Re: Uberti Hi-Wall. I called Cimarron

[Buckshot]

.............. To re-cap, it's a beautiful rifle on the outside. The barrel (bore) is a travesty. The lands had teeth, plus there is a 'step' about 3/8" back from the crown where something happened. The breech slugs .373" on the lands and .3794" in the groove. The muzzle would not accept a (.0002" minus) .373" pin gage. Nor would it take a .372" gage, but would just barely admit a .371" gage. At that point in the barrel at the muzzle there is a step.

Originally when pushing a flannel patch through the barrel there were 5 'snaggy' places in the barrel. Not simply tight but like you were pushing past teeth or burrs. I had another couple people try it, one being Jon K while we were at a Buffalo silhuette shoot.

Groups at 50 yards ran 2"-3" (or worse) regardless what I shot in it. Oddly enough while there was some leading, it was usually minimal. Well, so was accuracy too :-). I performed 2 mild fire lapping sessions a couple weeks apart, and these seemed to knock down the teeth or burrs or whatever it was. However, the step at the muzzle remains. While a patch will pass fairly smoothly through the bore, there are decidedly tight and loose spots pretty much corresponding with the former grabby places.

I dithered and fretted but finally realized it's no good to me the way it is, and I might as well see about sending it back to Cimarron. Today I called and spoke to Chris. Chris was not who I needed, but the guy I needed had gone home early. It being Friday and all, good for him! However Chris was very accomodating. I asked if I could explain the issues and it was a re-cap of the above.

I did say that it was a crying shame that a M91-30 Mosin Nagant that cost me $89, and was produced while the Russians were getting shellacked would easily outshoot a modern made $1200 rifle. I suggested that possibly Uberti had outsourced thier barrel work to Afghani hill tribesmen? This was the only point where Chris sounded a bit testy, as he assured me that Uberti did NOT use Afghani Hill tribesmen nor Ethiopian Blackfelleas to supply their barrels :-).

At one point he did ask what it was chambered to and when I said 38-55 he said that was surprising, as that was the first of these he'd heard of having a problem. I then asked if there was one that stood out? He did admit that there were a few others that appeared more commonly.

Since he really couldn't help he said he'd have the parts guy (forget the name now) call me Monday to make arrangement for the rifle's return to them. He also said to expect about 45-60 days for a return. I said it was useless to me now, so what was to be so be it, so long as it was right when I got it back.

I'll add to this thread as the story unfolds.

..................Buckshot

[4060MAY]

My friends is at the Cimmaron, Gunsmith's waiting for a barrel from Italy, hopefully it will be a Pedersoli barrel.

[weasel 21]

I bought a Uberti hiwall in 45/70 that shot all over the place no matter what loads I used,(2-3 ft high @50yds,2 ft high @ 100 yds w/ keyholes) It was a Dixie Gun Works made by Uberti. I sent it back. It was a beautiful rifle, but had problems.

[McLintock]

That's really a bummer about your 38-55. I don't know how they do it over there in Italy, but when they screw a barrel up, they do it top notch. Then, how it gets through the distributors over here like that I just can't figure. They must not check them at all before they ship them out, either here or in Italy. I'd say quality control sucks, because the things I've seen are clearly visible to the naked eye. I quit buying Italian guns when I bought 3 at one time and all had barrels that had to be replaced, and I had to pay for one of them to salvage it; haven't bought from that outfit since. Guess that's why I like 1885 Brownings and such. The Pedersoli's seem to be pretty good now, but with the prices they're asking for their top models, you can buy an Amercian made gun for about the same money.
McLintock

[leftiye]

They've been taking notes from H&R.

[omgb]

Uberti and Armi had some awful QC problems for awhile, especially in the area of barrels and finish quality. Recently, Uberti was supposed to be using Pedersoli barrels. The Pedersoli barrels I've seen were all 1st rate, none better actually. Maybe the replacement will be one of these.

[DanWalker]

Mt 45/70 Uberti Hi wall shoots great. No leading. No accuracy issues at all.
Sorry to hear you got a lemon.

[9.3X62AL]

Rick and I had this discussion earlier this month, and it still seems a shame that a rifle in that price range showed these obvious flaws AND that the rifle made it to the end user before the defects were noted somewhere in the pipeline. I've wondered (often aloud) why there is always time found to do something a second time in order to make it right--but seldom sufficient time to get it right the first time in such cases.

