Opinions for a first lever action for cowboy shooting

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DES0LAT0R

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I have been interested in cowboy guns for quite a long time and have a love for lever actions. I bought a 44 mag Marlin 1894 a few years ago and it was a nightmare. It had crooked sights. Sent it off for a warranty claim and the new rifle they sent also had crooked sights. I ended up getting something else for the warranty center.

So this whole process kind of put me off from the Marlins. So I've been looking at other options chambered in 357/38 so I can shoot more. I also wont be competing anytime soon, it would be more for just my amusement for now. Maybe one day.

My two main interests are the Uberti 1866 and the Chiappa 1892. I absolutely love the 1866 look, its a beautiful firearm. The thing that Im not crazy about is that its only 38, so im a little more limited on ammo. I dont reload at the moment, will one day, but for now Im going to stick to factory loads. I know the 1866 can be faster than the 1892. That being said, from my research, the 1892 is a much stronger action. So my question is, which would I be better off with? I like the 1866, but the 1892 is more affordable for me.

Also, Im a fan of the look of the octagonal barrels. I was wondering how much this would change the balance of the rifle. Would this make the rifle more front heavy and harder to handle?

Thanks in advance for the advice!
 
I started CAS with an 1892 in .44Mag and used .44Spl successfully in it. (Load my own)
Once I tried an 1866, with it's toggle action, I got rid of the'92
My current go to is an 1873 carbine.
I have found the 1860 (Henry), the 1866 and the 1873 with their toggle actions better for my purposes in CAS.
 
Howdy; most cowboy shooters run Winchester 73 in 38/357. Must hold 10 rounds in the mag. 38 brass mostly used.
Years ago I ran MARLIN 1894c in 357. Back then they were Marlins and way cheaper.
From Hamilton try the Wentworth club once they re open, talk to them at a match and hang out maybe. The three gun dates.
 
DESOLATOR:
A word to the wise: Go to the Single Action Shooting Society website and read/download the Shooters Handbook.
It will give you all the information you will need about the rules, costuming and firearms.
There are a number of shooting categories defined, based on age, costuming, calibre and type of firearm required to shoot the category.
For example, the .38/357 you mention could not be used if you decided to shoot Classic Cowboy.
Don't be in a rush to buy your handguns and shotgun. Go out to the posse, observe a match and ask questions.
Many CAS people will let you try their toys and you will get a feel for what will work for you.
For example, I thought I wanted S&W break actions, until I tried a fellow's and found they didn't feel right in my hands. That saved me money I would have spent for something that I found I didn't care for.
I went to Ruger Vaqueros and did OK with them until I found the New Model Vaquero, with it's smaller grip etc. suited me even better.
I'm still no great shakes but I have a lot of fun and I met some really great people.
I hope you get a chance to get out to join us in the near future.
 
Well OP, I hope you've got some reading time as there is simply no "3 line answer" to your queries on a good Lever gun...all of the models & manuf. you mention have good & bad ratings...no lever gun will do "all things" for all folks. I will try to use a bullet point form to make it less onerous to understand my babblings. I offer up my opinions soley as a person who has mechanic'd many lever gun for myself and friends and have also stood on the firing line holding a timer for many, many competitors using all the rifle options you ask about.

The first i will cover is 92 action:
The good points.... the cost point, the least expensive of the three.... they are good plinker's for casual target shooting...they can handle pressures up to SAAMI specs of all the cartridge's they are chambered for easily, this makes them adequate for hunting non dangerous game.
The bad points: If your usage may be as a "speed rifle" for any reason at any time, these actions are very prone to jamming at the most inappropriate time under any speed levering application, including competition or personal protection in the woods, they are quite simply the worst option available. It wont be a question of "if" it will stovepipe or eject a live round , it will be how often and how many times. The competition aspect of a 92 is completely viable for someone just out to have fun in a speed environment with no consequences to your placement with a jam-up...tens of thousands of folks do use a 92 in the Cowboy game every weekend and they have just as much fun as any speed demon with no stress applied if their rifle jams....but i will say again, for wilderness protection the 92 would have to be the only rifle left on the planet for me to choose or use one.
I might sound like I dislike the 92 rifles....nope, I own at least 4 of them presently, ( down from a dozen or so previously)....all original Winchesters, love them but only use them in accuracy competitions that are of the "slow fire" variety.

