H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619

I used to get a lot of catalogs that had a lot shooting related things in them. One such catalog, but I do not remember whose, featured lot of line art black white drawings in it, often of a British looking officer, showcasing some of the items. It did also have some photos. Anyway, over 20 years ago, one of those catalogs had some very nice, and surprisingly inexpensive, pistol cases in it. They were custom configured for things like the SAA, 1911, Luger, Broomhandle Mauser and others. They looked like this closed... They are very well made, and can serve as a storage case, a presentation case, and even a transport case. From the inside, they look like this... Anyway, I really like this case, and I want to get some more like it. But for the life of me, I can't remember who made it! Does this look familiar to anyone, and if so, do you know where ones like it can be obtained? It's a nice simple one. While I do plan to get some fancy custom cases for some of my guns, I have a couple of others that I'd like to have a plain case like this one for a couple of pistols that I don't have the original box for.

Rooster made a good point. Using some good gunsmith screwdrivers, make sure all of your screws are screwed in all the way. Over time, they can loosen, and I can tell you that this can lead to problems that go away once they are tightened again. That said, if you still have these problems after tightening, (and don't over tighten) then yeah, go to the gunsmith,

The tag in the shop said they were pearl. I took one look at them and said to the clerk, those ain't pearl. I did not quote George C. Scott.

You never know what you will find when you go into your Local Gun Store. Today, I stopped by Four Seasons in Woburn, Massachusetts. Most folks from New England will have heard of it. They usually have an eclectic mix of stuff with prices ranging from bargains to expensive. I've picked up more than a few things there over the decades, and it's a nice little shop. Well, anyway, today, I swung by there on a whim as I have not been there for a long time. And I found something there that I never expected to find, especially since it's here in Massachusetts. This is an early 3rd Generation (As in solid cylinder bushing) Colt in .44-40 with what sure looks like real ivory grips to me. The bluing is deep dark and shiny, and the case hardening is much better than the picture makes it look to be. The action is crisp and "Clicky" with a very nice trigger. I don't think the thing has ever been fired. When I told my mother about it, she told me to go back and buy it, and that she'd pay for it! So, I did. I've always been a .45 Colt guy, but I have guns I enjoy shooting in .32-20 and .44-40. (And a few other calibers as well.) But I have a feeling that I very well might be shooting .44-40 more often in the near future. I feel like I got something good. I'll be lettering it ASAP to determine just what those grips are.

Top Breaks... Those pointed to the right are real. Pointed left are reproductions. And some Colt style conversions.

There is of course one other option to consider.... An original Winchester. In addition to my Chiappa, I also have a real Winchester. I've got one made in 1888 with a 30" barrel, what looks like a modified choke, but I have never measured it. Got it for $500 in 2011, and at the time, it had some "issues." It would not feed from the magazine, and there was something odd about the trigger. I sent it to Coyote Cap, who fixed all up like new, and lengthened the chamber and forcing cone to allow for 2.75" shells. It's still a black powder only gun, but is a very nice shooter. Odds are you'll have to have some work done to an original, but it is an option to consider, and you might wind up getting everything for relatively short money, even with the work needed to be done.

Ah, that is good to know! Perhaps a more accurate statement is, "No one who has the records is offering a "factory letter" for these guns."

Well, Pershing had a point about not taking Berlin being a mistake. If we had, and if Germany had been truly DEFEATED, maybe WWII could have been avoided. That being said, once the armistice was signed, it was very foolish of him to not let up.

Hmm... Must use pistols with no front sights?

I may have just thought of a way this could actually work... At a monthly match, just let the people attending know that these optional categories are open to anyone who wants to try them. Maybe someone will shoot Josey Wales. Maybe somebody else will try one of the others. Maybe most will shoot it regular cowboy. No need to try to build a match around any one of them. Just a way to have fun and allow for something different. The match director would just have to say what is being allowed and what it's rules are. Maybe it actually could work?

As stated above, Chiappa. They are expensive, but you get what you pay for. In other words, they work well, right out of the box, and don't require any special tuning to get the to run, unless you want to. Off the top of my head, the Chiappa comes in 3 basic variations, and there are some variations within each type. 1. "Terminator" style. 18.5" no choke with a pistol grip stock. A regular shoulder stock will fit it. 2. Short barrel version 20" no choke. 3. Long barrel version. 26" barrel with screw in chokes. I WISH the made it with a 30" barrel with a full choke, but they don't. (I loathe screw in chokes.) But I am weird. I am not personally familiar with any of the other reproductions out there, so others will have to chime in. It is worth repeating that you need to run the lever with authority, and that there is something of a learning curve. A common modification is something called a "drop 2" mod. I have not had it done to mine because (at least some of them) do away with the ability to fully load the magazine. I have found that even unmodified you can load 2 at a time. Perhaps not as easily as a modified one, but it can be done. As far as shell length goes, while the modern replicas do have 2-3/4" chambers, it is my understanding that the replicas made no other modifications to the design, which was built for 2-1/2" shells. I had a friend who had a replica, (I don't recall which one, but this was a long time ago, so probably a Norinco) and he could not get it to work properly with the longer shells. He switched to the shorter ones, and it never bothered him again. Me, I run, all brass 2.5" shells, smokeless and black powder, Magtech and RMC, and it works just fine. Good luck.

