Is gunspinning and fast draw now dead as a sport
- Thread starter Jefferson
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I am certainly no gunspinnin' expert, but I have always played with it. A word of advice: get a model gun to start with or use one you don't mind dropping a lot. You'll drop the gun or knock it out of your hand on the holster accidently while learning. Practicing while standing on a mattress works fine as well. Once you "get it" you actually do "get it". It helps to practice every now and then, but the basic spin-into-the-holster is like riding a bike. A 4 3/4 inch or 5 1/2 inch Peacemaker is a bit easier to spin, but the long one works fine too.
You can do it with the longer barrel, as I said. A high-riding holster and a long barrel require you to really control your spin and timing -- but it can be done. And it impresses the peanut gallery. Well, as long as you don't fumble the spin and drop it.
I like the Peacemaker a lot. Well, in a decent caliber I do. I'd take a 5-shot .45 Colt Peacemaker over a lot of what's out there. I like the Pietta copies, that's what I have. My wife's is the short fancy one. She just adores it. .45 Colt using a full-power black powder load is a bit explosive for her, but a 230 grain LRN out of a .45 Cowboy Special case with 23 grains of Fffg suits her fine.
My own Cavalry Model came with one-piece wooden grips, but I also got myself a set of rubbers from Vintage Grips. I go back and forth as to which I like best. But with a 35 grain or 40 grain load of Fffg and a 260 grain RNFP the wood grips hurt my little girly hand quite a bit less. These were the two I used in those videos.
You can do it with the longer barrel, as I said. A high-riding holster and a long barrel require you to really control your spin and timing -- but it can be done. And it impresses the peanut gallery. Well, as long as you don't fumble the spin and drop it.
I like the Peacemaker a lot. Well, in a decent caliber I do. I'd take a 5-shot .45 Colt Peacemaker over a lot of what's out there. I like the Pietta copies, that's what I have. My wife's is the short fancy one. She just adores it. .45 Colt using a full-power black powder load is a bit explosive for her, but a 230 grain LRN out of a .45 Cowboy Special case with 23 grains of Fffg suits her fine.
My own Cavalry Model came with one-piece wooden grips, but I also got myself a set of rubbers from Vintage Grips. I go back and forth as to which I like best. But with a 35 grain or 40 grain load of Fffg and a 260 grain RNFP the wood grips hurt my little girly hand quite a bit less. These were the two I used in those videos.
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I can shoot nerf darts out of my revolver if I want, it doesn't change the classification of the gun.
If the pistols are or were restricted pistols, they can only ever be either restricted firearms, prohibited firearms, or deactivated and unregulated.
If you were using something like a starter pistol that'd be different. Admittedly I don't know much about gun spinning or quickdraw, but AFAIK they use normal, single action revolvers, no?
Nice job Cal! You're pretty smooth and quick on the draw and fire, but unlike most of us you have actually had to use your guns against others from what I remember of your previous posts. You just need the cigar, hat and poncho!
Back when I was still the IPSC/Manitoba Director -- or maybe it was only months after Ches Baron took over (fall, 1982) we had a match that was man-on-man against Pepper Poppers with a stop plate. I elected to use my early 586 using .357 Magnum 158 grain loads that were loaded over 15.0 grains of 2400 to guarantee that the Poppers fell. So, it was man-on-man and my loads were dumping the Poppers nicely and I ended up winning at the end.
The range officer was Derek Popowich, a good friend who died of throat cancer in late 1991 or so (I was already in Mexico when he died). The match was over, I had already won the man-on-man part, and Derek said from behind me: "Unload and show clear." So I dumped my brass. I had shot all 6 shots, so it was all empties. "Okay, hammer down and holster" he said.
"Can I spin it into my holster?" I asked. He just sort of froze. I turned my head to look at him, keeping the gun pointed downrange. "Can I spin my gun into the holster?" I asked again. Understand: I had actually been there when Murray Gardner, Ken Kulach, Todd Birch, Paul Marrett and several other Canadian Top IPSC shooters wrote what became IPSC Rule Book One -- in Paul Marrett's basement -- over the August long weekend in Calgary in 1980 during the Canadian IPSC Championships of that year. I knew the rules. I was there when we wrote them.
Derek stook there, mouth open. There were many witnesses behind him. And then he said: "Don't drop it or I'll disqualify you." I took that as a "yes", and spun the 586 into my holster, which was a Ted Blocker custom holster I'd had made up when I got my 586 (ordered at the 1981 Bianchi Cup after a test-fire with the S&W reps who were pre-selling them there. I never expected it to actually make it to Canada, but it did, and I cherished it). I had already found out that the 6-inch 586 spun rather decently.
So it spun just fine into the holster. Derek seemed impressed. And that was it. Nothing more was made of it. Oh, well, those were different days then.
