Uberti or Beretta SA?

[_n4z_]

I have a Marlin 1894c (.357) that needs a friend. Also have a GP100 and a SP101, but I am really wanting a single action revolver to go along with the lever.

This will be a funtime at the range only implement. No SASS. Paper, steel, bottles, whatever.

I reload for this caliber.


So I'm eyeballing both the Beretta, and the Uberti lines. Like the transfer bar of the Beretta, and I know where to find Beretta Stampedes with the walnut grip and old west finish for about 450.00 new. Had a Beretta96 in the past that was well made.
I like the look of the Uberti's too, but know little of them, other than what I've read on the internet.

Looking for opinions / experience any of you here have had with either.

[adirondakjack]

I have been told, but have no verification, they are both Uberti guns. Beretta sells em just like Cimarron and Taylors, under their banner.... The classic Uberti is a clone of the old Colt, including the lockwork.

[Terry Murbach]

BERETTA OWNS A.UBERTI & CO. THERE INDEED SEEMS TO BE "DIFFERENCES" IN THE VARIOUS GUNS THEY MAKE FOR CIMARRON, TAYLOR, ETC, ETC, OR BERETTA WHO IMPORTS 'EM THROUGH THEIR OWN USA DISTRIBUTOR, STOEGER & CO. IN NEW YAWK.

[Sixgun]

Neither--buy American. Keep whats left of our dollars right here in the U.S. of A.

A Ruger will outlast the foreign junk 10-1. ---------------------Sixgun

[redlevel42]

'nuther vote for Ruger, either an old Vaquero or a New Vaquero. My two old Vaqs are .45. I 'spect the New Vaq would be fine in .357. The only Uberti I ever owned was a lemon, but that has been 10 years ago.

[RIHMFIRE]

they are the same gun!

the guys are right...get a ruger vaquero

[Kansas Ed]

No input on what to buy...but I can sure tell you what to avoid

Ed

[Chuck 100 yd]

Vaquaro , Another Vaquaro vote and another......

I have a pair in .44 and a pair in .45. Love em!!

[kooz]

My vote would be for a Ruger or USFA .

[Timothy]

They are not the same guns. The Berreta Stampede has a transfer bar, coil trigger and bolt springs, more case colors, wider front sight, deeper blue finish, bushing behind the mainspring screw, and one piece cylinder. The standard Uberti Cattleman is a traditional saa except for the hammer saftey and hand spring. The Stampede is sorta like a post 1900 saa that went to christy gun works in sacramento. Good luck

[firefuzz]

They are not the same guns. The Berreta Stampede has a transfer bar, coil trigger and bolt springs, more case colors, wider front sight, deeper blue finish, bushing behind the mainspring screw, and one piece cylinder. The standard Uberti Cattleman is a traditional saa except for the hammer saftey and hand spring. The Stampede is sorta like a post 1900 saa that went to christy gun works in sacramento. Good luck

The trigger face is also wider. It should be noted that the "Stampede's" case colors are just that...colors, they look painted on. Only thing I don't like about mine. When it wears off I'll have them done right.

Rob

[_n4z_]

Firefuzz, the only thing you don't like about it? So otherwise it has been a good shooter for you? Is yours the 45LC or .357?

So few people seem to have any experience with these.

[J Miller]

_n4z_,

Our own Nate Kiowa Jones has said that the Berreta Stampede has non traditional after thought parts in it that don't hold up too well in the long run. Not sure if normal use was included or if he was referring to CAS shooting. But personally if I wanted a gun with a transfer bar (and I don't by the way) I'd buy a Ruger.

If I wanted a traditional single action I'd buy and Old Model Ruger BH (not really traditional but close), an Uberti or something else. Matter of fact I did, I have three OM Ruger single actions and my Uberti Cattleman.
And contrary to what some folks say Uberti made guns are not junk. Do a forum search on my Uberti Cattleman I named "IJ" and then tell me they junk. Mine should have never been fixable, but it was and it's still going. It's problems were human, not mechanical.

Many of us do not have deep pockets and can't afford revolvers that cost upwards of or over a thousand bucks. So these these imports fill a nitch for us.