[Bullshop]

It seems strange why many overlook the Japan made highwall but go for the Itallian made ones. From what I saw in this thread of the price range they are not that much differant. The Japanese made highwall I just got cost me a total of $1548.00 to my door.
It has beautiful wood, case colored receiver, and a Badger barrel that is absolutely smooth and shiney. At my second shooting session with it I got a three shot 100 yard group of .474" Cto C. At 620gn of lead per shot I only use three shot groups with this guy.
They do a most excellent job building rifles over there in Japan.
Blessings
BIC/BS

[ktw]

It seems strange why many overlook the Japan made highwall but go for the Itallian made ones. From what I saw in this thread of the price range they are not that much differant. The Japanese made highwall I just got cost me a total of $1548.00 to my door.

I would buy a Miroku Highwall/Browning Traditional Hunter in a minute if I could find one in 30-30, 30-40 or 38-55. I have a low-wall in 22lr and love it. The Uberti I did buy ended up costing me $825 and I have been very happy with it.

What is/was it with Winchester Highwalls? I waited for years for them to release new ones in traditional chamberings, but all they had at the time were those WSMs.

Now Davidsons did a special run, of 16" barreled "Trappers" of all things...

-ktw

[4060MAY]

Why waste your time with any of the other stuff,
For about 20% more a C Sharps Hiwall
with a set trigger, and with someone in the United States that is a shooter to talk to. I am using the supposed new Pedersoli Hiwall as a comparison.
If I would have known, I never would have recommended this gun to my friend.
On a good note, one of the guys I shoot sil has one in 40-65 and it works just fine.

Ya just never know

[John Boy]

Buckshot what is the serial on the 38-55 rifle?
I bought the Deluxe DST one last August with a serial of S058xx. In addition to drop dead gorgous wood, it shoots great on the Rams at 500m. Even managed to put one round on a 1000yd target.

[oneokie]

Not too long ago, Davidson's still had some brownchester 85's in 38-55.

[McLintock]

I second ya' Bullshop on the Japan made 1885's. I had a Browning Traditional Hunter in 38-55 for sale on both this forum and the SASS forum a while back and didn't get one bit of interest. Had 2, so decided to sell one as I was having a Rolling Block put together in 38-55; I use the other one solely for smokeless loads. I finally started shooting black powder loads in it (shoots great) and using it in Cowboy Long range for both Buffalo Rifle and similar categories. I was asking current Blue Book value for it, no premium due to the caliber, but no takers or even remote interest, even while many were talking about getting a Uberti or H&R in 38-55 on the same forums. Oh well, glad I kept it as the roller is taking longer to get back than first anticipated. I'm shooting the hell out of it with a Paul Jones 300 gr bullet and Swiss 1.5.
McLintock

[Buckshot]

............Per my original post, I'd called Cimarron on Friday and talked to Chris, as Kurt (Curt?) had gone home. Today I got a call from Kurt asking how he could help me. I explained the situation and he was sympathetic, and said it sounded as if I really had a problem.

We talked a bit and he seemed to be a nice guy (especially for a Monday problem call :-)). He issued a RA (return auth) number, and then gave me the address as to where to send the rifle, how to package it and what to include with it pertaining to paperwork. He then gave me the phone number and the contact's name (Gregg) at the facility.

I suppose it was 30-45 minutes later there was another phone call, and this one was from Gregg. He said he'd gotten a work order for my rifle but the issue seemed vague, and could I elaborate? So I did, how the bore had been 'grabby' with a flannel patch, the exceedingly 'toothy' appearance of the land tops and the step in the bore, just inside the crown. Also that after much shooting the barrel seemed to not grab the patch so much as it appeared to have several tight and loose spots, plus it still has that step up by the muzzle. Accuracy remained abysmal.

He said it sounded like it was obviously going to need a new barrel, and he was apologetic about it. He said he was a shooter also and could understand my disappointment. I told him it would be about a week before I could get it correctly boxed up, etc due to Cimarron's recommendations about stock damage via UPS.

