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How important is it to have matching pistols


Sam Masterson SASS#40954

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I am going to buy my second pistol after the taxman gives me back my own money. I have a Cimmaron pistolero which I like but have been thinking of getting a birdshead for the second pistol.

 

Is there any great disadvantage to having different pistols? I am not worried about winning nationals or being the top shot at local matches. Its the same as USPSA, I am a C-class shooter and will never make GM because I don't have the time or motivation to make GM. 

 

I love the look of the pistols James Garner has in Maverick(the new one) and heck we do this game for fun so having a look is a want also.

 

So any downsides to not having matching pistols?

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They feel different. I like my plow handles but I much prefer the birdshead I have on my new pistols. You're going to get a lot of different opinions here. All I can say is try it.  If you don't like it you'll know which one you prefer and can then see about matching them up.

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There is no rule that says you have to have matching pistols or even pistols the same size. They can have different barrel lengths and whatever grip you want,  it is totally up to you. If you shoot gunfighter or duelist it may be an advantage to shoot something different with your weak hand. It is your game play it the way you want to.

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It'll most likely slow ya down some.

But if being a speed demon isn't the most important to ya, go ahead & buy the gun that you find the coolest, & have fun.

--Dawg

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Try handling a revolver with a birdshead grip first. I have very large hands. The birds head or regular size Ruger grips just don't handle well for me. I have two pair of Uberti's with the army grip frame{they are a little longer}and a pair of Ruger Bisley's. Those all have a better feel for me. I did have two with birds heads ...but they got sold

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Guest Texas jack Black SASS#9362
10 hours ago, Sam Masterson SASS#40954 said:

I am going to buy my second pistol after the taxman gives me back my own money. I have a Cimmaron pistolero which I like but have been thinking of getting a birdshead for the second pistol.

 

Is there any great disadvantage to having different pistols? I am not worried about winning nationals or being the top shot at local matches. Its the same as USPSA, I am a C-class shooter and will never make GM because I don't have the time or motivation to make GM. 

 

I love the look of the pistols James Garner has in Maverick(the new one) and heck we do this game for fun so having a look is a want also.

 

So any downsides to not having matching pistols?

  Pistols are not allowed in SASS but you could always purchase revolvers. ;) :FlagAm:

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I would suggest having two revolvers in the same caliber because there is less chance of forgetting ammo ..You have to decide on the feel in your hands of grip frames and grip panels. The barrel length affects balance ( point ability ) .at targets.  If going for a look in costuming then go for it. A second revolver won't be your last purchase of a revolver ..What looks good in the movies doesn't always work in real life.

I have a double shoulder hoster rig that I will wear when shooting Josey Wales.It is very impractical to draw from ,so is used for looks and transport of revolvers on the line.  Remember safety first and always ,then have as much fun as you can . CATLOW 

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1 hour ago, Texas jack Black SASS#9362 said:

  Pistols are not allowed in SASS but you could always purchase revolvers. ;) :FlagAm:

That's an anachronism. Revolvers are a type of pistol. The term pistol (or pistolet in French) has been used to refer to handguns since the 1500s.

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The only disadvantage to owning mismatched pistols is if you are trying to dramatically lower your times. If speed isn’t an issue then shoot what you want and go for the style points. And as Catlow said your next revolver won’t be your last revolver. We don’t buy guns we just rent them.

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I used to shoot miss matched revolvers, a schofield and a plow handle 73. I would have to be extremely cautious  with my grip, think it slowed me down some (if I could get slower) since going to the same grip it feels allot smother. Some folks don't say that you feel the difference between mixed match, I sure did and had to readjust my grip more than a few times.

Rafe

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Guest Texas jack Black SASS#9362
22 minutes ago, Ramblin Randy said:

That's an anachronism. Revolvers are a type of pistol. The term pistol (or pistolet in French) has been used to refer to handguns since the 1500s.

  I think I will use that line when I fill out my ATF forms.;) :FlagAm:

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I own an 1872 opentop, an 1860 converted opentop, an 1858 converted Remington, an 1873 Peacemaker and an 1873 Wyatt Earp Buntline (a Peacemaker with a 10" barrel). I mix and match them all the time, even though the only pair that come close to truly matching are the opentops.  Not only does it not affect my performance in the slightest, I can proudly say that, to the best of my memory, I have placed dead last in every shoot I have attended.  And damn, do I look good doing it!

