Waxahachie Kid #17017 L

This also brings up another question. Did Uberti make this design change to expedite the process of creating this revolver, thus making it cheaper to build? I have to believe money was the prime motivator in this (and most things). If it is cheaper to manufacture, then would that factor out into selling it for a lower price? Personally, I doubt it. I have found out that just because a product becomes cheaper to manufacture, doesn't mean that the cost savings is passed on to the customer. Uberti seems to be on a roll to move further, and further, away from the authentic designs (retractable firing pins, and now one-piece grip frames for the Bisley). I wonder if any other Uberti revolver designs have gone to the one piece grip frame???? Anyone noticed????? I hope they won't use the lame excuse that changes in design are for the benefit of the consumer, in some way. It isn't, in my humble opinion. It's like saying "I am from the government, and I am here to help you". Yeah...right! Sometimes, it seems, that the firearm manufacturers are like your house cat....your house cat doesn't rub you...they rub themselves...on you. My Two Bits. W.K.

Okay...thanks Pard. It is no big deal to me, I was just taken by surprise at the design change. I do like the Bisley I have. It is fun to shoot, and is definitely something that attracts attention at the range. I must say, it took me a while to warm up to the design, since I have always shot the single action "model P" style revolver. But, again, it took me a while to warm up to the Schofield I have, too. I have a cap and ball repro. of the Rogers and Spencer, that has a different feel. Last, but not least, I also have a Starr (single action, not double action) revolver repro. (cap and ball), that Pietta made a while back, and that was the one that took me the longest to get used to. I like it a lot, but boy-howdy, that was one I struggled with for a while. I guess the only down-side to having a one piece grip frame, is that, it would be more of a challenge, if not impossible, to put on a set of one piece grips. I am not sure how one would do that. Oh well...they did not ask me, when they decided to make that change. I am not sure what I would have told them, if they had asked. Thanks again, Pard. Enjoy your Bisley. W.K.

Just wondering if anyone has, or knows of anyone, that has any H & R Trapdoor parts for sale? Specifically looking for breach block parts. Pedersoli parts won't work, as I have found out. Thanks.

I may have misunderstood my gun store owner, but I think he said that Uberti (owned by Beretta) has changed the traditional two piece grip frame, and make it a one piece grip frame like the Ruger single actions. I was wondering if anyone had purchased an Uberti Bisley lately, and if that is true about the grip frame. I have a Cimarron/Uberti Bisley, that I bought several years ago, and it has the two piece grip frame, like the "model P" single actions do. I was unaware of a design change in the Bisley. Not a big deal (unlike the retractable firing pin), but it did take me by surprise. If true, I wonder what other changes are coming down the trail. But...perhaps I misunderstood him. I am sure some Pard(s) can clarify this. Thanks. W.K.

Do not, not, not, leave a gap between your black powder, and the base of the bullet!!! Black powder likes, and needs, to be compressed a little bit. Muzzleloaders know this, and if you are loading "cat-ridges" with black powder, you cannot leave any gaps either. If you don't put enough powder in the case to fill it so the bullet will compress it a little when seating the bullet, then you have to use a filler, between the black powder and the base of the bullet. Some folks use dry grits, some use Cream of Wheat, some use a felt wad, and some use something of their own design, but you gotta use something. You risk making a sort of "pipe bomb", if you don't compress that black powder a little. I have been shooting, and using black powder since 1965, and my experience, and the experiences of others that I have heard, and have read about, confirm this. I own everything from an 1851 Navy replica in 36 caliber, to a Shiloh Sharps in 50-90, plus some flintlocks, and percussion rifles as well. You risk damage to your firearm, and to yourself, if you don't slightly compress that black powder in the bore, or the brass case. Get in the habit of picking up a loaded black powder cartridge, and slightly shake it. If you hear it rattle, do not use it. Dispose of it right then, while you are thinking about it. I am not talking about smokeless powder...I am talking about black powder. Oh, Mrs. Pat Wolf has an excellent book on reloading the 45-70 government cartridge. She, and her late husband, J.S. Wolf, spent many an hour, and many a shooting session, working out the reloading methods of the 45-70, to get that old cartridge to perform to it's full potential. It can be purchased from her on Amazon, if you are interested. Disclaimer for the lawyers, and those that don't have a life: I am not affiliated with Mrs. Wolf at all, just passing this information on to anyone that is interested in the 45-70 government cartridge, and the firearms that are chambered for it. A great cartridge, still going strong, since 1873. My Two Bits. W.K.

