Pietta have upped their game considerably over the last three or four years. Reading over on muzzleloadingforum.com, it appears that Uberti are having a few issues with QC - a couple of people there have complained about 'chips' out of the hammer and failing to register the cylinder. Easy to fix in the US of A, where you just send it back to the supplier and get another one. A lot more difficult here with the FAC registration system that means that to all intents and purposes, you have disposed of one gun, and want to buy another identical model.

I know nothing about Pedersoli handguns.

IF you can find a Ruger Old Army and keep it running, then it will last into the 24th century. Bad news is that there are NO spare parts left of any kind that are not common with the BLUED Blackhawk revolver - that means, in reality, a couple of screws. Nipples are easy to find - I supply people over here with replacements at a very much smaller price than the usual dealers because I buy them in the USA. I bought mine on March 2nd 1986, and it's still going strong. Figure on paying around £600 or more unless you are really in luck and buy from a giver-upper. Casting your own ball is great fun, and costs less than a tenth of buying them ready made, too. It's no use asking the Ruger Importers, Viking Arms, for any help. either. Later on in 1986, I asked them to supply me with the free-from-Ruger taller foresight.

Never heard back.

And then, in 2002, I asked the same again for my Sabre Defence Systems Super Redhawk foresight inserts - as provided with every Super Redhawk sold.

Never heard back about them, either.