@@TUCOtherattso I've got a Pietta Frontier from Cimarron that I'm wanting to put custom grips on. I've got someone who's willing to do the work for me but I can't find basic wood grips that fit my revolver. I bought grips for the uberti cattlemen thinking it would work but they don't fit. So Is there any help you can give me on where to get basic wood grips that fit the Pietta Frontier? I absolutely love this video, and love your content please keep up the good work.
@@ChampionProductionsOfficial I hate Pietta GW2 grips but I haven't had time to dive into replacing them. The best SAA grips I've ever held are on the Uberti Mitchell clone that I bought as a built race gun from an unknown gunsmith. They taper fatter at the top. I'd like to use them as a model to replace the grips on several GW2s I have.
@@TUCOtheratt okay, I'm just trying to find a set of grips to engrave. I've got a family member who does laser engraving and he said he's willing to do custom grip engraving for me but I don't want to use the original grips in case something goes wrong. I was just trying to get a general direction on where I can maybe buy a duplicate pair of grips to experiment on. I appreciate your swiftness to respond and all the information. You seem to be a really cool guy. I'm really starting to get into the single action revolver scene and your videos are a lot of encouragement to me. I hope to talk to you again in the new future.
Began watching the this video with the expectation that I would fire off some counter-arguments only to find that I agree 100%. Those who question Tuco's knowledge of SAA's, don't know Tuco very well. Of course, the Uberti Cattleman II, with it's internal hammer safety and sickly "3-clicks", is hardly authenticate to Colt anymore.
I'm Totally! off topic, Tuco. But I've been thinking lately & never remember to message you directly, so I've chosen the most recent video to try & get yer attention lol. Have you seen the movie Dark Tower (I think it was called) with Idris Elba? His character has tons of fantastic fantasy revolver action. Most totally fake but absolute fun. The reloads, bro! Mabe give you some ideas for new draws, shots & action shorts. It's like if you or Jerry M. where super heros in zero gravity er' somethin' lol😂. Sorry to write a book, Pard', had to get that out there.
Same thoughts. Agree with Tuco completely. Also remember Pietta uses a hardened recoil plate like a Colt as well and uberti only does this on the stainless guns. This has been a recurrent issue where the recoil shield will develop a burr at the firing pin channel on ubertis because of this
Uberti before they ruined the cattlemen with that stupid floating firing pin and three clicks instead of four was the better gun. Uberti cylinder is made correctly too with a sleeve for the retaining pin. I have 20 single action revolvers only two are Pietta. However I won't be buying the new Cattlemen II.
I agree whole-heartedly. I own a number of both and invariably choose the Piettas to shoot when I go to the range. It's true that Ubertis are the "prettier" gun but the Piettas are more robust and clearly designed to be shot regularly - they're "working" guns. Considering that Ubertis were originally designed to be functional prop guns for spaghetti westerns it make sense that appearance is important for them. Thanks for another great video!
My oldest revolver I still have is a 1860 Army by Pietta I bought in 1989. I used it in Cowboy action and shot the heck out of it. The only part I ever replaced was the trigger spring that aways breaks in both the Pietta and Uberti.
Will pietta parts fit in a uberti? I have had a lot of uberti guns thru the years and the internals on a few were garbage! In mounted shooting yah can't beat a Ruger Vaquero! Have beat the hell out of those guns Thanks for supporting our Hobby!!
Hey called Uberti they say there internals are hardened? Take it for what it's worth Thanks Tuco for the reply Hope yah don't get saddled with child support for Little Buddy 😊
@@steveshoemaker6347 I know the video looks like crap, one of my worst in fact. Backstory, I don't have a really professional camera. I have been videoing with a Go Pro hero 4 and a Go Pro 11. Go pros are designed to film a person at 18 to 36 inches or so and they do well at that. I have been experimenting videoing with a phone and have had better success videoing at long ranges. So I used the phone for this but I videoed early in the morning and I wanted the saloon in the background. The sun was behind the saloon and the camera was in shadow, overall light was low. I didn't know it would turn out so bad but it is what it is.
Speaking strictly from an old retired gunsmith's point of view, the Pietta is indeed a better designed and built weapon. Have far more of them than Uberti in my safe. Pietta's internal parts are indeed the benchmark of the SAA revolvers imported today. I clearly see why you chose Pietta for building your race guns.👍
@@hekpacobctac616 Stick with Pietta whenever possible. Sure, the Pietta 1861 Navy has a little longer barrel than the Uberti making it a little less "historically accurate" compared to the Uberti, but the Pietta is way better made. Pietta Remingtons are great. As to an 1862 Colt replica, Uberti is the only one making that model. If you get one you must baby it. They're prone to problems.
Bought a 1873 Pietta Great Western in .45 John Wayne duke edition and haven’t regretted it for a second 👊🏼 I love the action on it and it shoots fantastic.
Very well explained, I have tried to explain these concepts to people who are not really revolver gun people. Especially the index and timing, the number of people I have spoken to that don't realise this problem. It's really good to see someone who has the knowledge and respect come forward and explain this with out rubbishing one or the other. I applaud you Sir, keep up the excellent work and videos.
I recently purchased a Pietta GWII Californian, 7.5" 45 Colt. The information you have shared really helped me in deciding which one to go with. I'm enjoying the revolver, and handloading 45 Colt and 45 Cowboy Special for it. Not my first single action, but my first 1873 Colt clone. Always enjoy your vids, thanks for sharing! A fellow Montanan, graduated HS in Sidney, 1979.
I spent a long time chasing the rare 45 acp convertible Ruger Vaquero. I will probably also try to get what you have to learn to fan and have fun. Thank you for this video. Been following you for a good while.
Good points re: PIetta v. Uberti Colt clones. I've owned both and in general, I've liked the Ubertis better, but only a skosh better. One part that seems to wear out on both models is the bolt spring, which is a two-fingered leaf--style spring that lives under the trigger guard. When the OEM springs have worn out/broken, I've replaced them with coiled piano wire springs, which seem to smooth the action out by an almost imperceptible fraction, and which haven't (yet) themselves needed to be swapped out for reason of breakage. Nice review. I'm a devoted SAA shooter, and I love the lines and overall appearance of the SAAs almost as much as I enjoy shooting them. They are works of art, pretty much unequalled by anything modern firearms manufacturing has to offer. Cheers.
wow this is great info! piettas prices are much cheaper so i assumed uberti was higher quality even all the videos of people saying "there is alot wrong with stock uberti but if u put in the work to fix them they are AMAZING, but pietta interior parts are so cheap" which didnt add up to me but i heard it a few times and im brand new to black powder so i almost bought the lie. i REALLY appreciate you for this.
