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If you could start over again, what would you do or buy differently?


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1 minute ago, Trailrider #896 said:

If I could have bought Colt's SAA's before Ruger came out with the Blackhawks, when Colt's were going for $5.00 apiece...  Of course, then I would have been about 5 years old!:P

 

I bought my first COLT SAA when two revolvers became the norm for SASS (early '90's).
Gun shop was three blocks from home. He specialized in antique restoration of Winchesters, Colts, and other "Old West" firearms.
I called the 'smith up and asked if he had any Uberti SA's in .44spl; or if he could order one for me.
He said he didn't handle Italian revolvers (or words to that effect), but he had a 3rd Gen Colt he'd sell me for 2x the going price for an import.

If I'd have known the investment potential at the time, I would have certainly picked up more.

 

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PWB,

Back in 72, I was in the Navy and stationed in S.C.

I was old enough to buy a pistol back then and I was checking out a Ruger Blackhawk and

Colt SAA, both in .357 mag.

 

Ruger was around $125 or so, best of my memory.

Colt was $250.  It had the prettiest charcoal blue and black.  Beautiful pistol.

 

My pay barely warranted the Ruger so I passed on that Colt.

 

I ain't been stoooopid all my life, but I have my moments.

I've gotten over a lot of my stooopidness,  but I'm still ugly and poor..... :D

 

..........Widder

 

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3 hours ago, Waimea said:

He's pretty good with a '73 as well, if we're talking about the same feller.

You might be. He may even the gent who did the original work on my SxS. No complaints if so, I have not seen anything in my teardown of the SxS to blame on a prior smith. It's just worn.

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Would have listened to my kids!!!!!!!

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I would have started out with .38 wcf....in the rifle and revolvers....but...I eventually got there. I don't regret buying the one's in the other calibers (.45 Colt, .44 special, .44 Russian/Colt, .44 wcf.) I just wished I had bought the .38 wcf first. 

 

I bought eight cowboy hats (all of which I really do like) before I finally found, and bought the one I really liked, for C.A.S.  Of course, I am sure I am not through buying cowboy hats. Sure as heck when I think I am done, I see one I would like to have. My problem is I can't seem to stay out of the western stores, when I got over to Fort Worth. 

 

 I am the poster boy for:: "Age doesn't necessarily equal wisdom".

 

You know....there is an old saying: "profit by your mistakes".  Well...my dad-gum problem is...someone else always profits by my mistakes!!!

  

 

 

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On 7/14/2021 at 6:20 PM, 40Chev said:

Started sooner

Ditto.  20 years earlier.
I accumulated over 176 CA waiting period days while gathering my goodies.

I am entirely happy with my revolvers and calibers.
I'm glad the brand new Stoeger went to an early death (12th shell) and equally happy to wind up with Deuce's Charles Daly Miroku.

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Back in 94-95 it was extremely difficult to find Uberti 73's.  In fact the only Gun Shop that had any was one in Scottsdale that wanted a couple hundred bucks more than retail  (which is why they had them in stock).  So I bought a used one that had some extraction issues thinking that I could get it fixed. Well this was back when there weren't many folks that knew much about them or had parts either.   I took it to a well known gun shop in Tucson that had a good rep for fixing firearms (in fact took a Model 29 there in the early 80's for some trigger work and it turned out really good)  so anyway they just couldn't get that 73 working.    I ended up buying a Marlin Cowboy which was quite serviceable for several years and finally supply caught up and was able to get a new 73. 

I've actually bought two 73's used that were suspect in past but that was the first. 

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I supposed I could have mentioned several other firearms that I bought when starting but realistically don't regret those as they were fun to own and competing to win was less of a thing back then.

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Early on I bought a pair of historically-accurate custom made holsters for my 7.5" barreled Colt clones.  They look great for authentic dress, but they aren't functionally optimal for SASS shooting.  It took me awhile to realize that SASS costuming and accessories aren't necessarily period-correct.

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I wish I had started with 1st or 2nd gen Colt 51 Navies and not the ASM 1st Model Schofield and Texas Longhorn Arms SAA.  Shot cap guns before SASS, went back to them with in a year of shooting SASS.

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I would have bought more Colt single actions when they were $500-600, I would have kept the original artillery model I traded away, I would have kept the original Smith and Wessons and Merwin and Hulberts that I sold off to pay for graduate school.  I would have also bought more second generation BP Colts when they were cheap.  
 

I guess the take home message is you should buy and keep the best guns you can afford.  They are a joy to own and shoot and if you buy the best, they rarely go down in value.  

 

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I was VERY lucky when I started. Had my first pistol and very nice uberti and was asking around for a second. The guy that was running the local club told me a shooter was moving and looking to sell some guns. Bought two colt SAA in 45 that were worked over by Bob James for 600.00. Still have those and learned quickly that a good gunsmiths who could smooth out the Colt were limited and worth their charges. Now about the endless list of guns that I let get by or sold off, SKB,Colt and Winchester.

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I started in 1992.

I am still shooting the same 2 revolvers.

Same Rifle.

and I am on my second Rossi shotgun. (Broke the front 1" including the hinge pinoff the frame)

I have other guns that I shoot but my go to guns are the guns I started with.

 

What I would change is I would buy better boots.

I ended up hurting my feet so much, I went to lace up townie shoe/boots.

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the one thing ive always wished i had done -

 

when i started i bought my hat at a second hand [antique] store , there were two and both fit fine , the brown lesser expensive is what i bought and never regretted that but the higher priced stetson was white - i thought id get it dirty real fast , i regret not buying both , that light one would have been nice for dress up night just to change the pace , 

 

yes i know i can still get one but ive not yet found another i liked as well - i was cheap at that point , both were around $5 apiece , id have had just over $10 in two at that point and we all know what ill put in a STETSON these days 

 

moral of my story is ....dont be too cheap as you go along , still wearin that hat after 15 goin on 20 years and its still very nice 

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I haven't shot in a long time, just because of circumstances, but I'd go .38 instead of 45. Either that or one of the traditional but lighter rounds like .38-40 or even .32-20. Just more economical over the long haul (and I'd rather have an 1873 in one of the traditional Winchester Center Fire calibers).

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Id have set up for 44sp not 357. I sometimes think of selling off some 38/357 but then I get nervous thinking about all the other good uses a 357 has like game hunting, SHTF, lightweight bugout.

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