Italian Replica Firearms

Since the 1960s, modern replicas of historic 19th century firearms have been pouring into the hands of American gun owners. These owners range from collectors to reenactors and movie prop houses to competition cowboy action shooters and beyond. Having run a shop that is responsible for most of the warranty repairs, action work, and customization for one of the biggest importers of these weapons, I have become intimately familiar with the ins and outs of these firearms.

Here are some of the pros and cons of these interesting guns, some common problems encountered, and some easy solutions to bring these Italian guns up to our American standards. There are many similarities between these replicas and their original counterparts. Indeed, many of the replica guns available were made using specs taken from original guns. The one main difference that sets the originals apart from the replicas is their handwork.

In the mid to late 19th century, all firearms were hand fitted to some degree. Since then, labor costs have risen dramatically and mass-production techniques have advanced far. This is great for producing many things but not always replica firearms. When most of these guns were designed, hand fitting was the norm and the designers could create designs knowing that each part would receive at least some personal attention.

Today, that kind of hand fitting is impossible at a production level because it just isn’t cost effective. The good news is these production techniques have made good guns available at a reasonable cost to American gun owners. Also, the lack of hand fitting is usually the only problem encountered. The materials used in these guns are usually of a much higher quality than the originals and the fit and finish are usually acceptable to our American tastes, especially for the price.

If you know the right things to look out for and area knowledgeable gunsmith capable of giving these replicas a little TLC, these guns can be a joy to own and shoot. I am going to assume readers are familiar with the nomenclature of these guns. Some of the things I will try to describe are harder to put into words than they are to demonstrate. Where possible, I have included pictures but if questions remain contact me at I have only included guns manufactured in Italy and only the most common ones.

If I missed something, please let me know and I can start collecting topics for a future article. Revolvers Three major classes of revolvers in production from firms like Uberti, Pietta, and others are cartridge revolvers, conversion revolvers, and black powder revolvers. The Single Action Army is the most famous cartridge revolver but others like the 1875 and 1890 Remington, Schofield types, and Open Tops are also available. Black powder revolvers include the 1860 Army and 1851 Navy, among others.

Conversion revolvers are black powder revolvers that were converted to shoot cartridges. The most abundant are the Richards-Mason conversions and the 1858 Remington conversion. The most common problem of these guns (and most replicas) is springs that are too strong. In an effort to ensure the gun will go bang every time, manufacturers sometimes use springs that area bit too heavy. This is doubly true of replicas and especially conversions and black powder guns.

The major problem is a too-strong spring pressure can cause galling. The parts are pressed so hard against each other under spring tension that accelerated wearing occurs. Replacing the sear/bolt spring and the hammer spring will increase the longevity of the gun and is an easy upgrade. One caution about changing springs in these revolvers is it can change the timing of the gun. Be sure that the new springs don’t cause the bolt to rise too early or late. The spring at the legs of the bolt can also cause problems.

These legs are squeezed between the cam on the hammer and the frame every time the gun is cocked. If too heavy it can wear down the cam on the hammer quickly. Most Italians bevel the leg of the bolt that rides on the cam in exactly the wrong spot, leaving a sharp edge that cuts into the cam even further. Recontouring this leg is something that is standard when doing an action job to these revolvers. Single Action Army guns are worry free except for the odd fluke that is usually covered under warranty.

Some of the older imports do suffer from soft parts and heavy springs, so inspect any used guns for this. They can usually be turned into good shooters but you should know if you are going to have to put another $100 into a used gun. Also, some of these older guns, especially Armi San Marco guns, can have parts that are difficult to obtain. Beware the base pin safety on replica Single Action Army revolvers! In

The factory springs are much thicker and can cause galling. Bolt legs being too strong ruined these cams and too-strong sear and bolt springs caused the trigger to wear the hammer notches. order to incorporate some sort of safety on these guns, someone decided that the base pin should be altered to have two grooves instead of one like the original Colts had.

