Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

How many of us actually had Cowboy guns before we got into CAS?


H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619

Recommended Posts

I shot cap and ball revolvers for nearly 20 years before I got into sass... Mostly Remingtons but I had a Walker it two, couple of 51's and 60's etc... Always preferred the Remingtons... Converted a pair to 45 Colt when I got into sass... Never owned a lever gun before I got into CAS... Had a few double barrels throughout the years...

 

I still shoot a pair of converted 58's... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 115
  • Created
  • Last Reply

The first time I was introduced to CAS I borrowed guns to shoot. but I did own a couple cap guns and a belgium made hammer gun with ungodly long barrels. This time around I had a pair of '58 remingtons and a uberti 66 still in the safe.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had a Ruger 357 SS OMV & two Ruger Montados (45 Colt NMV).  The Montados  were purchased because the misses wanted to try Cowboy Mounted Shooting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎2‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 12:24 PM, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

 

I'd never heard of that one, so I looked it up.  Found some pics.   Very nice looking revolver.   I have an Uberti in .44 Magnum, and to be honest, it looks "odd" somehow.  The way they made it beefier than a standard SAA type pistol makes it look noticeably different.   But this...  Based on the pics does not seem all that visually different from a standard Colt or clone.   Since you actually own one PaleWolf, how do they compare visually?

 

Here ya go...note that the Arminius frame is "beefed up" considerably more than the Ruger...and the cylinder is longer due to recessed chambers.

Parts were listed by Numrich under "Large-frame German SA"...I ordered the grips from EAA (listed under "Bounty Hunter" both made by Weihrauch)

 

top to bottom:

Arminius

"OM" Vaquero

Colt SAA

 

 

44s.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My very first handgun ever was a Ruger Blackhawk 5 1/2" barrel in .357. I used it at my first cowboy shoot about a year after I got it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

 

Here ya go...note that the Arminius frame is "beefed up" considerably more than the Ruger.

Parts were listed by Numrich under "Large-frame German SA"...I ordered the grips from EAA (listed under "Bounty Hunter" both made by Weihrauch)

 

top to bottom:

Arminius

"OM" Vaquero

Colt SAA

 

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing the picture, PaleWolf.   In the interests of reciprocity, here's one of mine.

 

7-12.thumb.JPG.4cdc1db88226068a21a958f2dec4641c.JPG

 

L-R Top   1st Gen, 32-20  Uberti .44 Magnum, 2nd Gen .45 Colt

LR Bottom  Cimmaron .45   2nd Gen .45

 

As you can see, the Magnum just looks a little different somehow, at least in part to it being beefed up, but somehow it just looks "off" to me.    Yours is clearly beefed up as well, but it does look more normal to my eye.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well if you consider a Colt New Frontier, .44 spcl and a Winchester 84-94 Commemorative with a JW loop in .44 mag cowboy guns then I did  But I didn’t get serious until my first visit to my folks in Green Valley AZ and visiting Old Tucson Studios and Tombstone!  I came back to S FL found a club and trading in a Taurus M44 for a Ruger Vaquero and got serious, back in 99. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A related question might be, how many of us started CAS as an excuse to buy our first SASS legal gun?  I was really in it for the lever action rifle.  Shooting the shotgun and pistols did not seem appealing to me.  But I grew up with a red ryder and I needed just a little incentive to get that lever action rifle I always wanted. So CAS.  And many issues later with the lever action rifles, while no issues at all with the other equipment, I’ve found the pistol and shotgun to be much more enjoyable than expected.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shot my first match in Mountain Home Idaho in 1992.   I had a old model RV 4 5/8 in 45 colt and a stevens 311.   My friend went with me and had a Winchester 94 in 38-357 and an old model RV 7 1/2 in 45 colt.   I was shooting USPSA almost every weekend and one of the shooters told me about the match.   I had also read an article in the American Riflemen.  Bullett 19707

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Grew up with my dads 92, short magazine, round barrel, short rifle in 38WCF, when I got older I bought a matching 38WCF, 4 3/4" EMF SAA, I ALWAYS had black powder rifles and pistols (brass frames, I could buy them for soda pop bottle money) I still have the SAA and BP pistols, missing dad's, I bought a Taylors '92 in 44WCF with a matching pistol. Heck my leather has been a Tandy leather belt and holster I made in about '94.

