Uberti Revolver Carbines - MD Classification

[MikeCee]

I've been looking at the Revolver Carbines, 1873 & 1858, manufactured by Uberti.

From a legal standpoint in Maryland, how are these classified? As pistols, rifles, or just downright verboten?

I really don't want to get into a discussion about "why" I might want to get one (or more) of these. I just think they are really cool.

Thanks in advance!

 

[lowoncash]

Interesting.

http://www.uberti.com/new-army-and-target-carbine-revolvers

 

[mdram]

arent they black powder?

 

[lowoncash]

Seems to be.

 

[smdub]

I've been looking at the Revolver Carbines, 1873 & 1858, manufactured by Uberti.

From a legal standpoint in Maryland, how are these classified?

As black powder they are classified as nothing in the eyes of the ATF & MD. No different than a water-gun or tennis ball.
Put a centerfire conversion cylinder in it and it would be a rifle (stock + >16" bbl.) As a rifle you would have to make sure its over 29" OAL per MD law.

Edit: This is a curious idea. Google shows it was tried before. You'd have to put your arm past the cylinder gap...

 

[Boom Boom]

Edit: This is a curious idea. Google shows it was tried before. You'd have to put your arm past the cylinder gap...

Yep. That's the big problem with it. Mighty dangerous if your arm gets near the cylinder gap.

 

[lowoncash]

Yep. That's the big problem with it. Mighty dangerous if your arm gets near the cylinder gap.

Good point. Wouldn't be pretty if it chain fired.

 

[Doctor_M]

I think they make them in .45 Colt too.

 

[fidelity]

Yep. That's the big problem with it. Mighty dangerous if your arm gets near the cylinder gap.

Did Angel Eyes (the Bad/Lee Van Cleef) in the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly use one of these at one point? Have to check to see how he held (realizing that they might have ignored that whole cylinder gap danger out of creative license).

 

[John from MD]

My experience with shooting these is to use my support hand over my shooting hand pulling my left elbow into my body. This stabilizes the gun pretty well but it really does feel out of balance even with a 12 inch barrel.

John

 

[fidelity]

Did Angel Eyes (the Bad/Lee Van Cleef) in the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly use one of these at one point? Have to check to see how he held (realizing that they might have ignored that whole cylinder gap danger out of creative license).

This may be what I remembered ... note the last image ...

 

[John from MD]

That looks like a modified '73 model P to me.

John

 

[Threeband]

The reason they are not classified as firearms under Maryland or Federal law is that they don't use "fixed" ammunition. They load with loose powder and ball (or paper cartridges) and separate percussion caps. Therefore none of the NFA "short barreled rifle" restrictions apply, or any other restrictions.

I'm a little surprised they're selling these, from a liability standpoint. You definitely want to keep your support hand behind the cylinder gap.


During the Civil War, Colt made 5 shot revolving muskets chambered for the standard .58 Minie balls used in the Springfield muzzle loaders. These Revolving Rifles were not popular with the troops unfortunate enough to be issued them. (Berdan's Sharpshooters had to make do with them until they got their Sharp's rifles.) An Ohio Regiment equipped themselves at their own expense, and used them to good effect at Chickamauga. I've read that it was standard practice to let the loading lever down and use it as a sort of vertical fore grip.

The old tv western Gunsmoke had one in their props inventory which they used sometimes when they wanted a guest character to have a funny-looking old gun. One of the characters in Rio Bravo or Rio Lobo used a Colt's Revolving Rifle, also.

 

[Clovis]

Looks like the '73 is a .45 LC revolving carbine.

http://www.uberti.com/1873-revolver-carbine-and-buntline

I lists the overall length at 34", so you should be OK. But find a dealer who will agree with that.

 

[303_enfield]

Isn't 29" for a semi?

 

[Biggfoot44]

The confusion is the similarity to the Rossi. The 28ga Rossi's are banned because they are evil Revolving Shotguns.

 

[Brychan]

The old tv western Gunsmoke had one in their props inventory which they used sometimes when they wanted a guest character to have a funny-looking old gun. One of the characters in Rio Bravo or Rio Lobo used a Colt's Revolving Rifle, also.

El Dorado, deputy Bull used one.

 

[StanW]

One of Hooligans has one, not BP, cash and carry. He got it from Taylor's In Winchester, VA

 

[MikeCee]

Yep. That's the big problem with it. Mighty dangerous if your arm gets near the cylinder gap.

This is how I've been told to hold the carbine, particularly when using black powder, which the 1858 model can do. He's also demostrating how the spur below the trigger guard is used.

The 1858 also has a conversion cylinder for 45 LC and the 1873 is chambered in 45 LC as well.

I first learned on the need for this hold from a black powder shooter who said you would never want you hand in front of a black powder cylinder when a shot is being fired. On very rare occasions another round can "cook off" (his words) and you don't want any part of you in front of that.

As other mentioned, even with the 45, you have to watch our for the cylinder gap

 

[John from MD]

That is the hand hold that I was taught also.

John