Greg said to take the buttstock off and the forend too if I wanted to. He said he didn't need them for what he had to do. THAT sure made things easier for me I said, and he said that he wouldn't have to worry about taking it all off and maybe them getting damaged somehow. So at this juncture I still hate the idea of having to do this, but on the other hand both people were very easygoing, courteous, and apologized for the rifle being 'Not Right'.

In the Cimarron liturature it does say to expect a 45-60 day turnaround on warrenty repairs, and I was REALLY glad when Gregg said he figured he could have the rifle headed back my way in about a week if DTI had a replacement barrel, and he was going to check.

He said that DTI was the U.S. parts distributer for Uberti and it was run by Uberti's daughter (a bit of trivia I guess). At this point it all seems to be a pretty straight forward deal, and the people I delt with seemed genuinely interested it getting the problem taken care of.

....................Buckshot

[leftiye]

Flaming amazing! A company that (so far) does things right.

[Buckshot]

Buckshot what is the serial on the 38-55 rifle?
I bought the Deluxe DST one last August with a serial of S058xx. In addition to drop dead gorgous wood, it shoots great on the Rams at 500m. Even managed to put one round on a 1000yd target.

..............The serial number on mine is S058xx. Mines in the midst of the 058xx so they're dang close!

................Buckshot

[bradh]

Sorry to hear of your experience here Buckshot. Please keep us informed and a picture when
the rifle is returned!

[L Ross]

Buckshot,

I think the parts company is VTI. The story I heard was that after the Beretta buy out of Uberti that some former employees got into the parts supply business. Cowboy action shooters get their parts from them. I needed a Winchester 66 clone loading gate and it came very quickly.

Duke

[9.3X62AL]

It sounds like Cimarron is trying to make it right for ya, Rick. Good news, that.

[John Boy]

Buckshot - sorry to hear with the serials close, that yours was a Friday Rifle and the barrels folks were anxious to leave for home.

May I show you the wood on mine ... was told by Bob Taylor at Cimarron - never seen one as good out of Italy
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/ButtstockFigure.jpg

[carpetman]

John Boy---They have some paint that looks like varnish that will take all that streaking out and make it one color--lol. I must say you have a very nice looking butt----my saying that there is no weird connotation---now if Scrounger told you that you better watch him.

[montana_charlie]

My friends is at the Cimmaron, Gunsmith's waiting for a barrel from Italy, hopefully it will be a Pedersoli barrel.

Recently, Uberti was supposed to be using Pedersoli barrels.
I am surprised to hear these comments about Pedersoli barrels on Uberti rifles.
Ubert markets Sharps rifles under their own logo, but those rifles are built for them by Pedersoli.

A I understand it, Pedersoli does not provide any barrels to Uberti to be used in building any of their guns.

If you want a Hiwall with a Pedersoli barrel, wait till June.
CM

[omgb]

You may just be right MC. I thought, and I may be wrong, that Dick 'Trenk said they were supplying Uberti with barrels for some of their guns.

[Buckshot]

Buckshot - sorry to hear with the serials close, that yours was a Friday Rifle and the barrels folks were anxious to leave for home.

May I show you the wood on mine ... was told by Bob Taylor at Cimarron - never seen one as good out of Italy
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/ButtstockFigure.jpg

That certainly IS a very nice piece of wood. Must have slipped through the cracks somehow or the other. I wonder if it's American black walnut? I know that a lot of the Italian manufactured repros use black walnut from here.

...................Buckshot

[Brownie]

I bought a Uberti Hi-Wall 3 years ago in 38-55. it is well built and shoots cast bullets very well. I installed a Marbles tang site with windage adjustment and use it for target shooting at 100 and 200 yards.

[Buckshot]

I bought a Uberti Hi-Wall 3 years ago in 38-55. it is well built and shoots cast bullets very well. I installed a Marbles tang site with windage adjustment and use it for target shooting at 100 and 200 yards.

.............From my reading here and talking to others, it appears that Uberti quality can be spotty. If you get a good one, then all is wll. If not.....................

..............Buckshot

[jlchucker]

It's too bad that Uberti doesn't sell 1885 actions to gunsmiths, that could be used to build custom rifles with premium barrels.

[Don McDowell]

It's too bad that Uberti doesn't sell 1885 actions to gunsmiths, that could be used to build custom rifles with premium barrels.

