Bob Munden or Jim Finch?

Harley Starr · February 01, 2009, 01:17:00 AM

Which one does the absolute best action work, Bob Munden or Jim Finch?

RRio · February 01, 2009, 10:10:03 AM

Bob James in Phoenix.

Major 2 · February 01, 2009, 11:52:05 AM

I am very please with the work, price, turnaroud time & Communication from Jim Finch.
He will see more my of guns....

Pettifogger · February 01, 2009, 03:42:45 PM

There's no such thing as an absolute best of anything because different people have different preferences. Bob Munden is more into fast draw and you seldom, if ever, see him shooting cowboy matches. Jim Finch, AKA Longhunter, is a cowboy shooter. They both do great action jobs, but for cowboy shooting I would go with Longhunter.

Harley Starr · February 01, 2009, 03:59:24 PM

I read something that Bob Munden does that caught my attention;

"Installing a bolt stabilizer block to protect the frame from eventually collapsing ".

I don't know about you, but this feature just seems too good to pass up. What do you think?

Capt. John Fitzgerald · February 01, 2009, 04:51:09 PM

Not too sure what he means by "the frame eventually collapsing."

RRio · February 01, 2009, 08:32:30 PM

Quote from: Pettifogger on February 01, 2009, 03:42:45 PM
There's no such thing as an absolute best of anything because different people have different preferences. Bob Munden is more into fast draw and you seldom, if ever, see him shooting cowboy matches. Jim Finch, AKA Longhunter, is a cowboy shooter. They both do great action jobs, but for cowboy shooting I would go with Longhunter.

Bob James is also a cowboy shooter. His action jobs have been renown since before CAS even started.

Harley Starr · February 01, 2009, 11:59:28 PM

Quote from: Capt. John Fitzgerald on February 01, 2009, 04:51:09 PM
Not too sure what he means by "the frame eventually collapsing."

Stock guns weren't designed to stand up to the rigors of the fast draw. Without the bolt stabilizer block installed, ithe frame would eventually collapse.

Doc Sunrise · February 02, 2009, 05:03:28 AM

How can a feature that nobody knows what it is be something too good to pass up? I want to qualify myself up front as I am not a CAS shooter, but I do shoot a fair bit. Munden states that fast draw and fanning is something the movies came up with, and his action work to make a sixgun capable of the rigors of fast draw and fanning sounds like something gunsmiths back in the day would not have been doing. Action work is meant to clean up action parts to where properly filed, polished, and fitted parts become timed in such a way that the average service life of internal parts is not prematurely shortened with constant use. The consequence of such work is a smooth trigger pull. Constant fast draw and fanning is not what a Cowboy's sixgun was originally intended for, and not what Colt had in mind when building the Single Action Army. I believe the work being done by gunsmiths like Jim Finch and Bob James are more inline with what a CAS shooter would find as a good bargain for what they are doing without changing their sixgun. A good action job should be something another good gunsmith can recreate on the same gun. I have been reading this forum for quite a while now and I have not heard of any frames falling apart. However, if you aspire to be a fast draw fanning champion, that is something alltogether different, and a different gun may be needed.

RRio · February 05, 2009, 11:57:13 AM

Quote from: Sixgun Kilrain on February 01, 2009, 11:59:28 PM
Stock guns weren't designed to stand up to the rigors of the fast draw. Without the bolt stabilizer block installed, ithe frame would eventually collapse.

QuoteInstalling a bolt stabilizer block to protect the frame from eventually collapsing

I've been involved with SAAs, whether it be fast draw, reenactments, or CAS since 1974 and never heard of a frame collapsing. I have also been doing action jobs since 1979 and never had one come back for that. I have no idea of what the hell he is talking about.

Ten Wolves Fiveshooter · February 05, 2009, 02:16:14 PM

Quote from: Rawhide Rio on February 05, 2009, 11:57:13 AM
I've been involved with SAAs, whether it be fast draw, reenactments, or CAS since 1974 and never heard of a frame collapsing. I have also been doing action jobs since 1979 and never had one come back for that. I have no idea of what the hell he is talking about.

I agree with Rawhide, I shot Quick for years back in the 60's, I used to thumb my first shot and fan my second shot, to the point both shots sounded like one shot going off, and although fanning is HARD on a SAA single action, I never saw a frame collapse in all the years I was involved, it's hard on the cylinder/ hand and lock up, which after too much fanning the gun will get loose and the lock up the same way, The Single Action was meant to be cocked with the thumb, not fanned by slamming the hammer back with the palm of your free hand, over time you do damage to your gun, and will be seeing a gunsmith more than normal or than you should, ( IMHO )

tEN wOLVES

Blackpowder Burn · February 12, 2009, 10:50:45 PM

I haven't handled a Bob Munden gun, so can't speak to them. However, I have two from Jim Finch and don't see how they could be made any better. In fact I just ordered a 3rd and plan to order more as finances allow. Several of my compadres in my local SASS club also shoot his guns and all rave about them. His service is outstanding - a great guy.

St. George · February 13, 2009, 10:20:38 AM

Various claims are made by various gunsmiths that purport to be 'the' most needed feature in work that 'they' do.

Kinda like those guys who sell Wolff and Brownell spring sets that they buy in bulk and put in their own package as being unique to their shop.

