Garrison Joe, SASS #60708

The 73 lifter block has an angle machined into the front face that returns the "second" cartridge back into the magazine tube AS LONG AS THE RIM IS NOT SO FAR REARWARD AS TO CATCH THE FLAT INSIDE SURFACE OF THE CARTRIDGE CHANNEL INSTEAD OF THE RAMP. This ramp is called the "cartridge return ramp." So, you can measure that "flat" length inside the cartridge channel of your lifter block to get the minimum length of cartridge you can feed without jamming up the gun. Now, there is extra brass in the factory carrier block! If you are careful to measure how much brass is there, you can file the "cartridge return ramp" back to just about 1.420" on most blocks, and get shorter cartridges to run more successfully (down to about 1.430" OAL or so). Trying to get the ramp to allow shorter cartridge length than than, and you take a risk of filing back into the cavity for the lifter arm, ruining the block. I have re-sloped the factory Uberti blocks in .38/357 rifles to allow the use of cartridges as short as about 1.45" 100% successfully. Be aware that making the ramp angle more shallow like this means you do have to apply just a little more force to the lever because you are always shoving the cartridge stack back into the mag tube against the pressure of the mag spring, as the lever is closed and the lifter rises. So, obviously, you want to trim the mag tube spring to as short a length as will always feed the last round out of the tube. I find leaving 3" of free length on the uncompressed mag spring is enough if your spring is fresh. As with many things, this is a balancing act between how short a cartridge you want to run, and how light a lever stroke you want to have. But, balky feeding of the next round is never acceptable. An overall cartridge length of about 1.45" is quite achievable with the factory carrier block modified to make the return ramp more shallow. I set up a .38/357 Uberti lever gun to do that for a very fast lady shooter, and by loading .38 specials with standard bullet designs, the length of cartridge was good enough to run flawlessly. BTW - A truncated cone bullet design will automatically add 10 or more thousandths to the OAL in a .38 special load using same weight bullets as a RNFP. good luck, GJ

Scammers abound right now on the Internet. No credit card payment option? No way. No in-real-life location provided? No valid telephone number and business hours? Just started up in the last couple of years? ALWAYS claim to have lots of product in stock, even when your local stores haven't seen any in a year? Don't charge HazMat or explain the shipping charges up front? Ask your local club members where they have been getting supplies. Follow their lead! good luck, GJ

Yeah, better having tuneup and stock fitting done by a target shotgun mechanic. Most of the cowboy smiths will likely have little idea how to get an over-under into good shape for better clays success. You probably do NOT want to have them "ease" the action any. The hinge fitting of an over-under gun comes just a little tight on purpose - to let the gun have a long life before the hinge has to be rebuilt. Keep it well greased and shoot a thousand rounds through it, and the action will be fine. Triggers might need lightening slightly. I've got two Citoris, neither needed trigger work. And don't even think of having someone cone the breech end of chambers - all the resale value of the gun will be gone. Nor shorten the barrels. I'll second Brileys for good target shotgun work. https://www.brileygunsmithing.com/ But possibly even better work at Cole Fine Guns in San Antonio. https://colegun.com/san-antonio-texas-gun-shop/ good luck, GJ

Well, no where near enough powder. With 40% nitroglycerin in TG powder, it takes a good charge weight and resistance of the payload to get the pressure up. Titewad is indeed a much better light shotshell load powder, I'll agree. good luck, GJ

The uncompressed mag spring needs to be at least 3" longer than the mag tube. You can use a Remington 870 pump shotgun mag spring and trim to the length you need. Mag tube needs to be spotless and very lightly oiled, same with the mag follower. A lube that dries to touch like Eezox or Boeshield T9 is what you need for lubricant in the tube. Check that both shell stops are pivoting far enough to let the rim of the hull emerge from the magazine as the action opens. These get dirty and quit opening fully. DO NOT LOOSE the small screws that hold them in. good luck, GJ

Move on up to a spray can of CLP (or one of several modern bore cleaners). Cleans better and no glass and no banana oil smell. good luck, GJ

Whether you consider the .44-40 problematic or just finicky depends upon how hard it bites you. This cartridge was developed long before the SAAMI committee standardized the dimensions for the chambering. Then various manufacturers converted over from making their .44-40 barrels with (approximately) 0.427 " groove diameter, to 0.429 groove diameter to avoid needing to have an extra seat of tooling. All this has lead to serious problems over the last 60 years. And similar lack of attention to strictly holding to SAAMI specifications by manufacturers has affected many other old cartridges - like .38-55 and .45 Colt (to some extent). Many folks claim they see NO benefit in SAAMI standards. Or that it is fine to accept VOLUNTARY compliance with the standards. I think this many years of difficulties puts the lie into such foolishness in important specifications meant for firearms functionality and safety. good luck, GJ

Yeah, an aluminum carrier like you have has to be cleaned a little more carefully. Most acidic cleaners and even some basic ones will attack anodizing. good luck, GJ

Like - no interpersonal conflict is allowed at matches. good luck, GJ

I'd go back and re-read their super short stroke kit instructions. Perhaps you missed a lifter arm fitting step. And perhaps you got sent a short stroke lifter arm instead of a super short stroke arm. Then I would lay your old lever (which you are reusing) right over a newer lever (like in the Border rifle). A bent lever could cause the problem you are now seeing, I would expect. Guns that experienced a bent lever that I have worked on gave exactly that same indication - lever would not close up to the tang. But they would show that problem with non-short stroke links, too. Sounds like yours does not fail to close with factory links back in. What you describe is the links are going straight (locking) well before the lever has completed the stroke. A bent lever sure can cause that. Yeah, I'll second ASlim's suggestion. The Alves are real good at helping out on the phone with fitting of their short strokes. Call 'em! good luck, GJ

My functional specs only call for clean of fouling and grit. And since I have no lizard, I at least have use for lizard litter. good luck, GJ

If that revolver has not been cocked, then the first condition in the list above will apply. Shooter can "restage" this revolver to free his hands to shoot the rifle as the second gun. No call. good luck, GJ

Sounds like a good practice on the penalty situation we are talking about would be : 1 - inform the shooter that he was "out of category" when he had two loaded revolvers out at same time, but that P penalty is not being scored because of a target order Procedural. BUT, if-and-when an "out of duelist" category error happens again, he will be earning a SDQ for a second infraction. 2 - inform the scorer to make note on scoresheet of "Shooter has shot out of duelist category for the first time on stage # <current stage>" This provides sufficient information so that on following stages, the scorer and the TO (even if they are other people) will understand the shooter is aware of a SDQ if they repeat the error. good luck, GJ

And the headstamp will read .44 mag forever. Your brass will get handed to a cowboy shooting .44 mag rifle.

?? What case? A bushing should really go 100K rounds or more. But that early failure I saw the other feller have? That says don't EVER trust them. I think I just got lucky, until I had a match disaster. A bushing jamming in a poorly cut slide - I'd not expect get 5K rounds if the slide is cut wrong. And I'd not expect another replacement to last long either without figuring out how to fix the slide cuts.. So, I believe what it proves is there are at least a couple of failure modes for those collet bushings. None seem to give a great lifetime. good luck, GJ