Uberti gave me a new gun!!!!!!!!!!

[hightime]

I sent them an E-mail and Benelli USA called and asked me to send my gun in so I did. As many of you know , I've had some issues with my 1873 Special Sporting Rifle , 45 Colt. I sent it back just after I got it last summer, with no satisfacton. I spent some time each week trying to get it to shoot good groups. The sights needed to have the front slid right and the rear slid left, in order to hit center. I slugged the barrel to get bullet size. I found that it had two tight spots. Anyway they offered to help and did. It cost me nothing to get a new rifle.

Thank you Benneli USA and Uberti. I'll start saving for the Centenial '76.........and a Schofield and maybe ....

Owen

[Pitchy]

Cool, nice to get satisfaction.

[perry owens]

Well you're very lucky, they wouldn't give me a new one without a fight.
My new Uberti Burgess was plagued by light strikes from new. It went back to the importer who found that the firing pin was bent. Uberti said it was because I was using reloads but finally sent a new firing pin. That pin lasted 10 rounds before it bent again. Back it went, this time for a complete set of internals. It failed again after 12 rounds. Uberti said that they had sold hundreds of these rifles and this had never happened before so in some undefined way it must be my fault. The UK importer, much embarassed by the goings-on, told Uberti that he would not import any more Burgess's until they had resolved this fault. He gave me an 1873 Short Rifle and a cash settlement. So far that seems to be ok, in fact I won a CAS match with it this weekend.
Perry Owens

[hightime]

Perry, the first time it was sent back, they said it met with Uberti standards. I tried everything for eight months. Finally I sent Uberti an E-mail direct and I heard nothing again from them. Out of the clear blue Benelli USA , the importer called me and set this all up.
Ya got to wonder if those Burgess rifles have been working out for the other owners. Have you talked with any?
By the way , I do have a feeding issue with my new rifle. I don't want to send it back. Maybe it'll get better or maybe it will be an easy fix.

Owen PS. congrats on that win!

[Griff]

Perry,

Sorry to hear the Burgess didn't work out. I've read of others on SASS Wire that wonder about them... but I was loathe to speak of something I don't own, nor heard definitive issues. Bending firing pins... shoddy metallurgy. Hope you like the 1873 Short Rifle, I'd like of the "Border Rifles" with its ½-round/octagon barrel.

Hightime,

What type of feeding issue are you having with the new rifle? The only issues I've encounted with either of toggle-links is with Keith-style bullets. The sharp driving band seems to catch on the lip of the breech. Sticking to rounded ogives or truncated cones I have no problems with feeding anything under 1.560 OAL.

[hightime]

The top edge of the chamber mouth is scratching my bullets and catching on the brass. Maybe there's a ragged edge there. I'm going back out with a better set of eyes in a few mins. I don't ever want to let the gun out of my hands again.

I also have to drill and tap for the peep.

Owen

[Griff]

I don't have pictures, so will try to describe this correctly. There is a significant difference between my 1986 produced 1873 rifle and the 2008 produced 1860 Henry. That is in the lifter (carrier). In the front of the cavity, there is a "ramp" that allows the lifter to push the next cartridge back in the magazine as it's raised with the one inside the lifter up. With overly short cartridges, the lifter on the 1860 has a short, steep ramp, maybe only about 5/16" in length. The lifter in the 1873 is easily 7/16", easily allowing shorter cartridges to be used. Tho' none so short at the Schofield or Cowboy45Special. Here's my poor rendition, in support:

carrier-1860.jpg

carrier-1873.jpg

The top edge of the chamber mouth is scratching my bullets and catching on the brass. Maybe there's a ragged edge there. I'm going back out with a better set of eyes in a few mins. I don't ever want to let the gun out of my hands again.
I also have to drill and tap for the peep.
Owen

Must be a burr.

[Blaine]

The top edge of the chamber mouth is scratching my bullets and catching on the brass. Maybe there's a ragged edge there. I'm going back out with a better set of eyes in a few mins. I don't ever want to let the gun out of my hands again.

I also have to drill and tap for the peep.

Owen

Perhaps, if you're not nervous, a VERY small bit taken off the radius will help a bit...lowering the lifter is good, but if it's scratching, there is a couple thousands machining error, too.

[Lefty Dude]

If Y'all would just get the right caliber 44WCF, your problems would be solved. .

I know they use the same lifter, 44WCF & 45 Colt.

Just Kidna Y'all.

[hightime]

I guess I'm sending this one back too. It screws up on every bullet, mine or factory. I think there's a little lip missing that my other gun had .
The lower edge of the chamber is very sharp and has been ground out.
Here's some good pictures. The bullet picture is of a bullet that was ran though the chamber several times.
Owen

[Griff]

Do you have a picture of the front of the bolt? There should be a "lip" on the bottom and the extractor on the top.

[perry owens]

Perry,

Sorry to hear the Burgess didn't work out. I've read of others on SASS Wire that wonder about them... but I was loathe to speak of something I don't own, nor heard definitive issues. Bending firing pins... shoddy metallurgy. Hope you like the 1873 Short Rifle, I'd like of the "Border Rifles" with its ½-round/octagon barrel.

I'm sorry too - it was a beautiful rifle and superbly accurate but functionally flawed. The original Burges design is suspect, with that long firing pin with a U-bend in the middle to clear the toggle link. The faulty firing pins all measured within Uberti's tolerances so either the tolerances are wrong or the heat treatment is inadequate. My dealer and the importer were quick to own the problem and try to resolve it so it's a pity they were so let down by Uberti.
My new short rifle is in 44-40 not .45 Colt. It feeds Lee, Lyman and RCBS 200grain RNFP bullets with no problem.
Perry Owens

[Blaine]

Please do not be offended, but a few of my levers do that to bullets, but, it's the sharp edge where you load in the side loading port....I smooth that out, and no more problems.

[hightime]

Naw, I can see it doing it as it's trying to chamber it.

Bennelli has talked to me today and the gun is going back this afternoon.

Griff the bolt looks good. With the reading glasses , I could see that it was actually the bottomchamber edge the most damage was occuring. They want it back They will get it. Also the gun didn't shoot that great either.

Owen

[Blaine]

Naw, I can see it doing it as it's trying to chamber it.

Bennelli has talked to me today and the gun is going back this afternoon.

Griff the bolt looks good. With the reading glasses , I could see that it was actually the bottomchamber edge the most damage was occuring. They want it back They will get it. Also the gun didn't shoot that great either.

Owen

Sorry....that sucks bigtime. Just thinking out loud. The inside of the gate on my 1895SG was sharp enough to slice skin when I pinched finger in there one, and made clear gouges on the brass cass.

[Griff]

I haven't said it before, but ever since Benelli bought out Uberti... I think their quality has plummetted. You'll probably still find the good one here and there, but... it just seems I read of more problems, than you did 10 years ago.