Have you guys been watching the videos of that Tuco The Rat guy on youtube? Fanning the hammer of his single-action race-guns? I'm impressed. I won't do that with mine, I don't want to bash up my actions but damn, that guy fans and hipshoots better than I'd ever have believed if I didn't see the videos. Hot stuff if you're into that sort of thing.
Hamming it up for my son on our patio in San Miguel. This old Pietta 1851 Navy worked for gun-spinnin' well enough. The bulge on my left-side pocket was my pocket snubby, that I moved over to the other side so he could film a gun spin to analyse. He wanted to learn. He dropped that 1851 a few times onto the mattress I made him stand on, but he did "get it" after a bit. Shorter barrels are easy to learn on -- but not too short, either. Pocket snubbies don't usually "print" badly, but I guess I just shoved it into the pocket to get on with it and didn't get it too straight.
No I hadn't, but I subscribed now. Because you're in Mexico most of the time, do you tend to focus ownership and practise on small concealable six-guns since legal ownership of long guns is presumably harder to get? I only know of Mexico's laws from your posts.
Long guns, shotguns and pistols and revolvers are about equally hard to get. The problem in Mexico right now is availability and price of components to reload because factory ammo is very hard to get and super expensive -- and only Aguila generally and the quality is "iffy". We were just starting to get going on "Practical Rifle" when I came back up here. That will be a focus when I'm back in Mexico and hopefully the primer and powder situation has relaxed just a little bit. Primers are the big problem right now.
The AR-15 and Mini-14 rifles can be registered in Mexico if you are in a Club and can get the letters from the President of the Club and whatever Practical Shooting group exists. Some Clubs have a very corrupt set-up and they won't look at you unless you are one of the "in" crowd. In the Queretaro Club, I think they're a pretty even crew. I myself would like to build an AR (most are built on 80% receivers). All I have for a rifle now is a 1912 built, 1913 shipped Model 94 in 30-30. A "Mexican Revolution Gun" which is something everyone sort of keeps an eye out for.
When Wally registered his Model 28 almost 2 months ago now, the Mexican Army registered it to his father-in-law's ranch for "Home Defense" as Wally was not in a Club yet. Imagine getting a firearm registered for that here in Canada. We use the pistols and revolvers a lot in competition because that's what you'll have with you on the street or in the rural areas if you run into trouble. You will be packing without authorization in most cases, so it will be hidden and thus we concentrate a lot on smaller, defensive firearms.
When we shoot a PPC or something, there are 4 classes: Target (long barrels up to 8 3/8 inches), Service guns (up to 5 inches) and Super Snubby (a K-frame or Python Snubby basically) and Snubby (5-shot S&W or 6-shot Colt).
Right now I'm only in Mexico 1/3 of the time. Working up to 1/2 the time. Wishing it was full-time, but I'm working on that.
The AR-15 and Mini-14 rifles can be registered in Mexico if you are in a Club and can get the letters from the President of the Club and whatever Practical Shooting group exists. Some Clubs have a very corrupt set-up and they won't look at you unless you are one of the "in" crowd. In the Queretaro Club, I think they're a pretty even crew. I myself would like to build an AR (most are built on 80% receivers). All I have for a rifle now is a 1912 built, 1913 shipped Model 94 in 30-30. A "Mexican Revolution Gun" which is something everyone sort of keeps an eye out for.
When Wally registered his Model 28 almost 2 months ago now, the Mexican Army registered it to his father-in-law's ranch for "Home Defense" as Wally was not in a Club yet. Imagine getting a firearm registered for that here in Canada. We use the pistols and revolvers a lot in competition because that's what you'll have with you on the street or in the rural areas if you run into trouble. You will be packing without authorization in most cases, so it will be hidden and thus we concentrate a lot on smaller, defensive firearms.
When we shoot a PPC or something, there are 4 classes: Target (long barrels up to 8 3/8 inches), Service guns (up to 5 inches) and Super Snubby (a K-frame or Python Snubby basically) and Snubby (5-shot S&W or 6-shot Colt).
Right now I'm only in Mexico 1/3 of the time. Working up to 1/2 the time. Wishing it was full-time, but I'm working on that.
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I started learning how to spin with a "replica" Peacemaker. They still sell them, although they're no longer 37.95. You want one that's more or less the same weight. You will drop it. Buying a real one that's deactivated would cost more than a replica. Probably, unless you got lucky.
A scene from early black & white television from the show "Maverick" with James Garner that has always impressed me. Any gunspinning I do is amateur hour stuff compared to this. To me, it appears to be shot with mostly one take and it's not just "good", it's amazing. For those who have not seen it, and sorry for the quality but it's the best I could find, here it is. Enjoy:
Watching it again several times, I see they did cut the camera when he spun the gun into the holster the first time. That would have allowed them to insert it facing backwards, butt in the holster, to finish off the scene. And it appears he did get it "right", but the gun probably would not have stayed put long without being shoved down a little more firmly. But still: impressive spinning. At my age now, it's not going to happen.
