H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619

Nice looking guns. There is something enjoyable out mismatched pistols. But both of those can be converted to .45 Colt so you can run the same as in your rifle. You don't have to go the ACP route, unless you want to, of course. I have heard it's possible modify the 73 for use with the ACP round though, if you are so inclined. I love a long barreled shotgun. Don't like those weird old variable chokes, I don't like the look. But personally, I'd not cut it off. It may not be original, but it's an old timey mod, gives your gun some character. If anyone give you grief about it, which I doubt will happen unless you are at a state or above level match, I seem remember that they can be screwed off and still fired without causing damage due to it's lack. But don't quote me on that assumption. In any case, happy shooting! Oh, I almost forgot... I too have a sabre like you mentioned. I wore it to one match and took it off after the first stage. IT was getting in the way!

Some 1909's were indeed converted to .45 ACP early on in WWI before the 1917's were available. I don't know how many, or by whom. I have read at least one article about it, but can't remember where. Wiki is no help in this matter. The story of how I found my 1909 is rather amusing. I found a Civilian New Service Revolver at a gun shop in Indiana. I was all set to buy it, but the guy wouldn't sell it to me on my C&R and ship to my home state. So, I walked out. By coincidence, about a week later, I found this GI 1909, I don't remember where, for less than the New Service I passed on and snatched it up. Fortune was on my side.

As far as I know, the only way to get a 73 Mare's Leg is to make your own. And it can be done without running afoul of NFA '34... I call it a Mare's Leg Buntline. 16.5" barrel, and I made sure the OAL was well over the minimum. Not at all practical, but "legally" it's just a rifle with a really short stock. But fun as all get out to shoot! (And I do have an unmodified stock for it if I want to use it as rifle.) Holster was custom made for me by the makers of the holsters for my other, more conventional, 92 based Mare's Leg. (Not SASS Legal of course, but still fun!)

Fourty inches?!? I like long barrels. My go to shotguns are all 28 to 30 inchers. (I have short barreled ones, but I prefer longer) I like the look and feel of a 24 in barrel on my rifles, but at least half of my main match ones are 20" carbines. (One is even a little shorter at 17-1/2) I think some of those "musket" 73 and 66's are really nifty. But... 40 inches? Good grief! Does it have a full length magazine? If so ho wany rounds does it hold? Would it be considered "High Capacity?"

I did not know that. I did a quick check of Numrich, the do have some Blackhawk barrels listed for New Blackhawk, Super New Blackhawk, Old Blackhawk and Old Super Blackhawk. Maybe one of those would do?

That's why it's not legal. It is my understanding that it had something to do with Marlin declaring the Model 98 family unsafe to shoot. So, they came up with this rule, which took the Burgess, Spencer and Winchester 93 with it. It also prevented the Norinco 93/97, a modern replica of the 97 made to resemble a 93 from being approved for our game, because it's "not a 97." Others who have been here longer than I will be able to clarify any inaccuracies in my understanding.

Pic please! So, I guess not. I had not also considered "Frankenguns" but why not? I am often seen with a Big Iron on my hip.

The Colt New Service was twice adopted as a sidearm by the Army. This is an M1909 in .45 Colt It's hard to see, but the lanyard ring is there. Other than markings, this gun is identical to the Colt New Service . This is a Colt M1917 in .45 ACP Other than caliber and the grips, the 1909 and the 1917 are identical. Both are Genuine GI.

Wouldn't it be easier to get a new barrel from Ruger the length you want and just swap it?

Is it NFA '34?

You may find this interesting. I wrote to the folks at Chiappa and asked them if they'd ever consider marketing an otherwise standard 86 in .45-70 but smoothbore for shotshells. They thanked me for my suggestion, and said they would be forwarding it to the design team. We'll see what happens.

I've got two M&H's. A pocket pistol in .38 S&W, and a full size .44-40. Both of mine have a top strap, not the open top, design.

I was watching El Dorado again and I was, again, taken by the "shotgun pistol" that the character of Mississippi carried. I found myself wondering if there was any way such a gun could be legal without running afoul of NFA '34. The only way I could think of was if the barrels were rifled, ostensibly for slugs. But then I got to thinking that this would create other problems. And of course, this led me to wondering about other things, such as the general idea of how a lot of strange guns show up in a lot of different Westerns. I'm not talking about rare and obscure things, but stuff that's just plain weird customizations created not by a gun manufacturer back in the day, or a strange customization by a frontier gunsmith, but just plain exotic things that are pure Hollywood. Granted, something like Mississippi's shotgun very well could and probably did exist on the Frontier, but even it was not "factory gun." So, that led me to thinking about some of the strange stuff we saw in those old movies and TV shows. Probably the simplest and most obvious would by a 92 Winchester with the big loop lever. Winchester never did that back in the day, it's a pure Hollywood invention. Closely related would be the Mare's Leg. And let's not forget the "Hollyweird Henry." Or for that matter, how many of us have heavily customized and modified gun that it has become really far removed from what it was when it left the factory? That cartridge converted LeMat used by Johnny Ringo certainly qualifies. You could argue, so does Wyatt Earp's Buntline Special. In other words, there was a lotta cool stuff in Westerns that never existed in the Old West, but maybe the could have, but more importantly, wouldn't it be cool if more of them were being sold on the reproduction market for us to play with. Not necessarily in our game, but just for fun. What other odd guns to folks remember from Hollywood?