Wood and steel always appealed to me, along with lever actions. Phosphate coated guns have their place in my collection but the beauty of CCH steel and walnut stocks warms my heart. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always hunted and loved lever guns & westerns so it was an easy transition for me. I had two 94 Marlins in 44mag and my dad had a Hy Hunter 44 Mag that was the talk of the town back in the 60's. I still remember his friends coming over to shoot a 44 mag…….lol.

 

So I bought a  Ruger Vaquero in 44 mag when they first came out...…….not near as much fun to shoot with 300 grain factory loads as my 629 classic (actually NOT fun at all) but really fun with a 200 grain SASS load. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I started in 1997 this is what I had for my first shoot, I have bought, traded and sold many guns since then. I still have the 3 screw Blackhawk(+ a couple more 3 screws)

 

Main Match revolver       Ruger 3 screw Blackhawk .357

                                              Ruger New Model Blackhawk .45 Colt    

Main Match Rifles           Winchester Trapper .45 Colt

 Side Match rifles

& Pistols                              2-Marlin Model 39a in .22 S,L,LR, 3 .Ruger Single Six 3 screws in .22L.R.                            

.

Main Match Shotguns    Stoeger SXSCoach gun 20 Gauge

Long Range Rifles           H&R 1871 Buffalo Classic 45-70

Derringer                           American Derringer .357

Pocket Pistols                   S&W .39 S&W Lemonsqueezer 4 inch barrel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had none..

I owned a

Remington 1100 in 20 ga. for rabbit and quail  hunting..

Browning 22 automatic..

A Limited Collector Edition Roy Rogers Lever rifle (1 of 100??) (never shot)

always in the box it came in under the bed.. With a box of ammo for it..

A Zabala?? 20 ga. SxS for hunting..

 

I traded the Roy Rogers Collector..for a new Uberti 66 Yellowboy in 38 special..

and traded my 20 ga. SxS for a new Stoeger 12 ga. SxS..

 

Rance ;)

Thinkin I've never looked back..

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My only single action revolver was a 50th Anniversary Single Six.  My only lever gun was a '94 Winchester.  All my shotguns were modern pumps or autos.

 

Within 60 days, I had 4 Vaqueros, 2 1892 Rossi rifles, a Rossi double barrel shotgun and a Stoeger Uplander.  

 

Now...I hate to put down on paper what guns I have for CAS.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had no legal firearms.  In fact, I had never fired a single action revolver, a lever action rifle or a side by side shotgun prior to my first cowboy match that I shot (clean, ahem) with borrowed guns.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it was Guns and Ammo that introduced me to the Ruger Vaquero sometime in the early '90's. So I bought a pair. Just because they were cool. I didn't much do anything with them until I tried cowboy action shooting in 2009. And then the gun flood gates opened. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a Great Western/Uberti "Remington CB and a Rossi "PUMA"  I shot for years before I found CAS and SASS

Now my safe runeth over with all kinds of CAS or old west firearms.

Now just to find the time to use them...………..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a Colt SAA .44 special and one in .357, a Blackhawk .45 Colt, a Browning 92 .44 Mag, and an LC Smith double that needed the ejectors disabled. Pretty much whatever I did required at least 3 different cartridges aside from the shotgun.   Took a while to start getting things that could share ammo.  Almost forgot, had a flatttop 357 Ruger too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kinda funny story really. Its how I ended up in cowboy shooting.  Was at a Gun show with my father (also a fellow SASS Cowboy) buying my first Ruger Vaquero because I wanted a center fire cowboy gun other than a rimfire.  As I was walking around I ran into a SASS Cowboy Club that had a booth setup there.  Had no idea at the time CAS was a thing.  That's where it all started. Not long after that my dad and I were SASS members and shooting with the club we met at the gun show.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll point out that long before I knew CAS existed, I was fascinated by Winchesters.   It was long my desire as a kid to own an example of every model lever gun they ever made.   And, my very first experience shooting a pistol other than a .22 was my Dad's .45 mentioned in the first post in this thread.   So yeah, the old guns were always of interest to me.

 

As a footnote, other than a 76, and a 1901, I do own an example of every major "classic" Winchester, (Okay, I don't have examples of the guns that were just modifications of the 86, 92 and 94) either a real one or a modern reproduction.

 

And even though I had some things to begin with, yes, all of my CAS type guns together fill three safes.  :)   Something about this game drives the obtention of more guns.

 

Hey!   I just made up new word!  Obtention:  The acquisition and maintaining ownership of something.   Derived from Obtaining and Retention.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All I had was a stainless 6 1/2" .357 Blackhawk. Sold a WWII relic to buy my Stevens 311 (why did I do that?) Bought a used .45 Rossi 92 (still using it).