The Marlin 94:
The bad points of the Marlin....I had to think on this a bit to come up with something and the only glaring problem with them is period of manufacture has to be seriously looked at and verified but you already know about that from previous experience....just don't judge all Marlins from the first Remlins shipped.
The good point of the GOOD Marlins are many....right out of the box they are, for the most part, usable in any application. I say "for the most part" because if serious competition is the usage intended, they are easily re-springed and smoothed to be "as fast" as any toggle action in the hands of an experienced rifleman. Lots of "toggle gun" shooters will bristle at that statement but the two fastest times I have ever recorded at a "stand & deliver" lever rifle speed competition were both shot with a Marlin 94 in .357 ( using .38 SP ammo, times for ten shots, all hits were 3.7 & 3.9 seconds). My wife has used a couple of 94 Marlins for 20 yrs of cowboy shooting, 10's of thousands of rounds and still using them with confidence.
One thing makes the Marlin a much better choice for a personal protection option than the 92 and that is the controlled round aspect. The Marlins can handle the same cartridge pressures as the 92 but they will feed thousands of rounds in a row without jamming so you have power & reliability to save your hide.

The "Toggle action guns (Henry's (Uberti offering), 66's and 73's)
The bad points.... most of them come out of the box working like cheap off-shore 1/2 ratchets ( the exception being the Miroku 73's, expensive but completely usable as main match rifles from the box). The second bad point on them is that they are extremely sensitive, in their various form of being over powered by the ammo they are chambered in. Again I'm going to get roasted from the toggle guys but I have had too many of other folks rifles apart on my desk trying to fix bent or broken toggles & pins. The brass framed Henry's & the 66's can also suffer frame stretch from pressures that exceed their limits with just ordinary "hunting strength" 44-40 rounds. I have had 2 of these rifle on my desk that shot thousands of cowboy rounds with no issue but both owners decided they wanted to "kill a deer" with hunting rounds, both guns stretched in the frame so much that the firing pins stopped hitting the primers.... that's serious head spacing. I never will shoot anything stronger than a light cowboy load in a toggle rifle, mine or anybody else's.

The good points on the toggle guns are that all the "bad ratchet" issues are very easily fixed by someone competent to do so and they will offer a lifetime of fast & reliable usage if not over pressured. The first fix that iss essential on any of the Uberti rifle is the action springs need to be changed otherwise your lever nubbin will wear down prematurely and then your hooped until you can get another.
If "speed rifle" becomes your "huckleberry ", the 73's have the perceived edge here because of all the short stroke change-ups available commercially but only marginally over the Marlins with a competent operator.

Good luck and enjoy your lever gun, whichever form it arrives in.
 
If the barrels are made to the same external profile, then drilling it to .44 or .45 caliber takes away more metal and you end up with a lighter rifle than the "smaller" .357, so heft both and compare. Also check the Shooter's and Wild Bunch manuals for caliber restrictions. A large-bore rifle can be used across the board, while the smaller bore can limit you to only some aspects of the game.
 
The Cold Lake Kid said:
DESOLATOR:
A word to the wise: Go to the Single Action Shooting Society website and read/download the Shooters Handbook.
It will give you all the information you will need about the rules, costuming and firearms.
There are a number of shooting categories defined, based on age, costuming, calibre and type of firearm required to shoot the category.
For example, the .38/357 you mention could not be used if you decided to shoot Classic Cowboy.
Don't be in a rush to buy your handguns and shotgun. Go out to the posse, observe a match and ask questions.
Many CAS people will let you try their toys and you will get a feel for what will work for you.
For example, I thought I wanted S&W break actions, until I tried a fellow's and found they didn't feel right in my hands. That saved me money I would have spent for something that I found I didn't care for.
I went to Ruger Vaqueros and did OK with them until I found the New Model Vaquero, with it's smaller grip etc. suited me even better.
I'm still no great shakes but I have a lot of fun and I met some really great people.
I hope you get a chance to get out to join us in the near future.
Click to expand...

