Waxahachie Kid #17017 L

It is good to find out that Pietta makes a revolver with various barrel lengths, and with the black-powder frame. I do remember now that they make a "Cavalry model", with a 7 1/2 inch barrel, and an Artillery model, wit a 5 1/2 barrel, both with a black-powder frame. Now...if good ole Pietta would just do a better job of all the writing on the barrel, or hide it under the ejector housing, like Uberti, I would really be pleased. Yep...I'm being picky. Sorry. The only two Pietta's, that I own, are the Remington "shooters revolver", and the single action Starr revolver, both of which are cap and ball revolvers. The price of the shooter's revolver has gone up to nearly a thousand bucks, so I am super glad I bought one many years ago. I'm not sure they make the Starr reproduction anymore. They may, but just not sure. I must say, the Pietta's have gotten a lot better over the years. That is a win-win for all of us. W.K.

Yep...we got more rules than a nun in a convent.

I read today that the state of Colorado, was sued, for not reporting the true numbers of covid-19 deaths. What was happening was this: When someone died, say for whatever reason, and that person tested positive for covid-19, then that person's death was reported as them having died of covid-19. They may have died from a heart attack, or stroke, or whatever, but....if they tested positive for covid-19, it was reported that they died of the virus. Colorado lost the case, and had to go back and redo the numbers. It seems they had to reduce the number of deaths, due to those that actually died of the virus, by nearly 25% !!! I just wonder how many other states are guilty of this, and that makes me wonder how many actually have died from the virus. We have spent a lot of time on "lock down", and a lot of those decisions were probably based on the number of virus deaths that were being announced. I would just like to know the truth. The truth is always the best, and you just let the truth lead you where it will. Once trust is broken, it can never be 100% again. There will always be a doubt in the back of your mind. My Two Bits. W.K.

Reader's Digest version: 1. Uberti makes two varieties. First: The "smokeless" new model, that has the retractable firing pin, and has "3-clicks". You can load six in the cylinder, unless you are shooting in a C.A.S. event. Then you load five. Beretta made the decision to do this for safety's sake, and for legal reasons to help (but not eliminate) their liability when the sheeple shoot themselves, or someone else, because they do not take responsibility to read and follow the common sense safety measures with firearms. Second: The "old model" or "black-powder frame model". So far, it still has the non-retractable firing pin, and "4 clicks" and is more like the original Colt revolver design. You load five, and rest the hammer/firing pin on the empty chamber. So far, you can still purchase the "old model" or as it is sometimes called, the "blackpowder frame" version. Again, I say..."so far". Some Pards, that have purchased the new model, with the retractable firing pin, have no issues with it, and others have had issues with it. Bottom line, if you purchase one, you cannot load six in the cylinder, and shoot at C.A.S. events, and second, some seem to work fine, with no problems, others not so much, so...you plunk down your money, and you take your chance that you will get a good one. 2. Beretta purchased Uberti a while back, and they offer a revolver, or did, with a transfer bar system, similar to the Ruger. Not sure if they still produce that design, since it seems it went over with the C.A.S. crowd, like a lead Zeppelin. The general attitude seems to have been if you want a revolver that has a transfer bar system, then purchase a Ruger. I have heard good things about that design, and not so good, so again. you have to research that, and make a decision as to purchase it, or not...if they still make that model, that is. 3. Pietta, so far, still makes the "smokeless frame" model with a non-retractable firing pin, and "4 clicks". They don't seem to offer the revolver in such calibers as .38 WCF, or .32 WCF...so far. They offer .357 magnum, .44 WCF, and .45 Colt calibers. I am not sure they offer a revolver with a 7 1/2 inch barrel. They have come up quite a bit in quality, over the last few years, (they only had one way to go, and that was up) and many Pards now prefer the Pietta over the Uberti. There is an American manufacturer of clone single actions, but they are about as pricy as a Colt single action, so I won't go into that here. You have $1,800 to $2,000 to spend, then why not go ahead and buy a Colt. I would not spend that much on a clone of a Colt...but....I am sure some would (U.S.F.A. for example). That's the short, Reader's Digest version. If you want a "War and Peace" version, I can't help you. My Two Bits. W.K.

I have since retired him, to just pasture plinking, but my oldest single action handgun would be a Colt single action, shipped in 1922. The other is for long distance...a model 1895 Winchester, saddle ring carbine, made in 1915. For Wild Bunch fun, I use a 1911 Colt, shipped in 1918. W.K.

Well, I gotta ask...again. There is: .45 Colt, .45 auto, 45 auto-rim, .45 Schofield. Added to that line up, we now have .45 Cowboy Special. There is brass available, and also new ammunition one can purchase, for: .45 Colt, .45 auto, .45 auto-rim, and .45 Schofield. Question: With the all the .45 caliber ammunition we already have available to us, what makes the .45 Cowboy Special so "desirable", especially at the distances we shoot our targets??? Thanks. W.K.

