I fall in love with cowboy guns

[yourotherleft]

I always thought cowboy/classic guns, be it single actions revolver, lever or slide rifles, were waste of gun money. Well, that was so until I purchased and shot my colt lightning replica rifle. I totally fallen for it now. I totally ignored my target rifles , just like they are an old concubines. In fact, Yesterday I placed an order on a coach shotgun and just today I just place another order on a pair of single action revolver from US firearms. Some lever guns are on my shopping list. It's really cool to understand how each guns from different eras represent the culmination of engineering/thought from respected periods. Creating a replica (metallurgy, mechanical, finish, grip material etc) correct to the intended era is not only a challenge for the gunmaker but also a must.

Or maybe I'm just insane?

[sundance44s]

No not insane ..Just hooked ..lock stock and barrel ..enjoy the addiction guns of the 1800`s are a thing of beauty .

[long rider]

YEP i seconed that motion
Shoot safe.

[jtaylor]

Did you get an Uberti or Beretta Gold Rush? 45lc, 44/40 or .357?
I have a Beretta Gold Rush, which was great, but it went back in January for a fix and they decided to send a new one when they come in, hopefully very soon!! Mine started firing a round during cycling because the bolt wasn't going back far enough to lock the hammer back. very unsafe! I like the rifle overall though and hopefully they send a replacement soon.

[yourotherleft]

Jtaylor, I also got the GoldRush 45lc. Hmm... I am wondering if mine has the same problem like yours. Did they send out a recall or anything on this particular problem? I'm wondering if this problem is a "feature" of the old guns.

[jtaylor]

What's weird is that mine was fine for the first month, about 300 rounds through it. I think it's a measurement/tolerance issue with the bolt to hammer and maybe "breaking it in" caused this problem to show up.
I hope the new one works because I like the rifle, but otherwise, I'll get an Uberti Henry 1860 instead.

[Hawg]

I'm wondering if this problem is a "feature" of the old guns.

Dunno bout this particular problem but repros follow the originals pretty close in most cases. So if the originals had a problem then the repros will most likely have it too (ie)screws backing out on Colt SAA's

[CraigC]

Sounds familiar, sort of. There's just something about those old guns and their replicas are mighty fine too! It's getting to the point where those are the only guns that appeal to me. I only have one centerfire boltgun and it hasn't seen daylight in a few years.

I've been a single action nut since I bought my first one at 12yrs old but always completely disregarded all the open top Colt's and the Winchester 1873 and 1876. I also despised the Winchester 1895, it just didn't look right. Something happened to me a few years ago and not only did I buy the first 1895 I ever handled, I also started lusting after the old Colt designs as well as the early Winchester levers. Now, that 1895 is one of my favorite (and most accurate) rifles. I have four topless Colt's (two percussion and two cartridge with more on the way) and lust after the 1860 Henry, 1873 Sporting Rifle (.44Spl!) and the new 1876 replicas. I blame Tom Selleck for most of it.

Now if I can stave off a creeping evil black rifle virus (it will be my first) I can start planning that early Winchester replica!

Mine started firing a round during cycling because the bolt wasn't going back far enough to lock the hammer back.

That's pretty scary! Do the new guns let you hold the trigger back and spit `em out as fast as you can pump?

[Hawg]

Do the new guns let you hold the trigger back and spit `em out as fast as you can pump?

Most do but there's one that doesn't and I can't remember which one it is.
Craig, you need to get really real and go with 44-40.

[Playboypenguin]

I love "cowboy" guns. There is just something about them that makes them special. It might be the simplicity, it might be the history, or it just might be that they are pretty much perfect. Whatever the reason a good SA revolver is, and probably always will be, my favorite firearm.

[CraigC]

Craig, you need to get really real and go with 44-40.

I is, I want the .44Spl so I can run .44Colt's through it. Double duty with my Cimarron Open Top and 1860 Type II.

I just wish they offered it in the 1860 Henry.

[Raider2000]

I love the Cowboy era & the weapons that they employed, mostly of the 1860's & 1870's where we mostly were still using C&B revolvers, Cartridge conversions, Henry or Spencer Repeaters, & single shot rifles & shotguns, the wilder era of our history.

[yourotherleft]

Ok, I'm getting two more lever guns, either today or Monday.

First one is an 1873 in 44-40. Maybe an Uberti, cimarron, emf, or Taylor. I heard they all are Ubertis with different specs I don't fully know. Pricewise I could care less. But I heard the fit and finish of Uberti and Cimarron is a bit better than the rest. Hmm.. I'll probably go with Uberti since Cimaroon and Taylor's website seems incomplete and I have to buy catalog to see details about their product?

