The small flat spring that keeps the gate in the closed or open position by simply camming over a high point on the gate spindle was simply too heavy.
You could use it as-is, but it was just too heavy.
I thinned the thickness of the spring slightly,,gave it a tapered profile to lighten it. You could also lighten it by thinning it's width.
Then polish up the contact surfaces on both the spring and the gate spindle and that's taken care of.
The spring is easily reshaped with a regular file, then polished with grit paper.

The ejector rod would jam a bit in it's first movements coming back.
It has to make a slight sideways movement in the travel and this is where it gets hung up and stalls.
Making those zigzag right angles of the travel in the ejector housing slot smoothed out so the rod cams through the slot easier removed the annoying hang up.

The bolt/trigger spring in the action was way too heavy.
It's the same 2-leaf flat spring as was used in the C&B and later in the SAA.
For some reason the one in the gun I had was so heavy it actually pulled the bolt early off of the hammer cam. Made for a strange action feel at times and a drag line on the cylinder that was not needed.
The cam pin on the hammer was already starting to show some wear from the bolt being pulled off of it prematurely.
I simply replaced the factory trigger/bolt spring with a wire spring sold for SAA type rebuilds of S/A's.
Heiney Mfg was the maker and I got it from Brownells at the time. Cheap at 5 or 6$. A drop in part.
Amazing what the simple spring replacement did for the action. Very smooth now and timing perfect.

There is no 1/4 cock safety on the OpenTop. Just a 1/2cock loading and Full cock. That's the way they were made.
Put the firing pin down in betw the cartridge rims on the cylinder.
But,,the repros have an added safety for importation rules.
It's an unobtrusive small manually flip into position (if you want to) piece that is rivited to the hammer hank.
It's nicely fitted so it's not really noticable. If you don't want to use it, you just ignore it.
To use it, flip it outward (forward) and let the hammer down on it and the hammer (and FP) stands off the cylinder on that safety arm.
Good enough to get the gun importation points.

The last thing is the cylinder wedge.
Many people will over tighten the wedge thinking more is better.
You can tighten the wedge too much and actually draw the bbl and cylinder together so there is little or no cyl gap.

The way they have (had?) these mfg'd, it was possible to over tighten the assembly of the bbl to the frame using the wedge.
There are a couple ways to refit that using a set screw, a plug and refit in the cylinder spindle.,,all to limit the distance the wedge is driven in.
Search the net for this very issue with the Opentop and you'll find some discussions and remedys.

I can see the issue, but have avoided needing to do any alterations for it by simply reinserting the bbl wedge and taping it in just far enough to secure the bbl to frame and have a decent cyl gap.
My gun does however bear the scar of a previous owner using perhaps a rock to loosen the wedge at one time. They do not have to be pounded in that tight!

Sights are small,,the rear is a V on the top of the hammer. The front sight a small blade.

But with all this, I really like the gun and is one of my favorites to shoot.
Mine has the 1851 'Navy' brass grip frame but I find it comfortable. You can get them with the slightly longer 1860 grip frame.

I load bullseye (4.5gr?) and a cast lead bullet.
Lot's of fun

 

[NY-1]

Thanks for the input, all! I think I'm going to try to track down a 38 model in the 5.5" barrel. Hopefully one of these days I can move to a residence with space to have an a nice reloading setup, and then I'll have to snag a .44 with a 7.5" barrel too. I guess we'll see what's in stock or even order-able at the moment though!

 

[Mblhopo]

My 72 open top has a silver plated trigger guard {anyone else have one} it is a Cimarron also can you shoot .44 specials in one chambered in .44 Colt......................................M*

 

[2152hq]

Never seen a Silver plated guard and/or backstrap on a Cimarron.
I did have a full nickle plated 1872 opentop like NIB in their 44Colt.
I see from they website that the Nickle Plate is a custom/extra cost finish.
They don't list Silver at all, but perhaps did in the past.

and FWIW
Uberti/Cimarron's '44Colt' caliber uses the same as rifling bore dimensions as the 44Russian and 44Spcl's they produce. .429 groove/ .417 bore.
Their 44Colt does used a different twist rate however of 1-16 and wider grooves than the 44R & Spcl only chamberings.
The 44R and 44sp use 1-20 twist.

The orig 44Colt CF cartridge used a .451dia heeled bullet in the C&B conversions of the 1860 Army.
Those '44cal' revolvers were so named for the 'bore' diameter of .442,,not the groove dia of the bbl (.452/454).
So when the straight thru bored conversion cylinders were done to accept a cartridge, the bullet had to also be .452 as well as the case.
The result was the .44Colt round.
Still named for the bore dia of the bbl just like the orig C&B revolver had been, still using a .452 dia ball/bullet, but now in the form of a heeled bulleted cartridge.