I recently ordered a Uberti High Wall from Dixie Gun in 45 Colt. They were the only distributor I found who has a Uberti 1885 in that caliber. 

(Rationale:  I wanted that caliber as we have off-hand competitions at 50, 75, and 100 yard targets only and I wasn't anxious to spend the extra time and money to get "rifle" black powder cartridge like 38-55 or 45-70 .. they must be loaded single stage as oppossed to progressive and over the tears my fingers have become "brass-sensitive". The bullets cost more for those calibers, as does the brass. And finally I didn't want to be forced to cast the bullets .. the 45 Colt has a wide variety if readily available bullets of different configurations, weights and diameters.)

I found that the Uberti doesn't eject the spent case (usually). It will extract it the 1/4" or so but usually there is so much spent powder blow-back on the case that you can't extract it with your fingers. I used a wooden dowel stick thru the muzzle to punch it out.  One other anomaly ... as I looked at the barrel from the breech one of the lands appearred not to have been throated. It just came to an abrupt end at the chamber leaving a sharp edge for the bullet to overcome rather than a ramped transition to the rifling. I had presummed a rotary cone was used to form the barrel throat so I was at a complete loss to understand how just one land was as described.(?)

I've returned the rifle to Dixie. They were quite prompt and accomodating but advised that they noticed the blow-back situation on two other highwalls they had in stock (in 45 Colt) as well as the mentioned extraction problem.

The Uberti HighWalls in 45-70 or 38-55 don't have these issues. Recognizing the pressures of a 45 Colt are notably less than the others, should that alone be reason for this? Shouldn't the chamber dimensions be tight enough so the case effectively seals the chamber and prevents spent-powder blow-back?  Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks Screwloose .. Uberti customer svc in Md is for those rifles imported by Stoeger only, ("Before contacting our customer service team, please verify that your Uberti firearm was imported by Stoeger in Accokeek Maryland.) Mine is imported by Dixie Gun Works and, as I noted, they were the only Uberti importer I found that had an 1885 in 45Colt.

I've used several loadings. Titegroup powder always seems to produce the tightest groups (well named). Yes, Titegroup consistently beats Unique which has been the ever-popular 45 caliber standby for generations. On heavy loads (300gr. Jacketed at higher pressure loadings) I favor 2400. No matter .. all produce similar amounts of residue blow-back on spent cases in my Highwall.

I've not made a chamber casting. Don't want to as it serves no purpose; either Uberti did it well or they didn't. When Dixie tells me that mine and two other new rifles out-of-the-box have the same characteristic, well .. it's kind-of-a moot point. 

My posting was to question whether y'all thought it appropriate that there was any blow-back at all on a load generating factory pressures or greater. When a 45-70 or a 38-55 case comes out clean, why shouldn't a 45 Colt?

EXACTLY IM NOT SURE THE PROBLEM IS IN THE CHAMBER.
TOM

Hi

I have a Uberti 1873 .45LC and have the same problem, when I talked to the representive of Uberti I was told that it was due to the straight brass, the .44-40 does not have the same problem I was told and seem right I have a fellow there have one in .44-4o and it does not have the problem.

My barrel had a defect in the chamber and had the barrel changed at Uberti at my own costs, that did not help a bit on the problem with fueling etc. on the outher side of the brass and actually a little is blown backwords to my face giving me a lot of freckles.

After reading this thread I will thry some faster burning BP and annealed my brass, I will be back with the results within the next weeks.

My current load is 35gr. SCH3, bullet RCBS 82049, barrel is 30"

Michael

Quote:

That discovery is certainly grounds for returning the rifle without further ado.  And, like you, I can't imagine how such a condition could occur.

But, out of simple curiosity (if nothing else) I would have had to cast that 'blowback' chamber...just to know what it looked like.
CM

I had a very simillar experience with a "Pedretti and Sons" Italian Sharps 1874 in .45-70.  THe chamber and the bore did not share the same centerline (by about .030"!).

I came to the conclusion that there is no way that rifle was chambered with a REAMER. It was chambered with a boring bar, on a lathe (CNC unless the cost of labor in Italy is WAY less than I think).
And, the barrel was not chucked true when the Italian gent pushed "Cycle Start".

It went to the importers warranty station gunsmith shop (a well known black powder and BPCR supplier, whose name I will not mention publically.. PM me if you feel it's important).
They didn't bother to open the breech and LOOK down thre bore.. The defect was visible on the most CURSORY examintion.
And yet, they managed to crown the muzzle, slug the bore and provide me with the measurements, and re-harden the sear.  None of which had anything to do with the problem.

They sent it back to me that way.
I promptly sent the rifle back to the Importer for satisfaction...
Fourteen months later, I got it back repaired properly.
To the importers credit, they threatened to withhold payment from Pedretti and Sons for an entire container load of rifles if my replacement barrel was not shipped immediately (well, immediately after the owner had spent 6 months calling them).

Anyway...
The importer should be willing and able to "take the case" so to speak, and make certain the manufacturer makes good.

I have to wonder if the Lathe operator from Pedretti and Sons got a job at Uberti...


Paul F.

Edited to append a "PS";
PS: said trained monkeys do NOT work for Buffalo Arms!  Just wanted to make sure no one thinks I'm referring to them when I say "a well known black powder and BPCR supplier"!

Fellas .. As I had mentioned, I returned the rifle. Dixie offered to refund or replace it. I chose a replacement. That rifle was received today. The throat area seems normal on this one.  We'll see how it shoots in upcoming days. I've been forewarned so I don't expect any improvement in the ejection situation. I believe Michael hit it on the head; Since the 45 Colt case is not even slightly tapered this may be endemic with rifles of this caliber that don't fully extract the spent shell.  Thanks Guys.

DoubleSS, remember also that unless you have a .22 rf, the high- and low-wall Winchesters don't have ejectors, rather they have extractors that simply start the case out of the chamber.  With the normal tapered and shouldered cases used in these rifles, that gets them freed up pretty well to just about drop out, but  if, as we have seen in the .45 Colt, there is no taper to the case or chamber, this little bit of movement really is not enough to help all that much! 

Here's hoping your new example will solve the worst of your problem, anyway.

Froggie