How many shoot EMF Great Western II Revolvers?

[Col. Nathan C. Riddles, SASS # 7462]

I'm curious. I want to hear your thoughts, good or bad. Any finish, barrel length, & caliber is fine. If you don't mind, what was your price?

 

Please, I don't care if you shoot Rugers, Colts, or Ubertis. I'm only interested in the 1873 Single Action Army revolvers manufactured by Pietta in Italy & imported and sold by EMF as Grt. Western II. Thanks.

[Charlie Whiskers]

I have and used to shoot my Great Western2(from EMF) at every match for 5+ years with ZERO problems.Only reason I don't shoot it at each match now is I went to open tops BUT I have my GW as a backup in my cart.Mine's a 38/357 in the black finish with fake ivory grips that came out of the custom shop.....very smooth action.Cost a tad more....$400 plus shipping,but I'm a dealer so that was MY cost.

[Dungannon Gunner]

I love my GW2s. They look great and shoot great. Just one opinion ,ut for me a much better value than some other brands. I have two of the 357. 4 3/4.. one pc ivory grip...If you shoot a lot then 38 ammo much easier on the budget. EMF has been great to work with and I think they offer a SASS discount. If I had it to do all over again I would make the same decision..

Ask for Walt

[Cutter Carl]

I have a Charles Daly model and a EMF Great Western Califonia model. The CD was the orginal importer before EMF. CD handled them for a year before EMF took over. Other than the markings on the barrel I can't tell the differance between them. Both have worked great for over 2 years. Only problem was a burr in the hand window on the CD that rubbed on the chambered brass. 5 minutes with a jewelers file fixed that. I would buy them again if I was in the market for another SAA clone.

[grubstake charlie]

I shoot GW II Alchimistas.

 

I got my pair form the local EMF dealer for $525 ea about 3 months ago. I was initially concerned about the difference in depth of color on my consecutive numbered set, but they shoot so well that I don't really notice the small color difference (or care about it) anymore. No burrs or other issues; they were smooth right out of the box.

 

Why Alchimistas? Two reasons. I have large hands and can only get 2 fingers on a "normal" SSA grip, so my pinky finger ends up under the grip. Also I have limited feeling in my hands (nerve damage from CTS). Between the two issues I wanted to try the larger grip on the Alchimista so that I can get all three grip fingers on the grip. I really like the Alchimista grip.

 

It has only been three months so I can not say much about longevity/durability. I can say that my times are as fast, if not faster with the Alchimistas as they were with USFA's.

[Jefro, SASS#69420]

I have two GW II revolvers .45 blue CCH 4 1/2'', very good shooters, use them for both SASS (BP & smokeless) and CFDA. Added a set of Lee Gunslinger springs and smoothed a few rough edges, same as my Ubertis. I've been wanting to try the Alchimistas, but have yet to run into any at a match. I think I paid around 450-500. Good Luck

 

Jefro

[Charlie]

Like mine fine. No problems .Good gun for the price

[Curley Cole, SASS #56849]

GW2

 

Another GW

 

As you can see I have 7 GW2's, in various finishes and calibres. Old Top has another two in 44/40. I am also posting a pix of my all black gw with my Retirement Colt. You can not tell them apart if your eyes are closed. They shoot very well and I have had only one malfunction on my first gw, and that was resolved by EMF during a 10 min visit.

 

Cost was very reasonable and many of mine I got during either sales or at a "ding and dent" sale. (and you would be hard pressed to find the flaws.

 

So, here is a vote for the GW, and if you want an even smoother gun...get the Alchimesta.

 

curley

[Stony Corbett]

I have two .357 Great Western II revolvers with 7.5 barrel-ss finish and the ivory grips. Been shooting them for about 3 years with no problems.

 

Stony

[Curley Cole, SASS #56849]

sorry some how I got my "ivory" post stuck here by mistake...

 

curley

[J-BAR #18287]

I purchased a pair of GWII Californians new.

 

They look good, feel good in the hand. Trigger pull from the factory was about 5 lbs.

 

My only real complaint was point of impact was 10 inches low and 4 inches left on both guns. Over a rest. Had to turn the barrels and do a lot of filing to get them close.

 

Once I got them dialed in, they are fine. They shoot blackpowder and smokeless load in a tight groups. No evidence of fouling problems with blackpowder loads after 5 stages. I never used them in a 10 stage match.

[Tom Foolery U.S.M. #2348]

Got my wife two of them in .357 several years ago when she started shooting. She's had NO trouble with them. They both feel like they've had action jobs. Very good guns

 

 

TF

[Willy Whiskers]

I shoot a brace of 45 LC, 4" barrels with bird head grips. They worked the first time and everytime. The short barrels make then balence well and with my short fingers and fat palm the bird heads allow my thumb to reach the hammer without having to slip the gun in my hand between shots as I had to do with my traditional western grips on my Ubertis. I recommend them to anyone. WW

[Tracker Mike SASS #38824]

I have a couple of pairs of them - one pair in 38/357 and the other in 44-40. A bunch of rounds thru both pair with no problems - had action jobs and added gunfighter grips to both pair.