Yes I ended up choosing Pietta for my first big iron (now onto 3rd so far) primarily because of parts availability. Always seemed tricky finding the conversion cylinders n such for Uberti's but never had a problem finding Pietta's. Love the channel - Here in the Tyrant state of NY, black powder and older style guns are becoming especially popular again. Unfortunately as of August 2023 NY State now requires all pre 1899 (Curio and Relic) to not only be background checked but require a pistol license. Glad I got mine before that.
My consecutive serial numbered Uberti revolvers I bought for Cowboy action have had over 4000 rounds through them over the last 20 yrs without a hitch. I did lighten the main spring drilled them for the hand spring and plunger.
You had me confused for a second there but I watched the whole vid. I agree, having shot and held both, I prefer the Pietta. Now I just have to buy one!
Thanks for posting. I've had and used Ruger and Pietta for years. Tried to explain, but some people are more into the looks or " cover of the book " so to speak. I'd rather have it run.
Pietta makes wood grips too. But I agree Uberti is just a little bit better in fit and finish. BUT. Pietta has the true 4 click action instead of the safety retracting hammer.
Bought a Cimarron(Pietta) pistolero in 45 lc only because of the 4 clicks and liked the brass look with it. Only regret I maybe have is not getting it in 357 since I have a s&w 357 revolver and snub nose 38. buying ammo that is only used in one gun as a range toy isnt super efficient. But wanted the round that was "correct" for the clone I was getting was my logic.
had both, and yes fit and finish is a lot better. I have got a couple pietta over the years that did not work out of the box, had to spend hours cleaning it up.
My new Pietta Gunfighter 1873 Great Western II out of the box was not Timed correctly and practically blew up in my hand on the first shot. The Guys at EMF (Early Modern Firearms) repaired it and refinished it with a "Real" case Hardening and now it runs perfectly. Thanks Charlie (EMF) and Jason (Park West Arms- Pietta's Warranty Repair facility)
I have a Beretta Stampede .45 Colt (SAA clone) purchased in 2009. It was manufactured by Uberti, then sent to Beretta producing a very dependable, fantastic action and perfect fit and finish revolver. Beretta is no longer involved in SAA clones. Perhaps it could be for the issues TUCO addressed in his video. Stay safe.
Lol I knew you had said Pietta was better quite a few times so I guessed the subject line was a hook. My experiences with both match yours. I really like the Pietta better for two main reasons. Lighter crisper action and a true four click hammer. I will say that Pietta plastic grips kind of suck and Uberti seems to have better finishing to outer edges, not as sharp. Bluing and case color are a toss up. The best action function I have in all my SA and BP guns is actually a Pietta 1858 Remington 44 BP, 5.5" barrel, Stainless. Out of the box it functions like a hand tuned gun. Perfect timing, lockup, nice trigger pull and hammer and zero bolt drag on the cylinder. And, it's just damn beautiful for a gun. Great presentation as usual Tuco!
Thanks for the information, Tuco. Here in Italy we thought Uberti was king among the Single Action revolvers in terms of quality, functionality and reliability.
Like that Pietta 1858 Remington as it's a lot of revolver for the $$ even if it's a black powder piece...Howell Arms Cylinders work great on this type of BP revolver as those high quality Made in USA conversions almost cost more that the Pietta 1858! Cool video here, sir.
I love my Great Western II Californian. It was on a discount, but easily it was the smoothest, lightest action I've ever handled. Second only to a vintage Colt Python. None of my double action or single action Rugers felt as smooth or light. It went through 100 rounds of factory 357 and 100 of dirty surplus 38spl without zero issues other than the action getting a little sticky due to the buildup of carbon. Also it was the Marshal model so it had the brass backstrap, trigger guard, and solid wood grips with case hardening. Nice twist with the video.
Yep' you and I had small chat over the Remington new model. In which we both agreed peitta makes a better revolver. Most people's biggest issue in the cap&ball realm is the stamping on the barrel of the peitta, as to uberti hides it better. I personally don't care where the engraving is. I shoot it. Mountain man
I have an original Remington NMA that I needed to replace all the worn-out internals. Uberti parts drop right in while Pietta parts aren't even close! Also my Uberti is much more accurate than my Pietta. Mike Beliveau (Duelist1954) came to the same conclusion regarding accuracy from bench shooting head to head. I have a bunch of Ubertis all great guns...the oldest of which was made in 1970 or 72. It's had well over a thousand rounds of 357 mag poured through it. It's still tight as a snare drum and still has all its original parts...other than the bolt/trigger spring! I'd like to see a Pietta that could claim the same!
Always value and enjoy your perspectives mi compadre. I have many Piettas and enjoy them all and can only say that quality-wise they've come a long way since my first purchase in 77'. Sidebar: those spurs ringing is music to my ears.
I am partial to Uberti because I collect Western Arms (Santa Fe, NM), which was aquired and became Cimarron firearms. I do have alot of piettas too, but i don't shoot any of them much.
I do like the pietta just for the fact that they do put the bushing in the the front of the barrel for the ejector housing and there is a few other things that are more like real colt’s but I do have both brands and real colt’s I just figured why wear out a expensive colt in a holster
Great video… I love the technical information. The video started already in progress, not sure why. I don’t watch Rumble since we already pay for RUclips Premium to avoid the commercials. The Tuco videos seem sparse lately here on RUclips. Eagerly waiting for more…
Excellent content, sir! I currently I have 3 revolvers by Uberti (2 Cimarron "Thunderers" and a Schofield). The only Pietta I have is an engraved 1851 Navy, and it is a beauty. However, I have finally been able to handle some of their newer Pietta Great Western II guns - and they are incredibly nice! Thus, I will be adding them to my collection of single actions very soon!
