H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619
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Posts posted by H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619
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My favorite caliber is .45 Colt. I have more guns in that caliber than any other.
But oddly, I don't have a 73 in that caliber.My first 73, a real Winchester is a .32-20, and for a short while it was my primary main match rifle. Here it is paired with a Colt Bisley
Fun story about this rifle. More than a few years ago, I was at the Michigan state championship shoot, and this was the rifle I used. As I was leaving the parking lot to go to the shooting area, a pard looked at my gun cart and ask me if that was a real Winchester. When I said it was, he said he'd never seen one before, only replicas, and asked if he could hold it. Then he asked if he could work the action. When I said sure, he tried, but he could not lever the lever. He checked to make sure the lever lock was not locked, and when he saw that it wasn't, he said he thought something was wrong. With some concern, I took the gun and worked the action no problem. Long story short, he was so used to slicked up short stroked Uberti 73's, that he could not work the "heavy" action of an unmodified Winchester!
This rifle, and later a few pistols, started my love affair with the .32-20 cartridge. Since this rifle I have acquired a Winchester 92, a Colt Lightning, a Marlin 1888 (The top eject Marlin!) and a Uberti 66. It is likely I will obtain other rifles in this caliber as time goes by. The only reason I don't shoot it more often is that, like all bottlenecks, it takes a little more effort to reload. Gotta lube them cases, y'know. I have an antique 1st and a 3rd gen SAA, and in addition to the pictured Bisley, another one that is nickeled.My second 73 is 16.5" Uberti that I kinda sorta customized. It's a .44-40
I really wanted a 73 Mare's Leg, but nobody makes one. So, I just chopped the stock on this one. Overall length is over 26", and the barrel is still 16+ so no NFA 34 problems. I know Mare's Legs are not SASS Legal for some reason, but they are fun to shoot!
I also have an uncut buttstock in case I ever have a need to actually use it as a rifle.
As far as .45 Colt goes.... Well, I've got more pistols than I can count off the top of my head. At least 20 or so. Mostly Colts/Clones, but a few other things as well. Replica cap and ball Colts and Remingtons that have been cartridge converted, replica S&W Schofield and American, a replica Remington 75, a converted replica Rogers and Spencer, and I think that's it. For rifles in .45, I have an AWA Lightning, an Armi San Marco 92, an Uberti 66 (Which I guess is "close" to being a 73) and a Uberti Burgess. Why don't I have a 73 in this caliber? Well, partly because if I get a hankrin' t'shoot a 73, I can pull out the real Winchester. And partly because I've become a Lightning guy, so I don't see the need to get one. But that being said, if I came across a used Uberti in .45 for a really good price, I might jump on one.-
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The 87 is a great gun.
I have an original Winchester, and a Chiappa "Terminator" one. I also got a standard stock for the second one, giving me an 18.5" barrel one in standard configuration. My Winchester has 30" barrels.
The Chiappa a great out of the box, but I did feel that the trigger return spring was bit too heavy, so I replaced it with a lighter one. That's the only mod I have made. I am not sure who makes the Cimarron, so I won't hazard a guess.
Once you learn how to use it, the 87 is a lot of fun to shoot.-
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Ah.... Pics....
From top to bottom...
Petta .45.
Uberti .45
Remington .38Uberti .38
(Uberti Remington 75 .45)
Uberti .38.-
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I have three 58's. Two Uberti's that I converted with Kirst cylinders and a real Remington with a factory conversion. All three of them had the same timing issues that I shall now describe. When you cock a single action revolver, it should rotate 1 chamber. All three of these pistols had a tendency to rotate 1 and half chambers, mostly when you cock it really fast.. Since it happened with both reproductions and an original, I tend to think that it is a design flaw. I asked the gunsmith who fixed the timing issues, and he confirmed that this is a common problem and that it IS a design flaw, but he did know how to fix it. These are all .38's
I do have a 4th 58, this one is also a Uberti, and it came with both a cap and ball and a Holland style conversion cylinder from the factory. It's actually a commemorative issue one. It does not have timing issues and I have a feeling it was tuned by someone to work correctly. This one is .44/.45
And a 5th one, also a .44/45 with a Kirst cylinder. This one is a Pietta. No timing issues here either.-
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3 hours ago, Texas Jack Black said:
I loaded up on TB Red Dot and Unique years ago .I should have enough to do all the different games I play till I am done.
