McCandless

Since this site is specifically about SASS and Cowboy Action Shooting, it is perfectly natural and appropriate to let a new shooter know that the IAC 1897 Trench Gun, is not legal for shooting in a SASS-Affiliated match. If local Match Directors want to make an exception, that's up to them. But, letting someone know about SASS rules, on the SASS Website is the right thing to do. As for what shells it can handle, any Shotshells that meet SAAMI specifications for 2-3/4" Shotgun Ammunition. So, basically any 2-3/4" shells from any reputable manufacturer.

Under-powered rounds of any caliber are usually the result of a misinformed, or new reloader, equating "no recoil" with being able to go faster. Often, they are teetering on the brink of squib loads, and their groups will be erratic, if they tried printing on paper. Those that equate .45 as "manly" and smaller calibers as inadequate, are just plain wrong. This was demonstrated on my posse at the 2002 EoT when a gentleman shooting .45s could not knock over the pistol knockdown targets. He complained loudly. But then, a junior girl with .32s had no problem. The .45 vs. .38 argument is also demeaning to new shooters who do not, for one reason or another, reload. They bought .38/357 guns with an eye on economics. For now this is their one and only set of guns, and they can buy .38s in bulk a lot cheaper than they can .45s. Like Pat said, if what somebody else is shooting is legal, it's none of your business. Denigrating others because what they shoot doesn't come up to your measure of "manly" runs counter to any measure of the game.

PaleWolf Brunelle, the early years...

Howdy, Just a slight change in category is all you need. Frontier Cartridge Gunfighter will cover whatever you would like to do. Cap and Ball pistols are legal in all categories, and then you'll only be shooting against other smoky, sooty, pards.

You NEED to drop into a couple of excellent gun stores in NC... Cherry's Fine Guns in Greensboro and Mid South Guns on Main St. in Wagram, NC Probably one of the largest inventories in vintage and modern "cowboy" guns I've ever seen in one place. If you're looking for a '92, they got them. New Rossi or Original Winchesters. '73's? racks of them.

In the last 20 years, so many Colt reproductions have come and gone. Most lamented was USFA, who made quite a nice revolver. The last time I came across a USFA in a gun store it was some horrendous zippy-looking .22, where you had to put your hand in front of the muzzle to cock it. I believe the gun store had it on display for four years, without ever selling it. Standard Manufacturing seems to have picked up where USFA left off. But, it is not in the realm of a mid-priced gun. Now, if somebody comes along with a working Merwin-Hulbert .44-40, I'll have to pry my wallet open!