I know of 2 different folks that bought used Uberti highwalls, and had good quality barrels spun on to them. Both instances are some excellent longrange guns.

[Mumblypeg]

Buckshot,
Did you get that uberti 38-55 to shoot? I have one on the way and I was just wundering?

[Buckshot]

..............Sent off yesterday via UPS. I uncluded a typed note listing the barrel issues, our conversation on the phone, and a request that he call or e-mail me after he's had a chance to check it out.

...............Buckshot

[Buckshot]

............I got a call from Gregg at the warrenty repair place yesterday. I'm just going to paraphrase and hit the high spots since we must have talked for 10 minutes or so. He wanted to re-cap my issues with the barrel, so I did running the gamut from 5 rough grabby spots to some kind of restriction at the muzzle to the very rough sawtooth appearance of the lands.

He said he'd found a problem at the crown and had recrowned it. He asked if I'd fire lapped it, and I answered honestly that I had (fearfull it would kill the warrenty). He said he had checked the bore with a borescope. He said he'd found some 'Wavyness" to the lands and also 2 rather deep scratches alng the axis of the barrel as if the cutter had tilted or something.

I hurriedly assured him it was nothing I'd done :-) He said he hadn't suspected it was me, as it would have taken some pretty sharp hard steel to do it.

He WAS making noises like he figured his repair to the crown might take care of the accuracy issues. I agreed that a poor crown would indeed cause poor accuracy. But in addition I asked if the very rough lands were acceptable and he said no. I also said I really didn't understand his description of 'Wavyness' or the lands, as I felt tight and loose spots myself. So I asked if this was acceptable to Uberti. Again he said that no it wasn't.

And finally as to the scratches I asked if this was a special added feature that Uberti adds to aid in accurate shooting? He seemed a bit testy at this point. He also said no. I said I was't upset with him, but was VERY upset with both Uberti and Cimarron for moving something with such obvious problems. I also repeated that I had many surplus military rifles of different make and caliber. Some made under very trying conditions.

One such example was a $89 Mosin Nagant made in 1942 that could shoot rings around this modern made $1200 rifle. And that I understood that the Uberti factory wasn't currently under artillery fire, nor was it going to be overrun by foreign troops. So why was there this problem?

I said that I was also afraid that after spending the money trying different loads with different projectiles from jacketed, and paper patched to varying diameters of grease grooved boolits over a 5 month period, it had also cost me $32 to ship it for repairs that REALLY shouldn't have to be made. I said that what if the crown wasn't the only thing causing the problem, as there were other things not right? Was I going to have to spend another sum of money to send it back, AGAIN?

Gregg was very even handed and always polite, and he said that he was going to make another complete examination of the barrel, including castings etc. By now I had gotten myself a bit pissed off (all over again :-)) and said that maybe I should have just saved up another couple hundred and bought one made here that had an accuracy gurantee, without such a spotty record as the Uberti's.

I suppose it was maybe a half hour after hanging up, the phone rang. It was Gregg again. He said that he'd talked to (Jim?) Taylor who was the VP of Cimarron. Mr Taylor was going to send him some ammunition and a buttstock (mine had been shipped sans wood at Greggs' suggestion) so he could actually test fire it. I hope he has some sights! He said if it won't shoot I'd be getting a new barrel. I said that if it DID shoot to be sure and provide the ammo information!

I also added that while both Cimarron and he had been exemplary folks to work with, I was going to write a letter to the people at Uberti and let them know they really desperately needed remedial help in their barrel department. My suggestion will be to ship the actions and wood here and have Badger barrels fitted.

Gregg said he'd be going to the range to try it out next Saturday, and that he'd call me again to let me know what the situation was.

...................Buckshot

[Linstrum]

Hi, Rick,

Man, what a shame you are having to go through this! I just hate it when the quality control is left up to the buyer/end user. The guy who ran the barrel rifling machine had to know there was a problem but he sent off the piece of junk barrel right along with the good ones anyway. The scrap bin next to his rifling machine is probably empty.

