YaaHooo! My new Open Top!

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Well, thanks to awesome and speedy service from both Cimarron and UPS, I have my new O/T 44 Spl. that was ordered Thursday afternoon.  (ord- Thu; arr/del- Mon)

It is a beautiful example of what CAN be done with today's technology.  Time will tell if it will shoot!    Hopefully, I'll get to shoot it this coming Sunday with my pards at the Great Lakes Freight & Mining Co. here in Indiana.  Why do I say hopefully?  I have no ammo loaded for it and so far, haven't been able to find the 44 Spl. cases I put back for a "rainy day."  Normally, I shoot 45 Colt and this is the FIRST gun I've ever owned that was 44 Spl.  I've had several 44 Mag guns; a Super Blackhawk, a Redhawk, and I still have a one-of-5000 S&W Mod. 629.  However, I never saw the need to shoot 44 Spl. rounds and dirty up the  chamber with the shorter cases.  I load 44 Spl-spec rounds in 44 M cases.  It's a Jeff-thing.  

Anyway, back to the O/T.  As looks go, it is beautiful.  It has very nice well-fitted wood, altho' somewhat plain and hiding under the reddish high-gloss finish the Italians love so much.  That will be fixed very soon, and when completed, the wood-to-metal fit will look like a professionally-fitted one-piece grip.  I'm considering sending it to Tru-Ivory for a "slightly aged" one-piece grip, checkered much like the beautiful nickel-plated and engraved model Tom Sellek used in Monte Walsh.  If I ever win the Lottery, (yeah, right!) I WILL get an engraved, nickle-plated gun wearing REAL ivory from Mr. Howell, but ... well, you know.

I haven't yet done a total tear-down, but I've done the field-strip and lube job that all new toys need ASAP after arrival.  Some things I have noticed from discussions here on the STORM front:  The arbor-frame issue I've read about is non-existent.  Rotating the barrel on the arbor about 45 degrees (so it misses the line-up pins) shows that the two pieces - barrel and frame meet perfectly with NO overlap at all.  Right on the money.  (Plus #1)  The wedge key is new to me in that it is (#a) solid and has no spring or turned-up lip like on the end of the spring, (the large/solid end is the same) and (#b) it is shaped differently than the ones I'm used to on my C&B guns.  This one has a rounded edge on the left side, so that it is NOT a rectangle when looked at from the end.   (Plus #2)  The obligatory "import-requirement safety" on the hammer is also of a new type I've never seen and looks like it will work ... for a while.  It does, however, add a screw on the right side of the hammer to actuate the safety, which takes a thin-bladed tool that is included in the package along with a spare screw for locking in the wedge.   The screw is flattened on one side, and has to be rotated to remove the wedge, unlike the C&B guns type.  (#c)  The firing pin seems to have a nicely rounded tip that is NOT too "sharp" but it does seem a tiny but short, when viewed from the side, with the hammer down on an empty chamber.  Today I'll fire it and it will probably fire jes' fine, but as I said, this is first impression looking ONLY!  The true test will come after a trip to the range.

I just measured and the gap is .0055" (Give er take .0002")  It locks up tight as a drum, and the trigger pull is a VERY nice, not creepy and I estimate it at around 3.5 lbs.  (I've misplaced my trigger-pull gage.    )

I've only wanted a gun like this for nearly 40 years ... loooong before I even KNEW about R/M conversions and Open Tops.  I simply fell in love with the looks of the 1860 Colt and from that day on I've always wanted an 1860 (styled) revolver that would shoot cartridges, not just C&B.  It wasn't until around 1997 when I first got into CAS that I learned about the conversion guns and Open Tops, so I'm a happy camper NOW!

Thanks for sharing in my joy ...

[Long Johns Wolf]

You will love that pistol, SHB, she's a natural pointer.
Does she have the army or the navy grips?
Mine is in .44 Colt cal.
Long Johns Wolf

[Major 2]

Looking forward to seeing it Jeff...
Mine are also 44 Colt but are Richards Type 1 & type 2's .

Like you I love the 1860's and their variations..ever since I was a kid and saw the Nickols Cap gun a friend had.
I owned Mattel Shoo'n' Sixs, but want that Nickols never got one though 

[Advertising]

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Good stuff, pards!

Long Johns Wolf, it has the long, Army grip.  Just like my beloved 1860 Army.  Any you're right, it points very well and naturally.

Looking forward to showing it off, Roger!

