Thanks for the input SoBored I haven't shot any of the mentioned calibers, so my first step I guess is to try to get as much trigger time as possible with as many cowboy calibre as I can. 45 colt just seems to have that lore and appeal to me. I plan on getting out to the shoot that is going on at the club I belong to this weekend.
Looking to get into Cowboy Action looking for gun store advice
- Thread starter mmeechan
- Start date
If you plan on entering more than 3 Cowboy matches a year, irregardless of caliber, learning to reload is the only way to go. Honestly I shoot about 19-20 Cowboy matches a year, the wife at least 15 and there is no way I could afford buying "factory ammo". Also you can build loads for the specific firearm your shooting in order to maximize accuracy. When your reloading, the difference in loading .38/.357 and .44/.45 is only about $30.00/thousand and that depends on whom you buy your bullets from. If you have lots of time on your hands you could even get into casting your own bullets.
I couldn't agree more. You could buy a lee anniversary kit and a set of dies for about $200 and that's about all you need for straight wall pistol cartridges. No lube, no brass stretch really. Then you buy 5000 primers in bulk for about $150-$200, 3 or 4 pounds of powder, and 5000 projectiles for about $400+ and you're set for years. No worrying about supplies drying up and leaving you stranded with a match coming up. The bullet only has to make it about 20 yards and hit a steel plate so it's not near as finicky as other reloading.
This will really slash your costs, plus you can tailor your alloy to your guns and velocity to reduce leading. Another $200 investment that can pay for itself within about 2000 projectiles.
This sport can snowball, but it's a hell of a lot of fun and once the initial setup is done, it's really quite affordable. Many matches are about $25, include door prizes and some include lunch.
"Boxlock" Hammerless double barrel shotguns were first patented in 1875 in Europe and were increasingly available during the 1880's in North America, which is in the time frame of "The Real West".
Cariboo Lefty
CGN Regular
- Location
- Kamloops BC
Take my word for it, I used to shoot 45s, Shoot 38s, whether you buy ammo or reload, 38s are cheap enough to allow you to get lots of practice. If you shoot in the States and fly you can carry enough 38 ammo to shoot a whole match(11 pounds on a plane). Not possible with 45s. 38 brass is still cheap enough and common enough that losing brass at a match, or while practicing, is not a major concern. People who tell you that 38s are only for gamers have not been to a whole lot of matches. Around here and in matches that I have attended in the US at least half the people that shoot smokeless use 38s, and about half of the competitors that shoot 45s, in smokeless, download them drastically. I have never noticed any difference in fun between 45 shooters and 38 shooters, I believe that I am a gamer, I shoot 38s, but nobody has more fun than I do.
Picked up my stock Uberti 73 tonight from Shooters Choice in Waterloo. Those guys were great. Even stayed past closing for me as the police had the 401 closed for an accident.
I think I may have to eat my words though and do some tuning to the 73. The action is a lot stiffer than the one someone lent me at the cowboy match I went to. Also, it has a safety where the lever has to be fully up and pulled tight to depress before you can pull the trigger. I'm almost certain the one I fired at the match didn't have that. Do people remove that? Is that legal/allowed/advisable?
Also bought a Stoeger coach gun supreme. The lock release lever is really stiff, and the safety engages every time you reload. Is that normal in the ones used in cowboy? I used a pump in the match I participated in, so I'm not sure. I just know the guys with the sxs were really fast.
I think I may have to eat my words though and do some tuning to the 73. The action is a lot stiffer than the one someone lent me at the cowboy match I went to. Also, it has a safety where the lever has to be fully up and pulled tight to depress before you can pull the trigger. I'm almost certain the one I fired at the match didn't have that. Do people remove that? Is that legal/allowed/advisable?
Also bought a Stoeger coach gun supreme. The lock release lever is really stiff, and the safety engages every time you reload. Is that normal in the ones used in cowboy? I used a pump in the match I participated in, so I'm not sure. I just know the guys with the sxs were really fast.
Often, just shooting them will loosen them up. If not, a quick trip to gunsmith might be in order. Take the '73 in with the Stoeger when you get your g'smith to disable the safety. You may have to have the chambers polished as well.
I have a Pedersoli Wyatt Earp that was very stiff when I first took it out. A dozen or so shots later and all was good.
I have a Pedersoli Wyatt Earp that was very stiff when I first took it out. A dozen or so shots later and all was good.
The wife and I went to Cowtown and Winter Range this year for the first time in February. I shot "Wild Bunch" at both ranges as well as the main matches. This was my first time shooting a "Lost Brass" match. OUCHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I lost 500 .45acp brass, 240 rds of .44 Mag brass and about 500 rds of .38 Spl brass. I attended the Calgary gun show when I got back and paid $40 for 1,000 once fired .38 Spl brass but had to pay almost factory new prices to replace the .44 Mag & .45acp.
A good Cowboy gunsmith can disable the automatic safety and make the safety only functional when you physically make the effort to engage it. SxS are really fast when engaging 4 targets or less, or when shooting a popper that launches another target in the air. When you get to stages with 6 or even 8 shotgun, the Winchester M97 has the edge. Try different brands of 12 gauge ammo to find out which plastic hulls fall out of your gun fastest. I would recommend getting a 12 gauge Flexhone for polishing the chamber from Brownells, if you don't have a gunsmith do it. It is worth its weight in gold.
picked up a Uberti 1873 short rifle in .357 and i have some .38 special snap caps. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that it won't eject them.