Good to know! I didn't realize there was caliger restrictions too. I would like to get into the black powder matches possibly one day. Maybe I'll wait and get an 1866 in 44-40 when I have the means to reload. I have some of the equipment but have never done it before. Is 44-40 simple and affordable to reload?

For now, maybe I'll stick to something 357 that I can shoot whatever off the shelf for fun, unless it would be best to just jump into reloading an older cartridge. The 1866 is my favourite, I'd really like one some day.
 
fingers284 said:
Well OP, I hope you've got some reading time as there is simply no "3 line answer" to your queries on a good Lever gun...all of the models & manuf. you mention have good & bad ratings...no lever gun will do "all things" for all folks. I will try to use a bullet point form to make it less onerous to understand my babblings. I offer up my opinions soley as a person who has mechanic'd many lever gun for myself and friends and have also stood on the firing line holding a timer for many, many competitors using all the rifle options you ask about.

The first i will cover is 92 action:
The good points.... the cost point, the least expensive of the three.... they are good plinker's for casual target shooting...they can handle pressures up to SAAMI specs of all the cartridge's they are chambered for easily, this makes them adequate for hunting non dangerous game.
The bad points: If your usage may be as a "speed rifle" for any reason at any time, these actions are very prone to jamming at the most inappropriate time under any speed levering application, including competition or personal protection in the woods, they are quite simply the worst option available. It wont be a question of "if" it will stovepipe or eject a live round , it will be how often and how many times. The competition aspect of a 92 is completely viable for someone just out to have fun in a speed environment with no consequences to your placement with a jam-up...tens of thousands of folks do use a 92 in the Cowboy game every weekend and they have just as much fun as any speed demon with no stress applied if their rifle jams....but i will say again, for wilderness protection the 92 would have to be the only rifle left on the planet for me to choose or use one.
I might sound like I dislike the 92 rifles....nope, I own at least 4 of them presently, ( down from a dozen or so previously)....all original Winchesters, love them but only use them in accuracy competitions that are of the "slow fire" variety.

The Marlin 94:
The bad points of the Marlin....I had to think on this a bit to come up with something and the only glaring problem with them is period of manufacture has to be seriously looked at and verified but you already know about that from previous experience....just don't judge all Marlins from the first Remlins shipped.
The good point of the GOOD Marlins are many....right out of the box they are, for the most part, usable in any application. I say "for the most part" because if serious competition is the usage intended, they are easily re-springed and smoothed to be "as fast" as any toggle action in the hands of an experienced rifleman. Lots of "toggle gun" shooters will bristle at that statement but the two fastest times I have ever recorded at a "stand & deliver" lever rifle speed competition were both shot with a Marlin 94 in .357 ( using .38 SP ammo, times for ten shots, all hits were 3.7 & 3.9 seconds). My wife has used a couple of 94 Marlins for 20 yrs of cowboy shooting, 10's of thousands of rounds and still using them with confidence.
One thing makes the Marlin a much better choice for a personal protection option than the 92 and that is the controlled round aspect. The Marlins can handle the same cartridge pressures as the 92 but they will feed thousands of rounds in a row without jamming so you have power & reliability to save your hide.

The "Toggle action guns (Henry's (Uberti offering), 66's and 73's)
The bad points.... most of them come out of the box working like cheap off-shore 1/2 ratchets ( the exception being the Miroku 73's, expensive but completely usable as main match rifles from the box). The second bad point on them is that they are extremely sensitive, in their various form of being over powered by the ammo they are chambered in. Again I'm going to get roasted from the toggle guys but I have had too many of other folks rifles apart on my desk trying to fix bent or broken toggles & pins. The brass framed Henry's & the 66's can also suffer frame stretch from pressures that exceed their limits with just ordinary "hunting strength" 44-40 rounds. I have had 2 of these rifle on my desk that shot thousands of cowboy rounds with no issue but both owners decided they wanted to "kill a deer" with hunting rounds, both guns stretched in the frame so much that the firing pins stopped hitting the primers.... that's serious head spacing. I never will shoot anything stronger than a light cowboy load in a toggle rifle, mine or anybody else's.

