Short stroke for a gunfighter?

[Mountain man Jim]

My wife is looking for new pistols. She is a gunfighter. She is trying decide whether short stroke is the best option, or if something like Ruger New Vaqueros (or similar options) with lowered hammers but a "full length pull" is all that's needed. Does anyone have any thoughts?

[Yellowstone Vic SASS#32968]

Has she handled a pair of short stroked and a pair of regular stroked New Model Vaqueros??

 

Should have someone in a match near your area that would let her handle them.

 

Let her experience both and give you feedback.

 

I shoot Duelist and my wife Kat now shoots gunfighter and we definitely benefit from out short stroked pistols.  They have super blackhawk hammers also.

 

It depends greatly on her hand size/thumb length.

 

YMMV

 

Vic

Edited August 8, 2025 by Yellowstone Vic SASS#32968
added stuff

[Tyrel Cody]

 Short stroke with stock/tall hammers is ok, but my preference is short hammers and short stroked.  I can’t make short hammers and a full stroke work. I have medium to medium/small hands.

 

 

[Sedalia Dave]

Some people swear by short strokes and some people dislike them. National and world championships have been won with pistols of both persuasions.

 

Most people that shoot 1 handed (Duelist or Gunfighter) do benefit from lowered hammers.

 

If your wife has small hands, look into smaller framed pistols like the Uberti Pjr / Stallion or the Ruger single six. Both can be had in 38 Special and 32 H&R

 

The only way to know is find a pair to borrow and shoot them.

[Mountain man Jim]

35 minutes ago, Yellowstone Vic SASS#32968 said:

Has she handled a pair of short stroked and a pair of regular stroked New Model Vaqueros??

 

Should have someone in a match near your area that would let her handle them.

 

Let her experience both and give you feedback.

 

I shoot Duelist and my wife Kat now shoots gunfighter and we definitely benefit from out short stroked pistols.  They have super blackhawk hammers also.

 

It depends greatly on her hand size/thumb length.

 

YMMV

 

Vic

She has shot a pair of new Vaqueros with the lowered hammers, not short stroked at a local match. She enjoyed them and they're on the list of possible options. We're just not sure what else is out there and most of the gunfighters in our area use Rugers. She saw a new Pietta from EMF in the July "Chronicle" that she's curious about, we looked at their website and they have a short stroke and a "full pull" model with a lowered hammer available. She's just not sure which will be best for her, or what other options might be out there. 

Edited August 8, 2025 by Mountain man Jim

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

She needs to try some short strokes to see how they work for her. That is the only way you will truly know for sure.

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

I'm an old arthritic duelist and short strokes with lowered hammers make a huge difference for me. I have fairly large hands and shoot Bisleys.  Mountaineer Mac started shooting Gunfighter at 14 and now at the ripe old age of 16 really likes his short stroked, lowered hammer Vaqueros. As you can see, he shoots them mighty well! This video was last year, March 16, 2024, he shoots them even faster now!

 

Randy

 

 

 

[Sarge]

12 hours ago, Mountain man Jim said:

My wife is looking for new pistols. She is a gunfighter. She is trying decide whether short stroke is the best option, or ifW something like Ruger New Vaqueros (or similar options) with lowered hammers but a "full length pull" is all that's needed. Does anyone have any thoughts?

I have a set of Running Irons, Short stroked, short hammer and my match OMVs that are both short stroked with lowered hammers.  she is more than welcome to try them.  will be at practice Wednesday, but running late due to an appointment.  Let me know.   

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

Odd Man out.  Been shooting Gunfighter for about 30 years.  My muscle memory is so ingrained I can't shoot short stroke nor lower hammers at all.  I might try lower hammers again some day but I doubt it. 

Edited August 9, 2025 by Colorado Coffinmaker
Absolutely detest "Otto"

[Slow Poke]

I shoot classic and will say that when I switched to short stroked pistols I saw a different difference in my times. I really didn't believe it would before I switched but as luck would have it i won a short stroked pistol in a raffle bought a second to play with, and have never gone back. I also prefer the low hammers it feels more comfortable to get on top of those vs the high hammers. I would highly suggest short stroked pistols to anyone shooting duelist of gunfighter style.

 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

1 hour ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

Odd May out.  Been shooting Gunfighter for about 30 years.  My muscle memory is so ingrained I can't shoot short stroke nor lower hammers at all.  I might try lower hammers again some day but I doubt it. 

^

This is probably truer than most folks realize.  

 

It takes time to adapt to SS pistols from factory cocking pistols.   AND, it also takes a little time to get use to shorter hammers than

factory spur hammers.