I always say strike while the Iron is hot.
Best Wishes
and
Happy NEW YEAR
I haven't seen Red Dot since 2020 either....
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14 hours ago, Cholla said:
The most recent GUNS magazine has an entire article about the virtues of Trail Boss.
On the one hand that's great!
On the other, does the article point out it hasn't been available since about 2020? -
Has anyone in Australia confirmed seeing it in a store?
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7 hours ago, Griff said:
I have a Great Western derringer in 38 S&W. It's easy enough to reload and keep it pointed downrange, just grip the bottom of the barrels in the off-hand, unlatch it, swing the grip up, push out the empties, then insert 2 new cartridges, swing the grip back down and latch. I've only shot it duelist... there ain't enough gun to use two hands, (being the same size as the Remington derringer it was copied from).
Sigh....
Every time you mention this derringer, I find myself wanting to buy it from you. But I know it's not for sale.
I've always wanted a derringer in this caliber. They exist, but are very hard to find.
This is my derringer, an RG17. Surprisingly well made considering the company's reputation for cheapness. And accurate enough to shoot soda cans at 15 paces. It's a .38 Special. I load it the same way Griff described, and shoot it that way too.
The weird safety is not all that annoying, but does also have a traditional half cock position. Which it must be in to safely load! Other than the safety, it is very much similar to an original Remington in style and size. It was my father's.-
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11 hours ago, Dapper Dave said:
I have never used Trail Boss, don't have any in my stash - so why is it so highly rated for CAS? NOT trying to start a war, seriously asking. I use AA#2 and ZIP right now for handgun loads.
What is Trail Boss useful for?
.32 S&W
.32 S&W Long
.32-20
7.65 Nagant
.38 Short Colt
.38 S&W.38 Long Colt.
.38 Special
.357 Magnum
.44 Special
.44-40.44 Magnum
.45 ACP.45 S&W
.45 Colt56-60 Spencer
.30-30
.30-40
7mm Mauser8mm Mauser
.30-'06 (Bolt Actions. Have not tried it in the Garand)
.45-60
.45-70 (Trapdoor safe)
I have personally used it in all of these calibers, and I am sure it can be used in many more. It is a very useful caliber. And, it is basically impossible to overcharge with it. A double charge of a minimum charge will overflow the case. And, given it's bright color, it is very easy to see that there is power int he case.
Someone mentioned the Kaboom Club.
THIS is impossible with Trail Boss...
Neither of my friends was hurt using these, thank the Lord. But it more or less did ruin our outing at a big shoot. As near as I can guess, a double charge of Win321 is to blame. That, and my own stupidity.
I want Trail Boss Back for these two reasons alone.-
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It occurs to me that this same side match could be done with a pocket pistol instead of a derringer.
It also occurs to me that, with the derringer, a reload is not a good idea. (With the pocket pistol, there is no need.) I did shoot a derringer side match once that had a reload, and I didn't care for it.
It's good to get feedback on ideas. That way, if anyone decides to try it, the basic premise is already discussed and perhaps modified to make more sense.
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Oh man! I sure hope it's available here in the US soon! I DO so miss this stuff. It's a great powder. I use for everything from .32 S&W to .45-70 and 56-60 Spencer.
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I got to thinking of the opening scene of The Shootist where John Wayne takes out the guy trying to rob him with a derringer with a non fatal, but still incapacitating shot.
This got me to imagining a side match for the derringer that is different from typical speed and accuracy ones you typically see.
A paper target with an image of bad guy, or even just a sillouette target is set at about 5 feet from the shooter.