The good points on the toggle guns are that all the "bad ratchet" issues are very easily fixed by someone competent to do so and they will offer a lifetime of fast & reliable usage if not over pressured. The first fix that iss essential on any of the Uberti rifle is the action springs need to be changed otherwise your lever nubbin will wear down prematurely and then your hooped until you can get another.
If "speed rifle" becomes your "huckleberry ", the 73's have the perceived edge here because of all the short stroke change-ups available commercially but only marginally over the Marlins with a competent operator.

Good luck and enjoy your lever gun, whichever form it arrives in.
Click to expand...

Really good info, thanks! I might give the 357 Marlin another chance if I can find one near by that I can look at first. I do like the 1894, but I also love the 1866. I'm not really sure.

Maybe a 357 to start to keep costs down for then get an 1866 in 44-40 or something later to try a go at blackpowder matches?
 
old303 said:
If the barrels are made to the same external profile, then drilling it to .44 or .45 caliber takes away more metal and you end up with a lighter rifle than the "smaller" .357, so heft both and compare. Also check the Shooter's and Wild Bunch manuals for caliber restrictions. A large-bore rifle can be used across the board, while the smaller bore can limit you to only some aspects of the game.
Click to expand...

Hm, that's what I figured. Id like one in a bigger caliber, but ammo costs go up and it's a lot less affordable for me right now. Im not sure the costs of reloading 44-40 or 45, trying to get all the equipment to start.
 
DESOLATOR: Great info so far, from some highly experienced shooters who know what they're talking about.

About the only thing I might add, is to attend some local cowboy matches first, before making any hard decisions on which rifle to buy. Talk to the competitors. Ask plenty of questions. See what they prefer....and why. Cowboy action folks are a universally friendly bunch....always ready to welcome newcomers to the sport. Plus, share their time and expertise to help others. You won't be disappointed.

By the way, the Uberti 1866 is a great rifle for the sport. Many competitors use these,with great success. So if that is your choice....you will soon find that there are plenty of fellow admirers.

Though I think the 1866 is hands down, one of the most beautiful lever action rifles ever made.....my personal vote would be for the Uberti 1873...for purely practical reasons. As it's easily detachable side plates make it a bit easier to strip , clean and maintain, than the '66. But that's my only objection to the '66.

Fingers284 covered a lot of ground on rifle choices. I would only add that the Uberti 1866/1873 rifles are easily the most popular rifles for the sport. Very smooth and fast handling. Maybe not so much right out of the box, compared to their Miroku-Winchester counterparts(Worth looking into). But...the Uberti rifles are easy to modify, if desired. Uberti enjoys a very broad network of easily available aftermarket competitive and OEM parts. Worth considering.

Still, I would not shy away from a Marlin 1894, either. I am acquainted with several top shooters who run Marlin '94's. The Champion buckles they wear, being a good indicator of the confidence they have in these rifles. Now that Ruger has taken over ownership of the Marlin brand, these rifles may once again enjoy the reputation of being well built and dependable rifles.

If you can find one, the Rossi 1892 is a fun, fast handling and nimble rifle for the sport. Very rugged and reliable. I own one chambered in .357, and like it. Though the '92's action doesn't tend to run quite as fast and smoothly as the '66/'73 (not the rifle's fault...mechanical differences, that's all).....with a bit of judicious polishing of the internals and swapping out springs, they can be made to run pretty smooth and fast.

I have no hand-on experience with the Chiappa 1892. So can't offer any advice. Still, one of these may suit, just fine.

As far as octagon versus round barrel goes....I own rifles in both configurations, and have not observed any appreciable difference in handling between one and the other.

You mentioned that eventually you'd like to try black powder cartridge shooting. In my opinion, the .44-40 is ideal for the task. You can shoot bp in .357 and .45 Colt too. The 1866/1873 rifles are the easiest to maintain, when shooting bp. Very simple to strip down and clean. Marlin 1894 next. With the 1892's being a bit trickier.