Joe

[gak]

I agree with the posts that say "want a transfer bar, get a Ruger New Vaquero." Otherwise, the "Uberti" line (Uberti, Cimarron, Taylors, etc.) is more satisfactory to me than the Berettas. My Cimarron was not bad out of the box, but after the obligatory "action job" is just-so. Ditto a Colt SAA hard-rubber grip transplant, antiqued to match the rest of the gun. IMO, the Uberti (Cimarron, etc.) old west or "original" (Cim) finish is nicer than the Berettas, which looks a bit like some of those 60's painted on black finishes worn off and pitted a little. My Cim is actually an "after the fact" antiquing job done by Cimarron on this side of the pond. I was looking for an "original finish" .44 Special and they had none in the shipping pipe at the time. They had a new "regular" (blue/cch) one on the bench, however, and said they'd age it up for me. Wa la. Like it even better than the factory job(s)--a skosh more sheen (life) to it, with just a bare hint of the original case colors. I later had some factory over-sized (mis-cut) 3rd gen Colt SAAs fitted...as the regular 3rd Gen Colts were a bit too small. From feel and 2 feet or even less, it's an old Pre-War Colt.

I don't care for the "lesser" end of the Uberti line...the matte-finish (with either brass or steel grip frame) ones that populate the warehouse sporting outfits. However, they should have the same decent internals and do look like perfect cheap platforms for a d-i-y antiquing job...which is how I also treated a USFA Rodeo purchase.

The "Uberti" line--especially Cimarron and Taylors--also has a better array of caliber choices if that matters to you--than Beretta (or Ruger for that matter).
Later ED. If I got/had one of the Beretta "old west" finishes, I'd go after that finish even more--to better complete the picture. That I could see doing.

[wecsoger]

Another respectful request to consider the Ruger Vaquero's.

To the negative
For traditionalists, yes, they have the transfer bar.
Also for traditionalists, loading method for the Ruger is open-the-side-gate.

For the positive
The "old style" Rugers are several percentage points bigger. More steel, less to break. I guess you could break something on a Ruger, but I'm pretty stupid and have not done so yet.
You can get a drop-in kit that restores the half-cock notch loading and dramatically improves your trigger pull.
There are metric tonnes of aftermarket pieces/parts available for the Rugers, more than you can say for the other brands.

I have not shot or fondled any of the "new style" Rugers, but ones I've seen on display look nice.

Get something in stainless, get it buffed up so it almost looks like nickel, they turn out very pretty that way.

Oh yeah, if you're going to be target plinking, look really closely at the Ruger Bisley. I think one of those may be to your taste.

[pokey]

ruger vaquero .357,

P7020215.JPG

buy american.

[Lefty Dude]

For the Uberti importers I believe Cimarron to be the best.

I have Stroeger, Taylors & Navy Arms SA's. The fit, finish and quality of the Cimaroon is better than the others.
My Current Cimarron 45 LC made in 2006 was out of the box almost perfect. I installed a set of Wolff springs, smoothed up the hand channel, did a barrel forcing cone ream and the piece is as smooth as my Custom Shop Colts.
The barrel slugs .4505", cylinder throats are all .452".

This piece prints one hole groups at 15 yards with 255 gr. SWC's, and the sights are dead-on at 25 yards.

Do not buy a Beretta, if you want a Xfer-bar SA buy a Ruger.
And buy a OMRV. In my opinion much better quality than the NMRV.

[Hobie]

Neither--buy American. Keep whats left of our dollars right here in the U.S. of A.

A Ruger will outlast the foreign junk 10-1. ---------------------Sixgun

I agree, for the same money and liking the transfer bar you should get a New Vaquero.

[Griff]

If you want a transfer bar six-gun, buy a Ruger. Their's works relliably, right outta the box. The majority of the others don't. They might, for a reasonably long time in a plinker, but they tend to break at the most oppurtune times. Mind ya, the few I've seen has been in cowboy action shooting, but what works for endurance on the race track usually translates to endurance on the freeway.

