Help Pick Out A '73! Need help fast!

[HunterFL772]

Hello everyone,
I am brand new to this forum and need some quick help! I have the opportunity to buy either a Uberti 1873 Special Sporting Rifle in 20'' or 24.25''... and I dont know which one to buy (sadly, I cant have both)!!! I have held the 24'' one and loved it. However, I think it was a bit nose heavy and the 20'' may look better. I have not seen the 20'' in person so I can't be sure.

I have a few questions on the 20'' rifle:
-is it unheard of to use a tang sight on that rifle?
-is the stock any shorter?
-which do you prefer as far as looks?

I will be using this rifle mainly for hunting and plinking. I hope, one day, to get into CAS. Both rifles are cambered in the cartridge I want, 45 LC and both are octagonal barrels, new in the box.

I am leaning more towards the shorter rifle but it is no possible to hold it in my hands before buying. Please endulge me with some wisdom quickly, as I have only a few more hours to make a move on one or the other.

Thanks for the assistance,
Hunter

[HDS]

I think the 20" is the better choice myself, it's a really nice length, I also think it looks better. For me who chose .357 as the caliber it was quite important because that barrel has more material in it than .45 Colt.

The stocks on the 20" and 24" rifles should be the same as far as I know, the rifles should be identical except overall length. Tang sights on the 20" is very common and there's nothing stopping that.

[knifemaker]

If you feel the 24 inch barrel is "nose heavy" you probably would like the 20 inch better. I have a Rossi 92 octagonal barrel lever action in the 20 inch lenght and it balances very well. Just the 4 inches more of barrel will add 1 pound of weight out front on the rifle.
Also the 73 is a weaker action then the 92 and I would keep the velocity for a 250 gr. boolit down to 1300-1400 fps due to the weaker toggle-link action.

[helice]

I don't think you'd be unhappy with either. I have a 92 Winchester that was bored out to 357 mag (back in the 60's) which sports a 24" barrel and a 45 LC Rossi 92 with a 20" barrel. They are both easy carry guns and very fast and easy to shoot.
The '73 is such a lovely rifle to work. They sound sweet and are just plain pretty. The longer barrel looks best to me but the 20" is delightful to carry. If you get into one of these (and I hope you do) get into contact with a member named Springfield. He builds some really nice gun leather for these old beauties. I recommend him.

[L Ross]

Hunter, I'd go with the 24". Historically the most common. Hangs and swings better for offhand work. Develops more velocity with BP. Lastly please consider going with the "correct cartridge" the 44 wcf.
When I last shot cowboy I used a 30" deluxe Uberti in 44 wcf with BP and the RCBS 44-200-CM. It was the only gun I never missed a target with. Especially the longer distance NCOWS rifle targets.
Just my highly opinionated sense of historical correctness.

Duke

[Crash_Corrigan]

I am going to have to put in my bid on the 38-55 Winchester cartridge. I have a Marlin 336 Cowboy in this caliber and I love it. I load both BP and Smokeless in it and it is a tack driver in either configuration. It is one really nice looking rifle and handles like a dream. With a tang sight in back and a globe sight with inserts in the front it is really easy to make a good shot. The recoil is very manageable and this round and rifle will take any game in North America other than the monster bears out to 350 yds.

It is easy to reload for and starline has the brass. It is so satisfying to trigger off a fullisade of shots with BP as the sound of the report is a much deeper booming sound that is so different from smokeless powder. Then you get that big cloud of white smoke. When I fire this offa the line I usually get a bunch of lookie lous around me asking about the rifle ect.

[HunterFL772]

Thank you all for your quick responses! I value all of your input and made my choice a bit easier to make. I got a pretty good deal on the rifle, and I ended up going with the 1873 Special Sporting Rifle with a 20'' barrel and chambered in 45LC. I really thought hard about the 44-40 but the tapered neck makes reloading a tad more difficult. Since buying the rifle, I have bought a Marbles Tang sight.

Now I am looking for a new front sight with a white dot instead of the blade. Also, possibly a fold down half buckhorn sight to replace the stock buckhorn. The math seems intense, does anyone know offhand the correct Marble's sight heights for that particular rifle?

Again, I am in debt to everyone's professionalism and efficiency in helping out a real newbie on this forum!

All the best,
Hunter

[HunterFL772]

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[hightime]

In my mind the 24-1/4 is the best looking and the longer sight radius along with a bit more velocity make it a wonderful gun.
7970279703

[Four Fingers of Death]

I use a 44WCF (44/40) in a Uberti Sporting Rifle. Looks good, balances good and is as accurate as all get out! Great with black powder, great with Trailboss.