Or like the 'noted' knifemaker - who figured out that you had to have an optimal 'blade-to-height' ratio in order for your knife to be usable - and that only 'he' could do this marvelous thing.

He was also a proponent of the knife's ability to cut a 1" free-hanging Manila rope - and if yours couldn't do it, by golly 'his' could.

That worked until a demonstration in Las Vegas when a guy squatting nearby flipped out his Buck folder and cut the rope coming and going...

Upset the 'noted' knifemaker, it did...

The point is - advertising is serious business, and hype plays a part, but doesn't necessarily add value.

For a Colt Single Action Army's action to properly work - simply 'clean' the piece 'thoroughly' and polish/stone all bearing surfaces free of any high spots or burrs without changing the factory angle - lube, reassemble, and try - and if you feel a crying need for lighter springs - look at your Brownell's catalog.

If you understand the basic principles and have a copy of Dave Chicoine's book - 'Gunsmithing Guns of the Old West' handy - there's nothing to it, and you've saved a bunch of money to spend on practice ammunition.

Good Luck!

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

Old Doc · July 04, 2009, 11:37:57 PM

By coincidence, I just got back two guns from Bob james last week and am preparing to buy one or more guns from Jim Finch. I am looking forward to experiencing Jim's work. Bob James is top notch. He has done several other guns for me in the past and all so far have been amazing. Bob is also a true gentleman. I met Bob Munden some years ago and handled one of his exhibition guns. The action was so light it felt like a cap pistol. I was amazed it would break primers but was assured that it would. My only other experience with Munden has been through his videos which are quite entertaining but would be about half as long if you edited out all the BS.

Fairshake · July 14, 2009, 07:54:58 PM

My vote goes for Jim Finch. I have customer time with him and that is the reason for my vote. He is honest, up front and will do all he can to make you happy. I'm sure that Munden is also a good man. Between the two I would also pick Jim because he shoots CAS as I do. Bob Munden talks about frame collapse, never heard of it and I'm a trained Armourer. He would set his guns up for fast draw and that is a different game from CAS. It's like you don't go to a seafood restaurant and order Chinese, you go with what they know. I'm sure that the guy that Rio talks about is good also. When you are looking you ask the people who have had work done by the man you are thinking about and Rio has done that. I know Jim and therefore pick him

rodeo kid · April 19, 2010, 11:34:54 PM

All I can tell you is I have a Rodeo II I bought from Jim Finch with his action work and it is the Bomb! I have a 3rd gen colt in nickel and walnut grips because I thought the price was ok. It was $1250 and unfired. I thought I needed the real thing. It is pretty to look at and does shoot ok, but for around half as much my USFA is so slick and smooth I might as well use the colt to hammer nails with.
Go with Jim Finch and you will be happy.

RRio · April 20, 2010, 02:29:12 AM

From the USFA website:

QuoteAll USFA/SASS Single Action Revolvers are available only through SASS and are shipped and warranted through Long Hunter Shooting Supply, official licensed dealer of USFA products.

Each USFA/SASS Single Action Revolver is marked with a special roll engraved SASS name and SASS Marshal into the left side.

Long Hunter Shooting Supply also offers an action work package so you are assured your revolver is "Match Ready" as soon as you receive it.

This oughta tell ya something. Seems like a pretty good endorsement to me, coming from SASS and USFA! (For those who may not know it, Long Hunter is Jim Finch.)

Texas Lawdog · April 20, 2010, 07:56:50 AM

Long Hunter is a great gunsmith as well as being a top SASS shooter. He lives about 30 miles from my hometown in the Panhandle. I have talked to him on the phone and on the internet. You can't go wrong with him.

Duke York · April 20, 2010, 05:42:44 PM

Howdy Doc

To answer your question, this is a spacer between the bolt and the frame. It may be constructed from metal or hard plastic. It has been around for decades.
Have shot single actions for over 40 years, Colt's, Ruger 3 screws, and now USFA. Used some for quick draw.
Never heard of a frame collapsing, don't think it's possible with guns made in the USA. In fact I believe that it is impossible.
Have always avoided the Italian clones, but have worked on a few.
Never found the need to have this gizmo in my guns.

Duke York

cowpokedean · July 24, 2010, 10:48:50 PM

I have to comment on this topic. I would highly recommend against buying from Longhunter. I have purchased five USFA revolvers from Jim and Brad over the past two years. The first two are excellent. The second time I purchased three. One is excellent and the other two were junk. Neither would fire reliably. When I returned them for repair I paid the shipping and got back two guns that were in worse tune than when they were sent and still would not fire reliably. When I called, Brad told me about the things I could try to fix them myself and claimed he thought they were fine. I sent them to another nationallly known gunsmith who immediately diagnosed the problems and went to great lengths to get the revolvers fixed and returned in a very timely manner.

My sport is Cowboy Mounted Shooting and it seems to put more of a demand on guns. But all brands when properly tuned seem to be very capable of good performance.

I have had the privilege of borrowing Colts to shoot for entire matchs that were tuned by Bob James. They were very slick and light compared to the best Longhunters. Cocking effort and trigger pull were approximately cut in half. And I have also shot Bob Munden tuned Colts and they were even lighter and slicker than the Bob James revolvers.