I went with Cimarron (Pietta with pretty finish after import) when I got my grandpa a SAA clone as a present. I handled and shot a Cattleman and a Vaquero as well and the Pietta was far and away the best of the three IMO.
My first SAA is a Pietta thunderball 45 with the historically inaccurate lightning birds head from cimarron. Slickest thing i ever picked up. It pairs great with my reworked thunderbolt pump.
Nice explanation. I wouldn't have figured it was marketing, but it makes sense. For myself (though an ex-shooter) I do keep up with the various talk and events for the "old west" firearms. From what I can bring to the table is that Pietta is rated highly, though some work has to be done on all the Italian clones. I got a bunch of Ubertti black poweder repros, basically referenced from Outlaw Josey Wales. Those pocket pistols were a pain to pull back the hammer, a pain the release and work the "ramrod lever", (you were struggling to find the right word for it in a previous vid with a Remington). It was also a pain to find caps as the nipples were tiny. Dont know if they resolved it with a slightly larger nipple. Anyhow, I got priced out and then legally forced out in the 90's by our UK Gov banning firearms being held at home under any secure circumstance. But I would have loved to get involved with US fast draw and the Quigley long shoot. I had an original Springfield Trapdoor 1873 blackpowder .45/70, and it went off like a rocket launcher. Ha! Fun but messy days. Glad more women are now shooting in the "old west" style of events. I do miss those days. Best to you TU'. Old Gal of the East, signing off 👩🏻🦰🫡🤠
Very interesting. Now I know why. I actually own a Uberti "Regulator" Colt 45 replica. It's very accurate and I did have the spring filed a little. And had the cylinder locking bolt repaired ( replaced I think). And the squib story you shared is a true testament to the quality of steel that Pieta uses...which saved your getting hurt in my opinion. Not that equal quality isn't used by Uberti. Im hoping it is. I would like a Pieta 45 I'm considering as my next replica. Thanks for your knowledge Tuco. Much appreciated Sir. Also, I love the feel ,recoil and balance of my Uberti.
I've found aesthetically, Uberti looks and feels much better, but I have also had to do a lot more filing and polishing to make an Uberti function properly than with my Piettas. That said I only have experience with their percussion revolvers and a small sample size at that. My ol' reliable 1851 Navy that I have the most rounds though and works near every time, is a Pietta. Another great video!
My new Pietta Gunfighter 1873 Great Western II out of the box was not Timed correctly and practically blew up in my hand on the first shot. The Guys at EMF (Early Modern Firearms) repaired it and refinished it with a "Real" case Hardening and now it runs perfectly. Thanks Charlie (EMF) and Jason (Park West Arms- Pietta's Warranty Repair facility)
I added a one-piece Navy sized Walnut Grip with a Blued and etched Backstrap to get rid of those Plastic 2 piece grips. Still not happy with the Navy Size so I just recently worked with Charlie at EMF and now I have the Army Sized Walnut grips with a blued Backstrap and Trigger Guard from a "Alchimista II" on the way for it. Update in a few days...
Pietta’s percussion guns are set up properly from the factory with tensioned mainsprings and proper arbor seating vs the Ubertis which struggle in this regard.
My first Cap n Ball was 1851 Navy Pietta. The takedown/ lineup pins fell out and the trigger cam froze up/broke twice. I'd never buy another, personally.
Really? My 1851 with a brass frame in .44 was a damn good shooter aside from the design flaw(colt’s fault) being the spent caps sticking to the nipples or hammer. I ran just under 8 thousand rounds through it with no frame stretch and only had to replace the springs twice
For cap and ball revolvers, Uberti hides the mandatory warnings about black powder while Pietta prints them prominently on the barrel ruining them for film work.
@@TUCOtheratt I have heard from other Western channels the Pietta shoots great. Too bad they don't pay more attention to the market in terms of little things like grips, warning labels. No reason they couldn't be better!
My very first SAA was a clone I bought in the late 1970s. I don't remember if it came from Italy, West Germany, or Switzerland. It had a manual safety built into the very top front of the hammer. Thumb it forward and the safety would hit the frame before the firing pin contacted the primer. I discovered that after a few such falls it sheared off. I also remember wearing out the sear & bolt spring and fitting a Colt spring in its place. Suffice it to say it was a POS in my opinion. I've heard similar tales about Armi San Marco and early Pietta and Uberti revolvers. I know my Hawes (J.P. Sauer & Sohn) 44 Magnum was a POS, but in fairness it was well worn gun when I bought it for $90. Anyway, these early experiences soured me on imports for many years, so I ponied up for a real Colt. Eventually I sold it and went back to imports in the 1990s and early 2000s. I still wasn't much impressed, so I bought a USFA just before that company stopped making them. As a result it became a safe queen and I started acquiring Ruger, Taurus, and Beretta SAA revolvers. Eventually I read that Uberti and Pietta had made qualitative improvements, so I started collecting the former because they were prettier. In recent years I've read that Pietta was now superior to Uberti, so I bought one. I was never quite sure what the qualitative improvement was until I watched your video. Many thanks for adding the missing details.
I have Uberti El Patron 357 mag ss,5,5 inch barrel trying to make a race gun out of it. The gun didn't work at all out of the box. 3 things I don't like about it: Toothpick size trigger, safety firing pin(3clicks) and ejection rod to barrel. But I've made it slick and locking like a vault.Put arround 500 rounds through it without any problems. And off course. You need to put blue locktite an all screws,they just fall out. Unfortunately in my country Uberti is only option for a six shooter.
Bought the same gun in 2012. I added some rattle snakes to the grips, went online to Brownells and purchased a colt base pin to get rid of the 2 notch one
I was surprised, when I read the title, knowing your high praise of Pietta SAA revolvers. Then, I learned, that by "beating", you were referring to the sales figures, mostly. So you hadn't changed your mind, about the technical superiority of Pietta's products! 👍
Correct. Bait and switch, ha ha. I do hope Pietta listens to the message. I have spoken to their marketing guy in the US, and frankly, I think he has some stupid ideas.
