Uberti 1873 Winchester

[38-55]

Hi everyone, new guy here.

I am considering buying a Uberti Winchester 1873 rifle. I do not shoot cowboy action (actually none around here to my knowledge) but just want to plink. I have been looking at the standard rifle in 44-40 caliber. My local gunshop has two in stock, a 20" one and I believe a 24" one. He wants just over $1100 for either which I think is pricey but I know that they retail for a little more. I like the idea of the 44-40 being more period correct. I plan on handloading (I am an experienced reloader) and understand that they are a little tougher to reload than a straight wall case.

I guess what I am looking for is some encouragement on this rifle in this caliber; if you have one how do you like it and I need some input on which barrel length would be better for plinking. Any replies would be appreciated

[kimwcook]

I say, get it. Then you can get one in 38-40. I just got my 38-40 sporting rifle out to the range this weekend and all I can say is it's a peach. No recoil, decent looking initial accuracy. Plus it's a really cool rifle. Can't wait to get the components so I can really wring it out.

[RIHMFIRE]

You will not be disappointed with uberti products
fit and finsh...and the look of their 73 is just perfect......to me...
The only thing that bothers me is the heavy trigger pull...
most have it....
I have the 20" octagon in 44-40...
and 24" octagon in 45LC....
I enjoy shooting them both......but I have not found the "perfect" load
for either of them yet......
Now they do make rifles for a few companys...
Cimarron, Taylors, EMF, and used to make them for Stoeger...
I bought mine a few years ago....both as new in box...
700 for the 44-40 rifle and 800 for the 45LC
1100 bucks nowaday for a delux rifle is a little high but close (pistol grip)NIB
but not for a standard..more like 800 to 900 NIB

[Martini450]

Welcom to the forum!

If it's anything like mine, you'll love both the rifle and the calibre. I bought mine from Cabelas back in '97; it's a 44-40 with the 30" barrel and straight grip stock, and it's without a doubt one of my favorite guns. The fit and finish are outstanding, and with my handloads and that long site radius, it will keep five rounds touching each other at 75 yards from the bench. It's a beautiful rifle and shoots as good as it looks.

As far as the supposed difficulty with reloading the 44-40, I think it's really been overstated. I've loaded thousands of rounds for my Uberti, and in my experience it just requires a little more attention when running the case into the sizing die. Since the case mouth is thin, it's less forgiving of being accidentally run into the edge of the die; other than that, it's just as easy to load as any other pistol cartridge.

Great rifle and calibre, I'd say buy it, and don't forget to get a set of dies. You'll want to shoot it a lot!

[pwl44m]

Welcome 38-55. Thx for dropping in. You probably won't get anyone here to tell U not to Buy. We R enablers by Choice. We would not discourage anyone from Buying a new Toy, especially one with a Lever on it.
I payed $1100 for Mine about a Month ago. It is 45 lc

[DPris]

Have a '73 & a '66, both in bottleneck calibers that I prefer for those actions. They seal up better on firing than straight-walled cases & reduce the amount of blowback that gets back into the action. Also feed at least fractionally better.

In reloading a bunch of .44-40s for three different guns over the years, including the '66, I think I've lost maybe three cases & those were my own fault for not paying attention to positioning in the resizing die.

Before I started loading for the handgun-calibered bottlenecks I accepted the "conventional wisdom" that they were a pain to deal with. The first couple hundred I did threw that out the window.

Buy your '73 in .44-40 & enjoy it.
Denis

[M. M. Wright]

I have both a straight gripped 20" octagon Uberti 73and a 24" deluxe with pistol grip both in 44-40. I have been shooting 44-40 since 1956 when I bought my first SAA for $45. It is still my favorite caliber. Since I shoot SASS I reload and shoot a bunch. My wife shoots the short barrel and has a pair of Uberti made SAAs in the same caliber. It is probably heresy but, having owned several Winchester 73s, I believe the Ubertis are superior rifles. Mostly because of the modern steels and machining.
Don't let anyone tell you to load them without lubing, you'll scratch your dies and brass. Just spread out the clean empties and an old 5 gallon plastic bucket lid and spritz them with a little case lube. I use whatever brand is cheap. I do wipe them after loading because I don't want that gunk in my magazine tube.
I bought the short barreled on for $400 at a gun show a couple of years ago. Don't expect to do this again but you can find them used for a lot less than $1100. That said, if you get it you will enjoy it. Heck, I even kill deer with mine and they are just as dead as if I had shot them with my 45-90.

M. M.

[Rube Burrows]

Dont have one in 44-40 but love mine in .45 Colt.

[Griff]

and Welcome to our World. Although my two Uberti toggle links ('73 & Henry) are in 45 Colt, there's no practical difference. I'll echo the prevailng sentiment: BUY IT!

If it were me, I'd walk in, plunk down 2 $500 crisp bills and tell 'im, "let's make this work..." You miight be surprised how often that works! Although four of those bills would likely work for both rifles even better!!

[Ter]

Buy it.
Mine is a .45Colt and it is by far my favorite firearm.

[jnyork]

I have one, a 24" 44-40, I have probably 3000 rounds thru it and no problems whatsoever, I like the longer barrel because it gets that front sight out a little further from my eye, all the better to see it with. I have never noticed any problem either in reloading the 44-40, you do it just like any other pistol-style cartridge.

[38-55]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies. I'm on a few other forums but have never gotten so many replies in such a short time.

All of your pictures are great and only make me want one even more. The only trouble is that I am getting ready to retire in 2 months and the wife is nervous about the finances! It may take up to a year before she will understand that we will be fine. In the meantime, I will be keeping my eyes open for a used one although I doubt that I will find one here locally in northern New York.

I have a Winchester '94 in 38-55 caliber made around 1902 and a '94 in 32 Special made in 1953. The 38-55 is the full rifle round barrel and the 32 is a carbine. The 38-55 is now retired but the 32 I still carry now and then. When I get some extra time I can post pictures if anyone would like to see them.

Thanks again for the warm welcome and send some positive thoughts my way (and the wife's) on getting the Uberti

[kimwcook]

38-55, we're photo driven here. It's almost a requirement.

[Cimarron]

I bought my Uberti '73 in July of 1982 and my Uberti Henry in 1985, both in .44 WCF. I also have two Colt replicas in .44 WCF, a Uberti and an EMF. There is also a Rossi '92 in the safe somewhere in the afore mentioned .44. Do not let anyone steer you wrong. The .44 WCF is a dandy round and easy to load. I cast my own bullets from a Lyman mold. I like the 24" barrel but thats just my preference. The '73 is light and easy to handle compaired to my recently aquired Uberti 1876 rifle in .45-75 WCF.

[38-55]

I'll take some pictures of my Winchesters this weekend and post them

[Ysabel Kid]

Welcome aboard. The Uberti 1873 is worth it. Just a wonderful rendition of the classic Winchester. For a NIB rifle that is the going pricie. Sometimes you can do a little better, but probably not a lot for a new rifle. I rarely see them used around here - I think people hold onto them. Mine is in .45 Colt - partially because it is just a hair easier to reload, but mostly because I have a lot of other firearms firing that caliber and none in .44-40 - and just didn't want another caliber to feed.