Posted: Oct 19th 2009, 11:44 AM
Max... I havecompeted inCowboy Action Shooting for the last 3 years and have been shooting Uberti 1858's for the last 2. I have shot them in both BP/muzzle loading catagories and with BP/cartridge catagories with the use of RD Conversion cylinders.
I have tuned my Remmies and they shoot very well. I have worked on a few pards Pietta's and found that the Uberti's are generally held to tighter tollerances and are over all a better made gun. They seem to pay attention to detail slightly better.
Of the two, you will not go wrong with the Uberti. My pard that shoots the Pietta guns has had minor breakage issues and had to replace hand/bolts and main springs. We shoot the same matches with the same round count and my Uberti's have held up better. (Shooting them in competion puts alot of stress on these guns.)
Between the 1858 Remington and the 1851-60 open top Colt's, the Remingtons are easier to load, easier to clean, easier to work on, easier to shoot well and IMHO more accurate. The 1860's have to have the wedge removed and the entire barrel pulled off to clean and the rear sight is a shallow notch cut into the hammer that you can only see when the hammer is cocked. The 1858 is a solid frame, removing the cylinder for cleaning is simple and the sights are MUCH better.
If you don't plan on shooting large volumes, the Pietta guns will do most folks just fine. They are cheaper and Cabelas has extra cylinders and parts readily available.
Here is a pic of my competion guns.... I like the 5 in versions better than the 8 in guns for speed of draw and holser selection.
Shooting BP pistols is fun and relaxing. It is much slower going than shooting cartridge guns, so you don't shoot as much, but you will be surprized at how accurate they can be. Also, you can very the load/charge to suit your needs/tastes as far as recoil goes.... BP is also MUCH easier to clean than smokeless powder, even if there is alot more fouling involved. I clean my BP guns with hot tap water and a toothbrush. Then I blow them dry with an air compressor.
Either brand (Uberti or Pietta) canuse cartridge conversion cylinders such as the R&D ones I use or the Kirst Konverters (different takes on the same idea). WIth the cartridge conversions they can be shot with either BP cartridges or with light loaded smokeless rounds.
For just a "fun gun", the Pietta is a cheap way to get into BP pistol shooting.... and Cabelas has a great return policy if you get one that was made on a friday afternoon...
-Tac
