Will an original Hi Wall barrel screw into a Uberti copy

[john hayslip]

I purchased a used Uberti single trigger Hi Wall in 38-55 several years ago and got the wood and parts to convert it to a set trigger model. What I'd really like to do is make it into a 32-40 and I have an original 85 barrel in 32-40 in good enough condition I think it can be made to shoot cast bullets reasonably well. Does any one know if the barrel shanks are the same thread.

I know it can be relined but I'd probably have a great deal of trouble getting a 32-40 reamer at reasonable cost and I doubt if anyone rents one.

I also have the lever, trigger plate and hammer from the conversion if anyone needs same. Will sell or trade. Before you ask the wood was traded to a friend who was building a high wall.

[Clay M]

Doubtful the threads are the same.

[Goatwhiskers]

Interesting question. The Uberti probably has metric threads. GW

[oldred]

I could be wrong but I think the Uberti uses the same 15/16" 16 TPI thread as the original (NOT the later Winchester/Brownings, these are whole different animals!) but it's not nearly as simple as just screwing the barrel on. This would be a job for a skilled gunsmith since the timing of the barrel and especially the extractor is going to be critical. Actually it might be easier to fit a barrel with a blank stub from someplace like Green Mountain barrels.

[jlmurphy]

I rebarreled a Uberti copy High Wall, I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't have to cut metric threads, but the previous post is correct that the barrel may not time the same.

[john hayslip]

Thanks guys. I thought that was correct. I'm going to see if I can find a gunsmith in the immediate area who can do it. The two I knew that could have died in the past few years.

[bob208]

all the original Winchester single shot barrels were timed the same. unscrew one screw on another it will time right up. now I don't knw about from the uberti. but it would be easy to find out.

[oldred]

Bob, I have to respectfully disagree. While it may be true that some will time up ok the timing is so critical that it's pretty much impossible for all of them to fit. Even a very few thousandths difference on the barrel and/or the receiver can make all the difference in the world and there is simply no way tolerances could have been held close enough back when those things were built, it would be difficult enough even with today's manufacturing methods. When fitting a barrel to one of these receivers taking off even .001" off the barrel will result in several degrees of relocation of barrel fit if properly torqued, I suppose a lot of close fits might be made to work by "fudging" on the torque but that's not a proper way of installing a barrel.

[bob208]

going by what I have read in the books and what I have done. I have a high wall. I took off the old barrel it was a shot out .22. took a shot out .32-40 barrel rebored it to .38-55. it went right on and timed up. had to change the extractor. a friend had a .25-35 barrel we screwed that barrel on and went shooting. we did some other reline and rebore on high wall barrels we screwed on to my action to try the out.

[oldred]

The extractor is the biggest problem when installing a barrel on these rifles and it requires an exact timing location which is simply unrealistic to expect from from one rifle to another especially given the manufacturing methods of the day, you were extremely lucky if you managed to get that extractor aligned with any semblance of proper barrel torque. As I mentioned earlier even .001" difference in the barrel will make several degrees difference in timing given proper torque and there is no way those old guns were anywhere near that close.

[bob208]

don't underestimate the ability of the old machinist. they could do real good even as good as today. just not as fast. look at the krag the barrels interchange with out problems. even the m1 the barrels interchange and every thing lines up and that with 4 different manufactures.