CAS with original firearms

Brickie

Brickie

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Do many people use original firearms during Cowboy action shoots. I want to join a club and have a 1st generation SAA built in 1904. It is in good condition and has not been fired at all in the 50 odd years it has been in our family. I read some posts about modern clones that might not stand up to the rigors of CAS and wonder if shooting old ones is best, or would I be putting a valuable heirloom at risk. Black powder vs smokeless in this firearm?
Thanks
 
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Brickie said:
Do many people use original firearms during Cowboy action shoots. I want to join a club and have a 1st generation SAA built in 1904. It is in good condition and has not been fired at all in the 50 years it has been in our family. I read some posts about modern clones that might not stand up to the rigors of CAS and wonder if shooting old ones is best, or would I be putting a valuable heirloom at risk. Black powder vs smokeless in this firearm?
Thanks
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Imho I would be more concerned for the wellfare of the firearm than anything else. Vintage weapons weren't built to withstand the rigorous pace of CAS. I think shooting it is great but I wouldn't use factory loads as they're made for todays firearms and pack much more of a punch. I'm sure you'll hear more from better informed people. Still, lucky you! Post a picture I for one would love to see it.
 
I regularly shoot CAS and occasionally I will bring out my 1903 vintage SAA with light loads.

A fellow club member uses strickly vintage guns, but these were "parts" guns from the begining, so it doesn't really matter if something wears out and needs to be replaced. In the SAA the parts that seem to give are hands, hand spring and cylinder locking bolts.

He shoots a pair of SAA's, one in .45 and the other 38-40. For his rifle he uses a re-lined 1873 in 44-40 and for shotgun either 1903 Win or a 10 guage hammered coach gun....All ammo is blackpowder.
 
" I read some posts about modern clones that might not stand up to the rigors of CAS" Interesting as most modern copies today are made for CAS, modern materials and parts are available. Get a value of your SAA maybe worth more as is, what caliber?.

You did not mention if you have other CAS guns or not, that would be your next challenge, another SAA, Rifle, Shotgun, etc. Not trying to put you off, best fun you can have is CAS.
 
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My Colt is a 38 WCF and I have a nice little Stoeger coach gun. I have been thinking about getting a Pietta instead of using the Colt and would love to get a Henry rifle of the same calibre to go with it. I'll get the Henry first and then order the pistol. One way or the other I will be shooting CAS this year.
 
Howdy, I occasionally use my original S&W new model #3 for a treat, but I wouldn't use it exclusively. Special occasion gun. Lot's of fun to shoot, but even though it's been rebuilt and refinished, I do worry about it's holding up to the rigors of 1,000's of rounds. My old model Ruger Vaquero's on the other hand, I've put thousands of shots through them, and apart from lighter springs and an action job when i first got them, I havn't had to do a thing to them. (apart from an annual cleaning, of course) Dead reliable. Enjoy the game, but if the gun is an heirloom, I'd save it for special occasions. I've seen a first generation SAA blow the top of it's cylinder and topstrap off, and it brought tears to my eyes. It WAS a beautiful gun. Cheers
 
If you shoot original Colts you would probably want to shoot duelist style. When you #### with your offhand you exert much more pressure on parts , such as the hand, bolt etc. unless they are timed perfectly you start to break stuff. Just my 2cents, your mileage may vary.
 
tumbleweeds13 said:
Howdy, I occasionally use my original S&W new model #3 for a treat, but I wouldn't use it exclusively. Special occasion gun. Lot's of fun to shoot, but even though it's been rebuilt and refinished, I do worry about it's holding up to the rigors of 1,000's of rounds. My old model Ruger Vaquero's on the other hand, I've put thousands of shots through them, and apart from lighter springs and an action job when i first got them, I havn't had to do a thing to them. (apart from an annual cleaning, of course) Dead reliable. Enjoy the game, but if the gun is an heirloom, I'd save it for special occasions. I've seen a first generation SAA blow the top of it's cylinder and topstrap off, and it brought tears to my eyes. It WAS a beautiful gun. Cheers
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Thats all I need to hear. She stays at home...mostly. Thanks. A bit of history on my pistol. My grandfather was a Major (acting Lt Col) in WW2 with the Royal Toronto Scotish and he took it with him when he was posted in England. It never went to the continent, but it did see the King.
 
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