Take the grips off. If it has a leaf spring it's black powder only. If it's a coil spring, safe for smokeless. Beyond that, I can tell you that this is a fairly well made pistol that is pleasant to shoot. I once won a pocket pistol side match with one. But beyond that, I don't know any other specifics. No one seems to have any of the factory records, and I could not find anything but general info when I was researching my collection. The Wiki Page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iver_Johnson, does have data that'll let you get a rough time period as to when it was made.

Hmmm... A whole buncha reloads, or multiple derringers staged around? Actually, this could also be called Brady Hawks. At least 1 pistol must be a derringer, reloaded as needed. Loaded with 2. Reload 2. Reload 1, but load it so it's in the second barrel to get a 5 second bonus for pulling "half a bluff."

Yeah, I thought of him. But then one of the shotguns would have to be an NFA '34 item. But seriously... For the "pistols" a pair of 87's or 97's, with the magazines loaded at the loading table. For the "Shotgun" a SxS wielded in the normal manner For the "Rifle" a second SxS or a Single Shot shotgun. Maybe... I dunno....

The following should not be taken too seriously! Okay, we all know what Josey Wales is. Basically, it's an all pistol shoot. But what are some other "name it after a famous character/actor style" shoots that could be done? Josey Wales: All pistols Lucas McCain: All rifles Doc Holiday: All Shotgun Josh Randall: At least 1 gun must be a Mare's Leg type Wyatt Earp: At least 1 pistol must be a Buntline Special Barney Fife: Pistols must be loaded on the clock Marty Robbins: Pistols must be "big." (Open to interpretation!) Matthew Quigley: Rifle and shotgun must be single shot. He did know how to use a pistol so keeping with the movie, cap and ball or conversions. And those are the only things I could think of. For each one, there had to be some sort of a "gimmick" to the style beyond simple gun choice. I mean, "John Wayne" where you say "Big Loop 92 and a pair of SAA's" is nothing special. You see that all the time.

That sounds like fun.

Well, to be honest, I already have three Parkers. A 20 Gauge Trojan with F/M 28" barrels, a 12 Gauge Trojan with 30" F/F barrels and a PH 12 Gauge that started life with 28" barrels that have been cut to 19-3/4". This one was my Dad's and he had it restored. It is a gorgeous gun. I have shot a matches with all of them. The PH kicks pretty hard compared to the two Trojans, but I finally figured out a load that doesn't feel so bad. None have ejectors. As far as more Parkers go, I sometimes ponder getting a 16 Gauge if I stumble across an affordable one, but am not actively searching. Believe or not, you CAN still get a shootable Parker for less than $1000 if you don't mind one that has no finish left. Maybe a single barrel? I have recently decided they are fun to shoot. I don't have any 10 Gauge shotguns of any make/model/style. Don't know if I want one or not.

Yeah, the Winchester 93 is a fun and rare.... Oh wait... You mean a gun MADE in 1893! Yes, old guns are wicked cool to own and shoot. Auto ejectors on said old guns were pretty common. Why they are not allowed in SASS makes no sense to me, but let that go, the rules is the rules. I don't own any shotguns with Damascus barrels, and it has been argued about ad infinitum as to if they are safe to fire or not. After hearing all the arguments, I can honestly say I don't really know one way or the other. I assume the "range" you took it too was a trap range. I am surprised they complained about the barrels, but didn't say a word about using black powder. Trap is a fun game, and my Dad was a trap shooter, but SOME trapshooters take it way too seriously and would complain bitterly about all the smoke slowing things down. But what they heck, I am sure you had fun! In fact, I still have plans to take some BP shells to the trap range on a "practice" day so I can do a round with my Win 87, or my Win 93.

The more I think about it, the more clear it is to me that the pistol(s) in question for this club, while they do have only 5 holes in the cylinder, don't necessarily have to be "four shooters." The whole point it encourage people to use some of the more unusual guns that are legal in our game. Requiring a button mag rifle (Or a Spencer)? Nah. Don't wanna make it TOO comlicated. Although I will say that I have shot a couple of matches with a single barrel shotgun. It was fun. But that's not part of this club. But the operative slogan is; have fun!

Prove what?

5 Pistol Wales sounds like fun too. I've got a converted 1860 to finish the battery out, I guess.

I've wanted a cartridge converted Paterson in .38 S&W ever since I saw one on the cover of Guns of the Old West magazine a few years ago.

That's why you use a pistol that doesn't have the safety notch. Then they can't chastise you! Embrace the crazy!

Nah, yer still welcome I just wanted to make sure you understood what I meant. It iS rather ridiculous after all. I mean, sure, one pistol I use could very well be a cartridge converted 1860 that CAN be safely loaded with 5. But my second pistol would be... Uhm... Something I have to obtain that can only safely loaded with 4. See? FUN! This is absolute silliness. But, it would "encourage" people to occasionally use guns that the handbook says are legal but most of us never think to try using because they are just not practical. And variety is a good thing. no matter how goofy it might be.

I think you are missing the point. You purposely use a "5 shot" revolver that you load with 4 because you choose to do so to be "different." That 5th shot has to be loaded on the clock because it is "unsafe" to load all 5 chambers. It's not meant to be a serious alternative. Something purely for fun. Sure, you can use a 5 shooter with a safety notch, but that kinda defeats the purpose.