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Define 'great disadvantage'.  If you look at the top shooters I think you'll see most have matched pistols.  Having said that, there's a pretty big drop off in times once you move out of the top 2% or so of shooters.  At that point mismatched pistols may not make that big of a difference. 

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I don’t see any major disadvantage. With practise you will adjust to the feel of each hand gun. I shot my wife's 1873 SAA with bird head grips for 2 matches until my own 1875 Outlaws arrived. The first couple of stages they felt small in my large hands. By the end of the first match and all through the next match I had no problems. The fun part is always hearing the “ting” as you hit steel. For me the game is about the “bang” the “ting” and having fun doing it. I’m now thinking at the next fun shoot I might try a stage with one of hers and one if mine.  

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The only 2 matched pairs.  The first is a brace of Russian Nagants, and even then they don't have the same type of front sight.

The second is a pair of Uberti made Remington 1858's that I have cartridge converted, and they don't have the same ejector.

 

Beyond that, I have several "similar" pairs of revolvers, and more than a few guns that I pair with each other that are as different as different can be.   Sometimes I don't even have them both be in same caliber.

 

I shoot pretty much the same with every combination I care to try.   Don't see why it should be any different for you.

 

Here's an example of a couple of "similar" guns I use from time to time.

 

210471019_123.thumb.JPG.55e325c664666f80ef199063e27ed509.JPG

 

Believe it or not, I have never shot the 2 Sheriff's at the same time, but I do occasionally pair the two nickeled guns.  That I consider "similar."

 

 

 

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There's a lot of yadayadayada here... But the simple fact is that if you want to perform your best, match the revolvers.

 

If you don't care about performing at your best, do whatever you want.

 

Phantom

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I’m going to go against conventional wisdom here and say shoot whatever you want. What I will advise though is to ALWAYS shoot the same pistols with the same hands. For instance, the plow handle always in your right hand and the birds head always in your left hand. If you maintain that consistency there’s no reason you can’t get pretty darn good and have fun doing it.

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4 hours ago, Shooting Bull said:

I’m going to go against conventional wisdom here and say shoot whatever you want. What I will advise though is to ALWAYS shoot the same pistols with the same hands. For instance, the plow handle always in your right hand and the birds head always in your left hand. If you maintain that consistency there’s no reason you can’t get pretty darn good and have fun doing it.

 

An excellent point.   If you shoot one gun in one hand, and the other in the other, then them being not the same is probably far less significant than if you shoot them both with the same hand.    That being said, if you shoot, for example, a pair of Colts, one with a 4-3/4" barrel and the other with a 5-1/2"  (the pair I use when I am trying to do my best) then the difference is probably not all that significant.  It's only when the 2 guns are radically different, say a Colt and S&W that it would make a difference when shooting them with the same hand.

 

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5 hours ago, Shooting Bull said:

What I will advise though is to ALWAYS shoot the same pistols with the same hands. For instance, the plow handle always in your right hand and the birds head always in your left hand. If you maintain that consistency there’s no reason you can’t get pretty darn good and have fun doing it.

 

What Shooting Bull said was exactly what I was thinkin'.. ;)

You still need to create muscle memory for safety..

You said you don't much care about yer placement or times.. :rolleyes:

So just do it and continue having fun!!

 

Rance ;)

Thinkin' yer gonna be ok.. :)

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1 hour ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Please name one top finishing 'speed-demon', that shoots mismatched handguns in SASS/CAS.

 

OLG

 

 

 

Based on the OP, he doesn't seem to care about being a top finishing "speed-demon".  He just wants to have fun and look good doing it. ;)

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2 hours ago, Shooting Bull said:

 

 

Based on the OP, he doesn't seem to care about being a top finishing "speed-demon".  He just wants to have fun and look good doing it. ;)

Right...again than, why ask the question?

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I started out this game with 2 Blackhawks. One had the Bisley style grip and  the other the smaller I believe Vaquero style grip. I used them for my first year and just couldn't get used to the 2 different grips as both pointed differently. Now I have 2 Vaquero's and all is good.! YMMV

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28 minutes ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Right...again than, why ask the question?

 

 

This is just a WAG but based on the OP I think he's pretty new to the game.  Might want to know if there are any safety related reasons that he couldn't think of. Or any other non-competitive reasons that are out there that a newbie might need to know about.  You know, like having to cut the belt loops off your pants and installing buttons for suspenders. :P

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1 hour ago, Shooting Bull said:

 

 

This is just a WAG but based on the OP I think he's pretty new to the game.  Might want to know if there are any safety related reasons that he couldn't think of. Or any other non-competitive reasons that are out there that a newbie might need to know about.  You know, like having to cut the belt loops off your pants and installing buttons for suspenders. :P

Didn't read it that way ... But I suppose you could be right ... Which would be a first:lol:

 

Just kidding:P

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There is no need to have matched guns. You can be as competitive as you want with them. 