Seems the magazine follower pushes the next cartridge into the loading area and because the cartridges are shorter than .357 they jam the lifter.
There goes my idea of being able to shoot .38 special in both my pistols and rifle.
Anyone run into this and have a solution they would like to share?
Seems the magazine follower pushes the next cartridge into the loading area and because the cartridges are shorter than .357 they jam the lifter.
There goes my idea of being able to shoot .38 special in both my pistols and rifle.
Anyone run into this and have a solution they would like to share?
Cariboo Lefty
CGN Regular
- Location
- Kamloops BC
Measure the lenght of your snap caps. I load 38s to 1.48 in lenght and have no issuse at all with feed.
- Location
- Prince George B.C.
Same here. I load my .38's long and have no issues with feeding.
John
John
Good call, but I still not entirely sure why. The real rounds and the snap caps are within 1/8". Here are a few pics. One would think that I would have a jam issue with the real cartridges, but they were fine.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmeechan/8897377578/in/set-72157633822145271
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmeechan/8896757475/in/set-72157633822145271
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmeechan/8897377108/in/set-72157633822145271
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmeechan/8897377578/in/set-72157633822145271
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmeechan/8896757475/in/set-72157633822145271
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmeechan/8897377108/in/set-72157633822145271
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some good advice in this thread. thanks for the warning about del. i was thinking about ordering from him too, but i dont like getting screwed by another guy. I'm looking into CAS as well, just working on getting set up as well. does the levergun have to be in a pistol caliber, or will my winchester 94 in 30-30 be allowed?
it has to be in pistol caliber.
most people recommend the same caliber as the revolvers
most people recommend the same caliber as the revolvers
I highly recommend that BEFORE you spend any money, go to the SASS website and download the Shooters Manual, decide which category that you would like to shoot in and the buy according to the requirements for that category. While all cowboy clubs are not affiliated with SASS, the majority pay lip service to the safety manual. Buy once, not twice (or 3 times, or 4 times)!
- Location
- Prince George B.C.
unless you enjoy putting all those guns on the ground, and rolling in them, hugging them with glee and giggling like a little schoolgirl.
what? Not saying i DO that of course. Just saying there's nothing wrong if you actually did it. I dont judge. sniffle
HI; There is a lifter change kit some where to help for 38s. OR load LONG. that is load with long nose bullets or load leavening the bullet out a bit farther.
There is a 5th generation short stroke kit BUT I am told it can be tough to get timed right without jamming. 4 or third may be as good.
Shotgun needs to have the safety bar shortened a wee bit, look for Marauders tune up page for hints.
You seem to be on the right track, LOOK twice, spend once!
There is a 5th generation short stroke kit BUT I am told it can be tough to get timed right without jamming. 4 or third may be as good.
Shotgun needs to have the safety bar shortened a wee bit, look for Marauders tune up page for hints.
You seem to be on the right track, LOOK twice, spend once!
fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
You will want to do some spring change-ups right off the bat. You will like your rifle more after the first one and you will save considerable unnessesary ware to some important parts of your gun by changing the other two.
All nessesary springs are available from Pioneer Gun Works in Oregon.
The first spring is the one that puts all the pressure on the trigger block that you mention. The change-over from Pioneer will cost about $7 and reduse the trigger block pressure to almost nill but enough that it still does its job. DO NOT REMOVE OR DISsABLE THE TRIGGER BLOCK. I have two rifles in my shop at this moment that have been reduced to parts guns from out-of-battery discharges. I have seen some that have survived o-o-b discharges as well but don't take the chance. Unfortunatly, almost a complete tear-down is required to change the spring.
The other springs you will want to change asap are the two that control the lever and elevator lift rod. Remoove the side plates to find these springs. The factory springs are far to severe on the cam bumps on the lever and lift rod. I've seen rifles with 500 rnds thru them that needed new levers because the cam was wore off. The springs are easy to replace, just remove the two side-by side screws that come up thru the bottom of the frame and install the redused tension springs from Pioneer ($ 60).
While Caribou and Garand are right about Uberti 73's being the epitomy of cowboy guns after a tune-up, very,very few come out of the box ready for serious cowboy'n.
All nessesary springs are available from Pioneer Gun Works in Oregon.
The first spring is the one that puts all the pressure on the trigger block that you mention. The change-over from Pioneer will cost about $7 and reduse the trigger block pressure to almost nill but enough that it still does its job. DO NOT REMOVE OR DISsABLE THE TRIGGER BLOCK. I have two rifles in my shop at this moment that have been reduced to parts guns from out-of-battery discharges. I have seen some that have survived o-o-b discharges as well but don't take the chance. Unfortunatly, almost a complete tear-down is required to change the spring.
The other springs you will want to change asap are the two that control the lever and elevator lift rod. Remoove the side plates to find these springs. The factory springs are far to severe on the cam bumps on the lever and lift rod. I've seen rifles with 500 rnds thru them that needed new levers because the cam was wore off. The springs are easy to replace, just remove the two side-by side screws that come up thru the bottom of the frame and install the redused tension springs from Pioneer ($ 60).
While Caribou and Garand are right about Uberti 73's being the epitomy of cowboy guns after a tune-up, very,very few come out of the box ready for serious cowboy'n.