At the beep, shooter picks up derringer from table and fires 2 shots, one handed, at the target.
"Zones" on the target are designated as "Kill" "Disable" and "Flesh Wound"
For each kill shot, you get 10 points. For each Disable, you get 5 and for each Flesh Wound you get 3 points. A miss gets 0. Most points wins. Ties broken by timer. I suppose there could be a 4 shot variant if you wanna add a reload.
Just a random thought.-
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A good quality gun cart is one of the best things you'll ever buy. Some of them can be quite expensive, but they are worth it. You don't wanna be carting around thousands of dollars worth of guns in a cheap cart that will batter them to death. (I exaggerate a little, but not much.) By the same token, a good, if expensive gun cart will last you a lifetime, a cheap but serviceable one will do well for a few years, and then fall apart.
Costuming can be very simple. A pair of jeans, and a long sleeve shirt are all you need. The shirt should have at least a vaguely "western" look/feel to it, but that is very open to interpretation. Technically, a hat is not required, outside of specific costume categories that require one. That said, I strongly recommend one to shield you head from fall brass. Reproduction US Cavalry Kepi hats are kinda cool, and are in some ways the old west version of a cowboy hat. You don't have to go with a full uniform. You can always claim to be a veteran who like to wear his old hat. Prices are from dirt cheap to expensively accurate replicas. But, if you go with one of those, I strongly recommend a bandanna tied around your neck to prevent spent brass falling down the back of your shirt! On the other hand, a generic Stetson never hurts, and depending on the one you get, can be surprisingly inexpensive. As far as footwear goes, you don't have to wear traditional "Cowboy Boots" if you don't want to, again excepting a specific category that requires them. Lace up boots are fine, and often more comfortable, for example. You can always add more accessories, more variation, and other shirt, pants, and hats over time if you desire.
Holsters... Go to Cabela's. You can get a pair of generic old west holsters that'll carry all of the most popular guns for, well, when I got them they were 10 bucks each. Might be around 25 today. If you ever do decide to get more fancy holsters, gunbelt and such, these can be held as backups or for loaners to a friend you bring along. Technically, you don't need a gunbelt, you can run your regular belt that holds up your pants through the loops on the generic things. Works well. (As long as you can properly tighten your belt!) Interestingly enough, while I do have other holsters, and a couple of nice belts, I still use these generic holsters unless I'm using an unusual gun that does not fit in them. I do always put the holsters on a gun belt.
Other gear... Get a nice small pouch to carry your ammo in. Trying to carry ammo in belt loops may look cool, but it's more trouble that it's worth! Other ammo carrying thingees exist, and are not all that expensive. Also, another bucket of something you can keep on your cart for spent brass is a good idea too.
Reloading is a must! If you do this more than once a year, having to constantly buy factory ammo is too expensive.
Lee dies are usually less expensive than RCBS, and IMO, of superior quality. A simple turret press'll do ya fine for .38/.357. You'll need a tumbler to clean brass, and either a scale or, even better, a powder dispenser that automatically measures out a load of the proper weight every time you empty the pan to dump the powder into the case.
One other thing, I recommend you reload shotshells as well. I know a lot of people don't, but I think it just makes sense. A good MEC press will never do you wrong. Been loading AA's for decades with the press I inherited from my Dad that's gotta be at least 70 years old, and so are some of the hulls!
Or, if you wanna get fancy, load all brass Magtech hulls, but you'll need a special press for the oversized dies. And go with the much more expensive CH4D ones, not the RCBS ones. You'll be glad you did.
A Winchester 73 will never steer you wrong, it's the most popular rifle for a reason. (Although, personally, I prefer the Lightning, but I am weird) Rugers are tanks and many will tell you they will never fail. I can't argue with that; they are exceptionally well made guns. But they don't appeal to me personally. I use real Colts when I can, Colt Clones when I must. To me, it's just more fun.
