H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619

At EoT and other big shoots, there is often a gun, or guns, being given away. Sometimes you have to buy a ticket, sometimes the ticket is included in the price of attending. Point is, sometimes at the really BIG shoots, some guns are given away. So with that in mind, in general terms, what would you like to see as a giveaway at a big shoot? On the one hand, sure I'd take anything for free and/or a $10 raffle ticket, but what would people REALLY like to see as a prize? Pistol New: Now, I am from Massachusetts, so the only currently manufactured SASS legal revolver that is legal for purchase new in the state a Ruger. So, I'd have to by default choose that. Used: Again for legal reasons, it would have to be something that is C&R eligible. If it's not, you have to be able to prove that it was registered in the state prior to 1998 (I think...), or it can't be imported. Just being made before the cutoff date is not good enough, it has to have been registered in the state. And even then, you have to have the license to do it. (Yeah, Massachusetts sucks) So with that in mind, I guess I'd choose a 2nd Gen Colt. Rifle New: One of the new Pedersoli Lightnings in .44 Magnum. If I could get the gun for free, I'd be willing to spend the money to modify it to look more traditional. Used: Antique Winchester 92 with factory 14" barrel. (Hey! This is wish list, not a reality list) Shotgun: New: 1887 with a long barrel Used: Parker SxS with a 19" barrel. Believe it or not, Parkers can still be had for less that $1000 that might be ugly, but are still shootable. I am not talking a 5 figure gun here! Those are what I'd really like to see. The new guns are of course, much more plausible, but I have seen nice vintage guns being given away as well on occasion. I remember at one shoot they were giving away a Model 12 Trap gun, for example.

This may sound silly, but I'd send it back to Colt and have them do it. Get a letter while you are at it, and keep the receipts for the refinishing. It'll look better this way than any other, and if you do ever try to sell it, proof of a factory redo will not hurt it's value like a "it's been reblued" will. Of course, this may be the most expensive way to do it, and might cost more than the gun is "worth" but if I had a gun that I really wanted to refinish, this is the route I'd take. (Granted, Hartford is only a 3 hour drive for me...) Of course Colt's refinishing service, unless things have changed, is not a proper "restoration" per se, but it's the best, "gunsmith refinish" you can get. On the other hand, there are gunsmiths out there that do excellent work, up to and including a full restoration. Depending on what you actually want, you have options to consider.

If I had written the stage, I would look at what happened and realize that the instructions were not at fault, and that there was no need to change. But, even if that is objectively true, and let us assume that it is, if I FELT that my instruction could have led to the shooter making a poor choice, I would not write the instructions this way again. They'd be different at the next shoot. But that's just me.

I shot this variation a few years ago when I went out to Nevada to do a multi day shoot there. I found it to be a lot of fun. Used my 86 Winchester in .45-70 cuz I didn't have my Large Frame Lightning yet. I even too the trophy for 3rd place in the "smokeless repeater" category. An interesting category allowed for the use of the Winchester 94, but only in .30-30. I do have a pre-83 one in that caliber, but I would have really wanted to use my pre-64 in .32 Winchester Special Oh well. (And, I really wanted to use the 86 anyway.) I wish some clubs here in New England would offer the option.

I have not seen anything since the "announcement" at Shot Show from Hodgdon that it would be out sometime this year.

200 Grains RNFP on top of 5.5 grains of Trailboss. Whatever the OAL is when you crimp in the crimp groove. Never chronoed it. Same bullet in .45 Schofield, 4.5 grains of Trailboss.

Meh. I don't put anything on my hotdogs, but I don't care if someone puts ketchup on one. There is in this case literally, no accounting for taste. But as far as the 11th Commandment goes, "Thou shalt not speak ill of thy fellow Republican." I believe Ronald Reagan said that one. And it's good, but I've got one that trumps that... "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." A fellow named Jesus said this one. I gotta go with this one for number 11.

Okay, I checked my NRA Centennial, Ned Buntline New Frontier and Reconstruction of Old For Des Moines commemoratives. All are .45's and all have a staked in recoil plate.

Heh, I had not thought of it in this context. Lessee.... Yeah, for carry, a 3" Sheriff would do well. For when I am trying to do my best at a CAS shoot, I use 4-3/4" guns. For when I am just trying to have as much fun as possible at a Cowboy Shoot, my Big Iron with the 10" barrel comes out paired with a random revolver depending on my mood. Unless they allow me to use the Lightning Bolt. Then I'll use that. For Long range pistol, the 12" Buntline comes out. For a semi auto? For concealed carry, a Colt Mustang .380 For open carry, a 1911 in .45 ACP.

