Uberti Cattleman

[MalteseHoss]

Does anybody have any experience with Uberti Cattlemans? I have an Iver Johnson built sometime around 1975 chambered in 44mag. The piece that springs up from below the cylinder, I believe the bolt, is not springing up. From a quick search of Brownells schematics for that gun, Im guessing the bolt spring is probably broken. I have not had it apart yet, but I thought maybe someone knows what I am talking about or had any advice before I do. It seems pretty straightforward but you never know sometimes.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

Colt clones often have weak bolt springs that can fail. You should have no trouble finding a replacement.

 

[CraigC]

That's the most common failure of the Colt type action. It's an easy fix. I usually use a wire spring replacement and those never break.

 

[MalteseHoss]

Ok great thanks!
Btw the title says moved. I’d it supposed to be in the lounge because it’s a non Ruger topic or in revolvers?

 

[hittman]

No, I moved it from Lounge to Revolvers because it's a revolver and we're not gun snobs here.

 

[WIL TERRY]

I have nearly 50M rounds through UBERTI sixguns in every caliber they've made 'em in and one they didn't. I've had three of their bolt springs break in that time, thirty years or so now as we speak. ALL were of the old style ; NONE of the new style ever have done so.
And so it goes...

 

[CraigC]

I really think the spring issue in Colt's and replicas is greatly exaggerated. I've had exactly one hand spring break and it was on a friend's high mileage Frontier Scout. Seems like I had one trigger/bolt spring break.

 

[DGW1949]

Does anybody have any experience with Uberti Cattlemans? I have an Iver Johnson built sometime around 1975 chambered in 44mag. The piece that springs up from below the cylinder, I believe the bolt, is not springing up. From a quick search of Brownells schematics for that gun, Im guessing the bolt spring is probably broken. I have not had it apart yet, but I thought maybe someone knows what I am talking about or had any advice before I do. It seems pretty straightforward but you never know sometimes.

If I'm remembering right, the 1975 model had a safety feature added to the hammer. If that's the case with yours, do note that those variations also had a problem with their (rather odd shaped) hammer cam becoming chewed-up and taking the leg of the bolt (AKA 'cylinder latch') out with it.
Not saying that's your problem, just saying that it might be something you want to look at while you've got the gun apart.

Either way though, regardless of whether you're only changing the bolt spring or not, you've still got to remove the (2-pc) grip frame in order to get to where you want to go.
What I'm getting at there is that the hammer spring is attached to the 'trigger guard' portion of the grip frame Ass'y, and is always under tension whether the gun is cocked or not...So, what you're going to need to do first, is remove the back strap portion, then set it and the grip aside, then relieve the tension on the hammer by loosening the spring's screw before removing the trigger guard portion.
Note also that there's a little wheel on the bottom of the hammer which rides in a groove made onto the face of the hammer spring. It's important that it ends up there after reassembly, and that the spring itself ends up parallel with the portion of the trigger guard which it attaches to. And do start all of the grip frame screws before fully tightening any of them. Otherwise you can bet your sweet-bippy that at least one or two of them are not going to line up right...

...All in all, a rather strait forward process, and not nearly as complicated as it may look on paper. Mostly just suff to be aware of, that's all.

DGW

 

[MalteseHoss]

Ok thanks all. I will be attempting it as soon as time allows. Ill keep you posted.