H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619

So will the shorter rounds work in them?

I am *considering* getting one of these things. Now, I know Marling *called* it a 94, but at least externally, it looks a heck of a lot more like the old model 1892 that was chambered for .32 Long or Short Colt. (Or with swapping the firing pin, .32 Rimfire.) How is it internally? If the internals are more akin to the 92 than the 94, then I think that there is a very good chance that this rifle will run .32 S&W Long, and maybe even 32 S&W. But I don't know. The resemblance may very well be an external, visual one only. So to anybody that has one of these guns, is it really a 92 that they called a 94 for some unknown reason, or is it 94 made to look like the 92 on the outside? Or is it something else entirely? And, actually, without regard to what it "really is," if you have one have you tried the shorter cartridges, just to see if they will work? And if you've tried, do they? A curious mind wishes to know.

That's what I'd do anyway. I will load up some .44-40 or .45 Colt and now the .32s, in black, but since I don't like shooting black in my shotguns, I just shoot a smokeless category. It's a lot of fun doing it that way.

Just finished loading up 150 rounds of .32 S&W Long with black powder for use in a couple of antique guns. I also had a 42 rounds of smokeless sitting on the shelf. Picked up the trays to leave the reloading bench to box it up, and promptly dropped it! It got all mixed up, and I have no idea what's what. Oh well... I guess I'll just use it at a match or two in more modern guns that are safe for smokeless, and get some laughs whenever one goes KABOOM! instead of BANG! Or, considering the the cartridge, blam and pop...

Here's another question for you. Do you already have anything that you can use that you may have had before you got interested in Cowboy Shooting? When I started this game, I had my above mentioned 92 in .44 Magnum, my Dad's SAA in .45 Colt, and a 20" Winchester 97. Went to my first shoot, and a pard loaned me a Ruger in .38 to give me a second pistol. I had brought my Merwin & Hulbert spur trigger in .38 S&W, but was told it could not be used. Soon after that, I got a cap and ball .36 58 Remington reproduction by Uberti and a conversion cylinder to run .38 S&Ws in it. For about 2 years, that was my SASS battery. Then I found an Armi San Marco .45 with a 5.5" barrel. Then I found a Winchester 73 in .32-20. Then I got a C&R FFL. Then my collection started to grow, exponentially. If you like this game, and like old timey guns, you are gonna need multiple safes for all the cool stuff you are gonna start to acquire. It never stops!

Well... It does have pearl grips, so maybe. If he was from New Orleans... Of course, there's no documented evidence that a certain General ever said that, so, maybe not. Personally, I think everyone should own at least one heavily engraved, somewhat blinged out pistol. It's just good to do so. Not a 1911, but it is silver plated. Haven't fired it yet. Probably will in the next couple of weeks.

Supposedly, when Patrick Stewart was getting saddle sore while filming Star Trek Generations, William Shatner, Captain Kirk himself, suggested the pantyhose thing. Shatner is a long time horseman.

Very nice looking gun! And yes, I would shoot it. But, I take issue with it being called "old." It's only 93 years of age. Now, this may not be as pretty as yours... ...but it was made in 1913, the first year of full production, so at 113, it's as about as old as you can get. In 2013, to celebrate its 100th Birthday, I used it for Wild Bunch at EoT. I had fun

While there will be those who say you really don't, I feel the Lee Factory Crimp Die is an absolute necessity for loading the "dash" calibers. By "dash," I mean .25-20, .32-20, .38-40 and .44-40. They are also very useful for bottlenecked rifle cartridges, and things like .30 Luger, .30 Mauser and so on. For straight wall cases, I have not found a need. When I first started loading .32-20 and .44-40, I'd crumple a lot of cases on the final, seat and crimp die. Or, if that didn't happen, I'd get more than a few that were just ever so slightly "off" and would not chamber. Using that final die in a three die set to only seat, and then crimping with the Lee FCD made this problem go away. So if you do go with a dash caliber, you will want to use one of these. I understand there is something similar by Lyman, but I don't know what it's called.

Ultimately, that is my plan. I may never know if it came from the factory in this caliber, but I don't care. It is now. And it's in great shape. It sure looks authentic, and I am not gonna let it's association with a con man (Oh man, the things I have learned!) taint it for me. I think that's the healthiest way to look at it. I will probably have a custom carry case made to hold it and my S&W, since they will be used together. Will I ever get another one? Well, unless I can find another one that does not have a $10,000 plus price tag, probably not. Much more likely to pick up another Smith, or perhaps something made by someone else in the caliber. Granted, most everything else was a pocket pistol, and I have plenty of those. Time will tell.

