New and need help choosing revolver and gun belt for CAS... Please Help

ColtonWhite · January 25, 2010, 01:06:31 AM

First of all thank you for the all info y'all provided which helped me choose my shotgun i really appreciate it. The shotgun is on the way and now I am starting to decide on what pistol and rig i want...

For the revolver i have found 3 viable companies: Cimmaron, EMF and Uberti. All have an option for around $500, which is my spending limit on my first revolver. Are these companies single action pistols decent and ready for competition? i appreciate any information y'all can offer.

Also i am looking for a holster and belt to put this pistol in. I haven't done much research on this yet but know that i can only afford to spend around $250 on a double holster rig...i have found a couple choices in my range and they come from Nevada Gun Leather and El Paso Saddlery... please let my know if y'all know of any other companies i have not been able to locate through research for purchasing the revolver or the gun leather...

Thank you for all the help...

Marshal Deadwood · January 25, 2010, 03:14:46 AM

El Paso Saddlery builds as good of rigs as one can buy.

MD

Angel_Eyes · January 25, 2010, 04:55:25 AM

Colton, I bet if you attend a couple of local CAS shoots, you will find some of the people there with spare rigs, guns and equipment that they would be happy to sell on.

My club has a notice board dedicated to sale items and virtually everything is way cheaper than you could find commercially, generally not heavily used.

For instance, I have two, 2-gun rigs spare and three single rigs, but I am over here in the UK, and the CAS is not so widespread as in the USA, but it is not the kind of thing you throw away, so good luck in your search.

AE

Shotgun Franklin · January 25, 2010, 06:13:41 AM

Angel Eyes gave good advice. It will also depend on if you want to be Historicly Correct or lean more toward the 'Gamer'.

Blackpowder Burn · January 25, 2010, 07:24:24 AM

Colton,

Uberti makes most of the revolvers for Cimarron and Taylors, so in that case it's just a matter of which company you want to deal with. While I haven't bought a gun from Taylors, they have an outstanding reputation for customer service. Pietta makes most of the revolvers for EMF. Both have excellent reputations. You can't really go wrong with any of the above choices.

One thing I might suggest is that you contact Long Hunter (see his ads on this website). He sells all of these brands and you can purchase a gun that has been tuned and is competition ready for about the same price as regular retail. You might also talk to him about USFA revolvers - they are 100% American made, are tough as a tank and are exact reproductions of period Colts. While the Rodeo model does run a little over $600, they are well worth the price.

L.G. · January 25, 2010, 08:55:48 AM

El Paso Saddlery has been in business for well over 100 years, they make some of the best rigs out there, and will do custom stuff on your request. I've got a Duke rig from them that has 26 shell loops instead of 20, and with suede on the inside of the belt to make it more resistant to slipping. I've got bot a cross draw and double strong side holsters for the belt.

Ten Wolves Fiveshooter · January 25, 2010, 10:04:56 AM

Everything that has been said is good information, one thing that I will say, is in my experience, with the Great Western ll from E.M.F.the guns are tuned out of the box, I have two of them, and both were perfect without having to send them to a smith, Pietta is putting out some of the nicest Colt SAA 1873 clones on the market today, the ones I have are the closest to the second generation Colts that I use to shoot, so take a look see at all these guns before making a decision. as for gun leather, I'm a leathersmith, so I make my own, but the commercial makers that have been mentioned are good choices, you can also stop into the Leather Shop forum here, and go through the Show your stuff threads and get an idea of what you might like to have, we also have makers that can do the work for you, so stop in and take a look, if anything it will open up your eyes to what is out there.

Good luck with your choices, and have lots of fun, that's what it's all about.

tEN wOLVES

ColtonWhite · January 25, 2010, 01:47:41 PM

Thank you for all the help i really do appreciate it. Is there anything i need to know when choosing between an Uberti single action or a Pietta? Ill have to research gun leather more and get back to y'all with some questions in the leather shop threads...and just for my curiosity what are your opinions on SA Colt type revolver barrel lengths for general shooting and competition: 4.75 in , 5.5 in or 7.5 in.??

Thanks again,
Colton White

Lloyd · January 25, 2010, 03:31:31 PM

You might also want to consider a Beretta Stampede. Beretta owns Uberti. CDNN has them for 399.00. My two are dead on with the sights and shoot really well. They do have a transfer bar ignition like a Ruger if that makes a difference to you. They have a clear coat over the case coloring. I stripped the clear coat off and left the colors. Here is a link to their catalog to download.

http://www.cdnninvestments.com/dowournewcat.html

Lloyd

44caliberkid · January 25, 2010, 09:26:32 PM

Cimmaron's are Uberti's. The EMF Great Western are made by Pietta. All are excellent pistols. As for leather, just don't buy a Buscadero rig, too Hollywood, from the 1950's.

Rowdy Fulcher · January 26, 2010, 05:27:34 PM

Howdy Pard
As for my choice .The USFA for the pistol and El Paso for the rig .Great gun and Great Gun leather .

ColtonWhite · January 27, 2010, 12:42:26 AM

Thanks so much for all of the assistance. After considering my budget, which is low, i has narrowed my search down to a few candidates and i was hoping y'all could help me compare them before i make my final decision...

It's between Cimarron's Model P pre-war (new model), Uberti Cattleman, Taylor's Smoke Wagon(Although i would rather have smooth wood grip rather than checkered) and the Ruger Vaquero( even though i like the old style of the Italian revolvers better than the new look of Ruger)...I don't have anything against USFA, i just cant afford one at the moment.