Another one is 1892 in 357/38spl. Since Uberti doesn't make this model, I guess I'll go with either Cimarron, EMF or Taylor, whichever one in stock. EMF seems to be a lot cheaper. It's probably because it's made in Brazil(Rossi) instead of Italy (Armi sport -- and it's crazy Euro$)? Or quality? The stock on the Italian-made one seems more attractive. Again, I wish these company update their website to include more details and pictures. That'll definitely make research a bit easier. Now I have to rely on you guys

Please let me know if I'm making a bad decision here.

My friend told me to slow down. The problem is I slowed down already !

[Hawg]

I've got a Rossi 92 in 44-40 and the action was rough out of the box. It'll slick up real nice either by taking it apart and smoothing things up or doing like I did and using a liberal amount of lithium grease in the action and working it a few hours.

[yourotherleft]

I'll definitely will take it apart once I got familiar with it. That's the reason why I get them in the first place. To find out and appreciate how things work in there.

[Hawg]

Then you'll need to study this. A 92 isn't the easiest thing to tear down and reassemble. http://www.hobbygunsmith.com/Archive...ureProject.htm

[yourotherleft]

Thank you Hawg. I'm gonna bookmark that site.

Well, I actually just got back from the gun store. I was ready to place an order when the seller started asking the reason for my choice of calibers, which of course got me all confuse again. When I walked in there I was gonna get 1873 in 44-40 and 1892 carbines in 357/38Spl. I already owned lightning pump action in 45LC. The reason I want those caliber is that I kind of want distinct calibers for each rifles. He advises me that for CAS, it is better to have all in the same caliber (less chance for screwing up calibers). My two revolver are in 45Colt.

Do people shoot different calibers in pistol as in rifle?

What are the original cartridges made for 1873 and 1892? 44-40? Will 45Colt and 357/38spl have problem feeding/extracting? To me, I'll be ok if they don't chamber the same caliber. I'll be leaning more towards the original calibers the rifle is made for.

Please advise me the pluses and minuses with 45Colt, 44-40, and 357/38spl. Thanks.

[Hawg]

Most CAS people like same caliber rifle and pistols. The 73 was originally chambered in 44 WCF(44-40). 38 WCF(38-40)came along in 1879 and 32 WCF(32-20)in 1882. .22 short and long in 1888. 80% of them were 44 WCF.
The 92 was originally chambered in 44 WCF, 38 WCF and 32 WCF. In 1895 the 25-20. Some were even chambered for 218 Bee.

The 38/357's from what I hear on the SASS Wire have problems chambering 38's unless the OAL is the same as the .357. Full house .357's are not SASS legal but you can reload .357 cases to .38 spcl. pressures or less.

[tplumeri]

winchester 92's are nice but command a premium, especially the 32 (32-20) which was limited to 500 production. 95% go for $1500-1700.
figures, its the one i need to match my vaquero!

[Hawg]

winchester 92's are nice but command a premium,

That's why they make repros.


I dug up a Winny 92 in 32-20 with my metal detector but it's pretty far gone. I soaked it in kerosene for three months and got it freed up.

[scrat]

Wait until you start learning about cap and ball. then your going into a whole new world of shooting. i havent shot a centerfire or rimfire in about a month now. just cap and ball.

[scrat]

[Hawg]

Nice guns Scrat but bp is fun to shoot out of cartridges too, specially in the old calibers. Those bottlenecks don't get a lot of residue in rifle actions either. I leave a fired cartridge in my 92's chamber and clean the bore. Hold the rifle upside down and eject the cartridge with the fouling inside it. The case mouth on those are thin and expand to make a really good seal so next to nothing gets in the action. All I do for it is spray it out real good with WD-40 and let it drain/dry then spray some RemOil in it.

yourotherleft, that's something you might want to consider before you buy a rifle. Are you going to shoot bp out of it? If so you might want to stay with 44-40 or 38-40 for ease of cleaning. The straight cases(.45,357,etc) get a lot of blowby past the case and into the action. Of course the old calibers are pretty much a reload proposition only unless you're rich or don't plan to shoot much. I think a box of 44-40 is around 35.00 per 50. I reload for mine.

[scrat]

ouch thats a lot of money. Lever action well thats where i started out at. i figure as long as i have my trusty 30-30 then i will be ok. i also have an old ithacha lever action too. I loaded up a cartridge of black powder for my 30-30 once. Ya i know 30-30 was neve made for black powder. It did pretty good though. Mild recoil lot of smoke. Only problem is i was shooting at steel targets that day. If you missed the target you had no idea where it went unless someone told you. As the smoke was pretty big, compared to trail boss the recoil is about the same. However i believe i will stick with trail boss for cowboy action loads. If i miss the target i can see where it hit the dirt at least

[scrat]