Mondale may have been an idiot, but an SOB?

Were they chambered in .45-60? The Rolling Block is a strange beast... More to come...

I remember this. A lot of people think that's when he won, and even when Mondale realized he'd already lost.

In general, if you are a spotter... If you know it's a hit, it's a hit. If you think it's a hit, it's a hit. If you think it's miss, it's a hit If you know it's a miss, it's a miss. In specific to your questions, if you don't think the above applies, I'd say they are both misses as they both hit something else before the intended target.

Given when they were made 2.5" shells are likely, just like a Winchester 1887. The gunsmith I bought it from did say he had lengthened the chamber and forcing cone to make it save for 2.75" shells. He also did say light smokeless was okay.

This is largely what The Pentagon Papers was. The only recourse the victim would have would be if the info was not true. Then it's libel and/or slander. Or, perhaps he could sue the person who hacked for theft or privacy violations, but not the newspaper.

Okay...

By modern standards, one of the weirdest guns to come out of the Old West Era is probably one of the earliest repeating shotguns, the Burgess. It was indeed a "pump action shotgun," but, for reasons of patent circumvention, instead of the pump being the foregrip, the pump was in the pistol grip part of the gun. There was even a folding version that would be compact enough to fit in a large holster that could be concealed by a "trenchcoat" type garment. Although not legal for our game, it is a fascinating piece of tech from the Old West. I have one, not the folding version, and I recently took it to a gunsmith that specializes in old guns, restoring them, or get getting them functional again, to repair a minor issue in the lockup. It's now quite perfect. But what surprised me was when he remarked on how STRONG the action on this thing is. He was of the opinion that it could easily handle light target smokeless loads with no problem. With the proviso of shells of the proper length. (Mine has had the chamber lengthened to 2-3/4" and the forcing cone extended by a previous owner.) I was surprised at how strong he said it is. But, looking at it, the thing is indeed built like a tank. Very strong and rather beefy looking construction, and a lockup tighter than other old guns I have, and even some modern ones. I don't know that I'll ever use anything but Black in it, but it was interesting to hear this opinion from a gunsmith who make old stuff his specialty. Anyone else out there have a Burgess? If so, what are your impressions of the strength of the gun? Thinking about the folding one that was made to withstand the action being snapped closed upon drawing it from it's holster, I guess they'd have to be pretty well solidly built to begin with.

That's an old one The cross-bolt safety actually predates Remlin. It goes all the way back to the final years of Marlin. But, if I wanted a Marlin, this is one that I'd want, a pre-safety one. But it's prolly also got a microgroove barrel, which does not work so well with cast bullets. Or so I understand.

LPP?

Mine, with a Colt Walker (reproduction) for scale. Now THAT'S a knife!

.38 Special is probably the most popular caliber in our sport, for various reasons that have been stated, and probably more. So, what do I shoot? .45 Colt .32-20 (A not at all popular one, but one that is really nifty) .44-40. Those are my top three calibers in order of personal preference. Why? Just because. I also have main match guns in... .44 Special .44 Magnum .32 S&W .38 Long Colt and even 56-50 Spencer. I have these guns because I found them to be interesting and the price was right. Notice that I don't have a single .38 Special or .357 Magnum in the bunch. Why? It just didn't interest me. It's a great caliber, but it wasn't "for me." (Oddly, when my brother was still alive, he was never into CAS, but he always talked about how much he liked .357 Magnum. Over the years, I got him a 2nd Gen Colt, a Rossi 92 and a Ruger in that caliber when he said the Colt was too nice for a knock around gun. He always said he'd try the game some day...) Anyway... When all is said and done, don't worry about what anyone else tells you makes for a good caliber. Go with what you like, can afford, and will enjoy. Don't get a gun because you think it'll make a good "starter" and you switch to something "better" later. Get what you want, even it takes you a little longer. Let's say, for the sake of discussion, that you are in love with the idea of shooting a .45s out of a real Colt SAA. That's great. But even a used Colt will cost you a lot of money. So, you may have to get a used clone. If you do, get one that's in good mechanical condition, without regards to what it looks like. Or, if you really want to run .38's in Rugers because the Rugers are built like tanks, go for it. This is about what YOU will enjoy. Sure, you can go to a match, and people will let you try stuff. Maybe a friend will loan you some guns to try out. But in the end, you want to have fun. Since you don't have any guns yet, you are wide open as to what you can obtain. But be forewarned, this game has the potential to make your gun collection GROW at an exponential rate. Take it with a grain of salt, and happy shooting!