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What your opion on the EMF


Gary O

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What do you all think of the EMF pistols, found a set wanted to know how well they work for SASS shooting?

 

Thank for your opion,

 

Gary O.

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Hi Gary,

Understand that EMF, Cimmaron, Taylors & Company, and others don't manufacture the guns; they are importers. The manufacturers will roll-stamp the guns with the importer's brand name. Cimmaron and Taylors probably have the best reputation.

 

Often the importers will get the manufacturers to manufacture the guns to some special modification specification, such as barrel lengths, sights, stock, finish, roll-engraving, metal stamping, wood cartouche, etc., etc. Basically cosmetic stuff.

 

Generally speaking, there are three Italian manufacturers, Uberti (Beretta), Pieta, Pedersoli and maybe one or two others. Those three manufacturers are the best known and produce guns of decent quality. There are other manufacturers who are no longer in business, such as Armi San Marco.

 

I don't want to get into a spitting contest with anyone regarding which manufacturer or which importer is the best, however I will say that you should not let anyone talk you into buying the Taurus Gaucho reproduction(s) of the Colt Model 1873 (Model P) Single Action Army revolver. I don't believe these are being made anymore, but they are of poor quality in my opinion and I'd stay away from them.

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Had 3 of the early made Gaucho's.Bought them for a friends wife to shoot with one as a back up.Never needed it for that.They worked flawlessly.Can't say the same for the last bit of the production run.Those had very poor QC.When she quit shooting after 3 years and moved to another city,I sold them and a friend of mine bought the one for a back up to his Rugers and his wife's Uberti's.

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Some early EMF (Early & Modern Firearms) guns were made by Armi San Marcos. I had a set of them and they beat themselves to pieces in the period of time that a Ruger would just be getting broken in. The later EMF guns are made either by Uberti or Pietta. From what I've heard, the Pietta is actually a pretty good gun, they are supposed to have more hand-fitting than Uberti so they are smoother. Try to find out who actually made the guns. There should be a mark on them somewhere.

 

Rugers seem to hold up the best for SASS shooting, although you will get the occasional broken part from any manufacturer.

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I have a pair of 44-40 great western II Alchimista.

 

They are strong and well made.

 

They have never failed to deliver with using a full load of Goex and a big lube bullet.

 

The only thing I did was put a spring kit into them and then made a lot of fire.

 

Great guns that fit my big hands-

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Of the Italian cartridge guns, I've found Pedersoli to be the best, followed by Uberti, for long guns. For handguns, I'd go with Uberti. The major exception is that in any case I would (if I could afford it) go with an American for a repro of the same model. For example, I've owned multiple Schofields by both Uberti and Smith and Wesson. There's nothing wrong with the Uberti model, but the Smith and Wesson 2000 reissue is so much better; S&W is twice as costly, but you can feel the difference just holding them.

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I can only speak from a rifle stand point. I would grade a 73 rifle by importer as follows: Cimarron, Taylors then EMF. The major differences are fit and finish. You will find the case color on a Cimarron to be the best. They also use what appears to be fire blued screws in their rifles. Then furniture on both the Cimarron and Taylors has a nice color to it and is fitted well. The EMF not so much. All three rifles with the usual tweeking will work the same.

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Some say the products of one importer are better than the products of another. My experience is an importer is an importer. The products (in this case pistols) are all produced by the same manufacturers and for all practical purposes all the guns of any specific type built by any manufacturer are the same. Sometimes there is a little difference in final fit and finish specified by the importer (eg, a different kind of sight than standard), but they will advertize the difference. What you look for with EMF, Taylors and Cimarron are the things an importer can provide. I don't know much about Cimarron, except that I bought a Chinese manufactured 97 from them, but Taylors and EMF both provide good, professional, fast, quality service and are both work hard to support cowboy shooters. If you pay close attention you will discover just which well known cowboy gunsmiths have contracts with which importer. For example EMF uses the smiths at the very well known and highly regarded Cowboys and Indians Store when you want a tuned short stroked rifle.