The .38/.357 is always a good choice for one of these rifles. Regardless of brand. This caliber is easily the most popular and widest used in the game. Easy to shoot and accurate. Plenty of readily available ammo and components. Plus....inexpensive to reload, compared to other calibers. Since cowboy action is very much a reloader's game(you'd be shocked at the amount of ammo the average competitor goes through over the course of a year). To get enough shooting in, eventually you're going to have to reload your ammo. So it pays to take that into consideration, too.
As mentioned, there are specific categories where the .38/.357 is not allowed. But for the majority of the sport....it is a good choice. Next most popular choice for all-around shooting, is the .45 Colt. Plenty of ammo and reloading components available for this caliber, too. I know a few shooters who shoot .44 mag. on a regular basis. Not seen as often as other calibers, but likewise a viable choice. Since you've owned one in the past, you're already familiar with shooting them.

Since you live in Hamilton, there are any number of clubs which host cowboy action matches, within an easy drive. For information, go to the OSASF (Ontario Single Action Shooting Federation) site, for a full list of clubs and upcoming matches. There isn't much going on right now, due to Covid restrictions. Otherwise, the calendar would be pretty full, right about now. But.....July is starting to look promising. I expect to see local matches scheduled before long. And they put on some good ones!!

In the meantime....Welcome to the sport! Be sure to keep on asking your good questions. There are plenty of very experienced cowboy shooters here, who will willingly share their knowledge with you.



Al

ps: Be sure to visit the Jed i TV cowboy action website. In my opinion, the best and most accurate cowboy action on the internet. Highly entertaining and informative.

Note: As mentioned, the Miroku-Winchester 1866/1873 rifles are another good choice. Unlike Uberti rifles, which all need some tuning to run competitively, the Winchester rifles are competition-ready, right out of the box. Outstanding build quality. Very smooth, fast handling and accurate. Though they haven't caught up to Uberti yet for competition parts, they are very fine rifles for the sport. I run one of these regularly, alongside my main-match Ubertis, and really like it.
 
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DESOLATOR:
You mentioned you might get into Holy Black, in .44-40 at some point.
That is a good choice of calibre for BP but can be a little tricky to load; the thin neck of the .44-40 seals nicely, when it is fired, and keeps a lot of crud out of the action, but care must be taken with the depth of powder in the case when loading and seating a bullet. Get some mentoring on that if you choose that route.
I'm too old and lazy to shoot Holy Black, but I have nothing but admiration for those who do.
And the clouds of smoke from 10 pistol, 10 rifle and 4 to 6 shotgun shells on days when the mosquitos are out, is a side benefit!! LOL
 
Alex McKr said:
DESOLATOR:


By the way, the Uberti 1866 is a great rifle for the sport. Many competitors use these,with great success. So if that is your choice....you will soon find that there are plenty of fellow admirers.

Though I think the 1866 is hands down, one of the most beautiful lever action rifles ever made.....my personal vote would be for the Uberti 1873...for purely practical reasons. As it's easily detachable side plates make it a bit easier to strip , clean and maintain, than the '66. But that's my only objection to the '66.

Like Alex, I love the 66...I had one & if I ever get a do-over again in my life it will be to re-acquire that rifle...I was serial #erd to having been used in the filming of "Lonesome Dove". I had the studio letter and passed it on to the new owner. Man I had to be hard up at the time to let er go.

There is one safety consideration the OP should know about concerning the 66 compared to the 73's. The 66 don't have the trigger block/lock that requires the lever to be fully closed and cartridge fully chambered before it will fire. The 66 can fire anytime a cartridge is hooked into the extractor if the trigger is released. It doesn't happen often but has been recorded at CAS matches when used under the speed conditions we operate at. With diligent attention to detail they can be used completely safely but just know that the condition exists.
Click to expand...
 
Should also note that every cowboy/cowgirl at the match is a unique character and doesn't have to be carrying exactly the set of "best" firearms for the sport. If there's something that feels right to you and it fits within the safety rules then by all means bring it. Certainly as people get competitive they have to zero in on what runs fastest, but most of us aren't in the top running. Does make a more colourful match when all of the reasonable choices and maybe an oddity or two are seen at the firing line.

