Uberti 1873 rifle- failure!!

[nailknocker]

OK, let me start by saying I love lever guns, and have a number of them, all utility or plinking grade rifles. Now I want a puuurty one.

The 1873 Uberti Special Sporting Rifle in 357 mag is my choice, as soon as all the funding is in place.

I keep reading that the 1873 cannot handle the magnum rounds, then why, oh why would a major manufacturer stamp 357 magnum on the barrel if it will not handle it, when, if I understand everything I am reading, is that european proofing is a higher standard than American made firearms.

In a frustrating search of the web, all I can find are opinions,oh the bolt will blow out the back and rip yer head off, or Sammi pressures say blah blah, but no where have I seen evidence of a catastrohpic failure of an unaltered 73.

What I am looking for is a real world experience of someone who owns one of these rifles in either a 357 or a 44 magnum and actually shoots factory magnums in their gun, and what if any problems are you having.

So,if your wearing an eyepatch or at very least have a permenant dent in your forehead from the bolt blowin out the back ( is that even possible)I want to hear your storey, otherwise I am calling BS on them not being able to handle the magnums

 

[Nayls47]

Uberti wouldn't / couldn't sell a firearm that could not shoot factory ammo. That's my opinion and I'll stick to it. Very nice looking rifles I'd like to have a 45 Colt.

 

[VidGuy]

If you want a "purty" rifle, get a Henry Big Boy in .357.

Then there will be no question about whether it can handle the load.

 

[sepe]

If you buy one and question it, meet up with me somewhere and I'll run through some magnums to see if it rips my face off. Most bolt issues I've read about have been because the rifle was out of timing and the elevator was breaking a tab resulting in a FTE. I've spent a lot of time reading SASS boards and haven't come across anyone talking about needing an eye patch or having a dent in their forehead from one of these rifles (or any others). You MIGHT have issues if you're running stupid hot loads but if the gun is in proper order, factory loads won't be a problem.

 

[nailknocker]

I have Henry, a 22 Golden boy, an absolutely wonderful rifle, it is the unique action of the73.that intrests me, and the history behind it, plus a lever gun that fires a cartridge larger than a 22 should have a loading gate imho.

What I found frustrating is all the gun gurus go on and on about how weak the toggle link bolt system is but never back up their opinions with any real world facts, pretend I am from the Show Me state, and show me.