Author Topic: Which shooting irons to start with? (Read 765 times)

Moonpi · « **on:** May 17, 2003, 03:14:44 AM »

Thinking about trying CAS.
Which shooting irons would you guys recommend to start out with?
I'm kind of a sticker for historical accuracy so Ruger Blackhawks are out.
The same guns would be used for informal plinking as well as an occassional hunt for small game.
Would you please comment on such things as Brands, models, durability, accuracy, cost vs. value, etc?
Looking at all 3 types: pistols, rifles, and scatterguns.
I'm an experienced shooter and reloader.
Also have a question about CAS rules: Why can't you use a hammerless rifle but you can use a hammerless shotgun?

howdy doody · « **Reply #1 on:** May 17, 2003, 04:36:48 AM »

I don't know what your buget looks like, but you could start with a couple of colt clones, I did, I had a couple of cimmeron model Ps and you could get a Baikal bounty hunter or stoeger SXS for a shotgun and maybe a winchester for a rifle. That should be a low bucks startup cost for new irons, but you can always shop for used too. It is somewhere to start and you can always trade or swap later if you want to. Just do it. Get in on the fun. If you don't have a full compliment of shooting irons folks will lend you what you need at a shoot too. Just offer to pay 'em for the ammo, which most won't even accept. :grin:

Cheyenne Ranger · « **Reply #2 on:** May 17, 2003, 04:56:38 AM »

My :money: :
Ruger Vaquero's are built like a tank and weigh about as much. They are larger than the Colts. Down the road an action job is nice (almost all will need this regardless of brand). The clones' quality varies so check them out. While I haven't actually seen one up close and personal, the USFA single actions have been getting good reviews.
I have a couple of Marlin lever actions, one in .45LC and other in .38. They are fine but probably don't look the part as much as some of the others. Mine just got their slickin' up and really are a pleasure to cycle.
I found a Win 97, built in 1929. Should be back from Coyote Cap this week. Worked fine when I got it but the reliability of these old guns sometimes comes into question. Cap will do a great job both in slicking them up and keeping them from breaking.
As Howdy said, find something you like and get out to the range. There will be guns to borrow so don't let that stop you. CAS is too much fun not to be involved.

Cheyenne Ranger · « **Reply #3 on:** May 17, 2003, 04:59:34 AM »

Almost forgot. Check out the URL below. This is the SASS classified wire and they are always selling guns. Might find something you like at a reduced price and many already have action jobs done on them.

http://www.sassnet.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=4

Greybeard · « **Reply #4 on:** May 17, 2003, 09:26:52 AM »

I've started out with a pair of EMF Dakota handguns (Colt clones) and an EMF Hartford 92 (Winchester Model 92 clone). They are well made and well finished guns. Hardly could tell the difference in appearance from the originals. If you are a serious competitor who wants to try to win you might want an action job on them or any you get. I'm not interesting in competing to win and see no need for such an action job for my use of them. They are about as cheap as you can get for start up guns that still look orginal. Can't say what they will run you as I got the special writer's discount and as such paid less than a dealer would really but even at full suggested retail they woud be a bargain.

GB

howdy doody · « **Reply #5 on:** May 17, 2003, 04:43:27 PM »

Hey there again Moonpi, I forgot to answer your question about the sass rules. Basically it comes down to some quirky inconsistancies of the founding fathers. They thought 97 winchesters were pretty old and fast, even though everyone agrees that they were in short supply in the early west or even in B westerns. Remember sass was started as more TV and B western orientated than it is now. There are more period correct wear folks than any other type. Mainly because there are more suppliers of such too. Again thank sass. Rugers are acceptable and yes they don't look like a colt, but a Schofield doesn' t either and they were around in the west.
Scatterguns were available without hammers back then, but I agree mule ears look better.
Rifles did have hammers in B westerns and I don't know but that a bolt action wouldn't look too cowboy to me: see comment 97s don't either. The thing is rules is rules and we play by them and they aren't written in stone either. I have seen a bunch of changes and a lot of them recently too. Classic Cowboy and FC duelist is a new one for instance. If you aren't a sass member go to their website and click onto the rule book and you can see what will fly and what won't.
Wow, that was a bunch of stuff. I should have just said sass and the wild bunch like things a certain way and that don't necessarily have to be the period correct way. Check out NCOWS, they are real sticklers for accuracy. Hope I helped.

Lone Yankee · « **Reply #6 on:** May 18, 2003, 03:40:13 AM »

I like EMF Hartfords. I have 3 of them and they are slick, and accurate. I also like the Hartford 1892 Carbines. Find yourself a good old Stevens SXS. I have imporved my rifle selectin to an Uberti 1873 Winchester clone. All my main match guns are .32-20.

Lone

Mainspring · « **Reply #7 on:** May 18, 2003, 06:59:58 PM »

I'm still an FNG, so take my opinion for what you've paid for it. :lol: I recently picked up a Cabela's Millenium SAA, and I'm pretty happy with it. It's made by Uberti, and from what I can tell, it's just like other Uberti made lead launchers, with the exception of a butt ugly finish, and they can be had for about half the price of the better finished ones. They are finished with some kind of cheesy spray on black crap. To convince myself to buy one, I called it "tactically correct".

I first read about them in Gun Tests magazine, and since they don't accept loaners or advertising from gun manufacturers, I kinda take what they have to say a little more seriously than other magazines who depend on handouts from the companies they are rating. Anyway, they really liked the pistol, especially considering the price.

Cabela's gets $229 for these pistols, and they're shooters. I'm really happy with how this gun shoots, especially considering the price. I've been working that butt ugly finish over with some Mother's Mag Wheel Polish, and it's taking on a nice pewter...old...look. I've only worked on it for about 45 minutes total, and IMHO it looks about 1,000x better as an "old" gun than as a "tactically correct" gun.

If I had my druthers, I'd ruther have a nice set of Bisleys...probably Ruger Vaqueros for durability. However, things being as they are, this and my Bisley BH will get me by...for now.

Graybeard · « **Reply #8 on:** May 19, 2003, 01:43:59 PM »

Dunno what the EMF Dakotas actually would cost a person at the store but I got mine a bunch cheaper than that Cabela's price and if you aren't where you can pick it up at one of their stores they charge a fortune to ship to an FFL dealer for you. My Dakotas are I think pretty much the same gun as the Millenium but nicely finished instead and you might find you can get them just as cheaply if you don't have a Cabela's store nearby to pick them up at. Even with shipping my writer's discount price was well under the Cabela's price mentioned.

GB