Thinking about a Single-Action...or a brace of them.

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CajunBass

New member
These things have been hanging around my LGS for a few weeks and they keep tempting me for some reason. Probably because they're 44 Specials, one of my favorite cartridges. They're Uberti copies of cartridge conversion Colts of course.



Anybody got one of them? Other than the sights being almost invisible any other likes or dislikes? I'm not planning to try to turn them into 44 Magnums. I'm more likely to turn a 44 magnum into a special.
 
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ScaryWoody

New member
Nice! I've got a collection of semi's and revolvers but the single action has a certain appeal. The older I get the more simple firearms I get. Put those in a nice double holster, some spurs and a beat up old cowboy hat and rock.
 
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45 Dragoon

New member
Yap, working on one right now (sans the snake) in .45 C. Saweeet handling gun. It's an 1871 open top. (Wish it was mine!!) The 1871-72 OpenTop was a cartridge gun (not a conversion) and was the daddy of the '73 Mod. P.
The same customer has an El Patron CMS .45C that I'm tuning as well. Both sweet guns. If had to pick one . . . . . . it'd be the OT (I'm a sucker for OT's)!!

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram
 
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Crunchy Frog

New member
Oh, yes. Open tops. Lots of style, point great. Really cool with black powder cartridges. You can't shoot them as quickly as a SAA replica and you don't want to use these revolvers to try out Elmer Keith's loads (or Skeeter Skelton's for that matter). They are happy with low to medium powered "cowboy" ammo.

Did I mention that they are cool?
 
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45 Dragoon

New member
Well, they do need the arbor length addressed, but other than that, they are like any Colt SA - fast as ya want!! (Cept for the little guns!! )
They will shoot any normal off the shelf ammo as well. Not "cowboy" only loads. It's a modern gun proofed to higher pressures than our own U.S. made guns.
Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram
 
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CajunBass

New member
Thanks everyone.

Mike, after you mentioned it, I remembered having heard/read about the OT cartridge guns, but had forgotten all about them and just assumed they were cartridge conversions. Still learning every day.

These two appear to be very well made guns. The fit and finish are excellent. I looked hard to try to find something wrong with them other than the tiny sights.

I assume you knock the wedge out and separate the barrel from the frame, and pull the cylinder off for cleaning?

This will seem like a silly question, but I didn't check. Are they five or six shots? And I assume they're not safe with all chambers loaded, although I won't be carrying them, except unloaded in a range bag.

Well, they do need the arbor length addressed,
Click to expand...

Now this is a foreign language. Can you elaborate?

The rattlesnake inserts on the grips. Did Uberti make them that way, or are they add on's? Whoever did it, did a good job. I gather they're some kind of movie thing?

It's my wife's fault really. I've got them on layaway. I was going to just get one, but wife said we couldn't "break up the set." I know better than to argue. (They weren't being sold as "a set.")
 
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g.willikers

New member
Why stop at only having two?
Some of the serious gun totters back in the day carried four.
The New York reload carried to the extreme.
 
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Jim Watson

New member
The snake grips were introduced for The Man With No Name movie prop repro, a Navy conversion. Looks like they got ordered on... or transplanted to these Open Tops. But they are a Uberti product.
 
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g.willikers

New member
Was there a difference between the Colt open top conversions and the cartridge specific versions?
Were the cartridge open top guns all made of left over cap and ball frames, while the new design was being developed?
 
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bedbugbilly

New member
The open top came out and was chambered in 44 Henry rimfire. It was intended as a companion piece with the 1866 Winchester which was also chambered in 44 Henry. THEN, in 1873, Winchester came out with their 1873 model that was chambered in 44-40. So much for a "market niche" for the '72 open tops.

Originally, the '72 open tops utilized some of the '51 Navy parts that Colt had noodles of. And you have to remember that the '51 Navy ws made up till '71 or '72. The '72 open tops was Colt's first cartridge "non conversion" SA. Not a huge difference from the conversions but you'll notice some differences in the loading gate, etc. When Colt introduced the 1873 SAA, it took over the market due to demand - Army contracts and then civilian demand - and the '72 open tops soon became "obsolete" for all intent and purposes.

Mrs. Colt - who was in charge by then, was a master at marketing. She probably did more than any other influence on "marketing" the '73 SAA. She made sure that writers of the west at the time were aware of it as well as many western artists who included it in their paintings and illustrations.

Crunchy - I'm curious as to why you think you can't shoot an open top as fast as a SAA? For all intents and purposes, there is no difference between the two with the exception of the top strap.
 
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Jim Watson

New member
THEN, in 1873, Winchester came out with their 1873 model that was chambered in 44-40.
Click to expand...

Initial production of about 24,000 1873s was in .45 for the Army, then commercial .45s. The .44 WCF came out in 1878.
 
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45 Dragoon

New member
Cajun,
The arbors are supposed to bottom out in the barrel assy. When it does, the shock from firing travels through the weapon as if it was a solid frame gun. The short arbor (as it is called) is the result of easy to manufacture. It is also the reason open top revolvers eventually beat themselves up. Since it is an Open Top, it should be addressed. (I mean "they" should be addressed! Lucky dog!!!!)

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram
 
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Crunchy Frog

New member
Billy, it may have been better if I said that the fastest (two handed) shooters in cowboy action favor a SAA type revolver. It may be possible to run an open top just as fast but I've never seen it done.
 
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45 Dragoon

New member
Crunchy Frog,
All you gotta do is go to my website and there are 2 videos showing the fanning of an 1851 Navy and a big ol 3rd Mod. Dragoon ! These are first time most folks have ever seen a cap and ball revolver fanned!!
Like I said, a properly set-up C&B revolver can run with the best S.A.s. Tonight, I am heat treating and fire blueing the screws to a finely tuned '60 Army that is set up as a full time fanner! It has interchangeable barrels, two cylinders and can be dry-fired.

The guns in the videos are just the regular serviced revolvers.

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram
 
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