Levi Garrett
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
Very nice, and a great caliber 
.45LC 4.75" Pietta 1873 Colt Review (modem burning hi def stills!)
- Thread starter Claven2
- Start date
Lee Enfield
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Republic of Alberta
Claven2 said:
I'd argue that the Pietta .357 I examined was better than some of the 3rd gen Colts I've seen, for 1/4 the price.
In fact it was da*n near my 2nd gen SAA.
If it wasn't for the stupid safety, the new matte black "gunfighter" Uberti I was looking at on Saturday was ahead of both of them. That was a surprise, as most of the Uberti/Beretta's haven't impressed me.
D
Lee Enfield
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Republic of Alberta
Claven2 said:
If they got the case colours down, it would be an easy mistake...
Claven2 said:What webleys are they?
I wish the Rossi .45LC Win 92 clones were available up here. The Armi Sport copies are very nice (I had one for a while), but cost far too much for what they are IMHO - 'specially when the Rossi guns are like $350
I got a stainless (EMF) Rossi 357 SRC from a SASS dealer in Texas. He slicked it up before he sent it. It is the sweeeeeeeeeeeeetest rifle I own. It is not, however, as fast as a slicked 66 or 73, and by the time I had paid all the shipping and duties it cost probably in the four figure range.
Was it worth it ? It's my favourite rifle.
Regarding Pietta SAA's, I have a stanless in 357. It sure is pretty, but I have to say I prefer my Uberti's, even if the tolerances aren't as tight. I can give a full run down if anyone is interested.
TJ
Why do you like the Ubertis better if the Pietta is a tighter made pistol? Just curious... Are you just accustomed to them more?
Frankly, they are all pretty good guns. The important thing though is that the Pietta, a newcommer to the 1873 market, is no slouch and holds up rather well to the competition.
I've not owned a nice Rossi yet, but I did have the Armi Sport 92 for a while. It was VERY nicely made, but I did find the price a little excessive for what it is. To do it again, I'd probably go with an Uberti 73 carbine - assuming Uberti FINALLY stopped makign their .45LC rifle chambers out of spec... grr... A buddy returned two last year before giving up and buying a Marlin Cowboy. They bulged factory brass to the point it was not safely reloadable anymore!
Frankly, they are all pretty good guns. The important thing though is that the Pietta, a newcommer to the 1873 market, is no slouch and holds up rather well to the competition.
I've not owned a nice Rossi yet, but I did have the Armi Sport 92 for a while. It was VERY nicely made, but I did find the price a little excessive for what it is. To do it again, I'd probably go with an Uberti 73 carbine - assuming Uberti FINALLY stopped makign their .45LC rifle chambers out of spec... grr... A buddy returned two last year before giving up and buying a Marlin Cowboy. They bulged factory brass to the point it was not safely reloadable anymore!
Hi Claven
It's a good question. Why do I like the Uberti's more.
Let's start with their faults. (Note that these comments refer to my 357's. The Uberti 45Colt that I own is better than the 357's.)
Uberti's.
End sssshhhhhhhaaaaaakkkkkeeeee. Both of them.
Soft triggers that have both had to be stoned to restore a full #### that would hold.
One shoots inch and a half at 10 o clock, the other shoots 2 inches at 4 o ####.
They are consecutive sn's, and are blue and cch.
The Pietta.
Stainless.
More accurate than either Uberti, but ony slightly so more than the better one. (All touching at 10m).
Appeared to lock up tight when new, but kept skipping past lock if shooting fast.
At the 'smith for a while. Now it skips occasionally, but not when speed shooting. **
** The trigger position at half #### is far too far forward, and this interferes with the operation in a way that is easy to feel but hard to describe. I think it is partly to blame for the skipping.
When unloading, the Uberti cylinder lines up with the ejector by default. The Pietta cylinder is loose and sits just past the ejector rod meaning that you have to physically hold the cylinder in the correct place.
Cases fall out of the Uberti, but need a push out of the Pietta. (Usually).
The stocks of the Uberti fit my hand better as they are sightly fatter at the top.
The Pietta is VERY pretty. The Uberti's are ordinary.
If I could ony have Pietta's I would not be downhearted. But the Uberti feels nicer in the hand, the action more 'solid', and they always go bang.
As an aside, I also have a Uberti in 45 Colt. It is a nicer firearm than the 357's, nicer made, no end shake, accurate enough and the action seems even more solid than the 357's. It's my favourite.
I have to agree about the cost of the 92 clones. However, it is a very robust action, and can be very slick. My Uberti '66 in 45 Colt is a tackdriver, and with 255gr bullets seals the chamber nicely with no case malformation.
Regards
TJ
It's a good question. Why do I like the Uberti's more.
Let's start with their faults. (Note that these comments refer to my 357's. The Uberti 45Colt that I own is better than the 357's.)
Uberti's.
End sssshhhhhhhaaaaaakkkkkeeeee. Both of them.
Soft triggers that have both had to be stoned to restore a full #### that would hold.