Shotguns are another mixed bag. 97 pump, 87 lever, hammerless or hammered double... Lotsa good choices and prices can range from very affordable to very expensive. Most will tell you short barrels, but there are a small number of pards who like long barrels. I have both short and long myself, but I have come to prefer long ones. The 97 is easy to master, as is the double. The 87 is fun, but has more of a learning curve.
What's the best double? Well, people argue about this all the time, and there are a lot of good ones to choose from. But if you can afford it, get yourself a Parker. You'll never regret it, and good shooters CAN still be had for a reasonable cost if you look long enough. (Believe it or not, less than a $1000 is doable. It might be ugly, but it'll still WORK.) With the SxS, I think the long barrel is even more important as the extra weight absorbs more recoil.
And that's about all I can recommend-
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On 11/24/2024 at 12:02 PM, Black Bart Sr said:
Anyone shoot Schofields in competition?
What kind of grips do you use?
Any gun work done and by who?
Do you have a 5" or 7" barrel?
How do you lighten the safety (hammer won't cock if you're touching the trigger).
I do take mine out every so often for fun.
My first Schofield is a Uberti replica in .45 Colt that I usually pair with a Colt in the same caliber. I shoot double duelist style, and the grips are the stock wooden ones that came with gun. 7" barrel on this gun, so it get's paired with a 7.5" Colt. That is, until the last time I took it out. I instead paired it with a Uberti replica of the S&W American in .45 Colt. The two guns are very different, but it didn't bother me any. No work has been done to it, and the safety thing has never bothered me.
I have more recently obtained a real S&W "Third Model" Schofield in .45 S&W. I have finally gotten all the needed stuff to load the caliber, so at at least one shoot next season, I'll use a pair of Schofields. It'll be interesting to see if the S&W rounds will chamber in the Uberti, I've read that sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't.
S&W Top Breaks are fun.-
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Moving this to here...
I have always been impressed by people who go all out in their costuming. My own tends to be more minimal, but there is one getup that I like to trot out from time to time when I am feeling particularly silly. It's a variation of my normal getup, but I think you can see the humorous touches.
I call this my "Sheriff Buntline" alternate persona . Obviously named for the guns I am using. The rather dumb looking straw hat, the backwards gunbelt, and the attempt at a confused expression all add up to... Well, something...
I guess.
And shooting these two pistols as a pair DOES cause a lot of people to do a double take and laugh. (Real Colts, .44 Special)-
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I loathe Two Factor ID for many reasons. Please don't do it! Minimal password format is okay, but TFID, please, no....
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On 6/18/2023 at 7:12 PM, DeaconKC said:
I think it's the guy in blue to the right of the gal from Boston.
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On 12/6/2021 at 3:56 PM, J. Frank Norfleet said:
Here is a question for you 45 Colt Pedersoli Lightning owners. The Lightning is notorious for blowback in 45 Colt. Since I shoot 45 Schofield in my Marlins, I tried it in a couple AWA Lightnings. One I owned and one we just tried it on to check the blow back. Both of the rifles cycled the shorter round perfectly with no blowback. Has anyone here shot 45 Schofield rounds through their Pedersoli Lightning? Will a Pedersoli cycle the shorter rounds?
JFN
My .45 is an AWA, but I've not tried Schofields in it. But this makes me wonder about giving it a whirl. I find it curious that the shorter shell gives no blowback. Of course, I don't HAVE any Schofield ammo, and no revolvers chambered for it so, it may be a while.
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Just out of curiosity, is there a magazine spacer/plug that limits capacity? I have an AWA in .44-40 that it was very difficult to load round 9 and 10. After I removed the plug, they went in fine and magazine capacity increased to 14.
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I mentioned above how I got my first AWA Lightning in .45 Colt. Just to be clear, not only is it my favorite main match rifle, it caused me to get "Lightning Fever," and I have steadily obtained more of the things.
Lightning #1 is of course my AWA .45. It has become my primary main match rifle. After using it for several years, some small internal part did break. Gave it to Lassiter who fixed it, and it now again runs as good as it ever did.
