new Uberti 1871 45colt open-top

[jeep]

I have loaded some standard pressure 250gr. flat tip over 8.3 unique. In the factory instuctions it says use standard pressure loads. I have used this load in old 1st. model colt sa,s without worry. The new made 1871 is way beefed up to handle standard factory loads. A 250gr at 850fps hits point of aim real good. This is one neat SA that really looks old school west. The 1871 is really not a conversion,but was made from get go for cased ammo . The 7000 that were made were in 44 henry rimfire. Then winchester came out with the 44-40. That killed the 1871,but then came the Colt 1873 SA. But these guns were still used many decades latter.

[CraigC]

Personally, I'd throttle back on that 100fps. These guns are not terribly robust and the .45's in particular are prone to cracking the forcing cone.

The Army is what killed the Open Top. It was presented to them for testing and they decided they wanted a solid frame and .45 caliber. Seven months later William Mason gave us the 1873 and the rest is history. The Open Top was obsolete before it even got its feet wet.

Here's my Cimarron .44Colt:

[jeep]

Your open-top looks good.May drop down to 230 at 800fps for target. But night stand I will stick with the 250 over 8.3grs of Unique. Same power as 45acp hardball.

[taffin]

Jul 13, 2011 11:41:02 GMT -5 jeep said:

I have loaded some standard pressure 250gr. flat tip over 8.3 unique. In the factory instuctions it says use standard pressure loads. I have used this load in old 1st. model colt sa,s without worry. The new made 1871 is way beefed up to handle standard factory loads. A 250gr at 850fps hits point of aim real good. This is one neat SA that really looks old school west. The 1871 is really not a conversion,but was made from get go for cased ammo . The 7000 that were made were in 44 henry rimfire. Then winchester came out with the 44-40. That killed the 1871,but then came the Colt 1873 SA. But these guns were still used many decades latter.

YOU HAVE YOUR HISTORY ALL MIXED UP. THE 1871-72 OPEN-TOP WAS KILLED BY THE US ARMY WHICH WANTED A "TOP-STRAP" PISTOL IN .45. THE .44-40 CAME ABOUT IN THE WINCHESTER IN 1873 (THE SAME YEAR AS THE .45 COLT SAA AND 1873 TRAPDOOR)BUT WAS NOT CHAMBERD IN THE COLT SAA UNTIL 1878. IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DEMISE OF THE 1871-72.

[Frank V]

That is a very nice looking six-gun, bet it's fun. Thanks for sharing.
Frank

[jeep]

Yes that is true so was the need for 44 henry rimfire round that the 1871-72 was chambered for. When Winchester dumped the 44 Henry round in the new leveractions that also put the coffin nail into the 1871-72 which was made from get go in 44 henry. As did the other things you have stated with the the 1873 Colt single action army. The new Uberti 1871 Cyl. and barrels are way beefed up in thickness and better steel alloy than the cap-balls and original 1871-72,s. Anyway I love all Colts pistols even the 1911 army.

[CraigC]

Again, the Open Top's demise had nothing to do with rifles. At all. The Open Top was a purpose-built cartridge sixgun and could've easily been produced as a centerfire, had that been the case. It wasn't. The Army killed the Open Top.

Jul 13, 2011 19:37:52 GMT -5 Frank V said:

That is a very nice looking six-gun, bet it's fun. Thanks for sharing.
Frank

Thank you! It's one of my favorites, lots of fun to shoot and pack to the woods.

[jeep]

I concur with that the solid top was ceased by the improved 1873 Army and improved more powerfull ammo. They are neat and nice to look at as all Colts are. I have found a older gentleman who wants to sell off his old Colts,2nd Dragoon,2- 1860 armys,one 1851navy,one 1849 pocket and one 1t gen SA Army. He is 88 and his only child a girl has no interest in them. All are real old Colts made in the 1800,s. I am thinking $50,000-to $70,000 of nice Colts. A family member by marriage in KY. He made handmade Flints like I do.

[timothy]

Oh hell lets gets really technical. Winchester didnt dump the 44 henry in leveractions in 1873, the model 1866 sold right along side the 1873 years after the introduction of the 44wcf. And the model 1871 colt was chamberd in the 44 stetson cartridge not 44 henry. Ive been told by collectors a 44 henry cartridge will not chamber in an original colt open top.

[jeep]

Yes theres alot of reason,s and over lapping of old models by a decade or two. Colt Conversions were still made and sold for a decade or more after 1873. Just because a new model came out did not make the older model not usefull. Or affordable to convert a older Colt to fixed ammo. These were wild times and the law would be at the end of those barrels just as it is today. Many folks were not well heeled with gold dollars and they used what they had! I just got back from shooting my 1871 Uberti open top with the wife who was shooting her new Ruger LCP 380 she bought for CCW. She takes the class next weekend to get her permit. I tryed to give her my 642 no-lock SW J-frame,but she says its to big for her and did not like the recoil. Oh well after all these years I won,t buck it she decided times are to bad and it was time for her to arm herself. The 1871 open-top .45 colt walked those metal soup cans just fine. The good ,bad and ugly.

[don44]

Jul 13, 2011 12:20:01 GMT -5 CraigC said:

Personally, I'd throttle back on that 100fps. These guns are not terribly robust and the .45's in particular are prone to cracking the forcing cone.

The Army is what killed the Open Top. It was presented to them for testing and they decided they wanted a solid frame and .45 caliber. Seven months later William Mason gave us the 1873 and the rest is history. The Open Top was obsolete before it even got its feet wet.

Here's my Cimarron .44Colt:

A beautiful revolver.

[CraigC]

Thanks Don!