I opted for the 44 Spl. version so I could have several options for shooting.  I like the 44 Spl. load itself very much, and for CAS, the 44 Russian loadings (BP of course) appeal to my sense of authenticity, 'tho I DID ponder over getting the 44 Colt version for that reason.  Unless I'm mistaken, I can shoot modern 44 Colt loadings as well.  That would mean that ... theoretically I can shoot 44 Henry Center Fire Flat, 44 Russian, 44 American, 44 Colt, and naturally 44 Special loads.  (For these purposes, I'm thinking of calling my 44 Spl. loads the 44 American Extra Long or simply 44 American EL - with thanks for the idea, Dick Dastardly, who has his own "pet name" for his BP and smokeyless loadings in 44 Mag cases!)

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I don't know how crazy I'll get, but I may even spring for an additional barrel assembly of 5 1/2" but I don't know ... I always gravitate to those long, beautiful 7.5" & 8" barrels most often seen in authentic examples that have survived.  I know that plenty were gunsmith shortened, and Colt (and Winchester, too) WAS known sometimes as the "custom king" and a customer could order about any barrel length he wanted.  It just took money ... which pretty much sums this up!

 

[Old Top]

Steel Horse,

Congradulations on your new pistols, I like you have always wanted a set of them, do you know if they make them in 44-40?  I know the barrel dia is the same and if they make them for 45 the leangth should not be a problem.  A question for you or Mako.

Thanks
Old Top

[Tascosa Joe]

Jeff:

I have a Mason Richards in .44 Colt.  You will love your conversion I know I do mine.  Cole Bluesteel and I submitted an article to the Shootist comparing an original Richards Type 1 with his Cimarron Type 2.  I have been wanting a Type 2 or Transion model ever since.  If you cannot find your cases let me know, I think I have a few extra.

T-Joe

[Marshal Deadwood]

Steel Horse, I have several revolvers,,and have had even more thur the years. I'm a revolver person,,and I'm here to tell you,,the '71OT is easily the most 'point'able' revolver I've ever owned. It just comes up with the sights right THERE,,ya know ? And accurate..my days man,,,they just don't get more accurate.

I just got mine back from a new firing pin and arbor job...shot a 50cent size group at 15 yrds with it yesterday,,check it out.

There is just nothing to not love about the OT's.

Congrats

Mike

[santee]

Congrats! Enjoy the heck out of your new pistola.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Thanks, Fellas!

Just over the last 24 hours, I've run it 'thru hundreds - perhaps a thou or more - dry fires, with A-Zoom snap-caps to protect it, natch-'er-ly.  It has smooooothed out considerably.  As normal.  The trigger-pull MIGHT be 3 lbs., but I won't know fer sure 'til my RCBS tool turns up.  

Owners of REAL Colts may disagree, but in MY opinion, this thing locks up like the Colts I have handled ... except for my Python. (No surprise there, since as revolvers go, the Python is pretty much considered to be the best, with as near perfect lock-up as can be made.  I'm gonna go out on a limb here, but if God carried a handgun, it'd prob'ly be a Python.     )

Old Top, I would have quickly said yes to your question about 44-40, but it seems that 45 Colt, 45 S&W (Schofield), 44 Colt/44 Russian, 44 Special, and 38 Colt/38 Special are the calibers offered by Cimarron.  It surprises me greatly that 44 WCF (44-40) is NOT offered by Cimarron or Taylor's.  I can't say about any other distributors.

Tascosa Joe, thanks for the offer of cases.  I read the article with great interest - it was very informative and well written.  If I can't find my cases, I might take you up on the offer.  Right now, 44 Spl. cases by Starline and Winchester (my preference) are nearly $100 at Midway for the quantity I want. (500)  But I have 100 44 Russian cases handy and SOMEWHERE have the 44 Spl., so I'm OK at the minute - I just prefer to load up a bunch and not have to load before each match or 2.

Marshal Deadwood, I agree totally ... "There is just nothing to not love about the O/T's."

 

[Steel Horse Bailey]

And now, as if by the magic of the Internet and some time travel combined, I have completely disassembled it and stripped the red varnish off of the grip wood that Uberti seems to love.  I'm waiting for the wood to dry - (the last step of the orange strippper stuff is to wash it to neutralize the stripping agent) so tomorrow I'll steel wool the wood and put a good coat of oil on it, then I'll re-assemble the pistol after a thorough degreasing to get any production grit and shipping oil off.  I'm VERY impressed with this pistol.  There were practically NO burrs inside and the parts were well  smoothed and didn't need much TLC to bring out the best.  I don't claim to be an expert gun wrench, but I'm having fun doing this ... a little touch with a stone here ... a rub with Crocus cloth there ... it'll be ready to shoot BP tomorrow.

