Crunchy Frog
Well-Known Fanatic
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2010
- Messages
- 424
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Crunchy, can you provide some guidance on what are decent and not overpriced pistols, rifle and shotguns? What are some of the popular models being used by the average participants? I've gone to the SASE and Cowboy Action Shooting sites and they provide very broad information. I'm trying to get some specifics.
Thanks[/quote]
I'll do my "broken record" thing and say first that anyone interested in the sport should attend a local match or two and get a firsthand look at what people are using.
OK, on to specifics. Let's start with cartridge revolvers (cap and ball revolvers can be used but they are a LOT of work in a match). The vast majority of shooters use either a Ruger revolver (Vaquero/New Vaquero or a Blackhawk) or one of the Italian replicas of the Colt SAA (either a Uberti or a Pietta). Any of these will serve so the choice comes down to personal preference. The .38/.357 is the most popular chambering, followed by .45 Colt with the other chamberings bringing up the rear. Your revolvers don't hve to be "twins" but there is an advantage to having the revolvers match.
A word about the Ruger Blackhawk: At one point the SASS rules relegated any adjustable sighted revolver to a "Modern" category. The rules were changed several years ago to make adjustable sights OK for most categories. There are lots of Blackhawks on the used market and they are a good choice for shooters on a budget.
The Vaquero (what I call the Original Vaquero) is essentially a fixed sight version of the Blackhawk. It has the same sized cylinder as the Super Blackhawk so it's a large gun. Ruger introduced the New Vaquero in 2005; it is scaled down to roughly the size of the Colt SAA. The Original Vaquero can still be found used, and some shooters with large hands prefer them. A New Vaquero will run you about $600 new. Used Rugers are a good buy since they are so rugged; it is unusual to see a pair of used Vaqueros or New Vaqueros for sale for less than $900.
The Italian clones are fine for our sport. They are offered in a variety of finishes and with different features, so the price points are all over the board. For example, looking at Uberti revolvers on PSA's website, the matte finished Hombre is $395, the Cattleman with a nicer finish is $439, and the "competition ready" El Patron is $452. Cabela's website shows Pietta revolvers starting at $399 (matte) to $449 for the nickel or CCH/blued finish.
The most popular shotguns are the Stoeger Coach Gun or the Baikal, both run about $300-$400 new. They are really stiff out of the box and need a little action work to run right. The Baikal is currently on the import ban list but if you can find one, it's a very rugged gun. I prefer it to the Stoeger. Any side-by-side can be used as long as it does not have automatic ejectors. There are lots of good guns on the used market, like the Savage 311, than make decent cowboy shotguns. It does not have to be a short barreled coach gun.
Other legal shotguns are the Winchester 1897 pump or 1887 lever action shotgun (originals or replicas). Original '97s in good shape are getting harder to find. The Chinese clone of the '97 pump is no longer being imported but used ones can be found. I would avoid the 1887 replica now being imported.
Rifle choices include the Brazilian replica of the Winchester 1892 ($450), Henry Big Boy ($800), Marlin 1894 ($900?), Uberti 1866 or 1873 ($1100) or Winchester 1873 ($1600). The '92s are inexpensive but they are usually very rough out of the box and require some work to run reliably. Even a good '92 is difficult to run fast. Many people I know who started with a '92 ended up buying another rifle.
The Henry Big Boy is a good rifle but not ideal for our sport. The Marlin used to be a very good rifle for this sport. Their quality reputation went down after Remington purchased Marlin, which caused the price of the good used guns to go way up. New Marlins are hard to find. The Uberti '66 and '73 rifles have been the top guns for several years now. They are expensive and still need a couple hundred dollars worth of action work and parts to reach their potential. Winchester reintroduced the 1873 a couple of years ago; they are made in Japan by Miroku and appear to be good quality. Like the Uberti rifles they can benefit from a little action work.
I hope this has been helpful. Some of my comments are opinion and personal preference. Your mileage my vary and all of that.