I had a Uberti 1873 in 357magnum that was fun and very accurate but needed constant maintenance. Was tightening things every range session. Eventually traded it for a Ruger Blackhawk and havent looked back. Pietta's are pretty
TUCO, what are your thoughts about the New Ruger Vaquero being turned into a race gun? I’ve owned the Uberti (custom slicked up version) and was very impressed with the quality and performance. I purchased another one and competed in SASS for several years. It was not a race gun but performed well and was safe. About a year ago I purchased a pair of Ruger Vaquero’s that were legit “Race Guns”. A gunsmith by the name of Jimmy Spurs did the work. IK they aren’t considered “true to the colt design “ but WOW. These guns are so well tuned and smooth that they’re almost unsafe in the hands of a beginner. I would love to see someone with your skills run them. Can only imagine what the splits would be. What’s your opinion on the Ruger?
I've never handled a Ruger race gun but I'm sure they run good if properly customized. I prefer a true SAA because they are a bit smaller and true to the Colt design.
In cap and ball revolvers, Uberti have often proven to be more accurate due to the rifling twist. especially when using conical bullets. Both are good products. Uberti seems to supply weapons and parts to many different companies that sell them under their own name.
I'm glad there's competition in this industry. Uberti makes a great Winchester 1873, and their new model army cap and ball is pretty good. I bought Uberti SAAs before the word got out about Piettas being better in some respects but i was lucky and got a good pair so far. 9/10 uberti open tops (percussion colt style) I've handled have short arbors. I cannot explain why Uberti does not fix that issue.
This was genuinely informative. Uberti's are Show horses and Piettas are Work horses: buy accordingly. Got it, thank you. 👍 I'd still prefer a Ruger but there's plenty of varieties which they don't offer - so this video is still useful even for a Ruger fanboi.
Picked up my first Uberti three days ago, an 1851 .36 Navy. Yes, the action was a little heavy but it was pretty smooth but I will go through it just to check for any small burrs. At full cock the cylinder locks up like a vault, zero play fore and aft and none rotationally. Will be shooting this week.
When they are good, they are good, but when they are not good, count on many, many weeks for service for Uberti. 12 weeks on my 1875 Outlaw -- with no joy at the end of the three month wait.
I hope not, but imagine the safety geniuses will probably force Pietta to do some kind of safety like Uberti has. My God, if California actually knew about this, the Piettas would be off the approved list fast. Then again, u could make the case for their only being 5 instead of 6 rounds. Anyway, I’d get one now if you want a four click clone.
Great video Tuco!! I currently own three Uberti built 73’s. Two is Cimarron’s and the other is a Mitchel Arms. So far no issues, but I have been thinking about adding a Pietta to the arsenal. Definitely think I’m one step closer to that now. 👍
I can't confront these two brands. I own and have shooted a Uberti with a black powder frame for many years. I never face any problem and can say that this gun is very accurate. About cap and ball revolvers, among others, I shoot a Uberti 1851 and 1861 Navy. I face some problems with the 1851 while the 1861 is perfect. I own too a1860 Pietta which works very well.
Thanks for reassuring me on my purchase of a Pietta👍 I haven't seen many Ubertis for sale here in France, so their marketing isn't that great over here 🙂
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So, Pietta beats Uberti every time as far as strength, action, and durability... People just don't know that because Uberti manages media better.
Yes and Piettas man in charge of marketing in the US is a dumbass. I know, I've talked to him on the phone a few times.
@@TUCOtherattso I've got a Pietta Frontier from Cimarron that I'm wanting to put custom grips on. I've got someone who's willing to do the work for me but I can't find basic wood grips that fit my revolver. I bought grips for the uberti cattlemen thinking it would work but they don't fit. So Is there any help you can give me on where to get basic wood grips that fit the Pietta Frontier? I absolutely love this video, and love your content please keep up the good work.
@@ChampionProductionsOfficial I hate Pietta GW2 grips but I haven't had time to dive into replacing them. The best SAA grips I've ever held are on the Uberti Mitchell clone that I bought as a built race gun from an unknown gunsmith. They taper fatter at the top. I'd like to use them as a model to replace the grips on several GW2s I have.
@@TUCOtheratt okay, I'm just trying to find a set of grips to engrave. I've got a family member who does laser engraving and he said he's willing to do custom grip engraving for me but I don't want to use the original grips in case something goes wrong. I was just trying to get a general direction on where I can maybe buy a duplicate pair of grips to experiment on. I appreciate your swiftness to respond and all the information. You seem to be a really cool guy. I'm really starting to get into the single action revolver scene and your videos are a lot of encouragement to me. I hope to talk to you again in the new future.
@@TUCOtheratt does everything you said apply to 1858s? ive got a pietta
Began watching the this video with the expectation that I would fire off some counter-arguments only to find that I agree 100%. Those who question Tuco's knowledge of SAA's, don't know Tuco very well.
Of course, the Uberti Cattleman II, with it's internal hammer safety and sickly "3-clicks", is hardly authenticate to Colt anymore.
Also, those who double cross me and leave me alive know nothing of Tuco...Nothing! He He He.😃
I'm Totally! off topic, Tuco. But I've been thinking lately & never remember to message you directly, so I've chosen the most recent video to try & get yer attention lol. Have you seen the movie Dark Tower (I think it was called) with Idris Elba? His character has tons of fantastic fantasy revolver action. Most totally fake but absolute fun. The reloads, bro! Mabe give you some ideas for new draws, shots & action shorts. It's like if you or Jerry M. where super heros in zero gravity er' somethin' lol😂. Sorry to write a book, Pard', had to get that out there.
Same thoughts. Agree with Tuco completely. Also remember Pietta uses a hardened recoil plate like a Colt as well and uberti only does this on the stainless guns. This has been a recurrent issue where the recoil shield will develop a burr at the firing pin channel on ubertis because of this
@@Grizzlybike That's a defect I hadn't heard of yet. I have one that has had the firing pin channel enlarged and it causes primer cratering.
Uberti before they ruined the cattlemen with that stupid floating firing pin and three clicks instead of four was the better gun. Uberti cylinder is made correctly too with a sleeve for the retaining pin. I have 20 single action revolvers only two are Pietta. However I won't be buying the new Cattlemen II.