These revolvers all look the same to me, except for the Ruger, so i was hoping y'all could inform me of any differences you are aware of...I found a Cimarron model p local for $450 so i would like to know how it stacks up with the rest listed... Thanks alot y'all have been a huge help in choosing my gear.

Colton

Blackpowder Burn · January 27, 2010, 06:40:39 AM

Colton,

You should be able to purchase a USFA Rodeo for about the same price as the Ruger or Smoke Wagon. Also consider that most of the pistols you mention will benefit greatly from an action job. The Rodeo's sold by Long Hunter come with the action work included.

Of the list you've come up with, my choice would be the Smoke Wagon, as it comes with the action job, improved internal springs, etc.

Of course, we all have different opinions and that's why there are so many manufacturers and models to choose from. That's what makes it so much fun!

ColtonWhite · January 27, 2010, 02:31:52 PM

Thanks for help, but after looking at pics i really want one that looks like the old version, smooth wood grip, brass and original finish, so i think im gonna take USFA and Ruger off my list and get one of those for my second revolver maybe... so anymore opinions having said that or i might pick up this sweet Cimarron model p for $450 when i go and grab my coach gun tomorrow... thanks for letting me know

Colton

Good Scout · January 23, 2014, 01:35:48 AM

Can anyone tell me how wide the trigger is on the Smoke Wagon Deluxe? I could not tell how wide they were from the pictures. The Cattleman triggers were too thin feeling to me. I liked the width on the Vaqueros. But the Vaqueros action seemed rough.
I have been back and forth on calibers between 44-40 and 357 but the Vaquero 357 felt a lot heaver that the Colt clones I handled.

longinosoap · January 24, 2014, 03:04:41 PM

Go with what you can afford. Chances are you will find a "gotta have" once you are around the game. So what you get now probably won't be what you have a year or two down the road.

For leather, more of the same. Get what you can afford. However, though El Paso makes a great rig, you may have a hard time finding a rig for $250. There's a company out of Phoenix that sells on Gunauction called Rivan Western that has rigs you can get for under $150. Once again, it's a starter rig that you may or may not have in a year or two.

Good luck and have fun.

Thomas (Tom) Horn aka James Hicks · January 25, 2014, 12:45:16 AM

ColtonWhite- My two cents- As someone said what you get now, you probably won't still be using it 2 years from now. When I started SASS I really did not know what I wanted. So I started CHEAP and I do mean cheap.. It served its purpose till I figured on what I really wanted. I started with Triple K gun leather which I bought at[ftphttp://www.cowboyneeds.com/tk_western.html[/ftp]
The rigs that they sell will serve you well till you figure out what you really want. Everybody has their own idea of what gun leather should be. I suggest you do your research first...figure out in your own mind ... do you want to be "period correct" or "Johnny on the spot" A good book to look at when you do your research is "Packing Iron by Richard C. Rattenbury" most libraries have this book. Go to some SASS shoots and ask some of the pokes about their leather and you will get answers from A to Z. What works well with one person may not work well with another. What always looks good does not always work well. Keep in mind the gun leather has to go with the type arms you use (common sense) If you want easy draw revolvers use revolvers with 4.75" barrels and work from there... a lot depends on the category you shoot...SASS is not Fast Draw competition. Look around first... before you spend the big bucks... if you stay with the sport... the big bucks will follow. My opine.

pakm · January 29, 2014, 08:39:35 PM

Hi cotton: I'm a dealer and a cowboy shooter in THSS(that's in Texas just out side of Houston. I haven't had much experence in shooting (three games on the third sunday of the month. I love the uberti's Most of my pistols are ubertis I"m working around to trying the pietta?

My shooting buddy shoots two .45 LC pietta's and in our three shoots he hasnt' had any problems with his pistols. I had problems with my ubertis and it might have been my reloads with high primers. but I shot my first one with a Russian schofield in .45 LC and a 1871-2 in .44 speical. I had no problems with either gun except the 7.5 inch barrels on both guns. (7.5 inch barrels don't make for a quick draw)
but I have a .38 C. mason and a "P" model .38-40 which I might use in Feb. and both are very accurate and seem to be relibable. But back to your problem. The Beretta Stampede is as good as it get's. and yes, they are make by uberti, I found a .45 LC stampede as a parts gun a put a 44-40 barrel and cylinder on it.(that's all Cimarron had at the time) after some fitting the gun shot to point of aim with it's new caliber. after working on the stampede, I think they are a quality pistol. I'm have to work on my uberti's (they are open top 1871-2's. ) I changing them from 7.5 inch barrels to 5.5. inch barrels. they are now both shooting about an inch high at 10 yards in .44 special. "O" almost all of the uberti's I've got and/or had shoot to point of aim. now the bad news. I've had 7 or 8 Ruger Vaquero's and not one shot to point of aim. not even close. they had 4 3/4 inch barrels , 5.5 inch barrels and one or two in the 7.5 inch barrel not one shot to point of aim. "I" will never buy a Ruger Vaquero for my self again. the Vaquero's were in .38 special and .45 LC. I shoot .38 special, 38-40, 44-40, .44 special .45 LC and /45 schofield. My rifle is a pedersoli in .44-40. after a shoot I've had people come up to me and tell me "don't sell the rifle it works great for you"
I was trying to get a couple of pistols in .44-40, they seem to be made out of unobtainable, so that's why the .44 specials.

New and need help choosing revolver and gun belt for CAS... Please Help

44caliberkid