Veteran's Day Range Report

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

 

Today, in Mansfield, Massachusetts, the Mansfield Marauders put on a shoot with a Veteran's Day theme.  I had a great time time, and the shoot had well designed, imaginative stages.   Kudo's to Lesky for putting together a great experience, as he always does.

Me, I had a great deal of fun.  I am happy to report that the issues I have been having with my original Colt Lightning and Winchester 92 in .32-20 have been resolved.  Putting in new magazine springs in each gun seems to have resolved the lingering issues that both guns were having.

I also, in honor of Veteran's Day, took out an old Veteran to shoot one stage with.  My Civil War era Spencer spoke today, and he didn't miss a single target.  Shooting a Spencer may be as slow as molasses in January, but it sure is fun.

In keeping with the military theme, I shot a couple of pistols that may have very well have served with my Spencer back in the day.  Well, replicas of pistols from that time.   A S&W American, and a S&W Schofield.  (Well, Uberties.)  Granted, both of the replicas are in .45 Colt, not the calibers originals would have been in, but that's a minor point.   I found both pistols to be interesting and fun to shoot, but I have to admit that they are not as fast as Colts.  Or, at least for me they aren't.  I found it harder to find the sights than on an SAA, and they are not as easy to operate.  Perhaps with more practice I'd find them easier to shoot, but that was my initial impression.

Which gun is ''better?"  Well, the Schofield is easier to get open for loading, it can be done with one hand, while the American needed two hands to open.  But maybe that's just because it's still new and has not been broken in.  (My real S&W New Model 3's can be opened with one hand, so maybe?  They also fit the hand better.)  The Schofield also has slightly better sights, IMO.   The grips are of course different, but I can honestly say that either one had an advantage over the other.  So when all is said and done, I think the Schofield really is an improvement over the American.   

 

I didn't shoot the New Model 3's today, but I do think they are better than the Schofield from previous comparisons.  Which makes me wonder what I'd think of the Russian.  It's grip is more like the New Model 3, with the exception of that "knuckle."  I may have to get one some day to compare/complete the collection.

Well, that's about all I can saw for right now.   I hope you enjoyed hearing about what happened on the range today.