I agree whole-heartedly. I own a number of both and invariably choose the Piettas to shoot when I go to the range. It's true that Ubertis are the "prettier" gun but the Piettas are more robust and clearly designed to be shot regularly - they're "working" guns. Considering that Ubertis were originally designed to be functional prop guns for spaghetti westerns it make sense that appearance is important for them. Thanks for another great video!
Thanks for the nice comments 👍
My oldest revolver I still have is a 1860 Army by Pietta I bought in 1989. I used it in Cowboy action and shot the heck out of it. The only part I ever replaced was the trigger spring that aways breaks in both the Pietta and Uberti.
Will pietta parts fit in a uberti? I have had a lot of uberti guns thru the years and the internals on a few were garbage! In mounted shooting yah can't beat a Ruger Vaquero! Have beat the hell out of those guns Thanks for supporting our Hobby!!
@@jimjones9740 I have hand fit some Pietta parts in Ubertis out of necessity.
Hey called Uberti they say there internals are hardened? Take it for what it's worth Thanks Tuco for the reply Hope yah don't get saddled with child support for Little Buddy 😊
Uberti's website is a slick, multi-media experience. Pietta's reminds me of some dodgy wholesale importer.
Well said. Who's in charge of marketing at Pietta is my question?
@@TUCOtheratt I dunno, but I'm willing to consult in exchange for product.
Thank you very much.....But why is the video 240p even it is posted as HD....Just saying.....
Old F-4 Phantom ll pilot Shoe🇺🇸
@@steveshoemaker6347 I know the video looks like crap, one of my worst in fact. Backstory, I don't have a really professional camera. I have been videoing with a Go Pro hero 4 and a Go Pro 11. Go pros are designed to film a person at 18 to 36 inches or so and they do well at that. I have been experimenting videoing with a phone and have had better success videoing at long ranges. So I used the phone for this but I videoed early in the morning and I wanted the saloon in the background. The sun was behind the saloon and the camera was in shadow, overall light was low. I didn't know it would turn out so bad but it is what it is.
@@mattcavanaugh6082 Me too. With a quarter billion channel views in 2023 and promoting their product you'd think they'd be interested but their not.
Speaking strictly from an old retired gunsmith's point of view, the Pietta is indeed a better designed and built weapon. Have far more of them than Uberti in my safe. Pietta's internal parts are indeed the benchmark of the SAA revolvers imported today. I clearly see why you chose Pietta for building your race guns.👍
Thanks for that nice and well informed comment from a gunsmith!😃
How about Remingtons, 1861, 1862?
@@hekpacobctac616 Stick with Pietta whenever possible. Sure, the Pietta 1861 Navy has a little longer barrel than the Uberti making it a little less "historically accurate" compared to the Uberti, but the Pietta is way better made. Pietta Remingtons are great. As to an 1862 Colt replica, Uberti is the only one making that model. If you get one you must baby it. They're prone to problems.
Bought a 1873 Pietta Great Western in .45 John Wayne duke edition and haven’t regretted it for a second 👊🏼 I love the action on it and it shoots fantastic.
Right on!
Very well explained, I have tried to explain these concepts to people who are not really revolver gun people. Especially the index and timing, the number of people I have spoken to that don't realise this problem. It's really good to see someone who has the knowledge and respect come forward and explain this with out rubbishing one or the other. I applaud you Sir, keep up the excellent work and videos.
Thank you for the nice and well thought out comment.
I recently purchased a Pietta GWII Californian, 7.5" 45 Colt. The information you have shared really helped me in deciding which one to go with. I'm enjoying the revolver, and handloading 45 Colt and 45 Cowboy Special for it. Not my first single action, but my first 1873 Colt clone. Always enjoy your vids, thanks for sharing! A fellow Montanan, graduated HS in Sidney, 1979.
Great to hear. Thanks for watching!
Tucco....I love your videos! The title threw me for a second as I know you prefer Pietta! Good job as always!
I spent a long time chasing the rare 45 acp convertible Ruger Vaquero. I will probably also try to get what you have to learn to fan and have fun. Thank you for this video. Been following you for a good while.
As someone who just bought a Uberti revolver, I’m glad to hear I chose a good buy. Love your videos man
Good points re: PIetta v. Uberti Colt clones. I've owned both and in general, I've liked the Ubertis better, but only a skosh better. One part that seems to wear out on both models is the bolt spring, which is a two-fingered leaf--style spring that lives under the trigger guard. When the OEM springs have worn out/broken, I've replaced them with coiled piano wire springs, which seem to smooth the action out by an almost imperceptible fraction, and which haven't (yet) themselves needed to be swapped out for reason of breakage. Nice review. I'm a devoted SAA shooter, and I love the lines and overall appearance of the SAAs almost as much as I enjoy shooting them. They are works of art, pretty much unequalled by anything modern firearms manufacturing has to offer. Cheers.
wow this is great info! piettas prices are much cheaper so i assumed uberti was higher quality even all the videos of people saying "there is alot wrong with stock uberti but if u put in the work to fix them they are AMAZING, but pietta interior parts are so cheap" which didnt add up to me but i heard it a few times and im brand new to black powder so i almost bought the lie. i REALLY appreciate you for this.
Glad to hear these points as I recently ordered my second Pietta and the Title gave me pause.
Yes I ended up choosing Pietta for my first big iron (now onto 3rd so far) primarily because of parts availability. Always seemed tricky finding the conversion cylinders n such for Uberti's but never had a problem finding Pietta's.
Love the channel - Here in the Tyrant state of NY, black powder and older style guns are becoming especially popular again. Unfortunately as of August 2023 NY State now requires all pre 1899 (Curio and Relic) to not only be background checked but require a pistol license. Glad I got mine before that.
What a brilliant episode, great insight and knowledge, you need a rocking chair on that porch 😂 Superb
I completely agree! I love the look of the Uberti guns, but a Pietta is just solid!
My consecutive serial numbered Uberti revolvers I bought for Cowboy action have had over 4000 rounds through them over the last 20 yrs without a hitch. I did lighten the main spring drilled them for the hand spring and plunger.
You had me confused for a second there but I watched the whole vid. I agree, having shot and held both, I prefer the Pietta. Now I just have to buy one!