.38-40 is also a good cartridge for going down the black powder route. And don't get me wrong, you can shoot smokeless in the "dash" calibers with no problem. The "problem" with .38-40 is finding the stuff needed to reload it. And forget about factory ammo. (Well, you probably wanna do that anyway, no matter what caliber you choose to use.) Not too long ago, a friend of mine showed me a vintage Winchester 73 he had in the caliber, that needed some repair work that I had done for him. This was only the second .38-40 I have ever seen! The first was a 14" 92 that appeared at a local gunshow right after the ATF decided they weren't machineguns anymore, and I rather foolishly did not buy it because I didn't want to set up for another, hard to get stuff for, caliber. Been kicking myself ever since! Don't let a particular caliber's "difficult" dissuade you from it. If it's what you want, go for it. That's the bottom line, go with what you want, and what you will enjoy. The only reason I didn't mention .38-40 in my original post is cuz I don't have anything in caliber, so I tend not to think of it.

While I am normally a Colt guy, and do have all the S&Ws except a Russian, Captain Bill is right. They look cool and are fun to shoot, but they are not the go to choice for folks who win belt buckles. It used to be that a lot of folks carried one in their cart in case there was a stage with a full on the clock reload. Nobody seems to do that anymore, because it's been at least 15 years since anybody saw such a thing happen.

For example....

On the one hand that is very disappointing to learn. On the other, it's kinda cool to have one of his letters, even if it is worthless, as a kind of a historical curiosity. I wonder what, if anything, that means for my pistol? Could be be a fake? If it is, it's been together for a very long time. It has none of the usual signs of being a parts gun. I may simply have a curiosity that can't ever be resoved.

From a practical use standpoint, the 66 and 73 are essentially identical. The 73 is by far and away he most popular rifle in our game for a reason, so you can't go wrong with it. Can't go wrong with a 66 either, but if I had to choose one over the other, I'd go with the 73. Minority opinion: Consider the Lightning. You just might fall in love with it. Or curse me for making you interested. .38 Special is also popular for a reason. You can't go wrong with it. UNLESS you plan to shoot black powder. If that's the case, you'd be much better off with .44-40 or even .32-20. Both of these cartridges DO have a bit of a learning curve on reloading, but once you master them, you'll have no regrets. If you plan to shoot smokeless, .38 is a fine cartridge if that is your choice. Oddly, it's about the only SASS main match caliber I don't have guns for. Go figure. My go to caliber is .45 Colt, but you gotta go with what you want and enjoy. For pistols, the Colt SAA and it's clones dominate, again, for a reason. You can't go wrong with them. The Ruger is a (sorta) clone of the Colt, and by all accounts they are incredibly well made guns, and are not super expensive, even new. The various S&W's, (American, Russian, Schofield, New Model 3) are great guns too. You are probably talking a modern reproduction here, as real Smiths are very expensive these days. They have their plusses and minuses. In my opinion, the New Model 3 is the best of lot. Now, as to what calibers the reproductions are available in, well, I honestly don't know if they are available in .38 or not. No rule says you have to use the same caliber in pistols as rifles, but it does make things simpler. Now, reproductions of the American, Russian and Schofield are easy to find. But as far as a reproduction New Model 3 goes, you are talking a used Beretta Laramie, if you can find one. No one right now is making a NM3 reproduction. The Schofield, since that's the one you asked about, is a very well made pistol. I don't think you can go wrong with it, or any of the top breaks, but they DO have more of a learning curve. I'd recommend you go with a Colt, or in your case, a Ruger because you said that's what you want to do. Shotgun... There is no one shotgun that you will see more than others. You'll see hammered and hammerless doubles, Winchester 97s, and the occassional Winchester 87. The 97 or a double is the way to go for a beginner. The 87 is fun, but again, has a learning curve. The 97 is very easy to master. But if you really want a Side by Side (SxS), I'd recommend a hammerless one. Hammered ones look cool, and are fun to shoot, but I do think they handicap you. My normal go to main match shotgun is a 97, but I do enjoy shooting my doubles from time to time. Now, I only have one hammered double. Recently got one because I realized it was about the only type of SASS gun that I didn't have. Practicing with snap caps, I find it to be quite awkward and slow, but that may change with time. And, it may be the one I chose. Some of the hammered double I have seen have the hammers much closer together than the one I have, and are much easier to cock. Take that with a grain of salt, but if you really want a hammered gun, try different ones to see what you really like. My recommendation stays with a hammerless. But, which one? To be honest, when it comes to the SxS, I am of the opinion that the best ones ever made, are no longer made, and that you are better off finding a vintage/used one in good shootable condition. There are many fine old brands to choose from. But of course, there is one that stands head and shoulders above all the others. Parker. And you can find them for less than a thousand dollars in shootable condition if you look long and hard. You don't have to spend ten grand plus for one. You can never go wrong with a Parker. It's the greatest shotgun ever made. And while I will stand by that assertion till the day I die, I am probably in the minority in recommending one for use in our game. Don't see them on the line all that often; most of them them are very valuable collector pieces, and they pretty much all have 2.5" chambers, which means loading short shells, or having the chamber/forcing cone lengthened. But there are other excellent old timey SxS guns that usually don't cost as much. In my collection, I have shotguns by LC Smith, Ithaca, Darne, Fox Sterlingworth, and even a Stevens 311. That last one may seem like an odd duck compared to the other "fine" shotguns I have, but it while the Savage might not look like much, it's as solid as a tank. (Stevens may even still be making it, but i am not sure.) For the shotgun, it really comes down to what you like, and can afford. One other possibility is a single barrel shotgun. These are allowed to have ejectors, were made by just about everybody at one time or another, and can be surprisingly inexpensive. I have a Hopkins and Allen that I got for 50 bucks off a junk pile. It had mild surface rust, but it was all there, and had a clean bore, so I bought it. Wiped it down with Hoppes #9 to scrub off most of the surface rust, and then took it to a match. I found that shooting this type of a shotgun was surprisingly fun. There are a lot of nice ones out there that can be had for $150 or less depending on make/model/condition. In this category, in addition to the aforementioned H&A, I have a Webley & Scott, a Stevens, and that's just break open ones. I also have a Martini action, and a Remington Rolling Block. That last one won't win me any speed contests, but it is fun to use something "different" once in a while. In other words, there are a lot of variations and ways to have fun with the shotgun, and in general for that matter. Good luck to you, and see you at the range.

