Where have all the C&B guns gone?

[Mason Stillwell]

When I get to go to a shoot it is Cap and Ball.
I can load fast enough to still help out with  spotting and timing.
The loading is part of the fun and part of the  reason to go to a shoot.
Now because of where I live and distance to a match I might,(if forced) shoot a cartridge pistole but you can believe it will have bp in it.



Have Fun !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mason

[Fiddler Green]

Its not a real movement Fiddler Green , esepcially if your basing this on Cabelas lack of putting out good books with all thier products in them or lack of carrying guns in thier stores .They have been doing that for years . I am always disapointed when I get any copy except the shooting version because thier lack of entertaining what I feel is the most important product they carry . Not having every gun in thier stores is a big mistake for OUR promoting the sport but it is simple economics for them . Promotion is purchasing , purchasing is promotion . 

Well, when one considers the SIZE of a Cabela's  and the SIZE of their firearms department  it's hard to believe that they can't find room to have a sample of every C&B pistol. Yet, every time I've gone into the Reno store, they have had fewer and fewer. Same with Sportsmen's Warehose. And, like I said, Midway does not seem to have anythink is stock, anymore. For months now, C&B pistols were on backorder or were "Special order". To me, that's not a good sign. Yea, I know, I can go on line, I'm hear now! I'm just woried that they (the retailers) seem to be ignoring the C&B guns.

Bruce

[Alabama]

Your right Fiddler Green  , stick with me here this time, SUPPLY AND DEMAND 
We are a minority .
Cabelas could stock all of them and has the space, but like I said they could give a ratts butt , so they stock what brings the big bucks for them and they don't care about us Cap and Ballers in thier retail stores . It has always been like that and probably always will . People are lazy and 95% of America shoots Modern , fact .
Don't think Cabelas will ever stock anything more, only less probably until we promote the sport enough for everyone to realize modern cartridges are just a fad  So basically , it will never happen .

Sincerely, Alabama

[Dalton Masterson]

The last time I was at the Omaha and the Kansas City store, they had almost a full selection and even had a LeMat at one of them. It could just be that the store you frequent doesnt sell many of them, and sadly in marketing, numbers seem to matter more now than having something onhand for everyone to handle. Eventually they may lose money on their instore displays, due to scratches, etc.
I dont like not finding them either, but most of the ones I have been to, have a decent selection of the more common. DM

PS. I was at our Kearney, NE store an hour ago, and the 2008 Shooting catalog has 2 1/2 pages of cap and ball. And the counter had quite a few, but no odd examples. DM

[Brizco-Z]

Fiddler,

I feel yer pain, I too have lost a little confidence in our vendors and their stock of Cap & Ball revolvers.  Last few gun shows I've attended in central Va., there was not a single repro and only one or two functional originals.  But, have to agree whenever I've called to order one, they have been instock and not too bad () on price. 

I do have to toss in a side note.  We had an Open House at the Izaak Walton Park (our host range) two Saturdays ago.  I got there and setup well prior to 9:00AM, bunch of other members were there to help, instruct, answer questions about cowboy shooting.  The gates opened at 10:00 AM, we all stayed on my feet and at the firing lines until about 12:30 (we were supposed to turn the range over to IPSC and Combat Pistol (sic) at noon).  Most of the rounds we loaded for the guests were Cap & Ball...51's, 60's, and Remingtom NMA's.  We shot a few cartridge loads, pistol , rifle and shotgun but, of all those, everyone still wanted to shoot back powder.

There is definitely an interest.

Brizco-Z

?? Whats the story on a lot of the distributors not being able to carry Uberti in the future.  I had heard that only The distributor in Maryland would be carring Uberti firearms after 2010 or earlier.  Anyone else heard something along those same lines.  Hard to believe unless they are going to restrict who distributes in the US to drive prices up?!?!?!?. 

[Riot Earp]

Whats the story on a lot of the distributors not being able to carry Uberti in the future.  I had heard that only The distributor in Maryland would be carring Uberti firearms after 2010 or earlier.  Anyone else heard something along those same lines.  Hard to believe unless they are going to restrict who distributes in the US to drive prices up?!?!?!?. 

You must be referring to Stoeger. This is the first I've heard of this.

[Alabama]

I doubt Uberti is stupid enough to do that , there market is good and thier prices are plenty high already . But if they do , Pietta will jump in and make a killing , especially if they continue to imrpove thier quality , and they sure have lately . Not to mention UeroArms and thier beautiful Rogers and Spencers that are so nice and extremely accurate they would benefit too . I seriously doubt the rumor has merit , but I will check with my two big distributors-dealers to rule it out or not for my own sake . I would hate to see that happen though .