Thanks for posting. I've had and used Ruger and Pietta for years. Tried to explain, but some people are more into the looks or " cover of the book " so to speak. I'd rather have it run.
Very informative! Thanx for helping make up my mind on which one to get.
As usual another great vid!
Tuco superb video with tons reasons to support your concepts.
Many thanks😊
Pietta makes wood grips too. But I agree Uberti is just a little bit better in fit and finish. BUT. Pietta has the true 4 click action instead of the safety retracting hammer.
I just picked up a Pietta Cimarron Frontier and love it. Thanks for the info Dude!
Bought a Cimarron(Pietta) pistolero in 45 lc only because of the 4 clicks and liked the brass look with it. Only regret I maybe have is not getting it in 357 since I have a s&w 357 revolver and snub nose 38. buying ammo that is only used in one gun as a range toy isnt super efficient. But wanted the round that was "correct" for the clone I was getting was my logic.
had both, and yes fit and finish is a lot better.
I have got a couple pietta over the years that did not work out of the box, had to spend hours cleaning it up.
My new Pietta Gunfighter 1873 Great Western II out of the box was not Timed correctly and practically blew up in my hand on the first shot.
The Guys at EMF (Early Modern Firearms) repaired it and refinished it with a "Real" case Hardening and now it runs perfectly.
Thanks Charlie (EMF) and Jason (Park West Arms- Pietta's Warranty Repair facility)
@@DividedWeFall1000 you pay for what you get, for the price either is a good deal.
I appreciate this honest comparison of the two brands.
I have Piettas, Uberti's, Colts, and Ruger Blackhawks and Vaqueros... They are all pretty awesome in their own way...
Amazing content by this gentleman..one of my favorite channels for sure..love Pietta. They need to make a better website all together And market..
I recently read that Uberti was purchased by Beretta, who are cousins of the Uberti family.
I have a Beretta Stampede .45 Colt (SAA clone) purchased in 2009. It was manufactured by Uberti, then sent to Beretta producing a very dependable, fantastic action and perfect fit and finish revolver. Beretta is no longer involved in SAA clones. Perhaps it could be for the issues TUCO addressed in his video. Stay safe.
Sold on the Pieitta's now😂❤
Great. Honest revievs are the best. Thanks for sharing
Lol I knew you had said Pietta was better quite a few times so I guessed the subject line was a hook. My experiences with both match yours. I really like the Pietta better for two main reasons. Lighter crisper action and a true four click hammer. I will say that Pietta plastic grips kind of suck and Uberti seems to have better finishing to outer edges, not as sharp. Bluing and case color are a toss up. The best action function I have in all my SA and BP guns is actually a Pietta 1858 Remington 44 BP, 5.5" barrel, Stainless. Out of the box it functions like a hand tuned gun. Perfect timing, lockup, nice trigger pull and hammer and zero bolt drag on the cylinder. And, it's just damn beautiful for a gun. Great presentation as usual Tuco!
Thank you. I hope the higher ups get my message. Pietta should be dominating the SAA market, they could even charge more for their guns.
I bought TWO Pietta's because they were cheaper than the rest. I had no idea which was better, but I'm glad to know I got the right ones.
Thank you for the information. That is actually quite helpful!
Thanks for the information, Tuco. Here in Italy we thought Uberti was king among the Single Action revolvers in terms of quality, functionality and reliability.
Good info. My first Uberti was not great, but my second is really different. Be interesting to see other videos comparing these brands.
From what you have said i would buy the Pietta every time.
Like that Pietta 1858 Remington as it's a lot of revolver for the $$ even if it's a black powder piece...Howell Arms Cylinders work great on this type of BP revolver as those high quality Made in USA conversions almost cost more that the Pietta 1858!
Cool video here, sir.
I love my Great Western II Californian. It was on a discount, but easily it was the smoothest, lightest action I've ever handled. Second only to a vintage Colt Python. None of my double action or single action Rugers felt as smooth or light. It went through 100 rounds of factory 357 and 100 of dirty surplus 38spl without zero issues other than the action getting a little sticky due to the buildup of carbon. Also it was the Marshal model so it had the brass backstrap, trigger guard, and solid wood grips with case hardening. Nice twist with the video.
Great video very informative. Carrying my 1873 45-colt as .my edc today
Right on! Be sure to practice dryfire smooth drawing and especially cocking so that it's 100% sub-conscious if you have to do it under pressure.
Yep' you and I had small chat over the Remington new model. In which we both agreed peitta makes a better revolver. Most people's biggest issue in the cap&ball realm is the stamping on the barrel of the peitta, as to uberti hides it better. I personally don't care where the engraving is. I shoot it.
Mountain man
I have an original Remington NMA that I needed to replace all the worn-out internals. Uberti parts drop right in while Pietta parts aren't even close! Also my Uberti is much more accurate than my Pietta. Mike Beliveau (Duelist1954) came to the same conclusion regarding accuracy from bench shooting head to head. I have a bunch of Ubertis all great guns...the oldest of which was made in 1970 or 72. It's had well over a thousand rounds of 357 mag poured through it. It's still tight as a snare drum and still has all its original parts...other than the bolt/trigger spring! I'd like to see a Pietta that could claim the same!
Good to know, I am looking to buy one. Your channel has gotten me interested in this revolver world.👍
Awesome!
Great information , 👍👍👍 and comments .....Helped answer many of my questions but need more input on grips & cartridges 🇺🇸👍
Always value and enjoy your perspectives mi compadre. I have many Piettas and enjoy them all and can only say that quality-wise they've come a long way since my first purchase in 77'. Sidebar: those spurs ringing is music to my ears.
Ha Ha! Thanks for watching and the nice comment! : )
I am partial to Uberti because I collect Western Arms (Santa Fe, NM), which was aquired and became Cimarron firearms. I do have alot of piettas too, but i don't shoot any of them much.
Uberti, the Bose of the gun world.
I appreciate this video. I’ve been looking at picking up one of the two and you’ve helped me come to a decision.
