I can't decide on these Ubertis: Nickel or Stainless? Or Antiqued?

[VP]

I am getting 3 Uberti Peacemaker revolvers. I am stuck trying to decide which finish I want on one of them. All are shown at www.uberti.com/firearms/1873-sa-cattleman.tpl Thanks to Wayne Smith for straightening me out this far. He says the Cattleman is the strict repro of the '73 SAA.

The first one I am clear on. It is for my father. He has a 1st generation Colt Cavalry. It is worth a bit too much to take it out plinking, drop it in the sand, &c (I would be the one dropping it). So for him, I'm getting the 344100 - 1873 Cattleman NM Steel - MSRP $410, if it comes in a 7 1/2 inch barrel.

The Uberti web site is not the best I've seen. The piece shown is in 4 3/4" barrel. I ASSUME it comes in 3 barrel lengths, but I've gotten in trouble before in using that strategy. Anyone know if that Cattleman comes in choice of barrel lengths? One stock number, 344100, in 3 different lengths?

Next issue-- I want, for myself, the 345029 - 1873 Cattleman NM 7-1/2" Stainless Steel - MSRP $495 in .45 Colt. But maybe the 344151 - 1873 Cattleman NM 7-1/2" Nickel - MSRP $500 is a better choice? More authentic? Any problems with nickel? Seems like the last nickel gun I saw had flakes of nickel peeling off it. Any of you have Uberti pieces that are nickel-plated, and still have the nickel on them? My S&W 686 in Stainless looks as good in 2005 as it did in 1986 when I bought it. Will a nickel Colt still look good decades from now? I know the stainless will.

The thing that gets me about these Italian repros in their shiny new conditions is that they look like-- shiny new guns. That's what the 1873 Colt SAA looked like in 1873, I know, but sorry I just can't get past that. What looks good to me is the 355130 - 1873 Cattleman OM 5-1/2" Old West Finish - MSRP $495. Elsewhere on the page they refer to it as the "Antiqued" finish. That looks like an old Colt to my eyes!

Have any of you had experience this "Old West Finish"/"Antiqued" finish? Does it look as good up close as it looks at www.uberti.com/firearms/1873-sa-cattleman.tpl ?

Thanks to all-- Vern

[9.3X62AL]

I may still get one of these Uberti repros in 44-40 as a companion piece to my '73 carbine in that caliber. I looked at the pics on the Cimarron website of the '73's (in 32-20) that I almost succumbed to before finding the Marlin CCL last year in 32-20......at about half the tariff of the Cim '73. The Cimmaron "antiquing" looks nice in the pics, but haven't seen it in the flesh. Now I have the rifle to match up with the Bisley x 4.75" in 32-20, so consistency demands I get the Uberti wheeler.

[VP]

I may still get one of these Uberti repros in 44-40 as a companion piece to my '73 carbine in that caliber ... consistency demands I get the Uberti wheeler.
Al check out the Gunslinger in Glendora-- I was there today-- you are not a lot farther from there than me-- 4 freeways and 40 miles for me-- he has two Uberti '73 Single Action Armys in .44-40 for $330 each. They are slightly used. Barrels are 5 1/2". I think that was the price. Maybe $350. I would have bought one of them but I have bullets in .45 LC, dies in .45 LC, brass in .45 LC ...

His address is 757 East Arrow Hwy, 91740, just South of the 210 and east of the 57; 626.914.7010. Name is Jeff. He has about 8 original pieces 1858 Remington; 1860 Army Colt; and a conversion open top to cartridge Colt 1860.

Don't be put off if he keeps his boots on the counter while watching TV when you come it. He'll warm up.
Vern
Check out his 1984 Wideglide parked inside the back of his shop.

[9.3X62AL]

I think I've been in there once--he was or is the closest (to me) retail outlet for one of the Orange County-based Italian repro distributors, correct? That's not a half-bad price on those revolvers. If I'm going to be driven to madness by the accuracy quirks of the hyphenated Winchesters, I might as well go whole hog and get the wheeler to match the '73.

[VP]

I think I've been in there once--he was or is the closest (to me) retail outlet for one of the Orange County-based Italian repro distributors, correct? That's not a half-bad price on those revolvers. If I'm going to be driven to madness by the accuracy quirks of the hyphenated Winchesters, I might as well go whole hog and get the wheeler to match the '73. He is nowhere near Orange County--- he is north of you, and a lot west-- L.A. County-- price is about $130 under market for the revolvers, but they are used. I wish they had been in .45 LC. There would be one there instead of two.