Thread: Uberti 38-55 1885 High Wall Sporter - first impressions, photo heavy

Having inflicted my enquiries on the Forum in anticipation of this purchase, and having pestered a couple of members for deeper advice, I thought I owed a bit of an update...

After a lengthy email back and forward with Wayne at Magnum Imports, Upper Hutt, wanting an 1885 Pedersoli High Wall with 1:12 Twist and 30" barrel, in the end I settled for what was on hand, a Uberti 1885 High Wall Sporter in 1:18 twist, 30" barrel. Apart from Pedersoli seeming to offer the model I was keen on only in 45-70 at the moment, Wayne advised a several month delay in an order arriving and an estimated price differential approaching $1,400. Mmmm...

The rifle duly arrived at Magnum Sports in Stratford along with 100 Starline Brass (long) and 100 blue powder coated cast 250gn bullets. I also took a punt on Delta Mike's new line of Serpent PC bullets and got 250 of their 250gn PC FP FB projectiles. Magnum Import's Blueys with shipping run at $1 each! Not sure who makes them or what brand they are. The Serpents are $80 plus shipping for 250ct. @MartyHenry was also kind enough to send me 10 of Robert Walker's Cast Gas Checked, Lubed FP, also 250gn. All three miked close enough to .379in that I could not tell a diff. The Serpents look really well made and it appears I got the last box that was on hand. The MI Blueys have very thin powder coating with lead showing through in places and look a tad rougher. I coated these in Liquid Alox before loading.

I had some difficulty getting a decent result loading up the first incremental test I wanted to run with ADI AR2207 (Reloader 7 equivalent). Starting with the Serpents, and new Lee Pacesetter Dies, using either a Lee 4 Hole Turret or my RCBS Summit SS press, the Serpents invariably produce a slight sidewall bulge on one side. Some more so than others. Neither the Walkers or the Blueys produced this, they bulged the thin brass evenly around the tube. My stubby fingers are finding it increasingly hard to hold a projectile straight under a standard Lee style seating die. In this respect I've come to prefer Hornady Seating Dies with their drop-down tube to accept the projectile and guide it in. Yes, I flare the case mouth slightly and start the bullet a little, turn the case, seat a bit further and repeat until depth is achieved. Crimp is set to straighten the case mouth slightly past level.

The second issue I had with the new brass and the Serpents was getting sufficient neck tension. The first loads, even with sizing the brass prior and increasing the crimp, the projectile easily turned with the fingers in the case mouth on some, and even slid in and out between the last lube grove and the crimp groove. This was not an issue with either the Walkers or the Blueys and went away completely with the Serpents with once fired, resized brass. Not sure what was going on there.

The rifle on unboxing is simply gorgeous. To date I've pretty much majored in older used wood and blue rifles with plenty of age and use apparent, or new Rossi Pumas and a Ruger American Ranch. So nothing flash. This is flash! At least to me and the most I've ever spent on a rifle. Yeah I know guys spend many thousands on classy guns but hey...
The fit and finish, I think, is pretty outstanding. Buying a rifle mail-order is somewhat potluck in terms of the timber - with this one I felt I got real lucky. I'm sure there are better but you would have to go and hand-pick to get it. The 30" octagonal barrel makes it a little weight forward but it still shoulders nicely. I will mostly shoot it off sticks to hunt with but quite confident I could take a shot off-hand also. Wouldn't want to have to shoot a long string offhand tho. The one thing I was not keen on was the storage compartment in the butt with several pieces of brass rod rattling around. No doubt period-correct but those rods came out pretty quick. I'm tempted to fill it up with 250gn projectiles to better balance the barrel, but then I might not be able to lift it lol.

@akaroa1 told me I would love shooting this and he is so right. I was not too worried about the first 50m shots, some hitting sideways and stringing, and I had the rear ramp a little high. The stability improved with more powder but also could have been a result of poor neck tension I guess. I have never found a recommended start charge to be the most accurate or tightest group, but I wanted to begin there to warm up the rifle, and me. The results are off a front rest and no back rest (yes I know - it's on the list). The action is super slick and solid. A real joy to use and I can see why a Falling Block is an @akaroa1 favourite. The trigger is light and also very slick to fire. A bit more than a touch but effortless. Recoil is very modest. The Buckhorn factory sights...well.. they are Buckhorns. I'm accumulating pennies to upgrade asap. Even so, I was tempted by my mates (who wandered along to take the piss), to take a shot at a 150m Clay bank. There is enough muzzle lift for me not to be able to closely observe POI but the ribaldry subsided a bit after they reported a dead centre plume of dust, shot offhand.

Anyway, I am somewhat besotted. I had taken some reloading gear to the range and took the best grouping result, the Walkers with 20.5gn AR2207, and reloaded 6 rounds with Serpents. No neck tension issues with the reloads. And the best group (Load 7 Below). With the remaining three of those rounds I challenged my mates to try their hand off a rest at the 100m gong (8"). I suggested aiming dead centre but disbelief prevailed and the first two guys, both excellent shots, decided the trajectory was bound to be majorly parabolic so held over. Both missed above and to the left. Third guy listened, held centre and slightly right and nailed it. Quite a plume of grass and earth when those 250gn flatpoints hit the paddock!

So back to the Clubhouse, another doz loaded up and a bit of gong therapy ensued. Now to refine and find The Load. I already have the ladder loaded up to take me up to max charge. and I'm off to construct a rear bag rest.

Here's some pics...

Unboxing...






That 50m target is a long way off!



First Incremental Loads



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