There's also the consideration of whether you can find a combination of lever gun & revolvers that run on the same cartridge so you can leave your reloading press set up for that, or if you go with something different and have to do runs of both calibers but you can pick a lever without having to think about revolvers too and vice versa.
 
old303 hit it right on the head. "Run whut ya brung"!....is a phrase often heard in cowboy action circles. There are any number of quality firearms available that will allow you to compete, without having to break the bank. Only you....and your budget....can decide what is best for you. Still....over time, your needs may change. So it pays to consider carefully which combination of firearms may suit best, in your long range plans. That is why it pays to go to several matches first, before deciding.

As old303 also mentions, it makes perfect sense to match all your firearms by caliber. Which gives a person the option to use exactly the same match ammo in all their guns. Not only will it simplify your reloading tasks....it greatly reduces the chances for mistakes.
I can recall on several occasions, where a shooter showed up at a major match, with the wrong ammo for one of their guns. Or, forgot to pack the right ammo, altogether. So stick to the "KISS" plan at all times...and you will be fine.

By the way.....Fingers, I feel your pain. I also owned a fine Uberti 1866, at one time....and ended up selling the thing. Hindsight being 20-20....not exactly one of my brightest decisions. Got a Miroku-Winchester in mind, these days. Being a fan of bp cartridge shooting....chambered in .44-40....naturally. Just a matter of deciding when to "pull the trigger"and order one.

Al

By the way DESOLATOR, when the season finally gets going, be sure to drop in at one of Decew's cowboy matches. Always a great time. Plus the opportunity to get to meet some really first rate people. Right in your back yard. Even though you may not be ready to enter the sport right away....it's still a good chance to gain some useful insight into cowboy action competition.
 
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Alex McKr said:
By the way.....Fingers, I feel your pain. I also owned a fine Uberti 1866, at one time....and ended up selling the thing. Hindsight being 20-20....not exactly one of my brightest decisions. Got a Miroku-Winchester in mind, these days. Being a fan of bp cartridge shooting....chambered in .44-40....naturally. Just a matter of deciding when to "pull the trigger"and order one.
Click to expand...

There's ALWAYS that one more gun we need... and then the one after that. Your wonderfully informative post earlier has me thinking to round out my lever collection, and every cowboy has to have both the side-by-side and the '97, and then another set of revolvers comes by. However, I am wary of dreaming that I'd be totally awesome on the line with a different gun as a way of dodging putting in some work at getting better with the one I have.
 
old303: Guns are a lot like potato chips. You can't have just one. Plus, there's always room for one more! I too, am wary of getting caught in that trap. But then, the itch starts to take over again. Before you know it.....there's another shiny new gun in the safe.
So lately, I've been concentrating more on improving my skills with the guns I now have. Rather than pinning my hopes for a Champion buckle, on the latest addition to the "herd". But a fella can still dream! Besides, there's that extra slot in my gun cabinet that 'needs' filling! Or so I keep telling myself.

Al
 
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OOOHHH... and one more warning to anybody who buys a Uberti to be used in a speed event...Some of those triggers from the factory are almost thin enough on the very end to be classed as sharp...always file the end of the trigger to a flat condition. Even with the end flat it will still hurt like hell when, at speed, you bring that lever up with your trigger finger between it & the trigger but it wont poke 1/2 way thru your finger before you can stop...the full deal 1/2 poke hurts waaaay worse and last much longer...ask me how I know this is fact.
 
fingers284: As the saying goes: "Once bitten. Twice shy". Got bitten by an Uberti trigger while practicing at the range, only last week. My own dang fault....got out of time on the lever stroke when running at speed (too much lockdown, not enough trigger time) and got bitten when my trigger finger decided it wanted to go thataway, instead of thisaway.
Notch on the pad of my trigger finger remains as a nice reminder to slow down and pay attention, next time. Especially after a long layoff between practice and matches. And you're right...the blunted end of the trigger does hurt a mite less. But just a mite.
 