I've got everything from 3" to 12" barrels on my guns. All are fine, depending on my mood at any given shoot. But, if I have a favorite, I like 4-3/4", not 4-5/8" because the former is a Colt, and the latter is a Ruger, and I prefer Colts to Rugers. As to WHY that length, I just think it's the coolest looking length.

Are you talking a DIY job, or having a gunsmith repair/restore it? If DIY, I'll assume you are capable of the needed work. As is, especially since it's not working, I'd say a full "restoration" is a worthy thought, although, I'd keep the grips. Caliber.... There is no such thing as S&W .38 Short There is .38 S&W and .38 Short Colt, two very similar, but incompatible cartridges. I'd say with 99-44/100% probability that it is a .38 S&W, but be sure. Old top breaks like this are a lot of fun to shoot, and I don't think you can go wrong with it.

And that, I do think is great. There is a market for it. I hope it does well for you.

I while back, information was posted here on the Wire how Pedersoli was gonna be marketing a version of the Lightning in .44 Magnum. At the time I was intrigued, but given how the pictures released at the time showed how it had been modernized and didn't really look like the classic Colt anymore, I was reluctant to be interested. But, a few minutes ago, I was thinking, well, I'll I'd have have to do is replace the wood with more traditional looking stuff. Shouldn't be to hard. So on a whim, I went to the Pedersoli website to take a look at it again. https://www.davidepedersoli.com/en/product/jackal44-44-rem-magnum-pump-action Needless to say, when I saw this, was very unhappy with what I saw, and decided as soon as I saw the pics that I was no longer interested. Now, in all fairness, they do say that their targeted market is hunters, and that's fine. And in fact, some of these feature that turned me off probably do make it a better hunting gun, even if they do make it a gun that is not for me. Here are the features I don't like; The stocks. While I do like the pistol grip shape, the buttpad and fore stock just look wrong to me. I thought they might be easy to swap out for something more traditional, but everything else just makes it untenable. The Magazine. It's short. It should go out to the muzzle. The Muzzle: It's threaded. The sights: Well, I suppose they could be swapped for more traditional looking ones. The tang safety: UGH and ICK! No price is listed on Pedersoli's page, but I did find some folks asking for $2100 and change for them. For that much money, I don't want to have to put in even more for purely cosmetic alterations. And for that money, it better run well right out of the box. I don't own a Pedersoli in my Lightning collection, and they do have a rep for being good right out of the box, so I'll assume it's okay. All in all, a good idea, the Lightning in .44 Mangum, turned into something that probably most Lightning users in the SASS world would not like, has been turned into a bad idea. (I can hear Tom Bodett explaining it. If you know, you know) For that matter, is marketing it to hunters really a good idea at all? The Lightning is very much a niche gun within the CAS world, and outside of it, I wonder how many people have even heard of it. I wish Pedersoli well with this, and I hope it does well for them. but I have my doubts. I and I have a feeling that they will not market a more traditional looking version for the CAS crowd. Oh well.

I am glad that watab is so agreeable. Seriously, while there is a reason why, for example, that the Winchester 73 (or clones thereof) is the most popular gun in our game and that most of the "top tier" shooters use one, there have been people in the winners circle with just about everything at one time or another. Granted, there may some guns that are more suited to that nebulous concept of competitiveness, but in the end, what you enjoy is much more important. I have seen people win with 73's 66's, 92's, Lightnings, and and various Marlins. I've never seen anyone win with a Henry Big Boy, a "real" Henry, or a Winchester 94, but I have seen people have loads of fun with all of these guns, irregardless of how "well" they did in the grand scheme of things. Heck, I've never won the category I've shot in, let alone the overall match. One time, I did take third place in my category, but that's it. But I have never failed to have fun at any shoot I have gone too. What are my favorite guns? I am very much in the minority here, but it "works" for me. Rifle: AWA reproduction of a Colt Lighting in .45 Colt. Pistols: 3rd Generation Colt SAA that was my fathers in .45 Colt with a 4-3/4" barrel Armi San Marco clone with 10" octagon barrel cut down from a Rossi 92 barrel and 1860 (Pietta) grips. My "infamous" Big Iron. Shotgun: 30" Full Choke Winchester Black Diamond Trap gun. (Sometimes I do use other things, just to mix it up. I plant to shoot a .32-20 Lighting with Colt Bisley's and a single barrel shotgun in the near future. I also want to break in my 3rd Model Schofield rather soon.) Probably the most eclectic battery you'll ever see at the range, but people who have shot with me will tell you that I have fun, may not be a speed demon but am at least competent, and that I am an enjoyable person to have on a posse. (At least, I hope they will!) When all is said and done, I think those are the most important factors. Good luck!

The best gun, is the one you enjoy shooting, no matter what anyone else says or thinks.