nwmp colt 45 lc saa

boomer49 said:
FFS, the drag marks on the cylinder are supposed to be there!
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Um..... not on a single action they aren't. It is evidence that someone, likely more than once from how clear a line it is, pushed the hammer down from half #### and turned the cylinder against the bolt. Or that went past the half #### but not all the way to the full #### and rolled it around loading the gun. Both being No-No's in the single action world.

You're likely thinking of modern S&W's where the drag line IS normal and unavoidable due to how the timing works in double action.

At any rate the drag line is there and it's part of the history of the piece. I can't imagine any way to "fix" the line without ruining the lovely patina of wear that's on the rest of the cylinder and gun. But I'd love to be proven wrong on that count.

You're a very lucky camper to have such a nice example now. Be sure to treat it to some days at the range with a nice pillow to set it onto when not in your hand.
 
Mr. Rider,

Aha! I did not know that. Thank you for bringing me up-to-speed on the subject.

And you guessed very accurately ... I've owned several very nice S&W revolvers since about 1974. The first (in Williams Lake) was a Model 19, followed by a Model 28, a Model 34, a Model 17 and a Model 66. I still have the last three, all with 4" barrels. And obviously my experience with single-actions is minimal, except for the beater Ruger Single Six that gets fired just once or twice a year.

I stand corrected. :)
 
Given that you're typing more n' likely you are "sitting corrected" :D

Your S&W collection mirrors my own in almost every regard other than the 34. DARN THAT 12-6 THING! ! ! ! I've got a nice model 10/6" and a Brazilian return 1917 to make up for my lack of 12-6 :D Lovely things, aren't they?

Some where along the way if you want to expand the collection with a nice single action I can heartily suggest a Pietta from Marstar or the EE if any ever show up. I bought two of them for my cowboy action shooting some years back. I went for the Piettas as I wanted the authentic old "4 click" Colt style action and not Ruger's modern action. These guns are up around 6000 rounds or more each at this point and they just get better and better every time they come out with me. The short barrels are better for cowboy action but the 7.5" ones are actually more historically correct as they were far more numerous back in the ol' West.
 
BCRider said:
Given that you're typing more n' likely you are "sitting corrected" :D

Your S&W collection mirrors my own in almost every regard other than the 34. DARN THAT 12-6 THING! ! ! ! I've got a nice model 10/6" and a Brazilian return 1917 to make up for my lack of 12-6 :D Lovely things, aren't they?

Some where along the way if you want to expand the collection with a nice single action I can heartily suggest a Pietta from Marstar or the EE if any ever show up. I bought two of them for my cowboy action shooting some years back. I went for the Piettas as I wanted the authentic old "4 click" Colt style action and not Ruger's modern action. These guns are up around 6000 rounds or more each at this point and they just get better and better every time they come out with me. The short barrels are better for cowboy action but the 7.5" ones are actually more historically correct as they were far more numerous back in the ol' West.
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You will not believe this ... but I've actually been looking at a Pietta from Marstar for far more than a little while. Yup, gotta have that "Clint Eastwood in the bubble-bath" click.

Too bad the Texican disappeared so fast, but it was pricey ...

Marstar is a good store. I've had one of their Norinco .45's for about five years, and it is a fine firearm. I put on some pricey Herrett replica grips and sent it to that great shop in/near Prince George for the basic $100 tune-up.

I actually do live on a remote ranch. And I think that they're now making them Pietta revolvers in .44 Magnum. Not historically accurate, but close enough if you kinda squint your eyes just-so. A nice match for my Rossi RH ... great quad gun ... I bought one from the very first order that Wanstall's brought into the country about three years ago.

And yes, if I did get a Pietta SAA, I'd certainly get the horse-soldier barrel. Hey, Corb Lund is from these here parts!
 
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I'm not sure I'd want to shoot a steady diet of full power .44Mags from the Pietta. It won't blow up because they do proof them after all. But I think loads that strong would soon batter the gun into a lot of rattles and likely beat it so badly that it would go out of correct timing after a while. These really are guns that are best used with .45Colt or .44Spl like loadings. As in if you already load for .44Mag simply use the cases but make up some that are limited to .44Spl.

I've shot around 10 or 12 proper .357Mag rounds through mine in the 5 years I've had them. The rest are .38Spl loads. Which I feel is a significant factor in why they still lock up tight as a drum. The .357's don't have the power of the .44Mag so who knows what it would be like if I shot more of them. But I'm pretty sure that the .44Mag full house rounds would shoot the gun loose pretty quick. As in compared to my Super Blackhawk the Piettas are enough smaller that they look and feel a trifle "dainty".

If you're after a gun for full on .44Mag I'd suggest you go with a Ruger. But if you'd be happy with mostly .44Spl like loadings and the odd Magnum here and there for giggles I think you'll find that the Pietta works pretty well. And besides, a .44Spl like load isn't any slouch! It makes a .38Spl feel like a rimfire.
 
BCRider said:
I'm not sure I'd want to shoot a steady diet of full power .44Mags from the Pietta. It won't blow up because they do proof them after all. But I think loads that strong would soon batter the gun into a lot of rattles and likely beat it so badly that it would go out of correct timing after a while. These really are guns that are best used with .45Colt or .44Spl like loadings. As in if you already load for .44Mag simply use the cases but make up some that are limited to .44Spl.

I've shot around 10 or 12 proper .357Mag rounds through mine in the 5 years I've had them. The rest are .38Spl loads. Which I feel is a significant factor in why they still lock up tight as a drum. The .357's don't have the power of the .44Mag so who knows what it would be like if I shot more of them. But I'm pretty sure that the .44Mag full house rounds would shoot the gun loose pretty quick. As in compared to my Super Blackhawk the Piettas are enough smaller that they look and feel a trifle "dainty".

If you're after a gun for full on .44Mag I'd suggest you go with a Ruger. But if you'd be happy with mostly .44Spl like loadings and the odd Magnum here and there for giggles I think you'll find that the Pietta works pretty well. And besides, a .44Spl like load isn't any slouch! It makes a .38Spl feel like a rimfire.
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Yes, I do realize that the big Ruger is the sensible single-action for a .44 Magnum, and that a .45 Long Colt would be the most logical/correct Pietta. Actually, the RH is almost as handy as a big pistol, and stout like bull. And legal to carry, which is always nice ... :)
 
Just returned from holidays, had a chance to properly clean this pistol. Inside grips 2203 is scribed in it. I assume this makes it matching as it is the last 4 numbers in the serial number. Bore is excellent as is the inside of the cylinder. I am trulley blessed. Thanks again for all the advice..... after all this now I have kicked memories of childhood and want to get into cowboy action.... but not with this gun.
 
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