In 1984 I bought my Springfield Armory M1A. Their ads at the time were based on the winners of the Palma Match using their rifles. When I got my supposedly brand new rifle it was a piece of garbage cobbled together from parts that looked like they had come out of the scrap bin. The rifle fired a pattern that would make a shotgun look bad, the best I could get with it was a foot at 100 yards. The trigger group was weird, too, the safety would disengage when the bolt was cycled, I guess good for a combat soldier but potentially a deadly feature for a target shooter like me! Back it went to the SA repair shop, and when I finally got it back in a month the only metal part that was originally on it when I sent it back was the receiver. The safety stayed engaged no matter what until it was deliberately moved to the "off" position. The heavier barrel had a nice big "NM" stamped on its underside - National Match! It shoots under an inch at 100 yards now. It was supposed to that when I first got it and I have often wondered what was going through the mind of the guy who put the thing together the first time.

I hope your results will be as good as mine were 24 years ago!

[4060MAY]

Buckshot
My friend's 38-55 is at Cimmaron's gunsmith waiting for a barrel from Italy. waiting, waiting, waiting. must be on a boat.

[Buckshot]

Linstrum, sounds like they pulled the first rifle out of the wrong bin by mistake :-)


Buckshot
My friend's 38-55 is at Cimmaron's gunsmith waiting for a barrel from Italy. waiting, waiting, waiting. must be on a boat.

..............Was it sent to Cimarron, Indiana, or New York?

..............Buckshot

[4060MAY]

Buckshot
When he first talked to Cimmaron about the fit of the buttplate and the case color, the Cust. Service guy (not sure of his name) said the gun would go to New York, since his barrel problem, he sent the gun to a repair station and has talked to the gunsmith in Bryan, Texas fixing the rifle.
As I posted before we scoped the barrel, with a scope supplied by one of the Precision Shooting authors, and tried to take a picture. When my friend talked to the gunsmith, he agreed the barrel looked like it was reamed with a tap, before rifling.

here is a picture of the rifling. Rifling is on an angle and the cuts are perpendicular to the rifling, it was really hard holding a digital camera against the lens to get a picture.

[Buckshot]

..................HA! I think mine looked even worse. Naked eyeball visible at the muzzle with a light shining on it. Very sharply defined perpendicular grooves cut at an even distance. As you say, just as if tapped.

.................Buckshot

[Buckshot]

.............I called the warranty place yesterday and they hadn't been able to shoot the rifle as the ammo and buttstock hadn't arrived from Cimarron yet. I said, "Oh Well" :-)

A bit later Gregg called and said UPS just dropped them off. He said he'd shoot it this weekend and where he was going, there might be some other 38-55 ammo to try. I suppose he's either hoping his re-crowning did the trick, or Cimarron said a bad crown, 2 deep scratches in the bore, possible tight and loose places, and lands with teeth are no reason to re-barrel ..............so shoot it and see :-)

Gregg has been very nice, and the communication is refreshing.

..................Buckshot

[Jon K]

Cimarron said a bad crown, 2 deep scratches in the bore, possible tight and loose places, and lands with teeth are no reason to re-barrel ..............so shoot it and see

..................Buckshot[/quote]

Hah...............They gonna wave a magic wand over it, and it'll turn into a FLAWLESS, NEW Barrel?

or,

Are they're standards that low that they hope the barrel will shoot good enough, to meet their standards?

Damage is done, like the saying goes 'once you take it off, puttin it back on is a B*^#h'.

I wish you luck, I hope they see the light,

Jon

[Buckshot]

...............I talked to Gregg last week, and due to the severe flooding and tornados they've had there has been no range availability time, and no range to use. The other issue is that Cimaron sent the wrong type buttstock. They sent a straight wrist single trigger stock. With the situation in the area it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

I did have a nice talk though. He was very candid about some issues, and seemed hesitant and/or reluctant a few times to speak his mind. To that end I will respect his trust other then to say things are not all beer and skittles with some of the Italian manufacturers.

I got a call the other day saying that they had gotten the correct buttstock, and Gregg had a range he could use, so the rifle WOULD be shot Saturday regardless. He said he'd call Monday and let me know what happened.

I get to fret over the weekend :-)

..............BUckshot

[Linstrum]

What they are putting you through is inexcusable.

Here is hoping he can't hit the broad side of a barn with it and you get your new, GOOD, barrel!

