Opinions Please Uberti 1873 Winchester clone

[jimb16]

I fell in love with the 1873 Winchester at the NRA Annual Meeting and have decided to purchase one. I've been looking and pricing and have more or less settled on the Uberti clone. Since an actual Winchester 73 is about double the price, it would be difficult for me to afford since I'm a retiree. I'd like to hear from those guys who actually have one. Is it reliable? Accurate? Well made? I'm looking at the .45 colt to match my revolver. I really don't want to add another caliber or have to buy a matching revolver so .44 mag and .357 are out even though I do reload both.

[hp246]

I have an Uberti 73 rifle, and a Uberti 66 carbine. Both guns are well made. No issues with either of them. Both of them have been short stroked for CAS competition. I have several thousand rounds through each of the with no issues. Both are in .45 Colt. They match my Uberti 73 single actions. As far as accuracy, I'm only shooting out to 25 yards, but they shoot fine for CAS.

[35 Whelen]

Buy it! You won't be disappointed. I own two original antique 1873 Winchesters and the Uberti's are for all practical purposes identical, inside and out, to the originals. The "new" Winchesters are not.
I've owned a few Uberti's and currently have two; an 1866 Sporting Rifle in 44-40 and an 1873 SRC in .44 Magnum and am very, very pleased with both of them. Haven't shot the 44 Magnum a whole lot, but have run several hundred, black and smokeless, through the 1866 since I got it back in January. It's a surprisingly accurate rifle and once the sights are regulated, they're (This is the 2nd 1866 I've owned) a ball to shoot at long range using the ladder sights:

100 yds.-



200 yds.-

(Prone position)



Bench-







300 yds. prone-





The .44 Magnum is every bit as accurate, but I bought it as a hunting rifle and companion to my .44 Specials.




You don't say whether or not you're considering a saddle ring carbine (20" round barrel), a short rifle (20" octagon barrel) or a sporting rifle (24" octagon barrel). The SRC is considerably lighter than the other two, but for just fun shooting I prefer the 24".

Good luck!!

35W

[jimb16]

Thanks for the info. I still haven't decided which model, but I'm trending toward the short rifle (20 inch octagon) or the sporting rifle (24 inch octagon). I plan on using it for deer hunting as they are now legal in Ohio. I'm getting too old for climbing these days, so I hunt from a ground blind. The 30 inch would just be too long.

[McLintock]

I had the Uberti Sporting Rifle in .44 Special for a number of years in Cowboy Action Shooting, shooting both black and smokeless loads in it and never had a complaint; good rifle, accurate and reliable.
McLintock

[Texas by God]

Draw and quarter me but I'll say the Uberti is better quality than the past or present Winchester. Best, Thomas.

[njc110381]

Some interesting reading here. I can't really add any experience because I don't have mine yet, but I can say that after handling several makes of lever gun in my local gun shop, I've ordered a Uberti. It felt so much nicer than the others. More attention to detail in the build quality and very smooth straight from the box.

I went for the Short Rifle in .357. The gun I handled was a 24" octagonal barrel model and for me it was a little muzzle heavy. If I was hunting with it then I think the extra barrel length could be helpful. It's a not so well known fact that longer barrelled guns are more accurate with open sights - or at least they are easier to shoot accurately because of the space between the front and rear sight.

I went for the 20" because I'm shooting gongs at the range and wanted it to handle a bit more quickly. Accuracy isn't so vital. I liked the octagonal barrel so didn't want to reduce weight by going with the round one, preferring to shorten it a bit instead.

[35 Whelen]

Draw and quarter me but I'll say the Uberti is better quality than the past or present Winchester. Best, Thomas.

Can't speak to present Winchesters, but I see no less workmanship in my Uberti's than in my old original Winchesters. The thing to remember is folks have been successfully running the snot out of Uberti's in CAS competition for alot of years. I have a buddy whose run I'm excess of 15,000 rounds through his slicked up Uberti and all he's had to replace is one firing pin. Nuff said.

35W

[Finster101]

I need some help with terminology. What is the safety that makes you keep the lever squeezed on the 73 to fire it and can it be bypassed? I don't want to hijack the thread so I will start a new one when I know what to call it. Thanks

[dverna]

Have had two. Still have one. Both good guns. Never an issue

[hp246]

I need some help with terminology. What is the safety that makes you keep the lever squeezed on the 73 to fire it and can it be bypassed? I don't want to hijack the thread so I will start a new one when I know what to call it. Thanks

It is called a lever safety. The lever safety insures that the gun is in battery before it can be fired. Yes, they can be removed, but why not just buy a 66 instead?

[Finster101]

It is called a lever safety. The lever safety insures that the gun is in battery before it can be fired. Yes, they can be removed, but why not just buy a 66 instead?

Thank you. I have an Uberti 73 that I bought in 81 while in the Army. My hands are big enough that I need to squeeze the bottom of the lever to make it comfortable. It's in 44-40 and I got a Colt New Frontier SAA at the same time also in 44-40. I would just like to make it more comfortable to me. Don't really want to buy a new gun.

[Wayne Smith]

Mine is in 44-40 and the Short Rifle. I put a Lyman tang sight on it and it's about 2" to the left at 50 yds shooting the MAV Dutchman boolit and BP. Next time I take it to the range I will loosen the front sight and move it a touch.

[jimb16]

Thanks for all the replies. I ordered it this morning. Going with the 24 1/4 inch barrel color case receiver short rifle in 45 colt. Can't wait til it arrives.

[Steve E]

I borrowed a Uberti 73 in 357 mag for a while and really liked it, great fit and finish, my 1860 Uberti in 45 Colt is a ball to shoot and couldn't ask for better fit and finish. I haven't shot one yet but the Miroku 73's look and feel fantastic. Too bad Winchester just puts their name on one made by someone else and doesn't actually manufacture them anymore.

Steve..........