Crunchy, can you provide some guidance on what are decent and not overpriced pistols, rifle and shotguns? What are some of the popular models being used by the average participants? I've gone to the SASE and Cowboy Action Shooting sites and they provide very broad information. I'm trying to get some specifics.
Thanks[/quote]
I'll do my "broken record" thing and say first that anyone interested in the sport should attend a local match or two and get a firsthand look at what people are using.
OK, on to specifics. Let's start with cartridge revolvers (cap and ball revolvers can be used but they are a LOT of work in a match). The vast majority of shooters use either a Ruger revolver (Vaquero/New Vaquero or a Blackhawk) or one of the Italian replicas of the Colt SAA (either a Uberti or a Pietta). Any of these will serve so the choice comes down to personal preference. The .38/.357 is the most popular chambering, followed by .45 Colt with the other chamberings bringing up the rear. Your revolvers don't hve to be "twins" but there is an advantage to having the revolvers match.
A word about the Ruger Blackhawk: At one point the SASS rules relegated any adjustable sighted revolver to a "Modern" category. The rules were changed several years ago to make adjustable sights OK for most categories. There are lots of Blackhawks on the used market and they are a good choice for shooters on a budget.
The Vaquero (what I call the Original Vaquero) is essentially a fixed sight version of the Blackhawk. It has the same sized cylinder as the Super Blackhawk so it's a large gun. Ruger introduced the New Vaquero in 2005; it is scaled down to roughly the size of the Colt SAA. The Original Vaquero can still be found used, and some shooters with large hands prefer them. A New Vaquero will run you about $600 new. Used Rugers are a good buy since they are so rugged; it is unusual to see a pair of used Vaqueros or New Vaqueros for sale for less than $900.
The Italian clones are fine for our sport. They are offered in a variety of finishes and with different features, so the price points are all over the board. For example, looking at Uberti revolvers on PSA's website, the matte finished Hombre is $395, the Cattleman with a nicer finish is $439, and the "competition ready" El Patron is $452. Cabela's website shows Pietta revolvers starting at $399 (matte) to $449 for the nickel or CCH/blued finish.
The most popular shotguns are the Stoeger Coach Gun or the Baikal, both run about $300-$400 new. They are really stiff out of the box and need a little action work to run right. The Baikal is currently on the import ban list but if you can find one, it's a very rugged gun. I prefer it to the Stoeger. Any side-by-side can be used as long as it does not have automatic ejectors. There are lots of good guns on the used market, like the Savage 311, than make decent cowboy shotguns. It does not have to be a short barreled coach gun.
Other legal shotguns are the Winchester 1897 pump or 1887 lever action shotgun (originals or replicas). Original '97s in good shape are getting harder to find. The Chinese clone of the '97 pump is no longer being imported but used ones can be found. I would avoid the 1887 replica now being imported.
Rifle choices include the Brazilian replica of the Winchester 1892 ($450), Henry Big Boy ($800), Marlin 1894 ($900?), Uberti 1866 or 1873 ($1100) or Winchester 1873 ($1600). The '92s are inexpensive but they are usually very rough out of the box and require some work to run reliably. Even a good '92 is difficult to run fast. Many people I know who started with a '92 ended up buying another rifle.
The Henry Big Boy is a good rifle but not ideal for our sport. The Marlin used to be a very good rifle for this sport. Their quality reputation went down after Remington purchased Marlin, which caused the price of the good used guns to go way up. New Marlins are hard to find. The Uberti '66 and '73 rifles have been the top guns for several years now. They are expensive and still need a couple hundred dollars worth of action work and parts to reach their potential. Winchester reintroduced the 1873 a couple of years ago; they are made in Japan by Miroku and appear to be good quality. Like the Uberti rifles they can benefit from a little action work.
I hope this has been helpful. Some of my comments are opinion and personal preference. Your mileage my vary and all of that.
