Short stroke advice

[Death rider]

Hi, I just sent my 66 off to get short stroked and tuned. Now it’s got me thinking, I really get into the costuming and love bringing guns that fit the costume style, I have a 1860, 1866, 1873 engraved short rifle with a loop lever, and a 1873 sporting rifle.

I've sent the 1866 to get short stroked and have been curious if the average person short strokes all their rifles or not? I was thinking of short stroking the 1860 and the sporting rifle as well but wasn’t sure. I’ve rarely used the same gun twice in a row but everything has been stock. 
Would you short stroked all three? Or leave it at one? 

[Shooting Bull]

This is an interesting situation. Most folks that have a backup rifle want it set up exactly the same as their primary rifle. When you’re on the clock you don’t want to feel any difference at all. 
 

in your case, it sounds like you’re far more interested in the old west experience than you are in the competition. Because of that I don’t think it really matters. That being said, I’d still suggest you set up all your rifles so that their feel is as similar as possible. The minor learning curve required when switching from one to another can be very frustrating when on the clock. 

[High Spade Mikey Wilson]

I have a Uberti '73 in .357, that is my main match rifle, that I had short stroked. My back ups are Marlin 1894's. I have a Uberti '73 in 32-20 that I just left stock since I only shoot it once or twice a year. I guess it would just be your preference. Maybe if my back up was another '73 or '66 I might have it short stroked also, but since mine are Marlins I have no need.

[Slow Poke]

I personally want all of my rifles to feel as similar as possible to one another. My experience is the rifle is the harder got to change meaning if one gun has a longer lever throw than another I would have a tendency to short stroke the rifle when trying to go fast, that will end up messing up your rhythm. 

I got as far as trying to keep the same generation short stroke in my rifles so the lever throw is as close to the same as possible. 

 

Hope this helps.

My own opinion 

[Rye Miles #13621]

I have two 73’s both short stroked. Why would you NOT have all of them short stroked? 

[Frontier Lone Rider]

11 hours ago, Shooting Bull said:

This is an interesting situation. Most folks that have a backup rifle want it set up exactly the same as their primary rifle. When you’re on the clock you don’t want to feel any difference at all. 
 

in your case, it sounds like you’re far more interested in the old west experience than you are in the competition. Because of that I don’t think it really matters. That being said, I’d still suggest you set up all your rifles so that their feel is as similar as possible. The minor learning curve required when switching from one to another can be very frustrating when on the clock. 

I always bring extra rifles to the match to have as backups or to loan to others.  If I pick up a rifle, whether it is my main match rifle or a backup, I want them all to feel and work the same.  I even have identical custom-made leather butt covers and lever wraps to try to keep them identical. My 73s are not the same as my 1866s, but I don't bring them to the same match.  The 73s are for smokeless and the 1866s are only used for black powder.  Each is the same for the ones I bring to the match, but the 73s are not the same as the 1866s.  I either have them reliably short stroked or do them myself, more for my piece of mind than for interchangeability or speed.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

"IF" you shoot your short stroked rifle enough to develop the muscle memory to run it well you will have problems with a "normal" throw lever rifle.  Personally, I shoot three Henry Rifles, Two 1866 rifles and Two 1873s.  ALL are short stroke with great action work and are very very quick and smooth.

 

Short answer:  Short and Action work on ALL.

[Death rider]

19 hours ago, Shooting Bull said:

This is an interesting situation. Most folks that have a backup rifle want it set up exactly the same as their primary rifle. When you’re on the clock you don’t want to feel any difference at all. 
 

in your case, it sounds like you’re far more interested in the old west experience than you are in the competition. Because of that I don’t think it really matters. That being said, I’d still suggest you set up all your rifles so that their feel is as similar as possible. The minor learning curve required when switching from one to another can be very frustrating when on the clock. 

Pretty spot on, for me I was collecting old west replica/originals before I ever attended a match. It was collecting that made me discover sass. My 1866 was my 19th birthday present to myself, and I bought various Cimarron and Taylor’s clones, and I eventually ran across a century arms double barrel, I bought it and then realized I had all the guns to compete with. And started shooting sass. Being a collector first has made me realize that some guns are really hunting guns with old west flair, and some are guns that can run fast as you can. 
I don’t expect to get fast enough to be buckle worthy but I’d like to improve my speed.

[Griff]

I shot in this "sport" for nearly 30 years before I ever shot a short stroked rifle.  I was up in OR and had a spare weekend that co-incided with a monthly at Roseburg.  I had my pistols with me which I'd picked up from Rowdy in CA after having them worked on (1851s).  PWB told me he'd bring a rifle & shotgun for me to use.  Might've been my first experience with an external hammered double also!  Little did I know that his '66 Carbine was short stroked.  It was quite different from the '73 Sporting Rifle I'd used since 1987.  I think I ejected two rounds on the 1st stage I shot it... Improved to only ejecting 1 round on the second stage!  I have two '73s, a Sporting Rifle & a Short Rifle, along with an 1860.  About 6 or 7 years ago, I decided to short stroke 2 of 'em, leaving the Henry stock except for springs and some general deburring.  I've since short stroked the Henry.  except for balance and handling, the actions are as identical as I can make them.  The Henry went to a local gunsmith to make it an 18" "carbine".  I'm looking forward to getting it back.  

["Big Boston"]

I put a short stroke kit in my 66 myself, and a bit of tuning. I had a tendency to slow at the end of the stroke, and have weak ejection. The short stroke kit helped that. I have run my others as is. I'm to slow to be competitive, the guns aren't the issue, but I do want to be able to shoot smooth. My 60 is in 44-40, it runs smoothly. My 73's are as issued. I have one Miroku Winchester, its stroke is shorter than an as issued Uberti and it works good. I'm more of the opinion that I want to work, or maintain the skills to be able to run a gun well, without making mods to compensate for my lack of skills. If my skills were better, then I'd likely work on the guns to make my times faster. 

 

So basically, you're the person to best answer that question. If you are smooth and find that the gun is slowing down your times, and you are the competitive type, you'll need to make your guns as slick as possible.