Bought a new 5 1/2" .45 Remington and a used 7 1/2". Then a '97, then a hammer double, then a pair of '58 Remingtons, then conversion cylinders, then...

Ahhhhhh! I'm addicted, someone help me!             Help me figure out a way to get more Cowboy guns. hehe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read an article in one of the gun magazines about SASS back in 1994, so after 20 years of Bullseye shooting, which to me is still boring I jumped into SASS.

I had nothing suitable for cowboy shooting , so the buying began a pair of Ruger Vaquero's 7 1/2 in. SS 44 magnums , Winchester 94 Trapper 44 mag. And a Winchester 1897 pump shot gun. Still have everything except the Trapper.

Now the choices run from 1866 yellow boy ,assorted 1873's and Marlin's in 357 mag , 44 mag, and 45 colt.

Hand guns from Ruger 32's ,357 mag . 44 mag ,45 colt and Ruger Old Armies.

Shotguns both Doubles and pumps. 

 

SASS is wonderful . The People are great. 

Catlow

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I probably would have started shooting cowboy action much earlier had I known it existed around my parts. From the few articles I gleaned from magazines and remember this is all before the wide spread use of the Internet, I thought cowboy action shooting was pretty much a California or Texas thing. Those Rugers I had sitting in the safe for years collecting dust would have certainly got much more of a workout than they initially did. :o

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Zero cowboy guns before SASS

 

First match we showed up with 4 Ruger New Vaquero Bisleys, literally right out of the box and one brand new Stoeger SxS.

 

Borrowed a rifle for the first match, too.

 

Had not shot single action pistols, lever action rifles, or double barrels before that day.

 

Since then, with very few exceptions, that's pretty much all we shoot. Some contemporary stuff now and then.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had everything except a shotgun.

3 or 4 Uberti SAA in 45C, a Ruger New Vaquero in .357, Ruger Bisley Vaquero in 45C and 2 Marlin 94 Cowboy Limiteds, .357 & 45 C.

My buddy, Sixgun Seamus started dragging me to Gun Shows prior to our previous president's inauguration, because "guns may not be available come January!". Prior to that I did not own a single gun of my own. After purchasing the obligatory 10-22 and .22 pistol, I wanted something bigger. I always liked the looks of the SAA revolvers and started looking for one  at the gun shows. The first one I bought was a used New Vaquero in .357 with holster and gun belt for $450 (I'd like to find that again). Of course I had to buy a Western looking rifle. A gun store had a Marlin 94 C Limited on display but only in .44. I liked the looks and ordered one in .357.  Meanwhile, after many gun shows and gun stores, I found a private individual selling the 45C Marlin and the Bisley for a price I could not pass up. The Marlin had been slicked up, though all the parts appeared original, and was very smooth. About that time Seamus and I started looking for a venue to shoot these guns. We heard about SASS and started buying clothes in case we found a club we could shoot at .  I also bought myself a Stoeger SxS to complete the guns (this was all before we had ever been to a SASS match!). Since I had more guns in 45C and the 45 Marlin was much smoother, I shot 45C at our first match and haven't switched yet even though the Ubertis were replaced with Ruger NV and the Stoeger with a Baikal. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had three of the four guns needed to shoot a match.  I had a Winchester/Miroku 94 trapper in .45 Colt, a 4 5/8" Ruger Blackhawk convertible in .45 Colt or .45 acp, and a Norinco #99 hammer double coach gun in 12ga. I borrowed my dad's 7 1/2" Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt to complete my guns and bought a brand new San Pedro Saddlery crossdraw rig and Rod Kibbler gave me a six shell slide and told me keep it when I went to return it after that first match!!  The nine shot Trapper was the first gun to be replaced.  I kept it for years because Schoolmarm had made a birthday gift of it, long before I discovered CAS.  The convertible Blackhawk was also birthday gift to me from Hatfield.  I kept it and bought a mate to it.  Schoolmarm used the pair for years, until we got her a pair of Blackhawks in .38/.357.  I finally traded the .45s a couple of years ago for a pair of Model P Jr.s for my grandsons.  I sold or traded the 99, but can't for the life of me recall to whom or for what!! I gave that six shell slide to a young shooter who was staging shells because he didn't have a way to carry them.  I told him to keep it when he tried to give it back.

 

My dad passed away a few years ago and my brother still has that Blackhawk!!  It'll be in the family so long as any of us are living!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.