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DES0LAT0R said:
I have been interested in cowboy guns for quite a long time and have a love for lever actions. I bought a 44 mag Marlin 1894 a few years ago and it was a nightmare. It had crooked sights. Sent it off for a warranty claim and the new rifle they sent also had crooked sights. I ended up getting something else for the warranty center.

So this whole process kind of put me off from the Marlins. So I've been looking at other options chambered in 357/38 so I can shoot more. I also wont be competing anytime soon, it would be more for just my amusement for now. Maybe one day.

My two main interests are the Uberti 1866 and the Chiappa 1892. I absolutely love the 1866 look, its a beautiful firearm. The thing that Im not crazy about is that its only 38, so im a little more limited on ammo. I dont reload at the moment, will one day, but for now Im going to stick to factory loads. I know the 1866 can be faster than the 1892. That being said, from my research, the 1892 is a much stronger action. So my question is, which would I be better off with? I like the 1866, but the 1892 is more affordable for me.

Also, Im a fan of the look of the octagonal barrels. I was wondering how much this would change the balance of the rifle. Would this make the rifle more front heavy and harder to handle?

Thanks in advance for the advice!
Click to expand...

My experience mirrors yours when it comes to the Marlin 94 in 44 Mag. IMHO not a good choice for CAS. The Marlin 94 in 38/357 is another story. The odd one comes pretty gritty and needs some cleaning and deburring, but they work and shoot well from what I see at our matches. I personally don't own one.

The '66 has some issues, IMO you may as well go with a '73. The main issue with a '66 is the ladle, it can break, and usually does. My '66 is a Cimarron, and I changed the lifter to a light weight one and put in a short stroke kit. Loading ammo for it can be a challenge. The challenge being to have the cartridge at the correct length for reliable and fast feeding and to have a bullet shape that feeds well. IMHO the absolute best bullet is the one the X-Metal discontinued. It was a 147 gr that you could adjust the OAL easily. I never had an issue with that bullet, other than it's no longer available.

tnNLR0S.jpg


Also mentioned is the '73 Winchester made by Miroku. I have one in 38/357 and I run it as it came out of the box. As issued it has a bit shorter stroke than the Uberti. Parts are not interchangeable between the Uberti and Miroku. My Miroku '73 has a crescent butt plate, something that I prefer as it will stay but on your shoulder. I use the same ammo in either, and I have yet to develop a 357 load. My 38 Spl ammo works well enough.

An octagon barrel weighs more, and IMO it is a steadier running rifle for shooting off hand.

My bigger bore for Wild bunch is a Uberti '73 Deluxe in 45 Colt. I bought it used and a few of the friction points are a bit worn. It was a bit tricky to set up, but it works well.

I've owned a Rossi '92, in 44-40. If I were to go the '92 route, I would avoid the cheaper Rossi or Chiappa versions. My Rossi was fraught with flaws, I sold it. I've also run a Winchester 1894 in 44-40, and it fed surprisingly well. It was also accurate, but started to eat itself after several 100 rounds. No matter how often or with what lube was used, the metal would gall. Commemorative Winchester, and I'd avoid those as well.

A bit of a snake to fine tune, but a pump, like a Colt Lightning Rifle. They run fast, but you need to know something about guns IMO.

I really comes down to what you want to shoot. An 1860 is by far the coolest rifle to run cowboy with. I'd like to get one with an iron receiver, as opposed to the brass. I find that my '66 gets pretty dinged up from the empties flying every which direction. Most shooters pick a 38/357 caliber. The 44-40 will feed the best because of the tapered case, and 45 Colt is the easiest to load for a rifle. Just about every bullet made for the 45 will seat to the correct length. It is a bit dirtier to shoot, but it works well.

Having fun is the name of the Cowboy game.

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My '73 is on top. my '66 on the bottom. The one in the middle is my son's 92, a Rossi with no issues, a fine shooting rifle in 44 mag. The innards have been slicked up, the slab sides have been draw filed and block sanded smooth and polished. IMO the Rossi is a kit gun, some rework and finishing required.
 
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