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1875 outlaw - a good choice?


Lefty McGee

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Hey all! BRAND new. Thinking about finally getting into some cowboy action. I really love the look and feel of the (Cimarron) 1875 Outlaw (I steer towards the 7.5” barrel, but I wouldn’t be mad having the 5.5” either).

But, would they be a good choice? If so, 45 or 357/38? What would be a reasonable price for a pair? Where would I look for holsters to fit them?

Any helpful insight would be great!

(again - brand new)

Thanks!

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Where ya at Lefty? 

I shoot an 1875 for my right hand gun with VTI springs. I haven't run in to it yet, '21 will be my first full year of SASS, but I bought a couple extra handsprings as I read they have a tendency to break. 

 

If your local to Central MO I'd gladly let you try mine. 

 

If your init to winit short 1873 SAA seems to be the gamers iron of choice. I just built a rig for frontier cartridge and the 7.5 1875 goes on the left for cavalry draw.

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I have a few of them (in 45 Colt) and used them exclusively for Duelist for years. I loved them... after a little judicious "smoothing".

Mine don't like to run fast though. If I two-hand it, I can easily "overrun" them. I'm sure a professional gunsmith can make em scream, but mine don't.

The reach for the hammer is a little awkward for some, especially smaller handed folks. I love the looks and not many people use em so I do like different.

38 or 45, your choice. I'm a 45 shooter, so 45 for me. I have both 7.5 and 5.5s and blued and nickeled. Any holster maker should be able to accommodate.

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Bought a pair when I first started.

Quickly found it was a very poor choice for me.

The ergonomics of the grip frame and hammer just did not work for me AT ALL.

Especially when I was shooting Duelist or GFer.

Try BEFORE you buy.  

 

As for .38 vs .45

That a personal thing. But .38s are much cheaper to shoot.

You might also want to think about which category you think you are going to

shoot before you buy guns or gear. 

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Tell us where you are at. I have a pair in 38/357 with the 7.5" barrels that have been slicked up. One thing that helps if you are shooting dualist is to have the hammer spurs turned down.

 

Definitely take the advice of trying a pair. Not everyone likes how they fit their hands.  Once upon a time I wanted a set of Bisleys till I actually tried them. Decided pretty quickly that they didn't fit my hands.

 

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Barrel length would be a personal choice. I have a pair of Ruger OMV's with 4 5/8" barrels .38/357 and a pair of USFA 44wcf with 7.5" barrels. I can miss equally well with either. The best advice was already given and that would be to shoot then ones you are interested in if you can. As for caliber .38spcl will be the most cost effective to shoot and reload. Try before you buy if possible. 

 

Hochbauer

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I have smaller hands and I can't shoot one Duelist, with-out shifting my grip to reach and cock the gun for each shot .

So it's Shift the gun,,,, Cock it ,,,, Shift it back to my shooting Grip ,,,, Bang .... Repeat ...

For me it is a slow process also adding the potential for dropping a gun or triggering of a round before getting a good shooting grip on it ...

For me Navy gripped Open-Tops in .44 special with full case loads of Black Powder bring the hammer under thumb for each shot and the gun settles back pointed on target when the recoil is done already Cocked ...

SAA also work real well in .38 WCF or .45 Colt ...

 

Jabez Cowboy

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I’ve shot ‘75s for much of my SASS career. I started using them in late 2004. I chose them because they have large grips and more space behind the trigger guard than any other popular revolver!  

 

Before ever shooting a match with them, I had a full race action job done on them by a professional SASS gunsmith. They have performed extremely well ever since. In all the time since, I had ONE hand spring break. It broke right at the edge of the slot it’s held in and I repaired it between stages using the same spring.  It’s still in the gun!!

 

I’ve slip hammered, (hold the trigger back and rapidly thumb back the hammer) almost exclusively for all these years. 

 

I have a second pair that have the hammers lowered that I shoot Duelist and Gunfighter with.

 

 I like ‘em a lot!! If you have big hands, I think you will too.

 

EDIT!!  With the current primer situation and no relief in sight, .45 Colt might just be more economical in the short run.  WHO KNOWS?!?!?

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I love mine, I have Hartfords so no action job needed. May not be as fast as Colts but bonus for style points. At one point I was considering selling mine but they still reside in the safe with a few other collectables.

 

Blackwater, what does the primer situation have to do with Remington or Colts, I use the same primer in both of mine.

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I had a pair in 44-40 with the 7 1/2" barrel. Hated the reach to the hammer. And they are much heavier than a Colt SA. I shoot dualist so they didn't work. Sold them a short while after I got them.

Try one out before you buy.

I don't shoot anything in 45 or 38. But buying 38's or reloading 38's is more economical.