One last thought... if ya want the transfer bar so's to carry six... Don't, Murphy was an optimist, when that bar breaks, it'll most likely happen while your knee or ankle is in the way.

[Buck Elliott]

A broken transfer bar usually renders the revolver inert, not the opposite.

I have two Stampedes, and I really like them. They have the faux CCH finish, but I really don't care. It's slowly wearing away on both, and is not nearly so tough or attractive a finish as the one Ruger uses on its Vaqueros. Don't worry about "fixing" the finish at some later date, because the steel used in those Berettas is of some through-hardening INOX type, as I found out recently.

There are(were) versions of the Stampede available with real CCH finish. Haven't seen a new one of those in some time.

NKJ doen't like the Beretta transfer bar system, and in some aspects, I tend to agree with him. Most problems arise from dry firing, which has to be off-limits with these guns. I did fix a matched pair of Stampedes for a customer who wanted to ditch the TB parts, by milling a recess in the hammer face, a-la Colt, and pinning a short section of hardened rod in place, to activate the firing pins. Haven't seen the need to do that to my own yet... NKJ soldered/welded (?) inserts in the hammers of several Stampedes, to perfom the same funtion.

Also have a couple old-style Vaqueros around, and much as I love and respect them, they are, big, bulky, heavy guns, especially with 7 1/2" tubes, which is the length I prefer.

Ye pays yer money, and takes yer choice...

[_n4z_]

Firstly, thanks to all for the opinions and input.

Spent the morning browsing and feeling up all the above mentioned players. After much debate and handling, I came home with a Cimarron Model P, 4-3/4" barrel, color case receiver, .357mag. Was smoother than the Uberti's, with a noticably lighter trigger pull. After comparing them all in hand, Uberti, Beretta and Ruger weren't giving me the "this feels right" feeling.

So that's that. Will post some pics and give an obligitory range report soon.

[olyinaz]

Let us know if it shoots to point of aim and, even more importantly, post some pictures!

Have fun,
Oly

[willygene]

i like the cimarrons they are very well made and function as well as they look, i also like the usfa's they are excelent guns but most can't aford them like me and for the money they are not that much better made than a cimarron i wish someone in the us would make an affordable single action i will stick with the cimarrons untill the over priced usfa's come down. and after my last colt i will just look at them i want spend the money they want for one of them. i can buy a cimarron and and 2000 rounds of ammo for the price of one usfa or colt i undersatand buying american but most people price them selves out of work because of the made in usa and that is why so many buy from other places. i build custom saddles and gun leather my work is as good as any on the market but i wont price it like others do or i wouldn't be able to sell it . well i ranted enough.

[J Miller]

_n4z_,

Glad you made a decision. I'm also a bit envious of you having a shop you can check out and examine all those guns at one time.

That's my kind of toy shop.

Joe

[_n4z_]

Follow up on my new Cimarron. Glad to report it shoots poa with 158gr rounds. Fired some factory PRVI sjhp's, and some handloaded lead swc's over 4.2gr of Bullseye.
Also discovered that the recoil of the hotter rounds was not bad at all.

I am going to need a little practice to get familiar with this piece. Different animal from the DA Rugers I am used to.

Here's a couple pics of my new smokewagon.

[gak]

It's a beaut. No complaints on my .44 Sp Cimarron P.

[Buck Elliott]

Some 14 - 15 years ago, I had a nice little Uberti-made single-action, with a 7 1/2" barrel, chambered for the .357 Mag. I shot it around the home place with .38 Spls, mostly -- 158-gr. round-nosed factory loads. and just like the 7 1/2" Colt SAA I'd had years before that -- it shot both .38s & .357s to the nearly-same point of impact -- within limits of group size, one to the other. it's been my observation that most .38/.357 loads will do that, it a good qaulity revolver.

Moving up in bore size seems to change the overall dynamic -- again, just in my observation...

My .22 cal. Colt New Frontier Buntline shoots .22 LR H.S to the same spot where it blasts 40-gr. .22 WMR bullets -- out to about 60 yards or so...

[COSteve]

Deleted

[firefuzz]

My Beretta's



Both of them are shooters, better than I am.

Rob

[Mutt]

Uberti