And bottom line is that some folks will find themselves more adaptable to one style over the other.

 

Test some variations BEFORE you crank out good $$$ for something you may not like.

 

Good luck.

 

..........Widder

 

[Lawdog]

There is a ton of good advice on here from some very experienced shooters.

 

Unfortunately, she is going to have to actually handle the weapons to see what will work best for her.

 

We took two years swapping out different frames for Shortcake, before settling on another set of pistols that she felt comfortable and confident shooting.

 

I'm sure @Scarlett will have some good advice also.

[Scarlett]

I have been shooting GF since 2015.  I love it and it’s the most fun way to shoot ESPECIALLY when it’s SMOKY! 😂

 

I have NMV in 38/357 and 2 sets of Ruger Single Six in 32 HR. All done by @Jimmy Spurs at Cowboy Gunworks in Vermont. They are NOT short stroked. They have the SBH hammers. They also have half cock. The half cock is helpful in the case of your thumb slipping off the hammer - avoids the go around. 
 

Jimmy said, and I believe, that a SMOOTH stroke is better than a SHORT stroke. By lightening the springs AND shortening the stroke, you’re asking a LOT of the hammer. It’s got to have enough force in a shorter amount to ignite the primer. The smooth/full stroke with lighter springs and half cock is sweet. The other benefit is that my pistols will ignite most any primer. 
 

In my personal opinion, no one does better Ruger work than Jimmy. I am NOT a sponsored shooter - I pay like everyone else. His customer service is outstanding, too. I sent a pistol that he’d done that I bought used for a check up and when I texted him that I saw the pistol had been delivered, he replied with the return label! It had only been in his hands about 3 hours! &nbsp
 

Gunfighter is the most fun category. Once she gets it down, get some black powder or APP and make it AWESOME! 🥰😆

 

Hugs!

Scarlett

Jedi 235

 

Jimmy Spurs (603) 490-0312

Tell him Scarlett sends a hug! 

Edited August 8, 2025 by Scarlett
Typo

[John Barleycorn, SASS #76982]

I decided that short stoked revolvers are not going to make the saved time worth the money, the ROI is just not there. 
Now if you are a second or two from first place finishes you may want to spend the money. 
Great, well tuned, equipment can only take you so far. Practice is what gets the best results. 

Edited August 8, 2025 by John Barleycorn, SASS #76982

[Roy Goode - SASS 114620]

I shoot gunfighters and am new to the sport.  I had Shotgun Boogie do my Rugers with his SS kit.  I love the way they shoot.  I have med hands with Fred Flintstone fingers.

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

3 hours ago, Scarlett said:

By lightening the springs AND shortening the stroke, you’re asking a LOT of the hammer. It’s got to have enough force in a shorter amount to ignite the primer. The smooth/full stroke with lighter springs and half cock is sweet. The other benefit is that my pistols will ignite most any primer. 

I am shooting Shotgun Boogie short strokes and they will ignite CCI, Winchester and Magtech as well as Federal. I only use Federals in matches, but I will practice with the others occasionally. 

 

Randy

[Whitey James]

On the advice of @Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903, I ordered a pair of Ruger NMV Bisley in 45 Colt fro Shotgun Boogie. I too have XL hands so the Bisley grips fit me like a glove. I started shooting Classic Cowboy while using the "double duelist" style and the difference is night and day. If I were shooting two handed it would not be worth it to get short stroked revolvers IMO, but shooting Duelist or GF they are worth the investment. 

[TN Mongo, SASS #61450]

Lots of good advice listed above. Probably the best suggestion (mention by several people) is to try multiple pistols with lowered hammers with and without short strokes. 

 

When my wife switched to gunfighter, she had trouble with her weak hand shooting a short stroked & lowered hammer NMV well. She eventually ended up with Ruger Single Sixes, short stroked with lowered hammers. Unfortunately, Ruger doesn't make a stock lowered hammer for the Single Six. We had to purchase Super Blackhawk hammers and have the spurs welded onto Single Six hammers.  She loves her Single Sixes and she shoots them very well. 

[SGT. ELI 35882 GUNFIGHTER]

Everyone is going to be a bit different on what they like and what works best for them.

I have a short stroke pair with lowered hammers, and I have a pair of Jimmy Spurs with the tall New Model hammers. I shoot the Jimmy Spurs just a bit faster. I cannot use SBH hammers on a gun that's  not short stroked as they crowd my hand.

The fastest Gunfighter I know uses Jimmy Spurs, no short stroke, with standard Blackhawk hammers.