Thank you for your experienced input!
Hi WinMike,
I am expecting to pick up my new Uberti 1873 carbine, 19" 357 mag, sometime this week, and until reading your post, I've been somewhat apprehensive about my decision to go with the 357 mag.
So many of all the many posts, articles and etc I've read, basically suggest that it's not a question of if, but rather when, I end up with the bolt blasting through my eye, as the action is too weak for the 357.
I love the 357 mag in my handgun, and was very excited as I anticipated how much better it would perform fired through a 19" rifle. Plus, having the same ammo for both the handgun and the rifle is something else I was very excited about. I was planing on messing around with some hand loads to try to find that one special load/projectile mix that shoots primo through my rifle.
So, after reading what's been said about running 357's through the 1873, I began to feel kind of stupid for buying the rifle.
The thought that the rifle was not strong enough to handle the 357 never crossed my mind. Who'd go to buy a gun, then ask themselves; gee, I wonder if this gun can handle the charge it's built to shoot? If the thought did cross your mind, you'd naturally assume it would be, or they wouldn't make it.
As I condensed what I've read, the recommended high pressure for the 1873 was around 23K, so I decided that I'd better buy some shells that were below the 35K pressure of the 357.
So, I decided to make the best of it, and continue to look forward to the arrival of my new rifle, especially since I got word that my new rifle should be here soon.
I bought some 38 special +p's, which fall below the "recommended high pressure", and figured I'd just shoot them in the rifle instead of the 357's.
Then I read that the 38 sp's don't feed well in the 1873. So I figured that worse case, I can load them one at a time. That's no fun!
OK, now I am really asking myself what did I get myself into.
Let me tell you that it was a breath of fresh air to finally find an opinion from someone who has actually shot 357's through the 1873, especially as much as you have, which is over 200 rounds a month.
I've been waiting since the gun was ordered last March for this rifle. One was shipped last November, but we had to send it back as the finish was really not good. There were bubbles in the finish on the wood, and someone over buffed the receiver to the point that they "gouged" it, and there were quite a bit of scratches on the side of the receiver, and dings right through the blueing as well. The dealer suggested that we should send it back and get replacement. I hated to do it as the wood on that gun was beautiful. I'd be lucky to get one with wood like that again. But, I agreed, and we sent it back.
So, many months of anticipation, then reading that my rifle will blow up in my face, and I can't feed 38 spec's through it, then one finally arrives and it's nowhere near what I expected regarding the fit and finish. Let me just say that I can't begin to express my feeling of joy at that time.
My expression must have looked like the coyote on Roadrunner, after the ACE bomb he planted to get the Roadrunner, just blew up in his face!
After reading your post, I felt renewed. It was such a lift that I read it about four times, so thanks again for your experienced input.
Question; have you tried to feed 38 spec's through it? And are the results you posted from hand loads only, or is off the shelf ammo included in the rounds fired?
I bought some Remington 357's, and Winchester 38 spec +p's, both in 125 gr. jacked hollow's. At least I wanted to have flat top's in the tube. No since having that blow up too! LOL
In closing, because of all the controversy, it's rather odd that Uberti hasn't made a formal attempt to address the topic by saying why they know their new modern-built 1873 rifle can absolutely handle the 357's and 44 mag's. That would put an end to the discussion.
I too feel that they must be using "better metal", and that their engineers know what they're doing, but it would be nice to hear it from them.
Take care and thanks again, WinMike,
370Z