[Snakebite]

I have one (1) 45 LC, SS, 4" barrel with Fake Ivory bird head grips. I won this gun at EOT, had it tuned up, shot a couple of cylinders through it and put it in the safe.

 

It is a good looking gun and it shoots and handles well. Seems to use standard Colt/Clone parts. The quality appears to be as good as any of the other Clones. I won't be getting a mate for it, and won't be using it for the game. (I'm already pretty well set up for the game) It is a handy size, and with the 45 Colt caliber it would be a good gun to carry as a hunting backup piece.

 

Snakebite

[Doc Misalot]

Col. Nathan

I've got a pair of the GW's and one USFS SA from Longhunter. The USFA cost what the pair of GW cost. It's easy to tell why. The USFA is a better shooter and the case coloring and blueing are far superior to the GW. Right now, I'm shooting the USFA and one GW in SSAS. As soon as I can save the money, I'll buy another USFA and keep the GW pair for back-ups.

That said, I DO think the GW are better than the Ubertis. They look OK and are a little slicker than Ubertis I've handled in stores. Of the Italian clones, I'd vote for EMF (Pietta). You should be able to get the GW for $450-$500 each.

 

Doc

[Buffalo Creek Law Dog]

I have three GW ll's and they are my main match guns over my Ruger NV's

[Doc Flimshaw Sass# 73310]

Got my Great westerns from Long Hunter with an action job,(when he was selling them,no longer though) .

They have been absolutely trouble free for over 5 years now, not one single failure, (make sure you keep the ejector rod assembly tight, it's bad when it flys off the gun mid stage.......doc

[Madd Mike #8595]

my shooting family has three pair

love em

[Dusty Morningwood]

I still kick myself for selling my .44-40 GW II Californians. These were beautiful, slick and accurate pistols and shot to the sights at CAS ranges better than any I have owned. What was I thinking? I think I paid $450 each shipped and slicked up from Johnny Thundersticks. They had 4.75" barrels.

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

I like mine,,,5 1/2 in 38s. They needed very little work, if any. Only one dislike, If I slip thumb it will often go past that chamber resulting in a "go around". I even had the timing adjusted, still does it sometimes.

 

Very nice pistolas

 

CC

[Filthy Harry, SASS #24924]

Really like my 5 1/2" Stainless. One warning, I had the backstraps engraved by a well known engraver. He says there are only two pistols he won't engrave. The stainless is too hard.

I got mine from Nate Kiowa Jones with his action job. He ordered them from EMF and sent them to me when the work was done. I won a pair of NMVs after I ordered them and have gone back and forth. I just sold the NMVs.

[Ornery Cuss]

I'm curious. I want to hear your thoughts, good or bad. Any finish, barrel length, & caliber is fine. If you don't mind, what was your price?

 

Please, I don't care if you shoot Rugers, Colts, or Ubertis. I'm only interested in the 1873 Single Action Army revolvers manufactured by Pietta in Italy & imported and sold by EMF as Grt. Western II. Thanks.

 

Might as well pile on here; I love my GW IIs. I have mentioned on this wire on several occasions how great they look, feel and shoot. I shoot only 200-250 grain bullets with near-maximum loads of Bullseye, and I have never had a hiccup. And these things are bucking pretty good with those loads. But I wouldn't shoot any other way. My only regret is that I didn't get a couple of the ones that EMF sold for several years with the Doug Turnbll CCH on them. I think I paid 450. for one of mine and got the other on a sale for something less, a couple of years ago. I still see them on sale for not much more than that. I think now they are regularly 520.. The dollar/Euro thingey doesn't help.

 

I originally read a write-up in "Gun Tests" on the GW II where they rated it the highest of several they tested. And the thing that really sold me on it from the Gun Tests was their report on how close it was to the 1st generation Colt in look, parts, real CCH, and several other things. To me, still, this little gun is what CAS should be all about. I know, I know; I'm not going to start anything here, but when I imagine the daily existence and 'tools' of the cowboy we're trying to emulate, this is the gun that best represents what that is; bare-bones, relatively inexpensive, and riding in a basic leather holster. In .45. It just looks the part. So, yes, the GW II is absolutely perfect for my taste.

 

And now I have to go back and add, after reading the post about the burr on the shield facing; when I got my first GW II, it was smooth as silk, empty. But when I put the first cylinder full in, the base of the cartridges would catch on something, and it took me a while to find the burr causing the problem, it was so small. Anyhow, after about three swipes with a very fine file, problem solved, never another problem.