Watching it again several times, I see they did cut the camera when he spun the gun into the holster the first time. That would have allowed them to insert it facing backwards, butt in the holster, to finish off the scene. And it appears he did get it "right", but the gun probably would not have stayed put long without being shoved down a little more firmly. But still: impressive spinning. At my age now, it's not going to happen.
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A tad late to chime in in this thread but I'll throw here my opinion as I keep getting e-mails from people wanted to join Fast Draw sport.
Fast Draw started around 1955 but it took 10 years to become very popular. At the time western movies were on every channel and folks were drawn to the sport just as today folks are attracted to 3 gun, IPSC and other gun sports that involve modern firearms. I think is just the fashion related to the products available on the market.
Gun spinning was never a big thing. It is very popular with exhibition performers during reenactment acts and local western gigs. There are quite few very good people out there extremely skilled with gun spinning but they are very few. One of them is Howard Darby from Calgary who was into gun spinning many years ago but then he was more focused on his first love which was Fast Draw. Howard is one the ambassadors of the sport and is highly respected around the world everywhere Fast Draw exist as a sport.
The sport of Fast Draw is not very popular nowadays due to a series of factors. But the sport is still alive in different parts of this side of the pond. In UK for example there are quite few Fast Draw clubs and those folks are hardcore shooters. Japan is another country where I saw some amazing shooting skills. Both countries named above have draconic rules when it comes with guns but they still do it no matter what.
In US and Canada there are many clubs allover the place. There are few main organizations with clubs allover both countries. CFDA and the factions of it will not allow modified guns and holsters. They all shoot stock single action and as ammo is only wax bullets from various distances. They also won't allow the use of both hands so thumbing is all they do.
WFDA is the only Fast Draw organization who allows guns to be modified for the sole purpose of speed. WFDA allows one hand or both hands shooting. Also they have contests where people can shoot either wax bullets or black powder blanks depend on the contest. WFDA is more permissive to put it simple. In WFDA the gun can be thumbed, fanned or twisted depending on the contest.
There is no Fast Draw organization that allow the use of live ammo from obvious reasons. Back in late 50's people were using live ammo and they were blowing their knee caps of so they decided to change something.
As a whole Fast Draw is a sport for everyone. Is plain awesome to see kids, women and men shooting in the same contest. Families come together around the same denominator spiced with BBQ's, raffles, shooting, showing of costumes and guns and everything in between.
I participated in contests held in the middle of towns, fairgrounds, deserts and all kinds of public places. As long there is a power source for the lights and timers a contest can be held virtually anywhere.
Popularity of a sport raises and fades through the years depending on a variety of factors. It has always been like that and will always be.
Fast Draw started around 1955 but it took 10 years to become very popular. At the time western movies were on every channel and folks were drawn to the sport just as today folks are attracted to 3 gun, IPSC and other gun sports that involve modern firearms. I think is just the fashion related to the products available on the market.
Gun spinning was never a big thing. It is very popular with exhibition performers during reenactment acts and local western gigs. There are quite few very good people out there extremely skilled with gun spinning but they are very few. One of them is Howard Darby from Calgary who was into gun spinning many years ago but then he was more focused on his first love which was Fast Draw. Howard is one the ambassadors of the sport and is highly respected around the world everywhere Fast Draw exist as a sport.
The sport of Fast Draw is not very popular nowadays due to a series of factors. But the sport is still alive in different parts of this side of the pond. In UK for example there are quite few Fast Draw clubs and those folks are hardcore shooters. Japan is another country where I saw some amazing shooting skills. Both countries named above have draconic rules when it comes with guns but they still do it no matter what.
In US and Canada there are many clubs allover the place. There are few main organizations with clubs allover both countries. CFDA and the factions of it will not allow modified guns and holsters. They all shoot stock single action and as ammo is only wax bullets from various distances. They also won't allow the use of both hands so thumbing is all they do.
WFDA is the only Fast Draw organization who allows guns to be modified for the sole purpose of speed. WFDA allows one hand or both hands shooting. Also they have contests where people can shoot either wax bullets or black powder blanks depend on the contest. WFDA is more permissive to put it simple. In WFDA the gun can be thumbed, fanned or twisted depending on the contest.
There is no Fast Draw organization that allow the use of live ammo from obvious reasons. Back in late 50's people were using live ammo and they were blowing their knee caps of so they decided to change something.
As a whole Fast Draw is a sport for everyone. Is plain awesome to see kids, women and men shooting in the same contest. Families come together around the same denominator spiced with BBQ's, raffles, shooting, showing of costumes and guns and everything in between.
I participated in contests held in the middle of towns, fairgrounds, deserts and all kinds of public places. As long there is a power source for the lights and timers a contest can be held virtually anywhere.
Popularity of a sport raises and fades through the years depending on a variety of factors. It has always been like that and will always be.