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Texas Joker got it!! Not a Remington/Colt/Ruger thing.  Just the dirth of small pistol primers and .38 brass.

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Thank you one and all for your responses and offers to let me try out your own pieces! (Quite nice of you)

For clarity, I already own one in 45lc with the 7.5” barrel, and love it to pieces. The grip size is very good for my hand, whereas many of the 1873-type are to small (especially the ruger NV’s without the bisley handle). 
I like to shoot it single-hand (dualist/gunfighter?)
The last time I used it (not CAS related), 45lc’s were close to $2 a round, but I see they’re better now.

(I do not - nor do I have plans to -reload my own ammo at this time).

For the immediate, I’m hoping to get out there and play cowboy a few times a season; nothing to competitive right now.
I’m near Chicago. Most “local” places/groups are small and a bit of a drive and, on top of that, 1/3 of the folks I’ve met drive in from WI., where they tell me the shoots are a lot bigger and I should visit them lol.

I guess my inquiry about 45 vs 38 was more for the possibility that if I DO have the opportunity to get more active and/or competitive, which would be best over the long haul and what rifle caliber I’d look for in the future.

Also, I was/am looking for feedback from those that used them for their experience. In part, because I’ve noticed when one or a pair hit the classifieds, they tend to languish far longer than their ‘73 counterparts. I didn’t know what to make of that. 

 

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The reason you see them for sale longer is that the grip is different and not everyone likes them. I have a pair and love them when shooting Cody Dixon or NCOWS matches. Only reason I am considering selling mine is that the 75s take more work than Colt Open tops when shooting black powder.

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There are a lot of folks who don’t care for the larger size of the Remingtons.  As some have said, they are heavier and small hands find them difficult to manipulate.

 

As Sedalia Dave said, takes a little more work to make ‘em Black Powder friendly.

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Hiya @Lefty McGee! Okay black powder is the original gunpowder and makes lots of smoke and flame and it leaves a lot of residue that can quickly build up and start causing guns to gum up and not run right if they are too tightly fitted. Smokeless powder is what most folks shoot due to these problems and cleaning is a lot easier. Lots of good natured kidding here between those of both camps.

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I have a 75 Remington, it's ok in general but it needs to be given more attention between stages if you shoot black powder due to the smaller cylinder arbor. The grip takes getting used to if you are used to a Colt grip.

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I have an 7.5 in 1875 in .357 that I picked up to go with a .Remington navy conversion I have in .38 colt.  It is a heavy gun and it has a different feel than a Colt, but I don’t find it bad.  These and a 32-20 are the only western guns I have not in a caliber that starts with a “4”.  I notice that you have to pay more attention to get the ejector to line up and go in the cylinder on the .38/.357, but that’s my only real complaint.  
 

I am not a fan of .38s for cowboy, but (in normal times) the ammo is cheaper to buy and cheaper to reload (smaller bullets, less powder etc).  Plus if shooting  mouse farts is your thing, it’s easier to do with a .38.  
 

Sounds like you have experience with the 1875 and like it.  No reason not to stick with it.  

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Lefty,  since you already own one and like it, watch the classifieds for another to match and have fun. As for black powder, mine HATE it! And I'm not willing to do extensive work to it or clean after every stage just to make it run with BP; not my deal. Living in Illinois, BP may be more of an issue anyway (IDK). Seems like anything "shooting" in general is more scrutinized there. I grew up down the road in DG; loved my town but hated the garbage seeping out of Chicago. If you're not a hardcore CAS shooter, stick with the smokeless for now. .45 Colts are more expensive to shoot, yes, but if that's what ya have and what ya want, enjoy em. I DO recommend reloading though; will save you LOTS of $$, especially if you do any amount of shooting. Haven't been back in a while, but I'd be happy to shoot with ya when I do.

Oh yeah, can't bring my guns to IL...    ; )

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I have a Remington clone, with a 5 1/2 inch barrel, in .45 Colt. It feels somewhat heavier than my Colt clones, but that is okay. I like it a lot. My advice to you would be to try and shoot a friends, that has one, to see how you like it. It does have a somewhat different feel to it, than the Colt...but it is all about what you get used to.

Not all revolvers, in the Old West, were Colt's. If anyone thinks the Remington feels strange, they should try shooting my Pietta Starr revolver, or my Rogers & Spencer revolver, or Cimarron Schofield, or....Heaven forbid my Uberti Bisley....or even worse, my LeMat.  

One part of our sport, that can be really fun, is in the variety of clones we have today...and trying to get better with a variety of designs.  We have come a long way, since I first started shooting clones in the early '60's. 

Vive la difference!!!

 

W.K. 

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