My fingers and toes are crossed (it will be hard to type and walk that way, but I'm hopin').



rl358

[Texasflyboy]

I did have a nice talk though. He was very candid about some issues, and seemed hesitant and/or reluctant a few times to speak his mind. To that end I will respect his trust other then to say things are not all beer and skittles with some of the Italian manufacturers....BUckshot

You can tell Gregg for me that while the rest of us may not quite understand the intimate dealings of international arms manufacture, marketing, and customer service, at least this good ol boy understands that they have single handedly blown a perfect opportunity for endless goodwill towards their products by hemming and hawing rather than seeing this as a golden opportunity to recruit even more customers to their products. They dropped the ball on this one.

If every company interpreted and honored their warranty like Mike Dillon does, they would all be swamped with happy customers,

Thanks for being so candid with your posts. FWIW, I've owned Uberti products. My cattleman SAA copy in .45LC mainspring disintegrated after 12 rounds, I replaced it with a Wolff brand replacement and over 3,000 rounds later, its still going strong.

[Buckshot]

...............Well, no call from Gregg today. I'll give him until Thursday and then I'll call HIM :-).

.............Buckshot

[Buckshot]

..............I called Banana River Monday (6-30) and Greg said the rifle had been UPS'd to me the previous Monday and I should have had it Friday. As it turned out, I got it today. Has the same barrel, but a fresh crown.

Greg said it had been shot by him and a guy who competes at Friendship. At what I have no idea and it shot okay. He said 2 to 2-1/2" at 100 yards and put an 8" group on a steel target at 250 yards. He said it was iron sights (and it had to be), plus ammo that wasn't loaded sprecisely for 'My' rifle.

I asked Gregg that t apparently didn't make any difference that there were 2 scratches-gouges in the barrel and that the lands were 'Wavy'? Uberti is comfortable with this? Again he was courteous and I could hear some regret in his voice, but the fact of the matter is (he said) is that Uberti makes "Cowboy" guns. They aren't sold as long range target rifles.

It is possible that he has gotten his steaming orders from Uberti, or maybe Cimarron as to what he can and cannot do. I'd suppose if your barrel was visibly bent, you'd get a new one.:-)

I was explaining this to my buddy Larry as we drove to Rosa Marias to get out burritos, and he began to get pretty agitated. In fact he started using curse words in his sentances, HA! I said, whoa there Larry, lets give them the benefit of the doubt until I have the chance to shoot some loads and stuff. He said that that kind of stuff just royally pisses him off. Me too, but I'm not gonna get acid indigestion over it until I can prove it's a worthwhile thing to do.

So it appears that buying a Uberti is a crap shoot. And this according to Gregg also. If you get a good shooter then you're a lucky one. And if you don't then you can sell it (lie about it or sell it to someone you don't know? ) or you can re-barrel it or live with it. That's the way it seems to me.

It also seems to me that if Uberti was having some large percentage of their rifles requiring new barrels they might wake up.

At this point I will load some various loads up and see what happens. I'll feel better about having done it before I stat frothing at the mouth and threatening to burn down buildings :-)

...................Buckshot

[Boz330]

That SUCKS! Just another reason to take a look at the American made stuff. All the time they spent screwing around with it, they could have rebarred the thing and been done with it. On the other hand you might have just gotten another reject barrel.
Really makes you appreciate folks that back their stuff.

Bob

[45 2.1]

............So it appears that buying a Uberti is a crap shoot. And this according to Gregg also. ...............Buckshot

So, what is the going price for one of these "cowboy" guns and how much extra do you have to spend to get a real American made rifle that is up to our quality expectations?

[omgb]

I have watched silently as i wanted to see how all of this turns out. In my experience, (limited to two guns) Uberti is indeed a crapshoot. For my money, Pedersoli is the way to go with Italian reproduction guns. For the money, one canot buy a better barrel than a Pedersoli. Oh well, lets hope the rifle shoots now.

[ktw]

So, what is the going price for one of these "cowboy" guns and how much extra do you have to spend to get a real American made rifle that is up to our quality expectations?

The Ubertis 1885s used to run around 1/2 the cost of "american made" and about 2/3 of the cost of a Miroku. At least that was the situation back when I bought mine.

I have been satisfied with the Uberti 1885 rifle that I received, particularly given the price I paid for it, but the experience did sour me on doing any business with Cimarron in the future.