I am a bit concerned with the lack of clearance between the cylinder and the back of the barrel.  But that's fixable.  There are actually drag marks (very light) the full diameter of the barrel on the face of the cylinder.  At least that answers the question "Is the barrel faced squarely to the cylinder?"  Yeppir!  I do use a lot of lube and BigLube boolits, so I doubt I'll have much problem.

This is fun!

[Montana Slim]

Congrats on a nice pistola choice!...You know I luv them 1860s and variants. The gap on mine are all .005 or less, even the non-"bushed" cylinders on the Pietta and Uberti 1860 C&Bs & they all seem to work fairly well My RMs and '71 all are 44 Colt & I shoot the Russian cartridge with Big-lube bullet & BP.

Slim

[litl rooster]

Yeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaa you need to come bak down here with it and chute



PM sent to ya

[Texas Lawdog]

SHB, Congrats on your new pistola, My Brother. I know you will enjoy shooting it. I am looking for a used one, myself, either 45 Colt or 38 spl.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Thanks y'all!

I just finished my "Jeff Action Job and Stock Refinish" and I'm reeeeaaaalllll happy.  I didn't do anything more than surface polishing the sear engagement surfaces and general VERY light stoning inside the frame.  (It didn't NEED much)  I did add a Wolff trigger-bolt wire spring like I have on a couple other guns.  I didn't touch the stock mainspring; I simply cleaned out any manufacturing grit and their shipping oil, gave it a proper lube job and now the trigger breaks VERY cleanly at a measured 1.75 pounds!  Basically from the factory!  I've tried popping primers to make sure it hits OK and it does fine with CCI, Winchester and Federal primers ... so I'm not worried the the hammer fall is too light.  I doubt I'll ever use any other brand of primers as this is all I can find in this area!  LoL!

I'm a happy camper!~

[santee]

Let's see the stock refinish!

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Lemme figger out the photo thing and I will.

[Professor Marvel]

My Dear Monsieur Baily -

Congrats on your recent acquisition!

by all means please provide range reports and etc , especially with regards to your barrel/cylinder gap !

BTW, whilst lounging in the coolness of the house during this uncanny heat wave we once more perused that clasic remake oif Maverick with Mel G and Alfred Molina -  I do trust you are aware of the uncanny resemblance ?



yhs
prof marvel

[Steel Horse Bailey]

My Dear Monsieur Baily -

Congrats on your recent acquisition!

by all means please provide range reports and etc , especially with regards to your barrel/cylinder gap !

BTW, whilst lounging in the coolness of the house during this uncanny heat wave we once more perused that clasic remake oif Maverick with Mel G and Alfred Molina -  I do trust you are aware of the uncanny resemblance ?



yhs
prof marvel

My good Perfesser, as always - great to hear from you.

While I prefer to be thought of more in the "white hat cowboy" group, I'll take that as a compliment, because Mssr. Molina is a very good actor and I certainly liked him in the Maverick remake - which I enjoyed immensely.  Not overly authentic, but certainly entertaining.  I also LOVED all the cameo performers/performances throughout the film.  Nice to see so many old - but NOT forgotten faces.  Not to mention the appearance of Mr. Garner himself in a very important role ... that made the whole concept more "believable," as it were.

While I do have MUCH more beard than in my avatar photo, alas ... most of it is nearly white, unlike Mr. Molina's , 'tho I'd be willing to make a wager as to whether any dye was used or not ...

I'll be happy to do some range reporting on the performance of my new "toy."  I have fallen in love with it, and it will have to perform VERY badly for me to change my opinion of it.

As to the barrel/cylinder gap, I have to work to give it ANY gap at all.  To get the .005" gap I measured, I had to put in the wedge by hand (rather than a soft tap with my rubber mallet) and then turn the one-side-flattened-head screw so it is in the shooting (rather than disassembling) position, then push the wedge BACK to where the screw head traps the wedge.  If I put it in like it came - wedge in tightly - the cylinder rubs.   (and yes, it marks the cylinder the full size of the barrel, not just in one or 2 spots - the barrel is VERY nicely done and parallel to the cylinder.)

To Santee:  I'm not 100% finished with the stock refinish.  The wood is still "proud" to the frame by a hair and the color is too dark for my liking - it hardly shows any of the grain on one side, so I will  have a little more time to get the photo and the posting perfected.

[Texas Lawdog]

SHB, I am anxoius to see the finished product. I've been tryin' to find a used open top for myself.