Single Action Cartridge Guns. Pietta vs Uberti, which is better quality and why? It is surprising how often this question is asked. And you'd think that the answer to your question would be simple. Ford vs.Chevy, (Oy!) But, it's not. All Ubertis are not alike. All Piettas are not alike. Uberti's Colt-repro cartridge guns are broken down into 3 main categories. The "Conversion" guns, (Open Tops), the "Old Models", (copies of the Colt SAA Black Powder Frames), and the Pre-War models, (copies of the Colt SAA, after 1900) with the more convenient, spring-loaded cylinder pin release. Pietta Models are broken down into specialty lines available through some major distributors. For a comparison to the first Colt Single Action Army revolvers, the Uberti "Old Models" comes very close, for a mid-priced revolver. They are pretty faithful reproductions. You can tell which ones they are, the cylinder pin is retained by a locking screw in the front of the frame. These are easily found on the Cimarron Firearms website. Then comes the most numerous of the Uberti models, the "Pre-War" (WWI), with the more convenient cross-pin cylinder pin latch... in 2016 Uberti announced a new "safety system" that would safely allow the carrying of 6 rounds in your 6-shooter. For those who do not know, conventional 6-shooters could only be safely carried with 5, and the hammer down on an empty chamber. That is because the firing pin would rest directly on the primer of the 6th round, dropping the gun, (as many have done, even Wyatt Earp), or even knocking something against the hammer, has resulted in unfortunate consequences and a number of lawsuits. This is what caused Ruger to go to a Transfer Bar Safety in all their revolvers in 1972. Anyway, Uberti went a different way with their Pre-War models, with a Retractable Firing Pin. in 2017 the first reports of light primer strikes and Failure to Fire started cropping up. Some of it is user error. The new system requires that the shooter hold the trigger all the way back locking the firing pin forward. This intentional over-travel in the trigger is designed in, and those used to black powder revolvers or other single-action revolvers were not used to this slightly different trigger-hammer mechanism. Some of it was a mechanical error. As in all relatively inexpensive, mass-produced items, roughness of fitting at either the trigger end, the actuator bar, or at the hammer end of the mechanism, caused light primer strikes. This happened with a minority of Uberti's guns. More disconcerting to a number of shooters is that this mechanism has only "3-clicks" as the hammer is pulled back instead of the customary "4-clicks". Those who want a more historically accurate gun, do not like this. Please note, that if everything is working properly there is no difference in the final operation between the 3-clicks and the 4-clicks. Except for the trigger pull and those guns with mechanical difficulties that caused the light hammer strikes, the guns have, for the most part, proven satisfactory. In competition guns, as in Cowboy Action Shooting, there was a big push to get the new Uberti pre-war models to operate the same as they had before. Stocks of older hammers sold out quickly for all the distributors and parts houses. There are gunsmiths who have converted over hundreds of these guns, back to the functioning of the "Old Models". When Cimarron or Taylors gets a small shipment of replacement Old Model hammers they are quickly sold out. There are several ways for the handy user to defeat the Retractable Firing Pin System, including some that are completely reversible, should you ever wish to part with the gun. A converted Uberti's action is smoother and lighter than that of a gun with a functioning Retractable Firing Pin. Uberti has not put this new safety system in its "Old Model" guns or its Conversion, or Open Top models. If you wish to have a reproduction of the Single Action Army of the 1800s, Uberti does a nice job. Pietta: As with Uberti, all Piettas are not alike. As with Ruger and Uberti, Pietta found that many of the buyers on the mass market are not aware of the need to carry only 5 rounds in a 6-shooter. So, those models sold through Cabelas, Heritage, and many mass marketers, have a Transfer Bar Safety. Unfortunately, Pietta's Transfer Bar was found to be fragile. Many of them failed, and energy could no longer be transferred from the hammer to the frame-mounted firing pin. Of course, this is completely covered under warranty, but the user is without a gun until it comes back from repair. People described the Pietta Transfer Bar as being made of "pot metal". Pietta, realizing the problem, has now upgraded their Transfer Bars. But, if buying a used gun, or one that has been in a dealer's stock for a while, be aware of at least the potential for a breakage. All that being said, Pietta did not put a Transfer Bar Safety in all its single-action revolvers. Pietta bought the distributor, EMF. On the EMF website, Pietta markets a line of revolvers called the "Great Western II" This is an extensive line of revolvers that is as close to a "Pre-War" Colt Single Action Army as one can get in a mid-priced gun. Cimarron, another distributor of Old West firearms, began marketing some Pietta guns. They now have many models without a Transfer Bar Safety, starting with the lower cost Brass back-strap and trigger guard model called the "Pistolero". which is limited to one barrel length, 4-3/4". It also comes in stainless steel at a little higher price, where the backstrap and trigger guard are all steel. These guns also appear on Bud's site occasionally. Cimarron also markets an extensive line of "Frontier" revolvers, similar to EMF's "Great Western II" line. They have many with Black Powder Frames, including one that looks and feels like the original 1873 Cavalry Colt, and many of the "Pre-War" frames. Quite a lot to choose from. Back to the original question, "Which is better, Uberti or Pietta?" The answer is "both". For an "Old Model" Black Powder Frame reproduction of the Colt Single Action Army, the Uberti and Pietta have some very nice examples. For a more convenient, post-1900 model, the "Pre-War" frame, certain Pietta models seem to hold an edge over the Uberti. But both Uberti and Pietta have very nice black powder frame models that are faithful to the 1800's Colt. Of course, there is always another option. For sheer reliability and longevity, it is hard to beat a Ruger. Yes, the New Vaquero is one ounce heavier than the same caliber and barrel length of Pietta or Uberti, and it balances in the hand a bit differently, but when shooting, the differences seem to go away. 1970's technology over the 1840's technology. It is probably best to add in an inexpensive lighter spring kit when investing in a Ruger. There seems to be endless choices. So, you, the buyer, have to factor in a number of "wants" along with your budget considerations, before you buy. (first printed on SASS and Cowboy Action Shooting FB page )

Smokestack has a page on FB where folks contribute Matches from all over. SASS Match Book

Pack Rat and Opal Rose at the California State Championship, 1998 Pack Rat, shooting full power, black powder .45-70 rounds from a Gatling Gun, in the Top 20 Shoot Off!! EoT 1998

My opinion, (everybody has one), is that the Marlin would sell fastest. But you probably wouldn't use the Henry again, and you can use the Marlin as a backup, especially if you get a Widdermatic action job.

When grips are not specified in the letter, that means that the grips were the Factory Standard. I believe that in the early 1880s the standard grips on the SAA were still varnished walnut for civilian pieces and oiled walnut for military arms. If the cylinder is original to the gun, part of the serial number should be stamped on it, and match that of the frame.

OK, I'll do that. I'll take 'em. I still have your information from the "third hand".

The Cowboy 45 Special case is excellent for Black Powder. A full case with 200gr bullet is has plenty of knockdown power, no need for fillers and uses less powder than a Schofield or voluminous .45 Colt case. With smokeless powder you can easily load it to .45acp levels, using less powder than a .45 Colt case. Adirondack Jack developed it and did a great job. For a lighter load the it is far easier to "download" than the bigger cases and the barnstormer bullet was made for it.

SASS leaves a lot of leeway. The Long Range matches are pretty much are up to the discretion and imagination of the the Match Director, and the available space for how long Long Range can be. We've had Black Powder Single Shot, Smokeless Single Shot, "any" propellant Single Shot. Lever Action Rifle Caliber, pistol-caliber lever-action... But if a range only has a 300 yd berm, it's hard to shoot further. Those ranges that have the room for longer-ranges do. Most places I've been, the Timer is strictly a tie-breaker. But, a shoot-off is a good idea too. Volunteer to run the side match There's no need to crump on SASS. They are not stopping Match Directors from offering any variation they care to have. Who knows, maybe that M.D. is just waiting for someone to volunteer their ideas or the willingness to run it.

I liked Morse, then Inspector Lewis, Endeavor might be the best of them.