  A good shooter will be good if they match or don't.  ultimately it's about what you want.  

  I have two matched sets of guns and some odd  ball guns.  I can shoot just as fast with miss-matched as without.  It's just more fun at times to use the odd guns. 

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I tend to have matching pairs, but that’s just me.  I would encourage you to buy and shoot what you like.  Life is too short to do what someone else thinks you should do.

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I am quite new to this game, but not to firearms in general. I own three stock Uberti .45 Cattlemen which are not "matched" and from various production years but they all do have plow handles.  Two of them have 5.5" barrels, one 4 3/4".

 

From my very short experience with cowboy guns I'd recommend to consider the possibly different trigger pull weights they come with. Mine are all in reasonable range and I can use them in every combination but I always shoot the one with the (slightly) lighter trigger pull first. Otherwise shots tend to break a bit too early on the second revolver (I have to mention that a lot of our stages are what you might call "traditional" with quite challenging targets).

 

But you can always have every gun reworked by a gunsmith to your preferences...

 

Happy trails,
Equanimous

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I suppose I should say that using different pistols can be fun.    For example, I plan to use this pair as soon as I can...

 

395896722_WalkerandDragoon.thumb.jpg.b8a958a2b73489e71599bb48c3ac50ff.jpg

 

The top is an Uberti Walker, the bottom a 2nd Gen Colt Dragoon.  Both have been cartridge converted to .45 Colt.   Different, but still similar.   Both are big and heavy and the site picture and grips are very similar.

 

On the other hand, I have used the following at a match...

 

WalkerBuntline.thumb.jpg.92d2a3ac0627f1b27faf44cd56c2c2cd.jpg

 

You can see here just how massive the Walker is compared to a 12" Colt Buntline.  (.44 Special)   We're getting a little more "different" here, but using these two guns on a stage "inspired" by Marty Robbins song, "Big Iron" was just too good of joke to pass on.  The Dragoon was not yet available.

 

Of course, if I really wanna be different, I will just use the following....

 

1828377296_MHSW.thumb.JPG.70185d564053f34463ba4b78a3f0ef81.JPG

 

Both are .44-40's, and while the actions of the S&W and the Merwin & Hulbert have some radical differences, they also have many interchangeable parts.   But as you can see, the grips are totally different, and the sites are about as different as can be.   But shooting these two guns together is a hoot.

 

So, no matter what you wanna use, use it.  Enjoy and have fun.   No matter if you are a top gun or a bottom of the barrel shooter, that's the most important thing to do.   And BTW, sometimes I'll pair one of the above with an antique Colt, also in .44-40. 

 

Happy shooting.

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5 hours ago, The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 said:

and btw, those big Colt hoglegs of H.K. Uriah's... gorgeous!

Better do your curls!

 

Heh heh heh.    Well, I am not a super muscular type of a guy by any definition, but I have been told that I have big forearms. 

 

That being said, yes, they are nice looking guns.   And yes, they are BIG.  It's always fun to use something different.

 

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Answering the question:

Matching revolvers = matching shooting = consistent shooting = smoother shooting = faster times overall.

If you're not to worried about your time, then don't worry about matching your revolvers.

 

Pedantic answer:

We don't shoot with pistols, we shoot with revolvers. (tongue firmly planted in cheek)

 

Longer answer:

I don't always shoot for time at a monthly, so I don't always use the same two pistols even within the same match.  I've currently only got six.  My matching Ruger pair are my originals.  I've got two 7.5" Old Army revolvers for when I want to shoot Josey Wales, and I have 7.5" Old Model in .45 that I've decided to pair with a 3.5" Birdshead in .45ACP as my "Outlaw" pair, and I have this great idea for an outfit to go with 'em, but I haven't fully put it together yet...

 

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I can't remember the last time I actually shot with matching pistols. The closest is a nickel colt paired with a blue colt. Different generations and grips though. There are many times where I am even shooting different calibers in each, and sometimes one is smokeless (schofield) while all my others are BP. Shooting gunfighter, it's more important to know which gun for which hand than have them the same.

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