Should you push the base pin all the way in until it stops, it protrudes out the back of the frame, blocking the hammer from falling far enough to strike the primer. In practice, what happens is someone attempts to fire or dry fires the gun with the base pin in the safety position. They remain oblivious as to why the gun isn’t going off, meanwhile the hammer continues to bash away at the base pin, driving it into the base pin latch or retaining screw.

This raises a burr on the base pin in between the two grooves and makes it impossible to remove without completely disassembling the gun. Either learn how to use the safety or grind the back of the pin down so you can push the pin all the way in. Also, check any gun you buy to see if the base pin can be removed and for burrs. Base pins can get stuck for other reasons. A good tool for any single action owner to have is a base pin puller. These can be purchased from Brownells and are invaluable tools.

Don’t use pliers on your base pins! Cowboy action shooting is a very popular gun game and some of these revolvers can be used to great effect in competition provided they are properly tuned. Single Action Army types are great and action work is apiece of cake. They are the first choice of most top competitors. One problem I’ve found is shooters preferring the old-time look of the conversions and Open Top (OT) revolvers wanting to use them to compete.

They take their gun to the range and see another shooter who is shooting his SAA by cocking it with his off hand thumb quickly and moving very fast. Our shooter then tries to shoot his conversion the same way, the gun starts over-rotating (throwing by) and the shooter ruins the cylinder. Because of the radiused bottom of the frame and the smaller diameter of the cylinder, there isn’t as much depth in the bolt notches on the cylinder of conversions and OT revolvers as on the SAAs.

This means the bolt is really slamming into a very small notch when it is cocked fast and eventually the bolt skips over that notch, leaving This bolt has been galled to death! The top groove is the safety position. If you push your base pin in to this point, be sure not to ever try to fire or dry fire the gun. a little divot. Do this enough times (like three or four) and the notch can be ruined. It’s cheaper to buy and have a new cylinder installed than it is to repair cylinder notches.

By the way, any revolver that starts throwing by should be put aside immediately until it can be repaired. It’s cheaper to adjust the timing than it is to buy anew cylinder. Another issue with conversion/ OT guns is how finicky they can be to time correctly. Because the barrel is separate from the frame and is held on by a wedge, the fit of the cylinder in the frame is variable depending on how far the wedge is inserted.

This means that the barrel/cylinder gap can change, the angle that the hand engages the ratchets on the cylinder can change, and how much end shake the cylinder has can change. All of these variables add up and can be frustrating. On the conversion, set the wedge so that it is bearing against the screw-in the barrel that prevents it from falling out. If you don’t, the wedge will work its way out to this point while you shoot, possibly changing how the cylinder rotates or how large the barrel-to-cylinder gap is.

On black powder revolvers, set the wedge

This one was caught in time and fixed but it wouldn’t have been long before this cylinder was ruined. Above center: The correct position to set the wedge if the gun is properly timed. The groove in the wedge is out as far as possible and the edge is bearing against the retaining screw. Stock springs can be recontoured to function properly with less tension. so the hooked portion of the wedge spring is bearing against the barrel.

Lever Action Rifles Like the revolvers, the major problem that replica lever guns suffer is springs that are too strong. A too-strong spring on the hammer can cause the gun to be difficult to work and contributes to wear on the sear surfaces on the hammer and trigger. The same problem with the carrier lifter and lever springs can cause wear on the camming surfaces of those parts. I have seen levers and lifters that were severely worn where the spring rides.

Because the lever and carrier lifter springs are so heavy, the screws that secure them in the gun can be extremely difficult to remove. To remedy this, after taking off the side plates of the gun, use a screwdriver to pry the springs off the lever and carrier lifter. This relieves much of the pressure on the spring and unscrewing them becomes much easier. If you still have a hard time, take the lever and lifter out, push the spring into the middle of the receiver to further release some pressure, and try again.

This procedure is easier done on an 1873 or 1876 than an 1866 or 1860 Henry. On the ‘66 and the Henry, the lever/lifter screw also holds the side plates on. On the ‘66 you can unscrew the lever screw and the right side plate will come off so you can reach in and pry the springs off. On the Henry, you have to tap the screw out in order to slide the side plates off.