One shoots inch and a half at 10 o clock, the other shoots 2 inches at 4 o ####.
They are consecutive sn's, and are blue and cch.
The Pietta.
Stainless.
More accurate than either Uberti, but ony slightly so more than the better one. (All touching at 10m).
Appeared to lock up tight when new, but kept skipping past lock if shooting fast.
At the 'smith for a while. Now it skips occasionally, but not when speed shooting. **
** The trigger position at half #### is far too far forward, and this interferes with the operation in a way that is easy to feel but hard to describe. I think it is partly to blame for the skipping.
When unloading, the Uberti cylinder lines up with the ejector by default. The Pietta cylinder is loose and sits just past the ejector rod meaning that you have to physically hold the cylinder in the correct place.
Cases fall out of the Uberti, but need a push out of the Pietta. (Usually).
The stocks of the Uberti fit my hand better as they are sightly fatter at the top.
The Pietta is VERY pretty. The Uberti's are ordinary.
If I could ony have Pietta's I would not be downhearted. But the Uberti feels nicer in the hand, the action more 'solid', and they always go bang.
As an aside, I also have a Uberti in 45 Colt. It is a nicer firearm than the 357's, nicer made, no end shake, accurate enough and the action seems even more solid than the 357's. It's my favourite.
I have to agree about the cost of the 92 clones. However, it is a very robust action, and can be very slick. My Uberti '66 in 45 Colt is a tackdriver, and with 255gr bullets seals the chamber nicely with no case malformation.
Regards
TJ
Interesting. I haven't experienced any of that with my Pietta. Maybe yours had some manufacturing tolerance problem or something?
I do agree about unloading though. It's a PITA to hold the cylinder at index to unload. Not sure why it's set up that way...
I do agree about unloading though. It's a PITA to hold the cylinder at index to unload. Not sure why it's set up that way...
Mmmmm, Pietta's, (and Uberti's) obviously vary a bit. I think they both represent good value for money, and you can USE them, whereas if you spent $1500 on a Colt it would likely stay in the safe. (And I ike to USE my single actions.)
One thing I forgot to mention about my Pietta. The inside facings of the frame, the recoil shield, under the top strap, and the bottom face, all look like they have been finished with a rough file. Assembled, the look of the gun is of a very nicely finished weapon. Take the cylinder out and it is quite a shock to see the very poor finishing. If I get a chance today I will post some photo's.
TJ
One thing I forgot to mention about my Pietta. The inside facings of the frame, the recoil shield, under the top strap, and the bottom face, all look like they have been finished with a rough file. Assembled, the look of the gun is of a very nicely finished weapon. Take the cylinder out and it is quite a shock to see the very poor finishing. If I get a chance today I will post some photo's.
TJ
Compare the Pietta and Uberti's
Here are a few pics for comparison.
The Pietta
"Mirror mirror on the wall........"
The Uberti 357
Plain Jane
The half #### trigger position.
The hammer knurling.
45 Uberti
357 Pietta
357 Uberti (ugh! )
Machine marks on Pietta frame
Off centre strikes.
I really don't like the edge of primer strike, could be nasty if the primer was sensitive. I can reproduce the skipping on the Pietta, but just can't make the Uberti's misbehave at all. Funny, you would think that the actions were the same.
The Pietta action is smooth, but rather vague. The Uberti action is coarser but very positive.
I like them all, but can't use the Pietta as a main match gun. It's just the back-up should one of the Uberti's break.
TJ
Here are a few pics for comparison.
The Pietta
"Mirror mirror on the wall........"
The Uberti 357
Plain Jane
The half #### trigger position.
The hammer knurling.
45 Uberti
357 Pietta
357 Uberti (ugh! )
Machine marks on Pietta frame
Off centre strikes.
I really don't like the edge of primer strike, could be nasty if the primer was sensitive. I can reproduce the skipping on the Pietta, but just can't make the Uberti's misbehave at all. Funny, you would think that the actions were the same.
The Pietta action is smooth, but rather vague. The Uberti action is coarser but very positive.
I like them all, but can't use the Pietta as a main match gun. It's just the back-up should one of the Uberti's break.
TJ
I see you're really diggin back in time for the SA threads.
When I first started CAS, I bought a used Sauer and Sohn 357, mainly because it was accurate, solid and affordable. I then bought a case hardened frame Pietta in 357 from Marstar. This year, I switched up to 44-40 and bought 2 used Uberti's. In my opinion, in fit and finish, the Pietta gives nothing up to the Uberti's.
I have heard some rumblings lately at shoots that Pietta has really raised their game, and some would put them ahead of Uberti at the moment.
When I first started CAS, I bought a used Sauer and Sohn 357, mainly because it was accurate, solid and affordable. I then bought a case hardened frame Pietta in 357 from Marstar. This year, I switched up to 44-40 and bought 2 used Uberti's. In my opinion, in fit and finish, the Pietta gives nothing up to the Uberti's.
I have heard some rumblings lately at shoots that Pietta has really raised their game, and some would put them ahead of Uberti at the moment.