 

Ornery Cuss

[Col. Nathan C. Riddles, SASS # 7462]

Thanks for all the replies pards & may each of you have a blessed Christmas.

[Shooting Bull]

One of the three pair Madd Mike mentioned belonged to him, then to me and now him again. Mighty fine guns. Never had a single problem with their function. Only reason he got 'em back is because they're too small for my bear paw hands.

[Capt. James H. Callahan]

I have a pair I bought from a well known SASS guy/gunsmith that were supposedly tuned. Took two more tunings to get all the $%&(*# burrs out. After the smoke cleared they turned out pretty nice. Mine are .357's and even work well with REAL black powder after some tweaking. If you're picky at all expect to do an action job.

 

JHC

[Chain Breaker, SASS #65448]

Got a pair of SS 4 3/4 357/38 wooden grips about 5 years ago. Love em.

Use NMV as back ups. Never a hiccup.

[Pit Bull Tex]

Can I ask if they offer the low hammer on the GWs?I like the small grip.and the ss The model PT-SA73-410 with the 4 3/4" but their site does not show the low profile hammer.

[Tracker Mike SASS #38824]

Their Pony Express model offers a "turned down hammer" option. Those hammers will work in the GW II if you can get them to part with them (they are expensive compared to other gun mfr options and in short supply). I have two pair of GW II's (SS pair and blued pair) with the Pony Express turned down hammers. As a duelist/gun fighter, I have converted all my pistols to low profile options. This hammer provides a low profile option for the GW II - my only complaint is that the EMF turned down hammer is not a wide hammer that you get with the Ruger option or the Smokewagon. But they do give you a low profile option with the GW II.

[Dastardly Dave]

I won a pair of GWII "George S. Patton" commeritives at EOT 2 years ago, and they have been graet shooters! First thing I did with them was send them to the Cowboys & Indian Store for their Gunfighter action job. I was only charges half price because " there wasn't that much to do". I've been shooting them for a full year now and have had no thing but praise for them.

Last year at EOT I won another GWII from U.S. Grant for placing 80th overall (his age). It too is A 4 3/4" 45 Colt, nickel plated. I haven't done anythong to it, except shoot it. It is my back-up to the GSPs.

So far these "free" GWIIs have cost me about $600 in accessories (leather, brass, dies, ect.), but are worht every penny!

I'm hoping to win a '73 in .45 Colt at EOT this year, I hope, I hope, I hope!

[Lethal Larry, SASS #58429]

I'm curious. I want to hear your thoughts, good or bad. Any finish, barrel length, & caliber is fine. If you don't mind, what was your price?

 

Please, I don't care if you shoot Rugers, Colts, or Ubertis. I'm only interested in the 1873 Single Action Army revolvers manufactured by Pietta in Italy & imported and sold by EMF as Grt. Western II. Thanks.

 

 

I bought a pair of EMF GW II last year. They are .357/.38 Sp with 4 3/4" barrel, nickel finish, faux ivory grips. Paid $500 each for them if my memory serves. I love these guns. Both are very smooth and fit and finish are very good. I did have to file the front sights some to bring point of impact to point of aim, but windage is right on. I like the fact that they feature real firing pins mounted on the hammer too.

[Lethal Larry, SASS #58429]

I have a couple of pairs of them - one pair in 38/357 and the other in 44-40. A bunch of rounds thru both pair with no problems - had action jobs and added gunfighter grips to both pair.

 

 

Hey pard, you say you added a gunfighter grips to both pairs. Did you have to have these sent to Eagle grips and have them custom fitted, or did they just ship you the grips and they fit out-of-the-box?

[Tracker Mike SASS #38824]

I sent both pair to Eagle Grips since that was their recommendation due to the claimed variations in those frames. I have all my grips checkered and it adds some complexity to the process. They did an excellent job - just added expense and time. I have subsequently found it easier to order non-checkered grips, fit them myself the way I want and then send the grips off to one of the laser engravers to have them customed checkered/engraved.

[SouthwestShooter]

I have a GW II for sale because I went to Ruger Bisleys.

Before I did that I shot the GW in 2 matches and it was perfect.

If you're interrested, $450.00 plus shipping to your FFL if not in California.

it also come with a Black Hill Leather holster and gun belt.

Oh, it's stainless and 357

[Grapeshot 8553]

I own and shoot a GW II in .45 Colt w/ a 7.5 inch barrel. I installed an 1860 Army grip frame and added a Tru-Ivory set of grips to that. I really like this revolver as it shoots Black Powder better than smokeless and handles the full 40 grain, compressed BP rounds pusing a 250 grain PRS boolit with no problems and I can shoot a whole box of 50 rounds without cleaning it and get no binding.

 

The only thing I do not like about it is the cylinder bushing is not removeable from the cylinder like a Colt or my old EMF Dakota.