I do like the pietta just for the fact that they do put the bushing in the the front of the barrel for the ejector housing and there is a few other things that are more like real colt’s but I do have both brands and real colt’s I just figured why wear out a expensive colt in a holster
Great video… I love the technical information. The video started already in progress, not sure why. I don’t watch Rumble since we already pay for RUclips Premium to avoid the commercials. The Tuco videos seem sparse lately here on RUclips. Eagerly waiting for more…
Thank you very much!!!
Thank You for the information and I guarantee that I am going to put it to good use for my next purchase.
Great video. Pietta is a great pistol 😎😎😎
Excellent content, sir! I currently I have 3 revolvers by Uberti (2 Cimarron "Thunderers" and a Schofield). The only Pietta I have is an engraved 1851 Navy, and it is a beauty. However, I have finally been able to handle some of their newer Pietta Great Western II guns - and they are incredibly nice! Thus, I will be adding them to my collection of single actions very soon!
Thanks for the nice comments and for watching!😃
I went with Cimarron (Pietta with pretty finish after import) when I got my grandpa a SAA clone as a present. I handled and shot a Cattleman and a Vaquero as well and the Pietta was far and away the best of the three IMO.
My first SAA is a Pietta thunderball 45 with the historically inaccurate lightning birds head from cimarron. Slickest thing i ever picked up. It pairs great with my reworked thunderbolt pump.
Nice explanation. I wouldn't have figured it was marketing, but it makes sense.
For myself (though an ex-shooter) I do keep up with the various talk and events for the "old west" firearms. From what I can bring to the table is that Pietta is rated highly, though some work has to be done on all the Italian clones.
I got a bunch of Ubertti black poweder repros, basically referenced from Outlaw Josey Wales. Those pocket pistols were a pain to pull back the hammer, a pain the release and work the "ramrod lever", (you were struggling to find the right word for it in a previous vid with a Remington). It was also a pain to find caps as the nipples were tiny. Dont know if they resolved it with a slightly larger nipple. Anyhow, I got priced out and then legally forced out in the 90's by our UK Gov banning firearms being held at home under any secure circumstance.
But I would have loved to get involved with US fast draw and the Quigley long shoot. I had an original Springfield Trapdoor 1873 blackpowder .45/70, and it went off like a rocket launcher. Ha!
Fun but messy days.
Glad more women are now shooting in the "old west" style of events. I do miss those days.
Best to you TU'.
Old Gal of the East, signing off 👩🏻🦰🫡🤠
Very interesting. Now I know why. I actually own a Uberti "Regulator" Colt 45 replica. It's very accurate and I did have the spring filed a little. And had the cylinder locking bolt repaired ( replaced I think). And the squib story you shared is a true testament to the quality of steel that Pieta uses...which saved your getting hurt in my opinion. Not that equal quality isn't used by Uberti. Im hoping it is. I would like a Pieta 45 I'm considering as my next replica. Thanks for your knowledge Tuco. Much appreciated Sir. Also, I love the feel ,recoil and balance of my Uberti.
Thanks for watching and the nice comments!😃
I've found aesthetically, Uberti looks and feels much better, but I have also had to do a lot more filing and polishing to make an Uberti function properly than with my Piettas. That said I only have experience with their percussion revolvers and a small sample size at that.
My ol' reliable 1851 Navy that I have the most rounds though and works near every time, is a Pietta.
Another great video!
Thanks for watching and the nice comments 😃
you go Trick-or-treating in that outfit
My new Pietta Gunfighter 1873 Great Western II out of the box was not Timed correctly and practically blew up in my hand on the first shot.
The Guys at EMF (Early Modern Firearms) repaired it and refinished it with a "Real" case Hardening and now it runs perfectly.
Thanks Charlie (EMF) and Jason (Park West Arms- Pietta's Warranty Repair facility)
I added a one-piece Navy sized Walnut Grip with a Blued and etched Backstrap to get rid of those Plastic 2 piece grips.
Still not happy with the Navy Size so I just recently worked with Charlie at EMF and now I have the Army Sized Walnut grips with a blued Backstrap and Trigger Guard from a "Alchimista II" on the way for it.
Update in a few days...
Thanks for sharing!😊
Just makes me want a Pietta
Pietta’s percussion guns are set up properly from the factory with tensioned mainsprings and proper arbor seating vs the Ubertis which struggle in this regard.
You'd think Uberti could have gotten those things fixed by now, it's been years and has become pretty common knowledge among cap n ball shooters.
My first Cap n Ball was 1851 Navy Pietta. The takedown/ lineup pins fell out and the trigger cam froze up/broke twice. I'd never buy another, personally.
Really? My 1851 with a brass frame in .44 was a damn good shooter aside from the design flaw(colt’s fault) being the spent caps sticking to the nipples or hammer. I ran just under 8 thousand rounds through it with no frame stretch and only had to replace the springs twice
For cap and ball revolvers, Uberti hides the mandatory warnings about black powder while Pietta prints them prominently on the barrel ruining them for film work.
Yep. Uberti is just for looks. Not great shooters.
@@TUCOtheratt I have heard from other Western channels the Pietta shoots great. Too bad they don't pay more attention to the market in terms of little things like grips, warning labels. No reason they couldn't be better!
My very first SAA was a clone I bought in the late 1970s. I don't remember if it came from Italy, West Germany, or Switzerland. It had a manual safety built into the very top front of the hammer. Thumb it forward and the safety would hit the frame before the firing pin contacted the primer. I discovered that after a few such falls it sheared off. I also remember wearing out the sear & bolt spring and fitting a Colt spring in its place. Suffice it to say it was a POS in my opinion. I've heard similar tales about Armi San Marco and early Pietta and Uberti revolvers. I know my Hawes (J.P. Sauer & Sohn) 44 Magnum was a POS, but in fairness it was well worn gun when I bought it for $90. Anyway, these early experiences soured me on imports for many years, so I ponied up for a real Colt. Eventually I sold it and went back to imports in the 1990s and early 2000s. I still wasn't much impressed, so I bought a USFA just before that company stopped making them. As a result it became a safe queen and I started acquiring Ruger, Taurus, and Beretta SAA revolvers. Eventually I read that Uberti and Pietta had made qualitative improvements, so I started collecting the former because they were prettier. In recent years I've read that Pietta was now superior to Uberti, so I bought one. I was never quite sure what the qualitative improvement was until I watched your video. Many thanks for adding the missing details.