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This has been hashed out more than once in here.Had a customer that wanted a 73 and it had to be from Cimarron because they are made better.I tried to tell him there's no difference and I could get him one from Taylors for almost $100 less.He said his brother has one and says it's a better made rifle.So I called Uberti USA and left the phone on speaker.I asked them what the difference is between the Cimarron,Taylors,EMF and Navy Arms 73's.He told me when they do a run of say 500,X number will get Taylors,X get Cimarron,etc etc.So,point being there is no real difference other than the price being asked and what ever add on such as having it tuned in house,which you pay more for.As for the GW pistols,they're made by Pietta.I have 2 of them and never had a problem with either.I also shoot the 75 remingtons and open tops made by Uberti.Also no problems except for one 75.Had to have the mainspring and hand replaced after about 4000 rounds through it.

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When I got involved with SASS in 2002 I bought a pair of EMF Hartfords and a EMF 1866. With exception of a couple broken springs they have been really great pistols/rifle for me and are still my main match guns.

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I picked up an EMF 1860 rifle (Uberti) about 2 years ago. It was used when I got it about 5 years old at the time. No complaints from me, but I have never had one of thier pistols......

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Regarding SAA copies, EMF imports Pietta (they used to import Uberti). Taylors imports Uberti. Cimarron imports both. Both Pietta and Uberti are of good quality and should be fine for CAS. The Piettas in recent years have lighter springs and feel smoother out of the box. The latest Uberti Cimarron Model P's that I have handled had lighter springs and were smoother than previously. I think the competition from Pietta has caused this change in the Ubertis. YMMV.

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I have an older EMF in .44-40, the barrel is marked Frontier Six Shooter just like the old Colts. It's a good gun, it' one of my back-ups and I've had it for about 7 years NO HICCUPS at all!

 

Rye ;)

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I have EMF pistols from 4 different makers: Jager, Armi San Marco, Uberti & Pietta. Even tho' they're all copies of the Colt SAA, there are slight differences between them all. They've marketed them under different model names over the years, sometimes the same "model" has been produced by more than one maker, i.e. the "Hartford" was originally made by ASM and later by Uberti. I have such a pair, and the stock guns were nearly indentical, and after being tuned by one of the best 'smiths around (IMO), they're just about interchangeable.

 

Frankly, buying a used gun for this game is iffy at best. But, whether it be new or used, my belief is that you'll be dollars AND time ahead by sending whatever you buy to a competent CAS gunsmith* for tuning before you fire a shot. That EMF marked Jager made was the cheapest Colt clone they sold when I bought it in the late '80s, and after being tuned by a well-known quick-draw type... it ran flawlessy for 5 or 6 years with 2 shooters sharing it. And it's still a solid gun, it's just that Colt's are SO much better than even the best of the clones.

 

 

* And that "competent CAS gunsmith" is important; just cause a fellar sez he is, don't make it so. Lots of mechanics can rebuild an engine, many can even blueprint one... but to take that blueprinted engine and tune it so it purrs along at 7,000 rpm for a entire race is talent on an entirely different level. Them guys are fewer and farther bettween.

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I bought a pair of Taurus Gauchos when they first came out and never had a problem with one of them. The other one would over rotate (or under rotate) and the firing pin would strike the primer on the very edge & wouldn't fire that round. I sent it back to Taurus on their dime two days after I bought it. I got it back 3 weeks later with a note saying I should clean a gun before I shoot it. They didn't do a darned thing to it. I took it to Wes Fargo @ EOT '07 and he fixed it. Weak hand spring replaced @ no charge. Never a problem since. I sold them two weeks ago to a friend who wants to get into CAS. Any gun can have a break down but what's really bad is when a company doesn't fix their own product, specially when it has a forever warranty. The Gaucho got an undeserved bad reputation because Taurus brought out their Thunderbolt repro of the Colt Lightning pump rifle that was a real poj about the same time. Taurus repair was overloaded with them and they didn't have time to work on anything else. Add the fact they don't have any real smiths working for them in Miami, IMHO.

 

I have a pair of EMF's Great Western II pistols made by Pietta and they are great. Had em about 4 years now and never a hitch and are really smooth right out of the box. Btw, SASS Pres. US Grant #2 aka Boyd Davis owns EMF.

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When I started SASS, I bought a pair of EMF SAA's made by Uberti, and still use them. No problems, I love the guns. I also bought 2 different Rossi '92's through EMF, a 357 saddle rifle and a 45 Colt long rifle. No problems with either. I shoot them as they came out of the box, no race mods, only lots of rounds fired.

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