I know this cartridge is supposed to have been a rare chambering. Does anyone know how many were made in it, or at least where I could look up the information?

When I am using the two Nickel guns, once per shoot I always shout... Sheriff Buntline to the rescue!

I have found the opposite to be true. My first SASS rifle was a pre safety Rossi 92 in .44 Magnum. I still use it every once in a while. Anyway, I figured I'd use it with .44 Specials. Well, Specials have a very real tendency to stovepipe in a most irritating way. So, I switched to Magnums. Stovepipes went away, and it has run flawlessly ever since I switched. I started out with a minimal load of Trailboss behind a 200 grain, .430" bullet. Still use that bullet, still use Trailboss, but since it's *44 Magnum!* I upped to just shy of the max load with that powder. It is still no where near factory ammo power or recoil. Shoots very well, even at rather long ranges. I guess your success or failure with the round will depend on the guns used, and probably the load as well.

Here is all the documentation that came with it. (I have requested a "retype" from Colt in my own name and have asked them for clarification on the caliber.) I think the last two are just something the local gun store threw together to look more impressive. Still, it's nice to have. Kinda like the original sales receipt, state registration, repair work receipts, or any other paperwork that might get attached to a gun over the years.

That's what I thought. But .45 Colt will not chamber in this shotgun.

Heh heh, oh yeah.

Ick.

Hey, I've got something wicked cool to share. My new (to me) Colt. Yep, I always wanted one of these. But uhm... What's so special about this one that has long had me wanting to have one? Oh! That's what it is! If you can't see it... Yep! I have at long last managed to find an SAA in the elusive .38 S&W cartridge! The fact that it is a Bisley Model is nice, but I would have been just as happy with a standard SAA in the caliber. Now, I understand that these things are exceedingly rare in this chambering, so I count myself lucky to have found one that was not asking for a ridiculous amount of money. According the Letter that came with it, it was made in 1903. The action is very good with clear clicks and it locks up tight as a drum. All in all, I think I have done well for myself. As I said, I have always wanted a pair of Main Match pistols in the caliber, and now I do. I will pair it with this... Technically, it's a .38-44, but that's just a .38 S&W made longer, so I can run the short cartridge in here just fine. Now all I need to do is find a rifle in the caliber. Sadly, I tend to believe that I never will. Having one custom made would probably be overly expensive. Anyway. I am most pleased.

Here's a few random ones that might be fun. Well this is a fine kettle of fish. Oh spit! Which one is it? WAK! You made me mean. Fall down and go boom! Gimme my lucky (32, 38, 44, or 45 depending on preference) Roll out the red carpet. It's called a Mare's Leg. (Sneaking it in) D'oh! Now stand real still. PBBBT! Good grief! AUUGH! Twas Beauty kill the Beast. Godzilla!!!!! You need a shave. Abracadabra! (Alacazam, Hocus Pocus, Presto, Shazam, Ala Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Sim Salla Bim, etc) Just one more thing. Three eyes are better than one. Great Horny Toads! What's up, Doc? Go fetch me some water. If it's got a trigger, it'll shoot. Well Gentlemen, let's do it. Amen! Slow and Easy. But all the way. To the hilt. Tally ho! Charge! Retreat! Fall in before you fall down. and of course... I can't remember the line.

I particularly like this one. This is the Bedford Flag. It was the only flag carried into battle by the Americans on April 19th,1775. It is recognized as America's first battle flag, and the one actually carried by the Bedford Minutemen to the Old North Bridge in Concord is on display at the Bedford Public Library. There is something special about going into the room where it is located and actually looking at it. Today, it is the official flag of the Town of Bedford, Massachusetts. The inscription is Latin for "Conquer or Die." A few years ago, when I was at an animation fan convention in Pittsburg, my friends and I looked out our hotel window, and could see that it was flying from the flagpole of the local Boyscout headquarters. We were all surprised to see it, and my friends asked me to confirm that it was in fact, the Bedford Flag. We never did find out why they were flying it. In case you don't know or have not guessed, I am from Bedford, Massachusetts.