Lightning #2 is another AWA in .44-40. I enjoyed the .45 so much that I said if I ever found one in .44-40 that I'd buy it. When I did, I did. In all honesty, the chamber was very tight. Sometimes rounds would not chamber or come out after firing. I had the chamber polished and the problem went away. It also had a "spacer" in the magazine tube that limited capacity to ten rounds, and made the last couple very difficult to load. Took that out and that problem went away too.
Lightning #3 is a real Colt in .32-20. This one was advertised as being beautifully restored with an expert action job, and was thus priced rather affordably. .32-20 is a well liked caliber for me, so I grabbed it. No problems with this one either.
Lightning #4 another Colt in .22 Long. A very sweet shooter.
Lightning #5 is another Colt in .44-40, and is one of the very rare ones sold to the army of Costa Rica back in the late 1800's. I really wanna find the bayonet for it. I have not fired this one yet, but snap caps and dummy rounds go through it just fine.
Lightning #6 is an AWA Lightning Bolt Pistol in .45 Colt. Think pump action Mares Leg. A fun little pistol, even if it's not SASS legal.
Yep, I've got Lightning fever bad. And it all started with an AWA in .45 Colt. So, unless you really wanna contract this ailment. don't go there. (Yes, all my AWA's are AWA-USA)
Oh, and there will be a Lightning #7 someday. It will be a large frame Colt in .45-85-265, which is the same case as .45-70. I am saving my change and money left at the end of the week and any other unexpected extra money to save for one. It's gonna take a while, but the fever will not be denied.
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Factory loads should be find for deer or smaller. In a 92 or, you could "hot rod" the round to much higher performance if you want too for use on larger game.
I'd use it for deer, but nothing more than that. -
Reminds me of a local story. The elementary school I attended is called Lt. Job Lane Elementary. Named after a local Revolutionary War hero. His grave is in the Old Burying Ground, and his house, not far from the school, is still standing and is a local museum. When I was in Jr. High, (That should tell you how old I am...) a few kids going to Lane Elementary decided to learn more about the man for whom their school was named. Turned out that he wasn't a Lieutenant at all. Or even an officer. He was private who got shot in the butt at the Old North Bridge in Concord on the very first day of the war, and never saw service again after that.
Since then, I never take anybody's word for anything.
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Just out of curiosity, since the gun turned out to have been ordered by a person of significance, did they charge you extra for the letter?
Favorite 73 caliber?
in SASS Wire
Posted
You are most welcome.
Yeah, i seem to see more .32-20 73's and 92's, and even Marlins and Colt Lightnings on the used market than I do the larger calibers, and usually for a lot less money.
It's perfectly legal, caliberwise. To quote the Handbook...
Revolver Calibers:
Must be centerfire cartridges of at least .32 caliber and no larger than .45 caliber
Although the .32 caliber revolvers and .36 caliber cap and ball revolvers are legal, they may not be powerful enough to handle all reactive targets.
Rifle Calibers:
Must be centerfire of at least .32 caliber and not larger than .45 caliber.
The only allowed exceptions are the .25-20 and .56-50.
.32-20 is listed in both sections in the examples but not limited too lists.
So, according to the rules, even .32 S&W or .32 Short Colt would be SASS legal. Good luck finding guns chambered for them though! I do have a vintage 1860 that was converted to the former, and a vintage Marlin in the latter. Modern Marlins can be found in .32 H&R Magnum, which is just an elongated .32 S&W Long, but I don't know if they shorter cartridge will work in it. Cimarron also makes a scaled down Colt Clone with dual .32-30/.32 H&R that you could use the S&W rounds in.
Historically, the only revolver chambered for .32-20 was the Colt, and they are a little harder to find. S&W and as far as I know, did not offer it. Today, you can get Colts, clones, and Rugers. Not sure of what else. I remember someone, I think it was Taylor's, advertising a 58 Remington converted to it many years ago, but I never saw one.
.32-20 is a very addictive caliber...
I am surprised to learn that you can get them in Canada. I thought .32 caliber was outlawed up there. Can you elaborate?