When you receive any cap & ball revolver, the first thing you should do is field strip the revolver, and clean/de-grease all of the factory oil/lubricant off of the revolver. I am not sure, but I suspect that the factory uses a petroleum based oil/lubricant, when they box them up, and ship them out. Remove all of this, and re-oil/lube the revolver with a non-petroleum based oil/lubricant, especially the cylinder pin. On a non-Colt design cap & ball revolver, some have even cut some "grease grooves" in the cylinder pin, like the Colt cylinder pin/arbor has, to help, they believe, reduce fouling on the pin. A popular Pard, that we all know, recommended the cleaning of the factory oil/lube, and going over the revolver with a non-petroleum based oil/lube, on his youtube site, and he stated he got upwards of 50 shots out of his Spiller & Burr, before it began to bind up. I do not own a Spiller & Burr, but I have several cap & ball revolvers, including the New Model Remington of 1863 (erroneously called the model 1858), which, with their thin cylinder pin, fouls up faster than any of my Colt designed revolvers. Yet, when I started replacing the petroleum based oil/lubricant, with non-petroleum based lubricant, I was able to shoot many more rounds without having to stop and clean the cylinder/base pin. It seems, black powder, and petroleum based oil/lubricants, do not do well together at all. When I first started shooting black powder, in 1965, we were not told this, and I spent many an hour cleaning/cussing my base pins, when they would bind up the cylinder....sometimes after only shooting two cylinders. I tend to avoid brass framed revolvers, because they have a less-than-good reputation the longer you shoot them, but...if I was ever inclined to purchase one, I would go with the Spiller & Burr, since it has the top strap, and that should make it a lot stronger frame, and design, than the brass framed Colt open-top design. My Two Bits. W.K.

I bet S.A.S.S. could request the members to send in pictures of their favorite Colt Single Action, and they could create, and offer for sale, a calendar. I bet so many would send in photos, they might even have to create a 60 month calendar!!! I would buy one, for sure. W.K.

Seeing all of these really nice photos, of the Colt single actions, sure makes me wish there was a calendar produced, somewhere of the Colt's. I see calendars all the time with all kinds of subject matter, so one that had Colt single actions, as the main theme, would really be great to have. W.K.

My thoughts exactly, Colorado. We are riding the same trail on this subject. I do really hope they don't make a change to a one piece grip frame for the cattleman single actions. If someone was thinking about putting on a nice one-piece giraffe bone, or walrus tusk, or walnut grip, that would sorta knock that idea in the head, with a one piece grip frame. I reckon you could take two halves and glue them together, but if you ever wanted to replace them, it would take a sledge hammer, and a chisel, and some choice Navy words, to get them off. I do have a couple of regular non-retractable Uberti firing pin hammers, that I purchased a good while back, along with some new old stock triggers, so If I do make a mistake and buy one of these things, I can yank it out and replace it with a more traditional set up. I did come within a few days of selling my Uberti Bisley, that I had bought about ten years ago. When I found this out, about the one piece grip frame on the Bisley's, I changed my mind, quicker than a cat can lick his be-hind. All of a sudden, I love that Bisley. Stay safe Pard. W.K..

Yes, the mainspring has always had the "stirrup and hook" design, at the top of the hammer, but it used to be attached to the bottom part of the grip frame, and had a hole there on the bottom of the mainspring, and was attached like the single action cattlemen revolvers. There is no hole in the bottom of the new mainspring, anymore, since it is attached in a different way to the now one piece grip frame. The change in the mainspring is at the bottom of the mainspring, not the top. But, bottom line, it is a different mainspring design, to fit the now one piece grip frame. Again....see the "exploded drawing" of the Uberti Bisley, at the Cimarron website, to see this. There ya go. W.K.

Look on Cimarron's website, under Bisley parts, and it shows an "exploded drawing" of the Bisley, and it shows the one piece grip frame with a different main spring Check it out.

Yep...there was a thread on the Wire, several months ago, and some even included pictures of their newer Bisley's, with the one piece grip frames. I did not know it either, until I saw the pictures. I had come within a few days of selling mine, until I saw that.

Yes....Uberti went to a one piece grip frame, similar to the Ruger, in their Bisley models. The mainspring is a little different, too, to fit in the one piece gripe frame.

Our Governor made it an executive order that all sporting goods/gun stores must remain open, that they were an essential item in this virus mess. God bless him! (we don't have a state income tax, either & gasoline is $1.32 per gallon!). Also, if you have a: "license to carry", LTC (formally called a concealed handgun permit), you can order a firearm, or go into a shop and buy one, fill out the paperwork, and plunk yer money down, and walk out with it, right then. Your information, and fingerprints, and background, are already on file, since you have a license to carry, so why wait another umpteen days to get your firearm? My suggestion to those living in states that can't do that is....VOTE! Get your family, your friends, your church group, your co-workers, your neighbors, anyone you know...to vote this year. If you don't have a good candidate, then run for the office yourself! If nothing else, you will let them know that you mean business, and that you are not satisfied with the way things are. It is said the squeaking wheel gets the grease, so I do believe we have been silent too long. Time to start squeaking, big time! Or football team won the state championship, a few years back, with a perfect 16-0 record. Their motto was: "Together, we can!!! So...Together we can!!! W.K.