Alabama

[Fiddler Green]

Fiddler,

I do have to toss in a side note.  We had an Open House at the Izaak Walton Park (our host range) two Saturdays ago.  I got there and setup well prior to 9:00AM, bunch of other members were there to help, instruct, answer questions about cowboy shooting.  The gates opened at 10:00 AM, we all stayed on my feet and at the firing lines until about 12:30 (we were supposed to turn the range over to IPSC and Combat Pistol (sic) at noon).  Most of the rounds we loaded for the guests were Cap & Ball...51's, 60's, and Remingtom NMA's.  We shot a few cartridge loads, pistol , rifle and shotgun but, of all those, everyone still wanted to shoot back powder.

Yea, I'm notorious at the local range (Markley's, Watsonville, Ca) for getting everyone to shoot my BP guns. It usually starts with someone's bored girlfriend. I'll see her standing there watching Rambo Jr. pepper a silhouette with his (rented) nine.   I'll wave her over and hand her my .50 Cal. Hawke. Then, Rambo will come over to take her picture, with his cell phone. I've had as many as 6 different women in one day fire the Hawken. Funny thing though, the boyfriend rarely wants to shoot it himself!

Bruce

[Alabama]

Good luck with that Fiddler 

Alabama

[Jamie]

I have to admit that it amazes me, especially here in New York that tons of cap and ball revolvers aren't sold.  Furthermore, I wonder if there will be a real swell in sales depending on the outcome of next month's elections.  As unregulated as black powder firearms in general are, it seems to me that people would be hedging their bets and picking up a few to stick away in case bad goes to worse in a hurry.  On the other hand people are pretty short sighted I guess.
Here in New York, all handguns are regulated, including cap and ball - at some level.  Once you have a permit, most counties will allow you to put as many handguns on as you want (and overall, I've found the handgun county clerk types to be the most helpful public service individuals out there - seriously!) but then again there they are, on your permanent record, until you sell or trade them.  Plus there's the national forms which have to be filled out for the purchase of any firearm EXCEPT those firing black powder via a muzzle loading format or a cap and ball revolver format.  While these forms are supposed to be destroyed, we know that they aren't in as much as BATF has told us that they aren't and they refuse to do it.  Gee, I wonder what would happen if I refused to pay my taxes...  At any rate, back to New York.  I can buy a cap and ball or other muzzle loading firearm without filling out the BATF form, and I don't have to put the revolver or pistol on my permit unless I plan to load and carry it (most of mine are on my permit, by the way, it's too much fun to leave them in the box.)  In a sense it defeats the purpose of having the gun if you can't legally use it because it's not on your permit. On the other hand, should the day ever come when the state or federal government decides to help us get rid of the guns that they know we have, the only ones that won't be in their inventory list are - you guessed it, the cap and ball revolvers and muzzle loaders.  Again, every gun lover and user is crazy, in my opinion, not to have one or two for fun, and one or two to keep packed away.  Again, short-sightedness is pretty prevalent, but I'll be curious to see what happens in November.
Jamie
While I would never advocate doing anything illegal, it would be nice, should the day ever come to have a gun or two to fondle and remember the old days - legally.  It amazes me that more people don't think about that.  Or maybe it's just me...  If I had a wad of cash, I'd have a serious collection of guns that would be able to remain in my hands under any circumstances, and boys and girls, them are black powder (not an impossible thing to make) guns. 

[Buffalow Red]

to the pawn shop
i have picked up 4 C&B revolivers in the last 2 years in local pawn shops
my first 58 rem came from a pawn shop over 16 years ago took all this time to find more there

[Rusty Spurless]

I agree with the sentiment about C&B handguns being harder to find.

One thing you might want to consider is saying something to the retailers.

A couple of years ago I bought a Pietta 1860 Sheriffs model from Midway. I was so pleased with how well it shot that I decided to order a 2nd to use in CAS matches. Well I go to there website & they were out of stock (along with a number of other pistols) so I sent them an email basically stating that I was disappointed & they had to have inventory if they wanted to sell.

I got a reply back the next day saying that they only kept a few in stock of each item & waited for a request before they ordered more.

I then got another email 2 weeks later that the pistol was now in stock. Fortunately for them I had not looked elsewhere yet.

If you want something from Midway tell them & they will get it.

[Noz]

Where have they gone? Well, Red has 4 or 5 now I have 6 and Fingers has over 20.
don't take too many like us to hurt the supply badly.

[Buffalow Red]

yep & now my boy is looking in pawn shops up his way so there going to get even scarcer
its kind of an adiction just one more
just one more
just one more

[Fingers McGee]

My wife is always asking me how many guns I need.  My reply is always "at least one more".  Just got a 2nd Gen fluted cylinder 1860 Army - NIB of course.  Now if I could find a good deal on a 2nd Gen Walker

Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee