RIDING FOR THE BRAND

[KOOTENAY COWBOY]

I signed on with this outfit and set my bedroll in the Chinook Bunkhouse.
After a bit, I see nobody works that spread so I took to Scouting out the rest of the layout.
As you can tell Iam a greenhorn, as far as CAS is concerned.
I ride the Cowboy trail but have not taken part in the Action shooting, ground or mounted.
I have been to a couple of shoots as an observer, so have some questions for y/all.
Power Platform.
From what I seen My Red Rider has more recoil than the lever gun's you/all use.
38 special seems to be the choice of the faster shooters and it shows.
I have the usual mix of firearms but Iam lookin to buy a new outfit.
I might still take up the mounted trail as I have 5 horses left and they are good/uns.
I should mention Iam a retired, if that's possible, horse rancher/breeder.
I kept 4 stallions and 60 mares until the PMU crash a few years back.
Any way I like the 45/LC and the 45-70 but Iam also  very competitive so the 38 is an option.
Buy one of each, 45 for mounted 38 for cas?.
I recon this is gettin long winded and I guess what Iam askin.
Are there matches specific to Power, Speed, Accuracy or does Speed and Accuracy rule ??.
KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY
RON    

[GunClick Rick]

Welcom Canadian Pard.Get what ya want and ask some of the better shooters like Curley Cole,Howdy Doody and such on the sport.If you need to get outfitted please check with the artist at the leather forum and feast your eyes on the Best of the West bar none.Ned Buckshot,Chuck Burrows,Cowboy wc,cowboy 316 and many others can make and get anything you want,homegrown folks and quality you will find nowhere else.

Settle back by the potbelly and have a snort,when ya get hungry check and see what Delmonico is throwin in the feed bag.
A TOAST! To you and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police 

[Forty Rod]

You're over-thinkin' this, Brandy.  (Do you mind if I call you Brandy.  Brand seems somehow...shorter, and Riding is impersonal.)  Just buy a brace of any sixguns that strike you fancy and a rifle and shotgun the same way.  Shoot the ones you like best and coddle the rest.  They look great together.

[Daniel Nighteyes]

First, welcome to the fire!  Sit yourself down and have a good cup of cowboy coffee!

Forty-Rod is right; you're putting way too much thought into this, so relax a bit.

While its true that MOST truly competitive shooters use 38s, that's not universal.  I know at least two extremely competitive shooters who use 45s.  (I shoot 45s as well, but since I shoot Double Duelist I ain't all that fast.)  If you're thinking about "regular" and mounted shooting, I think a brace of 45s would work just fine.

45-70 is a great round, for sure, but its only legal in long-range events.  In regular events the rifle must be pistol-caliber which, assuming you decide on 45 Colt pistols, should probably also be 45 Colt.

Regards,

-- Nighteyes

[Matthew Duncan]

...From what I seen My Red Rider has more recoil than the lever gun's you/all use....

Then you havn't shot my '66 in 45 Colt   

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  Welcome pard

   Like MD said, +1 for the 45 long Colt, been shooting this caliber since 1960, tried the others but always came back to my first love, nothing WIMPY about the 45, it just feels right, and has never let me down. Pick the caliber you like, and the guns you like, and you shouldn't have any regrets, if you can take the time to try what you're interested in, you might find you will change your mind several times before making it up your mind on what you want, just relax and enjoy the hunt, that's 80% of the fun in getting new guns.


            Regards

         tEN wOLVES 

[Russ T Chambers]

Just to keep ya on a straight trail, if you're thinking about mounted shooting, you're going to need a pair of 45 handguns.  That's the only caliber allowed, as the venues supply the blank ammunition,   This may mean you go to 45 for your rifle too.

[Dr. Bob]

CB,

I started with 45 Colt and am happy that I did.  I shoot a case full of Holy Black with a 250 gr. Big Lube bullet.  Not wimpy.  I'm in this for the fun, not to be the "top gun"!!!  Just got a 1872 Colt Open Top [Uberti] in 44 Colt and shoot 44 Russians in it, 'cause I got a Henry in 44 Russian.  Shoot 44 Russian in the Henry because it is the closest readily available case to the original 44 Henry rim fire round.  I was a top level high power rifle shooter in my younger days [1958 - 1972] and know how much practice is involved to be really good.  I enjoy shooting with my pards of 30 years and like to be as historical accurate as I can in the 21st Century.  Get some guns that you like and have fun!!

[KOOTENAY COWBOY]

Thanks for the invite.
I left my belt and spurs at the door as I would like to set a while.
Iam buildin a big loop here but haven't dallied yet.
If you/all ride herd on these idea I'll come thru this fine.
I recon the .45 is the way to go.
I got my share of Rugers and know the quality.
The 45/70 will be a 1895 Marlin, along with a C sharps Highwall.
I may just buy an action and have Ron Smith build me a barrel.
Ron is a barrel maker hanging his hat in Wild Rose Country.
My de-lem-a is the rifle in .45LC.
I whittled it down to a 1866 or a Marlin 94.
I shot smoke poles a few years and know the fouling issues. The way the Marlin breaks down is invitin.
The 1866 is a keeper and looks to fit a scabbard just fine.
The hired man drug up and took his pack horse so I started to turn the bunkhouse into a casting room and leather shop.
I also have a slick Bowie I been polishin a couple year now.
Yup!! Life sure got in the way.
I'll ride Drag a while and let you/all point the way over this trail.
Keep your powder dry.
RON

[Daniel Nighteyes]

The 45/70 will be a 1895 Marlin, along with a C sharps Highwall.

Ron,

A suggestion if I may.  The '95 Marlin, though an excellent rifle, is relatively lightweight.  I strongly suggest a much lighter load for it than for the Highwall.  Otherwise your shoulder is gonna get real sore/bruised, and you may develop a flinch.





<---------- Speaks from experience here

[KOOTENAY COWBOY]

Ron,

A suggestion if I may.  The '95 Marlin, though an excellent rifle, is relatively lightweight.  I strongly suggest a much lighter load for it than for the Highwall.  Otherwise your shoulder is gonna get real sore/bruised, and you may develop a flinch.






<---------- Speaks from experience here

MY KIND OF PEOPLE
Thanks, One who see's in the night
While on this train. Do you recon I could use the same load as the Ruger single. I'll ask over to the C Sharps bighouse as well.
I may not need the Marlin95. I was under the impression some matches have lever gun long range and some have single long range.  Keep it coming my chair is just starting to get warm.

[Curley Cole]

This is what happens to ya when ya start thinkin too much. (and this is just my Great Westerns...)

welcome to the fire, and we require pictures!

good shootin
curley

[Long Branch Louie]

Brand, I kin kinda understand yore dilemma. I've been looking at this for over two months now and have yet to shoot the first round. That's not to say several folks haven't offered to loan me guns to shoot. I'm just kinda funny and want my own first. I bought .45 Vaqueros, then ordered a .38/.357 rifle, so I either gotta buy two more pistols or sell or trade the ones I got. All this is getting expensive$$$$$. But after I git the rifle, I built my own cart, so I'm getting close. I ordered a Codymatic, because after I felt one I knew I wouldn't be satisfied with anythin less. And although I haven't shot a match yet, I'm amazed by how friendly and helpful folks are. State and Regional champs will take time to talk with you and tell you techniques, what they use, and what don't work. One lady champ (Camille Eonich), even offered to loan me stuff to shoot and I've never met the lady! I'm really excited about getting started and hope I'll see you down the trail....

[KOOTENAY COWBOY]

I've wore out a set of shoes ridin back en forth from the Chinook Bunkhouse and the Longbranch.
I don't mind tho I can see there is a passal of top hands around this fire. And good advise as well.
It's ok the shoes are wearin down as I just traded  bear grease for  strap iron and I'll forge new shoes with cocks in em, as my mount has slid a few times.
From what I gather most of you/all are from spreads on the Eastern Slope. That's good. Riding those mountains in the winter is
hard on everything.
Due to my present location Iam a "Dial Up Cowboy". That means no pictures and I don't know how to work the viewer anyway.
No TV or Newspapers, moccasin telegraph mostly.
An elk broke one of the fences last night and I woke up to the dog growlin at something.
My horses trying to get onto the front porch.
OK down to business.
I made my weekly trip to town for the mail and come across a cast shooter I know. He tells me the 1874 Sharps is more accurate than the 1885 Highwall. Iam kinda concerned cause I really like the highwall do any of you/all shoot both or know if this is gospel.
Another Question? Rifles/pistols chambered for 38/357 shoot both. Does this also apply to the 45-70/45-90.
If I can shoot both in the 45/90 that's the trail I'll take. 45/70 for smokeless 45/90 for BP.
What say you?
 

[Daniel Nighteyes]

Canadian Bacon and Long Branch Louie:

Though I don't normally give advice (its a 2-edged sword that cuts both ways), here it comes:

You're both headed down a needlessly expensive pathway.  STOP NOW!