When you reassemble the ‘66 or the Henry, turn the screws into the springs just enough to hold them in the gun while reassembling the side plates Tighten the screws from the bottom of the receiver after the gun is assembled. You almost certainly will not have to tighten them down as tight as they can go. In fact, a good and simple way to make Winchester lever guns run better is to loosen the tension on the carrier lifter, lever, and hammer springs. Better yet, replace them with aftermarket springs.

The spring that moves the lever safety on the 1873 and 1876 is also too strong. Wire spring replacements are available and are easily made. Many people remove the safety entirely. The 1866 and the Henry lack these safeties so I don’t see anything wrong with this, though be aware of any potential liability issue. The great thing about the Winchester toggle-action lever guns is their ability to be short stroked.

Short stroking is when different links and a lifter are installed to shorten the travel required by the lever to operate the gun. Coupled with an action job, this is standard for cowboy competition shooters. It makes the gun feel great and work fast and I also like it on ranch guns. Unfortunately, there is currently no commercially-available short stroke kit for the 1876. The only 1892 I know of coming from Italy is manufactured by Chiappa, formerly known as Armi Sport.

These guns are not bad in terms of grade of materials and external cosmetics but they do need treatment. For a ‘92 to feel good it needs to be given the hand work it would have received 100 years ago. The parts should be properly fit and polished and the springs adjusted to work smoothly without being overly strong. I have also seen a few of the 1886/71 Pedersolli guns coming out of Italy and, though I don’t have much experience with them, I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on a Model 71 in .348 Win-

Above center: Example of a poorly fit extractor. This .22 Magnum is too short for the cut out in the barrel as well as not being properly contoured to the chamber. Anew extractor will be needed. This one wasn’t caused by recoil but by poor packaging for shipment. This is the most likely place for a crack to develop, regardless of the cause. Also notice the filler screw toward the front of the top tang. If this screw is in too deep it can cause problems with the sear spring. chester to refurbish like an original.

I’ll report more on that later. Single Shot Rifles The two most common types of single shot rifles I see are Sharps and Winchester 1885 High/Low Wall replicas. These guns area lot of fun, especially since they lend themselves to caliber conversions so easily. There are a few minor problems that plague them. First, let talk about extraction. All of the falling block guns are designed to extract, not eject. When you drop the block to unload, don’t expect the empty case or unfired round to come shooting out.

Some of these rifle extract so forcefully it seems like they do eject and others will only extract enough for you to pull the case out with your fingernail. I know that people who shoot these guns in odd or old calibers prefer the guns that don’t throw brass on the ground to catch cases for reloading. On of the main problems these guns suffer from is improper extractor fit. Inspect if it isn’t extracting or the case is getting stuck under the extractor.

Another problem I see, especially with Winchester 1885s with set triggers, is a failure to fire. This is almost never a headspace or firing pin issue but is usually due to our old friend, the too-strong spring. If the sear spring is too strong, it holds the sear against the hammer so hard that the trigger spring can not overcome it and the sear hits the safety notch on the hammer when the gun is fired, robbing the hammer of most of its energy before it gets to the firing pin.

This can be solved by lightening the sear spring, contouring the rear trigger spring to put more pressure on the trigger, or both. Also, the safety notch on the hammer usually needs to be recontoured. There is usually a screw in the front of the upper tang that fills the hole that the front screw of a tang sight would go in. Either this filler screw or the front tang sight screw can be screwed too deep and will put pressure on the sear spring.

This can take so much pressure off the spring that the gun will no longer cock. The last thing to look out for on the larger caliber single shots is stock cracking. The wrist of the stock is particularly vulnerable because so much wood must be removed to fit it to the stock. If there are gaps in the stock, one spot may be taking up most of the recoil and that is just asking to crack under recoil. If your stock has gaps, consider having it restocked or at least bedded to close those gaps.

So, now all you would-be cowboys have a brief overview of some of the major issues with these replica guns. What I’ve included in this article is based on the most common problem I see in my shop which services hundreds of cowboy guns each year. If you take one thing away from this let it be that modern cowboy replica guns need a little TLC to bring them up to our American standards but they can be great guns. AG