Uberti 1885 Highwall

[Lanny]

I've purchased the above gun in .45-70 Govt. and am working up handloads to hunt deer with. I'm using jacketed 300-grain slugs and H4895/H322 powders for approx. 1800-1900 fps mv. I'm getting good 100-yd. groups of 2" or less using a Marble tang sight. Can anyone tell me if this performance is "par" or should I be looking for better groups? Thanks.

[JM]

I love old firearms.. Thinking about this one with the straight stock, 32" octagon bbl, and am very interested in any reviews from anyone who ownes this Uberti 1885 as well as your thoughts on Uberti as a manufacturer and their firearms in general.. Also can't help but wonder how bigtime the 45-90 or 120 kicks..

[Whacker]

I own the Uberti Special Sporting 32" Highwall. I've hunted quite a bit with it and really love it. So far, Ive taken 2 whitetail, a bison and several hogs with it. I even brought it to Africa and endured a lot of ribbing from my buddies and from the guide (all with their 300 Mags and 270 WSMs) but I was able to take many trophies with it and the .45-70 proved to be a very effective cartridge. I took a 56" Kudu with it at 200+ yards, a blue wildebeest, a 41" gemsbok, a blesbok, and even the tiny steenbok.

At one point the gun fell off the back of the truck and luckily the ground was very sandy so it did not get but a few small scratches. However, when I opened the action sand poured out and went down into the action. I thought I was dead in the water but after cleaning it and blowing out thye action as much as possible the gun worked just fine. When I got back to the US I gave it to my gunsmith to take apart the receiver to clean it internally.

I don't handload but I have used the Federal Power Shok, 300 grain, Speer, Hot-Cor SP and it has worked well on every animal.

I love mine! It's one gun that I will never part with.

Whacker

[Mtn Charlie]

Originally posted by JM:
I love old firearms.. Thinking about this one with the straight stock, 32" octagon bbl, and am very interested in any reviews from anyone who ownes this Uberti 1885 as well as your thoughts on Uberti as a manufacturer and their firearms in general.. Also can't help but wonder how bigtime the 45-90 or 120 kicks..

[Mtn Charlie]

Originally posted by JM:
I love old firearms.. Thinking about this one with the straight stock, 32" octagon bbl, and am very interested in any reviews from anyone who ownes this Uberti 1885 as well as your thoughts on Uberti as a manufacturer and their firearms in general.. Also can't help but wonder how bigtime the 45-90 or 120 kicks.. The 45-90 has a recoil approximating a 12 gauge 3" Mag Slug and the 45-120 is approx. like a 3 1/2" Mag Slug. The recoil impulse is like a long, hard push if your using black powder loads, but if you use smokeless powder loads it is a sharper, faster smack.
MC

[Lanny]

I've shot handloaded 300 and 405 grain jacketed bullets using smokeless powder. The curved buttplate is both nostalgic and hungry...it bites. In preparation for one season, summer range work resulted in bruising and tiny broken blood vessels that drained down my pecs like varicose veins. T'was a badge of honor, indeed.

Despite all this, recoil is certainly manageable. It's part and parcel of the gun and cartridge and I think if you really want the Highwall you will not unduly notice any adverse recoil.

The curved buttstock is a little too long for me. I wondered if I could order the straight stock from Uberti and fit it to my gun, cut the length of pull, maybe even add an aftermarked recoil pad. Any way to add a sling? What do you all think?

JM, hope I didn't rain on your parade. It truly is a fine and dandy gun. If I had the extra $$, I'd like to pick up a Pedersoli Sharps.

Manana bwana.