Great video! Some really interesting information. This will help in my next purchase. Thanks!
I have Uberti El Patron 357 mag ss,5,5 inch barrel trying to make a race gun out of it.
The gun didn't work at all out of the box.
3 things I don't like about it:
Toothpick size trigger, safety firing pin(3clicks) and ejection rod to barrel.
But I've made it slick and locking like a vault.Put arround 500 rounds through it without any problems.
And off course.
You need to put blue locktite an all screws,they just fall out.
Unfortunately in my country Uberti is only option for a six shooter.
Bought the same gun in 2012. I added some rattle snakes to the grips, went online to Brownells and purchased a colt base pin to get rid of the 2 notch one
On this gun is only one notch on the rod.
No second safety one.
exactly what people want to know about anything they buy. thank you.
Hmmmm, im a 1858 man, myself, ive had Traditions, nope. I LOVE ALL varyiants of the 1858 New Army Pietta
you should track down a Santa Barbara. best 1858 out there. better steel, more correct dimensions. not marked anywhere 'black powder only'.
Got a Traditions liberty 45 clone, made by Pietta imported by Traditions. Tight well made with good engraving and accurate shotter.
I was surprised, when I read the title, knowing your high praise of Pietta SAA revolvers. Then, I learned, that by "beating", you were referring to the sales figures, mostly. So you hadn't changed your mind, about the technical superiority of Pietta's products! 👍
Correct. Bait and switch, ha ha. I do hope Pietta listens to the message. I have spoken to their marketing guy in the US, and frankly, I think he has some stupid ideas.
They should listen to YOU and increase their sales! 👍
After watching this latest video I went to rumble and started following you and I don't see any of the current videos uploads.
Rumble has some different stuff
Great video Tuco, I always learn something new from your info!
Awesome, thank you!
I had a Uberti 1873 in 357magnum that was fun and very accurate but needed constant maintenance. Was tightening things every range session. Eventually traded it for a Ruger Blackhawk and havent looked back. Pietta's are pretty
Excellent tutorial…thanks, T. ⚔️🤙🏻
My pleasure!
TUCO, what are your thoughts about the New Ruger Vaquero being turned into a race gun? I’ve owned the Uberti (custom slicked up version) and was very impressed with the quality and performance. I purchased another one and competed in SASS for several years. It was not a race gun but performed well and was safe. About a year ago I purchased a pair of Ruger Vaquero’s that were legit “Race Guns”. A gunsmith by the name of Jimmy Spurs did the work. IK they aren’t considered “true to the colt design “ but WOW. These guns are so well tuned and smooth that they’re almost unsafe in the hands of a beginner. I would love to see someone with your skills run them. Can only imagine what the splits would be.
What’s your opinion on the Ruger?
I've never handled a Ruger race gun but I'm sure they run good if properly customized. I prefer a true SAA because they are a bit smaller and true to the Colt design.
You Mr Pero...You had me going !
Thanx !
Ha Ha!
In cap and ball revolvers, Uberti have often proven to be more accurate due to the rifling twist. especially when using conical bullets.
Both are good products. Uberti seems to supply weapons and parts to many different companies that sell them under their own name.
I'm glad there's competition in this industry. Uberti makes a great Winchester 1873, and their new model army cap and ball is pretty good. I bought Uberti SAAs before the word got out about Piettas being better in some respects but i was lucky and got a good pair so far. 9/10 uberti open tops (percussion colt style) I've handled have short arbors. I cannot explain why Uberti does not fix that issue.
This was genuinely informative.
Uberti's are Show horses and Piettas are Work horses: buy accordingly. Got it, thank you. 👍
I'd still prefer a Ruger but there's plenty of varieties which they don't offer - so this video is still useful even for a Ruger fanboi.
Picked up my first Uberti three days ago, an 1851 .36 Navy. Yes, the action was a little heavy but it was pretty smooth but I will go through it just to check for any small burrs. At full cock the cylinder locks up like a vault, zero play fore and aft and none rotationally. Will be shooting this week.
Congratulations. Sounds like you got a good one!
"Uberti beats Pietta every time", then proceeds to explain how much better Pietta is. I don't understand.
Love my cattleman
When they are good, they are good, but when they are not good, count on many, many weeks for service for Uberti. 12 weeks on my 1875 Outlaw -- with no joy at the end of the three month wait.
That was objectively explained well.
I got a Smith Carbine by Pietta. It is absolute perfection in every detail.
My first single action army was the Pietta Dead Mans Hand, which I believe TUCO also has. No complaints and its done me very well. Enjoyed the vid
I hope not, but imagine the safety geniuses will probably force Pietta to do some kind of safety like Uberti has. My God, if California actually knew about this, the Piettas would be off the approved list fast. Then again, u could make the case for their only being 5 instead of 6 rounds. Anyway, I’d get one now if you want a four click clone.
Thank you. As soon as I leave californee I'll join rumble. 😊😊😊😊😊
Great information coming from practical expertise and experience. Great stuff.
Great video Tuco!! I currently own three Uberti built 73’s. Two is Cimarron’s and the other is a Mitchel Arms. So far no issues, but I have been thinking about adding a Pietta to the arsenal. Definitely think I’m one step closer to that now. 👍
I can't confront these two brands. I own and have shooted a Uberti with a black powder frame for many years. I never face any problem and can say that this gun is very accurate. About cap and ball revolvers, among others, I shoot a Uberti 1851 and 1861 Navy. I face some problems with the 1851 while the 1861 is perfect. I own too a1860 Pietta which works very well.
I just buy them both! Ha. I love your channel Tuco! Great info.
Thank ya kindly! : )
Thank you
thanks a lot, was going for uberti but thanks to you i will not make that mistake
Thanks for reassuring me on my purchase of a Pietta👍 I haven't seen many Ubertis for sale here in France, so their marketing isn't that great over here 🙂
It's the opposite here. Good for you!
Great video. Thank you for the information.
I don’t have any experience with Uberti. But I love my pietta
Sounds to me your title should be why Pietta is a better gun to purchase over the Uberti. Great video and great info as always. 👍🏼
The title is a message to Pietta. I hope they hear it .