Help me choose a Yellow Boy

Taylor's & Co's 1866 Yellowboy is manufactured by Uberti in Italy. Taylor's is merely an importer. I've done my own searches on their very similar 1873 rifle replicas. Here's what I've found:

Longer barrel length will give you better overall velocities with the .357/.38 special. A 24" length version would be a better option for hunting given the better bullet velocities and longer sight radius. However, I have read that for most (not all), the 24" version is heavy and rather unwieldy.

Given that you have decided on the .357/.38 chambering, this suggests that your projected purpose for this rifle is for something other than hunting, perhaps cowboy action shooting. Many choose the .38s for this sport with a 20" barrel, as many (not all) find that to balance and point the best out of all barrel lengths.

What it comes down to is: what is your intended purpose for this rifle? Either way, it is difficult to find unfavorable reviews on Uberti rifles. You've made an excellent choice

I really don't think 4" of barrel makes that much of a difference. Just get whichever one you like best.

4" of barrel can make quite a difference, sometimes between 100-200 fps. This matters for stopping power and flatter trajectories. For sporting purposes, namely cowboy action shooting when speed is what matters, how fast you can swing your rifle can be the difference between 1st and 3rd place. Weight in this category can also make or break a competitor. Barrel length in these rifles can also affect capacity by 3 rounds, if that is important to the OP. Barrel length does make quite a difference in these rifles.

Since it's just a range toy, and you'll be shooting off hand, you'll need to find what balances best for you. Taylor's has a dealer finder feature on their website here:

http://www.taylorsfirearms.com/taylors-dealers.html/

If there is a Taylor's dealer near you, or if you live in Virginia where they are located, stop by and ask to handle a few 1866s in various lengths. This will better help determine which length balances best for you.

These rifles are going to be heavy anyway but particularly so with the smaller .38 bore. I would go with the 20" for that reason alone. That said, my 24" .38-40 1873 is one of my favorite rifles and a joy to shoot. My first choice for the 1866 would be a .44Spl but they can be hard to come by.

Longer barrel length will give you better overall velocities with the .357/.38 special.

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Nope. I think you'll find that the revolver magnums typically peak in 18-20" of barrel length. Cartridges like the .38Spl will peak long before that. Going from a 20" to a 24" will absolutely not net you another 100-200fps, not with these chamberings.

45 LC, I've seen them in the past. It's something you could double up with a SSA pistol.

Between the two barrel lengths in that particular caliber I would probably go with the 20" barrel as well. I think it would have a better balance and feel to it over the longer 24". If possible maybe find a gun shop or go to a gun show where you could try them out to see what works best to you.

I have always preferred the carbines to the rifles.
If I was to buy an 1866 it would be a carbine and in .44 Special caliber.

The '66 has a brass frame which makes for a heavy rifle. I would go with the 20 inch tube.

In .38 I would get the short rifle to keep the weight down.
If it doesn't have to meet SASS or NCOWS cosmetics, I'd see if Williams made a receiver sight for it.

I'd say with a .357 or .38 a 20" would be fine, and a 24" would be just for looks and preference.

i decided all my 19th century collecting would all use the same caliber.. i really liked the 44-40, but no one really makes ammo in any large quantity for it and due to the thin mouth and slight taper they can be a bit annoying to reload.. i didnt want to go 45 colt because these things never really existed in lever actions until probably the mid 1900s so i wanted to stick with something in the 44 range

so what i decided on was the 44 caliber cartridges.. 44 magnum, 44 special, and to some extent, 44 colt.. a lever action chambered in 44 mag could fire the 44 special, tons of 44 mag lever actions.. 44 special is a common chambering in single action revolvers, and i found you can make 44 colt brass for a more authentic conversion of a cap and ball revolver with 44 special brass and a heeled 45 cal bullet.. even the henry rifle though rimfire, was originally a 44 caliber cartridge..