Instead, just find a CAS shoot in your respective areas and do something radical -- show up.  You don't even have to dress Cowboy, but ya do need to show up.  Then simply TALK to the shooters who are there.  Ask to handle, and even shoot, their pistolas and rifles and shotguns.  Find out which events are commonly held in your area -- long-range events are typically not part of the "regular" local matches.

You will find that local pards are more than willing, even excited, to share information and experiences and opinions (thousands of them) with you.  You can save yourselves a lot of needless thought, and planning, and worry, and EXPENSE, by doing this.

Take it from one who found out the hard way.

Regards,

-- Nighteyes

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Danny;  I think that there is a bit of a problem.  I haven't found CB's spread yet, but best I can figure the closest Posse is in Colville WA.  In Canada he is midway between Rocky Mountain House Alberta and Kamloops BC.   

2 -4 hours each way!

Having said that, I totally agree to get some hands on mentoring before mortgaging the spread.

If CB has stock, he can't leave them long during winter.

[Long Branch Louie]

Mr. Nighteyes, I have been to some matches and you're right, i got a lot of help and great advice. I've wound up with two Vaqueros, a Stoeger coach gun without exposed hammers that i slicked up a little bit, and i got a Cody rifle on the way. It WAS expensive and I may want to change something later on, but right now I'm ready to SHOOT! Just waiting fer the rifle.

[KOOTENAY COWBOY]

You fellers are mighty fine hazers. Iam beholdin to ya for keepin me on the right trail.
I been busy these last days with fences an shoppin in the good ole USA.
I love that Pawn Shop in Collivle. Almost like settin here by this fire.
I was foolin with a saddle bag full of rifles an pistols.
One of my pards just got back from the NFR in a place called Los Vagus. A home town boy is doin real well
in the Bulldoggin. Lee Graves is his handle.
While he was there he said one of them Gin Palaces was holdin a shin dig fer CAS kind of people.
Said it were a SASS Convention. Sounds like a far to middlin round-up to me.
I still rub my chin and ponder the post made by that Long Branch Fella.
I got a ridin horse and I got a healin horse but I don't got a Cart Horse.
You/all must have a powerful load of iron ifen you/all need a cart to haul em.
I'll keep on the look out fer a Cart Horse.
If this fire is startin to die down I can post another thread to get information.
Or I can spill the beans and Cowboy up.
I live just across the border in BC. about 1 hour from Colville Wash.
My wife is part of a company that sponsors one of the CAS groups in Colville.
I've played with all the guns but really want hands who know, discuss the where for's of these type of fire arm.
I am a green horn to CAS but I can measure my shooting experience in Tons of lead.
Formal,IPSC,Prone,Service,BP,CBA etc. Bev Penny is a personal friend and I have traveled with him and Tommy Mason.
Ive built my own slug guns with barrels from Ron Smith, out of Alberta, using Martini Actions.
I still have one young-un at home he's 17, in the Army reserves and takes care of the place while Iam off visitin.
He is still at home because he's a full time college student as well.
Anyway I like settin around this fire because yo/all have a wealth of knowledge and I look forward to readin your advise.
OK soo, what is the difference between a 66 and a 73?? . I were playin with both just the other day.
Also had a look at a Pedersoli Highwall and a 74 both real fine rifles. They cost about as much as a Sharps, are they worth it??
Well it's time to put on the feed bag so I'll head on over to the Chinook spread for some vitils.
Keep your powder dry    

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

For a discussion on 1866 v. 1873;

http://www.theopenrange.net/forum/index.php?topic=7145.0;topicseen

I have a Pedersoli 1874 that has been customized a la Gemmer.  It shoots much better than I can.  The consensus seems to be that the best Sharps' are made in Montana, but the Pedersoli's are not far behind, and for less money.

Boy, you have a lot of questions.  I'd better let someone else pick a couple to answer.  There is a lot of info around here, and most of your questions have been jawed at several times, but I love your enthusiasm and look forward to seeing ya if you get over to The Island sometime.

[KOOTENAY COWBOY]

Greetings Sir Black:
You/all are a guiding lite. Thanks for the thread about the 66/73.
That Island of yours refused my application fer a passport, so I went south instead.
I was told it already has to many Remittance Men and they don't need
"Broken down Cowboys with rusty spurs scuffin the parlor floors".
I don't want to overstay my welcome and if it's just the Canadian Cowboys jawin here I'll skid a jag of wood
fer the Chinook bunkhouse and build a fresh fire
Audios