I am also a member of the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association (N.M.L.R.A), and several years ago, in their monthly magazine, they came out with an article that advocated using plain old blue windshield washer fluid, that you can buy an most any store. I tried it on my Rossi Model 92 carbine, after a session of shooting cow patties in my Dad's pasture, and I must say it works really great. The way the magazine suggested to do this is: to stand your rifle, or revolver up, so that the muzzle is pointed upwards. You then stop up the breach end, with a clean rag, to keep the fluid from just running right through the barrel, and then you fill the barrel to the brim with the blue windshield washer fluid, and let it stand for about five minutes. You pour that out, and swab the bore with a dry patch, and repeat the process two more times. Then you dip a patch in the blue windshield washer fluid, and run it back and forth through the bore. You do this three times. Then you run a dry patch through it, and then follow that with one dipped in your preferred gun oil. That's it. Takes less time than many of the other methods, and it works. I bought my Rossi in the early 1980's, and have shot it with smokeless, some Goex, and also some Pyrodex, and cleaned it up with the blue windshield washer fluid, and the bore is still like new. It is quick, and it is relatively easy...a win-win for you and the firearm. The magazine recommends that cleaning method for muzzleloaders too, not just cartridge rifles and revolvers that you shoot blackpowder in. I figure the N.M.L.R.A. should know a thing or two about blackpowder, and firearms that use blackpowder, since that is mostly all they deal with, and their advice was sound. Another good thing about all this is the blue windshield washer fluid is readily available, and you can get a gallon of it cheap...and....it works!!! Ballistol works fine at the range, to keep the powder residue from gumming up, and keeping the firearm lubricated and working, and to spray down a firearm after you have cleaned it, and before you put it away for a while. I don't use it to clean the firearm with, however, but I do like the product. I have been shooting blackpowder firearms since 1965, and I was impressed with this technique of the blue windshield washer fluid in cleaning the bore of my firearms. My Two Bits. W.K.

Yes, that is correct. Pietta is the one, and not Pedersoli. I was thinking Pietta, but wrote down Pedersoli by mistake. I just wish Pietta had the better barrel markings on them, like the Cimarron/Uberti's do. I prefer it to be "44 wcf" or "45 Colt" and not "Cal 44-40", or some such thing. At least it is not as bad as Ruger's warning barrel markers.....so, far, that is. Pietta's quality has definitely come up, in the last few years. I have heard really good things about the Great Western II revolvers.

Here is the quote from Cimarron's website: "Cimarron also offers a modern 3 click safety hammer on select models for those who are more concerned with safety than authenticity. You can find the modern safety on recent pre-war framed model P's. Cimarron's old model revolvers as well as all Frontier models, still feature the classic 4 click action." As I understand it, the "Frontier" models are not made my Uberti, but are made by Pedersoli. That being the case, Pedersoli has not committed to this retractable firing pin design....yet. I would also like to add that the "old model", or "black-powder frame" models, do NOT have the butt-ugly medallion inserted in the wooden grips, like the other models do. The "old model", or "black-powder model" revolvers come with a one-piece wood grip, with NO medallion. The Cimarron website has a comparison page that shows the differences between the "black-powder frame" models and the "smokeless frame" models, for those that do not know, or for liberal politicians, as the case may be. So...two reasons to purchase the "old model", or "black powder frame model", if you prefer the standard non-retractable firing pin, and you don't like the gold colored Cimarron medallion, inserted in the grips. I have no idea how long Uberti will offer this option. The Cimarron website did not say. There ya go. My Two Bits W.K.

According to what I can understand from Cimarron's website, the four click models will still be offered in the "old model", or "black powder frame models". So it seems if you prefer the old traditional hammer, with the non-retractable firing pin, and four clicks, you can still obtain one, if you buy the old model, or black powder frame models. If I understood Cimarron's website correctly, then that is a good thing, for those of us that are NOT interested in this retractable firing pin model revolver. I am all about choice, so this is a good thing, if true. My Two Bits. W.K.