Colt SAA clone. Uberti or Pietta ? EMF ?

[38 WCF]

I here good and bad both ways. Need current opinion's

[Encore64]

Uberti...hands down

[CraigC]

Pick one. My only stipulation is I don't want a retractable firing pin but even that is fixable.

[pleadthe2nd]

I would probably choose the Uberti, but I recently made grips for a Pietta that was very well built, beautifully finished, and the action was very slick, I didn't fire it, but couldn't find any flaws

[Encore64]

I've owned Uberti for years and am just a little biased.

Easy to get parts for and add auxiliary cylinders to. Brian Pearce said no +P Loads in Pietta.

That said, I've seen some nice ones and some that had tremendous end shake.

They just got two in at my LGS. I wanted to try one. But, the bevel on the front of the cylinder was excessive. The chamber was so thin there it looked peculiar since the barrel stub was normal. I expect it would produce pyrotechnics when fired.

But, knowing me, I'll walk up on a good one and It'll follow me home.

[38 WCF]

I am hearing that the Great Western ll is the most historically true clone made today but it is a Pietta . Also that Covid wiped out Uberti's skilled workforce in Italy.

[junkbug]

I bought an Uberti "El Patron" about a year and a half ago. Nicely made, and shoots just a little low to the sights with .45 Colt Magtech Cowboy action ammo. Not really thrilled with the three click hammer, but it has a hammer mounted firing pin with the new hammer safety. Mine has the 4 3/4" barrel. I like it alot.

[marlin35]

I had a pietta made Cimarron Pistolero which was(is?) their most affordable option. It has the slickest action I’ve felt on an Italian gun and was lights out accurate. I miss that gun, but it and a Remington 1875 copy got traded in on a Blackhawk at the time. I think I need to pick up another SAA clone soon too…

[1horseman]

I agonized over decision of which one I should get. I have two consecutive (low three digits) numbered Uberti 1858 Remington Army in .44 percussion (converted to .44 special) for years (over 30 years), so I was inclined to get Uberti 1873 clone. Handled both, Uberti and Pietta in the LGS (never fired them). They both felt "too light", and I also wanted .44 Mag. So I went "out of the box" and got Weihrauch Bounty Hunter. I picked one up at the friend's house (didn't shoot it), and it felt like a brick. Heavy (just what I was looking for). I had to slick up the action, shim the cylinder to no end shake, and replace the springs (from Colt). Blue Loctite on all the screws, and I was in business. It has 4 1/2 barrel (I guess that's what they measure in Europe without the forcing cone), it shoots true to the sights at 25 yards, and 300 rounds later, it doesn't have a drag line on the cylinder. It handles the hottest .44Mags that my friends reload for me. I realize it's not a true "clone", but I just love it. I think these German made revolvers don't get as much love on the web as they deserve. Of course,....if one has to pay someone to work over the action, the total cost doesn't pencil out (cheaper options out there). The finish is very nice (chemical "case hardening" on the frame, and a deep blue on the rest). Grip frame is made of ZAMAK, and once I took the anodizing off (it was wearing quickly and unevenly) and polished it, it looks great. For under $500 (including shipping, FFL transfer, tax, and all the parts I added later) it's a hell of a six shooter (yup, it is a "sixshooter" because it has a Ruger style transfer bar which I prefer). Anyway,....a great revolver for Idaho wilderness on the horseback.

[CraigC]

Feb 18, 2024 14:06:18 GMT -5 38 WCF said:

Also that Covid wiped out Uberti's skilled workforce in Italy.

People repeat a lot of nonsense about the Italian replicas. That's a new one on me and as far as I can tell, total horse hockey.

My favorite is the condescending attitude that the quaint Italian people just started making guns 50yrs ago. When Beretta is the oldest company in existence and has been producing firearms for over 500yrs.

[Encore64]

I agree 100%. Ubert is what Colt wishes they were...

[kings6]

I don’t know how many times I’ve looked at auctions for both these brands of guns based on you guys high recommendations for the Italian workmanship but just haven’t seen anything that really trips my trigger. I even have a Pietta Pony Express bisley spurred hammer just waiting for when I do decide but those dog gone old Rugers and USFA guns just won’t let me go!

[longoval]

Just listen to Craig. He has answered this question at least a few times across multiple forums in more detail.

My biggest complaint is the often vague product descriptions from the vendors. Why don't they make it clear what style firing pin or at least whether there is a transfer bar.

Many Piettas are four-click, colt style. I think, maybe?

With Uberti the "black powder frame" is the four-click, non transfer bar model. Maybe others?

[gnappi]

I'm very happy with my Uberti's

[Cholla]

Uberti for me.

I wish my Blackhawk's were as easy to tune and get shooting properly as my Uberti's have been. The last two U's I bought were simple- cut the forcing cone to 11°, replace the trigger/bolt spring with a wire example (totally optional, but made the timing PERFECT and dropped the already crisp trigger pull to 3 lbs.).

I don't like the 3-click models particularly, but the one I owned (our member brant owns it now!) was so frigging accurate, I didn't want to mess with converting it to 4-click even though I had the parts in hand!

I used to own a Cimarron Pistolero (Pietta) and it just didn't shoot well for me, bit that could've been just a single bad example.