Uberti 62 Pocket Police

[shortstart]

I'm wondering who else on this forum has had experience with a 1862 pocket model. This one was bought new from Dixie about 5 months ago. Beautiful little gun. Nothing but cap jams. I've tried filling in the slot in the hammer nose. I've tried every cap that will fit on the nipples. I've tried 3 different nipples from Track (of which none fitted). The last straw was with Remington #10's. Not only did they fall into the action but the hammer was in the down position having not been cocked after the last shot. The CCI 11's never did anything but jam between the cylinder and receiver. This thing is too cute to give up on. Any similar experiences and ideas very gratefully accepted! Bye the way does anybody know the correct thread for the nipples in this thing. Some say 5.5x.9 others say 6x.75 and still others think 12x28. HELP

 

[AZbpBurner]

My '62 is the only Uberti product I've ever owned that I can say truly sucks in several directions. Mine started out of the box with a wedge that wasn't even friction tight, so I had to widen it enough just to keep it in place. The cylinder has more play in it than I liked, enough that the caps were too recessed for the hammer to strike and fire. The overall consensus already was that the Uberti nipples were too short to begin with.

I replaced them with Treso/Ampco nipples. The same ones that fit the .31 cal pocket pistols fit my '62: M5.5 x.9mm, Treso # 11-50-30. Jedediah-Starr had them in stock and at the best price including shipping, of anyone else at the time.

Final problem is with the tiny front sight- it shoots about 12" high at 50'. I'm not sure if it's threaded or press fit, but the brass seems to be butter soft - I'm afraid of breaking it off, so it's now sitting in the box on a shelf waiting for me to decide what to do about the sight. It should be a simple matter of removing the existing sight and fitting a taller brass cone or steel wire sight, but a 20 minute project can turn out to be more than I have actual time to do with it right now if the sight won't pull out or unscrew without breaking.

Once the final sucky characteristic has been remedied, it will be great fun to shoot & it IS a beautiful little gun. Nonetheless, I curse it as a failure for Uberti to build right without needing my intervention just to make it functional.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I purchased two of the Uberti Colt 1862 Pocket Police revolvers a couple of years ago. The fit and finish on both is superb. On one, I changed the nipples out for the Treso brand. The other was revolver was left stock. I use whatever brand caps I happen to have in my shooting box, mostly Remington. I shoot light loads of FFFG. I have never had any problem with the functioning of either revolver. The only problem I have is with the loading because my fingers are too big to easily load the balls into the cylinder. Not the fault of revolver, just my difficulty.

 

[Pete G]

I have one and the fit and finish is exceptional. I did file the rear sight both deeper and wider to get it to shoot to point of aim. Once you get the right sized(both diameter and length)caps for the nipple you are using most of the cap problems should go away.

 

[dickydalton]

Treso nipples and a new mainspring made mine better, but not perfect. My 2nd Gen Colt 1862 Pocket Navy is way better with the Treso nipples.

 

[wayne terry]

Try some dynamite noble caps that may help.

 

[rodwha]

Certainly not HC but some people install a cap rake into the frame. It's a small post that keeps spent caps from pulling off. You have to open up the safety notch in the hammer nose.

 

[shortstart]

Thanks for the reply. Also to all who responded. You mentioned misfires due to short nipples. Misfires are one problem it doesn't have. (Yet). I do have a wedge that is way too loose. You can get it tight but it's almost against the frame. How did you go about "widening" it? I was thinking of a new wedge until I saw the price. I do have a set of nipples from Track #PTC-PS that are 5.5x.9 that wouldn't start. ??? I'll try again. I'm going to order a set of Treso's tomorrow. Thanks to everyone who responded! Next will be a main spring. It was on sale at Dixie. Deal my a##.

 

[AZbpBurner]

An oldtimer told me about widening wedges several decades ago & I thought he was prevaricating, until he explained: Place the wedge on edge on your anvil, and give it a couple of stout whacks with a heavy hammer. Be sure the hammer face is square to the wedge face.

The wedge usually doesn't take much to widen it enough to friction fit, so don't overdo it, and it won't narrow it enough to make any difference.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Pietta or Uberti?
Mine was a Uberti, great shooting little gun.
No problem with caps, but I did have to roll the gun to the left when cocking after firing or it would jam every once in a while.
My front sight was pressed in, I filled it flat, drilled and tapped for a shotgun bead, and it was dead on at 50 feet.
Great gun!
At first I wanted the shorter barrel model, but I had too much difficulty working the loading lever, so I took the five inch model.
By the way, you will have more shooting time if you use the synthetic BP, it does not foul up as much. Pyrodex works good, but it always has to be fresh. Tripple 7 should work very well.
Sorry to hear you are having trouble with yours.
Fred

 

[shortstart]

Well, things are looking up. I had a set of Track's nipples in 12x28 that matched except for the .007 difference from 5.5x9 and the base was a little wide. Took care of that with a drill press and a stone. Screw right in. Snug but went in. No cap jams. Got off five shots. First time that's happened since I've had it. Now as soon as can get the wedge tight without driving it almost against the frame all will be good.
Thanks to everybody for the great responses.
Bill

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

To snug up the wedge, try using a piece of shim stock. Slip it into the slot on the arbor and push the wedge in. See if that fits, then maybe solder it in place. :hmm:

 

[M. De Land]

Mine is an old one from Navy Arms and I have no clue who actually made it but it had lots of problems and I got it cheap.
First I had to correct the ratchet profile with a small Barret file to make it cycle on all chambers, replace the front sight (dove tail cut), machine a stainless steel bushing for end shake improvement,fit a new piano wire spring to the hand and set back the cylinder gap.
I also reamed out the cylinder throats to match the groove diameter.
Here are a few photos of the project.








Shoots and functions pretty well now and cap hang up doesn't seem any worse than any of my other three revolvers.

 

[smoothshooter]

The small frame guns often need a stronger replacement mainspring as well to help keep the fired caps from blowing back into the hammer slot.
The strength of replacement springs varies depending on the supplier. Trial and error.
With some exceptions, the workmanship on the small frame Uberti revolvers is pretty crappy. Don't know why, and am frankly surprised Uberti / Beretta allows it.
The two full - sized percussion Uberti revolvers I own are as nicely made as any of my modern cartridge ( mostly Smith & Wesson ) revolvers are.

 

[shortstart]

M.D., I really like the sight job. That must be an awfully shallow dove tail cut. Did you make the new sight or purchase it? Mine is working pretty well w ith the new nipples so for now I'm happy with it. A new higher front sight would solve the last problem.

 

[M. De Land]

I milled it from bar stock and rust blued it.