-ktw

[John F.]

I'm sorry you got jerked around and shafted so royally. There is no excuse not to rebarrel your rifle. I guess they are too dumb/greedy to realize they have made a bunch of "ANTI-UBERTI" buyers now.

I actually had been looking very hard at their pistol-grip/DST model 1885 in .30-40 Krag, but this points me at the more expensive, but at least properly-rifled American built 1885's. Now, as word of your experience filters out among all our friends, how much business do you suppose Uberti will lose over the next few years?

I hope your point of contact at Uberti has tuned in and is reading this. They can only hose so many people before the word gets out.

John

[McLintock]

Cimmaron, and Uberti are both mainly catering to the Cowboy Action shooters and build guns for that crowd. In general, Cowboy Action shooters are about the most firearm ignorant gun group out there. I've been one for over 10 years now and if you follow the SASS wire at all it's painfully obvious in a short time. Comparing them to say this forum, it's like having a bunch of six year olds asking the most basic firearms questions you can imagine, while on this forum are mostly firearm savy people; they may ask questions about things that haven't tried before but their general firearms knowledge is pretty good. I thnk that's basically the cause of the reaction you're getting; if it puts a bullet downrange in a halfway decent manner, it'll satisfy the CAS crowd, so what you've got is good enough for that. If you're a real rifleman/gun nut, don't go with Uberti. My take only, it don't mean much in the real world, unless you've bought Uberti and happened to get a bad one.
McLintock

[leftiye]

As was said, "that sucks" and that is "nuff said." If nothing else, this thread should wizen many of us to the perils of Uberti ownership and hopefully shrink their sales enough that their assinine cheapness will be very unprofitable.

[Jon K]

Rick,

Just my thoughts on this...............So now what..........I'd look at this as a new adventure. You have all the goodies to go with the gun/caliber and the machinery(or access to) to do the rebarrel. Just need to borrow/rent/buy the reamer.
This way you get to build it with the twist, weight, length, configuration that you want. You also get to pick whether you want a Badger, Douglas, Shilen, Hart, or whatever brand of barrel you like best.

You have the luxury of not having to rush the job, cause it's not as though you have a shortage of things to shoot in the mean time. And..........when you're done it'll put a smile on your face, from ear to ear, cause you did it, with your own two hands. That kind of pride in craftmanship, you can't buy off the shelf..............

This has certainly been a learning experience, but also now with, water under the bridge, no sense in cyring over spilt milk, it opens up a new opportunity, or adventure, as I would call it.

Have Fun Shooting,

Jon

[rockrat]

Been watching this thread as I have been wanting one of these guns. No way, no how , will I waste money on one of these *** rifles. Maybe if I find a used one that I can inspect the barrel first, will I chance it, but not going to try the crap-shoot on ordering one.

[jhrosier]

I guess that I will have to reluctantly agree with rocckrat.
I have a bonus check coming and have wanted to get a Uberti-Cimmeron HiWall.
After reading this, and the similar postings on the ASSRA forum, it just doesn't seem worth the gamble.
Anything near $1k is a LOT of money to risk, for me.
I will have to keep saving up and get a Browning Hiwall, for 50% more.

Oh well, thanks for the heads up anyhow.:(

Jack

[Boz330]

C-Sharps Hi-wall. I've had one for 17 years and am very happy with it. Yeh it is more money but the quality is there. And I can probably sell it for quite a bit more than I paid for it.

Bob

[Buckshot]

.................I did not do any real research on these before I bought mine. I was basicly running on how Jon K's Uberti did, and a friend of a friends rifle. Had I known it was a crap shoot I would have gone a different route. It MAY be that it will shoot okay. I'm sure hoping it shoots better then okay but we'll see. If not my only real option is to re-barrel it.

I agree that Pedersoli has an excellent rep for thier guns and especially their barrels. A real shame Uberti can't or won't source them from Pedersoli.

What is especially perversly wrong is that some barrels ARE good ones. If they can produce the occassional good one, why can't they all be good? I am a realist and know that if you produce a number of objects, some few are bound to be 'not so good'. Heck simple tolerances stacking up wrong can make otherwise fine components a piss poor assembly.