so although 44 special wasnt around in that era, it does fit in well with the popularity of the 44 caliber cartridges of the 19th century and is ballistically a very good, easier to reload, easier to find components for alternative to the 44wcf that you could still use and find chambered for modern revolvers as well

so for all those reasons my vote goes for .44 special, or 44 mag if the rifle/pistol in question can handle it (such as an R92 or puma)

the actual rifle though.. they all seem like theyre just imported and tweaked versions of uberti, i think cimarron as well, so any way you go youll probably get an uberti

so although 44 special wasnt around in that era, it does fit in well with the popularity of the 44 caliber cartridges of the 19th century and is ballistically a very good, easier to reload, easier to find components for alternative to the 44wcf that you could still use and find chambered for modern revolvers as well

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My thoughts mirror yours and my intent was for a `66 to double up with my Open Top and 1860 conversion .44Colt's.

Although the WCF's aren't much trouble to load for. I do quite a bit with the .32-20 and .38-40 and with the excellent Starline brass, ruined cases are a rarity.

they all seem like theyre just imported and tweaked versions of uberti, i think cimarron as well, so any way you go youll probably get an uberti

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They're all Uberti's. Until Winchester (Miroku) starting making their new `73's, they were the only maker of the 1860, 1866 and 1873. The 1876 situation is a little more convoluted.

While not a Taylor, ( I have two Rossi's) one is 20" and the other is 24" barrel. Without a doubt the 24" rifle has much better balance.

I shoot a 24 inch lever with peeps a lot better than shorter guns.

Some people need to lighten up. Back to the yellow boy. I'd opt for the .44 caliber as well.

i looked at taylor and they didnt make a 44 special yellow boy, cimarron does though.. in fact, i think most the 19th century clones in a 44 special chambering are provided by cimarron, they must like the cartridge too

Wow, we've taken you on quite a journey!

First, for those who don't already know: Uberti does not offer the 1866 Yellowboy in .38/.357, .44 spl or .44 mag. They only offer it in .38sp, .44/40, and .45 Colt. I don't know whether they provide the other calibers to and through their OEM network, but I doubt it. As I recall, the brass receiver can't handle the pressures generated by .357 rounds. That almost certainly goes for the .44 mag as well.

http://www.uberti.com/firearms/1866-yellowboy.php

Now, as a cowboy shooter who has owned, and put a whole dang lot of rounds through, both the 24-inch 1866 rifle (.38 spl) and the 19-inch 1866 carbine (.45 Colt), I prefer the carbine. It is lighter and faster-pointing, though the front sight could stand a bit of improving, and it fits me better. Personally I do not care for the crescent butt-plates on the rifle and short rifle. The carbine's butt-plate is somewhat better, but I still padded it out to be more like a shotgun butt. In cowboy events, of course, nearly all rifle shots are taken offhand.

Uh, Uberti DOES offfer the 1866 in .44 special
Exclusively
Through Cimarron Firearms
http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/repeating-rifles-1/1866-yellowboy/carbine-1.html

Onmilo said:

Uh, Uberti DOES offfer the 1866 in .44 special
Exclusively
Through Cimarron Firearms
http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/repeating-rifles-1/1866-yellowboy/carbine-1.html

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As shown in the link I provided, Uberti does not list or offer a .44 spl version on their own website. Cimmarron is one of Uberti's OEMs, about which I said, "I don't know whether they provide the other calibers to and through their OEM network, but I doubt it."

I stand updated. Thanks.

I have pestered Uberti USA on and off for years to build at least a few hundred Henry rifles, and god forbid, 1866 rifles and carbines, in .44 Russian caliber which is really nothing more than a product improved version of the original .44 Henry flat rimfire as are also the .44 Special and .44 Magnums.

Uberti does produce 1866's in other chamberings, they're just not imported by Stoeger. As stated, you can get .44Spl's from Cimarron and .38-40's from Dixie Gun Works.