I read an article from one of the mainstream rags that was from last year about the (then) new Savage 'F' class competition rifles. To me it was amazing that as a workaday job that for $1100 Savage has a rifle that the writer shot out to 500 yards, using 5 FACTORY loads and they were all Sub Minute of Angle out to that range. One group of 3 rounds was .875" at 500 yards.

Of course you have to have a scope capable of it, and the shooter is an issue. But the rifle is basicly all there and just waiting for the operator to get his act together. The Hi-Wall and the Savage bolt action may be apples and oranges, but the point is, is that the Savage is NOT a custom shop deal. I would suspect that maybe not all those rifles would do that. But if 2.5" at 100 yards was the best you got I'm sure Savage would be interested in having it back to be checked out.

.................Buckshot

[Linstrum]

Yeah, this adventure sucks, but even the best of us eat dirt every once in awhile and I've had a barrel full of it myself.

How big a deal is re-barreling it? That may be your next project, albeit an unforeseen one. This might also be an opportune time to change the cartridge chambering to something other than what it came in, too, something like the .475-130-550.

Speaking for myself, it would be no big thing for me to cut a precision thread on a barrel in my lathe as long as I have a thread to copy in order to grind the tool bit to the right profile since some barrel threads are 55° Whitworth instead of 60°. I have cut several different thread adapter inserts for the many test barrels I have for my universal receiver. With a 127-tooth metric conversion gear installed you can cut any standard pitch metric thread in case that is required.

Good luck on whatever you decide!


rl369

[405]

C-Sharps Hi-wall. I've had one for 17 years and am very happy with it. Yeh it is more money but the quality is there. And I can probably sell it for quite a bit more than I paid for it.

Bob
Yes,
The only CSA gun I have is a Sharps 1874. I have three original Win hi-walls. I don't have any of the modern hi-wall repros but a friend I shoot BPCR with has a CSA hi-wall in 45-70. I can attest to and have been witness to the quality and inherent accuracy of that gun. He also has the Browning version hi-wall in 45-70.... much prefers the CSA.

[4060MAY]

Buckshot

My friend got his 38-55 back from Cimmaron today.
New Barrel, installed by Lonnie in Texas, Cimmaron's warranty station.
My friend talked to the president of Cimmaron and he inspected the barrel before they sent it to Lonnie.
Shot it today, no leading and the patch didn't drag.
Lonnie also sent a chamber cast with the rifle, groove looks to be .377, so it looks like they will stand behind their rifle sometimes.

Real PIA tho, almost 4 months turn around.

Will update more when I shoot it

[Mumblypeg]

I recently bought two ubertis, one in 30-30 the other in 38-55. One of the first groups with the 30-30 was 1.5" at 100yds with open sights with a 311291. I could not see that good to say the least. Then I got the 38-55 and the best I have been able to do with it is maybe, and I say MAYBE, 2.5" with a tang sight. I really like the 38-55 cal. but I can't seem to get it to do any better with any load I've tried and often alot worse. Am I asking too much of the 38-55? I'll go back to playing with the 30-30 later. ( Too many hobbies.) Jon K sent me some boolits to try and they all shoot to about the same degree of accuracy. It seemed to shoot 250gr magma as well as anything. Still working on it... but yea, I've owned all kinds, some shoot some don't and some you can make shoot after finding what they like. If its a shooter I keep it, if not, well do something with it. Just life I guess. Buckshot, I would be interested to see-know if you rebarrel it how it comes out. The high walls are just neat actions and I would love have some one build a shooter that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and a long wait to get one.

[cabezaverde]

Buckshot.

I have a couple of barrels for these. Drop me a PM if you get no satisfaction when your rifle is back.

[iron mule]

hello buck shot i have had the same trouble as you with cimarron lack of customer service after the sale // will not go into the details too long // but ordered a pistol from them for a customer was supposed to be 44spl cal ..... well the chambers in the cylinder were but the barrel measured .452 called them about this and was bassicaly laughed at told this could not be sent it back at my expense to prove to them it was so// they sent me the samegun back twice saying they could not find any thing wrong /// second time returned even had a note from them stating barrel was .452 and that was correct for 44 spl/// this is only one of several problems i have had with them i no longer deal with them at my shop/// wish you luck with your problem your gonna need it they talk good but thats about as for as it goes///////mule