Colt Burgess lever rifle?

oilcan72 · January 29, 2011, 09:06:27 PM

Hello,

Has anyone tried the Colt Burgess lever rifle? I am torn between the Burgess or an 1866 yellow boy. I am a beginner in cowboy action shooting and anyhelp would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Denis oilcan72

Pettifogger · January 29, 2011, 10:03:27 PM

Wrote an article for the Cowboy Chronicle about the Burgess a couple of months ago. Nicely made with a relatively smooth action out of the box. Only available in .44-40 and .45. Because of the design its doubtful Uberti will ever offer the gun in .38/.357 as the internals would have to be re-engineered. If you are a beginner and have aspirations of becoming competitive in the future the 66 is probably a better choice. Lots of parts available and it can be short stroked. The Burgess design does not lend itself to short stroking.

hawkeye2 · January 30, 2011, 09:57:47 AM

I was by Taylors & Co. a couple of weeks ago to get some parts and they had some Burgesses on the wall. I asked to look at one and found that they had excelent ballance and the action and trigger were smooth right out of the box. They said they didn't know of anyone who had Hot Rodded one yet. I'm sure that they could be improved on but would work fine as is and I wish I had a much larger income. If you have the $$, if it fits your time frame, if you want to be a little different go for it! The 66 would probably be a better choice for a beginner though as there are aftermarket items such as shortstroke kits and loading gates readily avlaiable and parts are easy to find. Used 66s are out there and if you hold your breath you might find a real deal on one. I just picked up a mint carbine for less than half of list.

LoneRider · January 30, 2011, 01:47:49 PM

Get a '66 the Burgess is too new and there isn't any competition parts yet or any smiths to work on them.

Abilene · January 30, 2011, 05:40:46 PM

I have handled several of the Burgess rifles at Cimarron and they do feel smoother than the toggle-link guns out of the box. If you are getting into CAS for fun and want to shoot a .44 or .45 rifle, I say go for the Burgess if that's what you want. Not everyone is trying to be a top competitor. I have 4 toggle-link rifles in 4 different calibers and while I have lightened the action on all of them, none have short strokes (if I did one, I'd have to do them all). If you entertain being competitive then stick with the '66 or '73, they can be made to go very fast. On the other hand, most of us end up owning more than one set of guns. You could get the '66 now since it has a proven record and if you still want the Burgess later, get it then.

The usual recommendation is to go to a match and try different guns before you buy, but there's not a lot of Burgesses out there yet.

Deadeye Don · January 31, 2011, 05:48:02 AM

As usual Abilene gives great advice. I am still contemplating buying a Burgess, but since there are guns sitting in my safe now that I don't shoot regularly it is hard to justify the expense. But then, that never stopped me in the past!!

Major 2 · January 31, 2011, 05:57:23 AM

Quote from: Deadeye Don on January 31, 2011, 05:48:02 AM
As usual Abilene gives great advice. I am still contemplating buying a Burgess, but since there are guns sitting in my safe now that I don't shoot regularly it is hard to justify the expense. But then, that never stopped me in the past!!

"...since there are guns sitting in my safe now that I don't shoot regularly it is hard to justify the expense. But then, that never stopped me in the past!! "

Ditto...there comes the sweet moment when rationality takes flight

" I know I shouldn't do it but I'm gonna do dit anyway "

Short Knife Johnson · January 31, 2011, 08:03:47 AM

...The sweet moment when rationality takes flight...

I'll have to remember that.

I may have to put myself down for a Burgess repro. It would be to keep my Whitney-Kennedy company. Besides, only unusual guns are interesting.

Badlands Beady · February 08, 2011, 02:50:07 PM

I bought a Burgess because, back when I decided I needed a more active hobby than coin collecting, I had the idea of putting together a collection of guns that would represent what was available in the Old West. That meant each gun I bought would be sufficiently different from everything else in my safe to not be just "the same gun with a shorter barrel," or whatever, and the Burgess has different innards from a Winchester. Of course, I've violated the rule a few times, like my trapdoor carbine is just like my trapdoor rifle but with a shorter barrel, but I like trapdoors.

I guess my point, if I have one, is that you should buy guns that match your reason for wanting them. I want a collection of different guns; I have a '73, so there's no reason to buy a '66. I couldn't care less about speed or winning a match, so I'm free to buy guns simply because I like them, without any consideration of whether a particular revolver will give me a competitive edge. The only competition I'm interested in is the one for style points, and that's not going to happen with a "race-ready" Vaquero and short-stroked '66; almost everyone has those and, for me, they're a big yawn.

Captain Rob Page · February 08, 2011, 03:58:38 PM

I recently aquired a Burgess 20 inch barrel rifle in 44wcf and it was very smooth right out of the box and gets better all the time. My wife used it during deer season and it sounds like she is going to replace her 73 with the Burgess for next summer's shoots. Guess I have lost my Burgess!

Short Knife Johnson · February 09, 2011, 04:16:27 AM

Quote from: Badlands Beady on February 08, 2011, 02:50:07 PMI want a collection of different guns; I have a '73, so there's no reason to buy a '66. I couldn't care less about speed or winning a match, so I'm free to buy guns simply because I like them, without any consideration of whether a particular revolver will give me a competitive edge. The only competition I'm interested in is the one for style points, and that's not going to happen with a "race-ready" Vaquero and short-stroked '66; almost everyone has those and, for me, they're a big yawn.

Good to know I'm not the only one. My goal is to get a working collection of as many different actions types as possible. Original or reproduction matters not. I'm sure I got lots of crosswise looks from the speed demons when I showed up with my Kennedy and brace of S&W repros. If or when I find even more exotic pieces, I'll bring them too.

Major 2 · February 09, 2011, 05:52:36 AM

Quote from: Short Knife Johnson on February 09, 2011, 04:16:27 AM
Good to know I'm not the only one. My goal is to get a working collection of as many different actions types as possible. Original or reproduction matters not. I'm sure I got lots of crosswise looks from the speed demons when I showed up with my Kennedy and brace of S&W repros. If or when I find even more exotic pieces, I'll bring them too.

+3

".... "race-ready" Vaquero and short-stroked '66; almost everyone has those and, for me, they're a big yawn.

DITTO

Short Knife Johnson · February 09, 2011, 07:09:50 AM

Maybe there should be a "Belly-button class."

Badlands Beady · March 03, 2011, 09:51:56 AM

Quote from: Short Knife Johnson on February 09, 2011, 04:16:27 AM
I'm sure I got lots of crosswise looks from the speed demons when I showed up with my Kennedy and brace of S&W repros.

Heh heh. You should have seen the looks some people gave me when, halfway through the rifle targets, I had to stop, pull the follower from the butt of my Spencer, open the Blakeslee box, pull the cork off an ammo tube, pull out the tube, empty it into the Spencer's magazine, replace the tube and cork, close the Blakeslee, replace the follower, then resume cocking the hammer before levering another round into the chamber for each shot.

You just can't beat a Spencer for style!

Short Knife Johnson · March 03, 2011, 11:48:50 AM

Quote from: Badlands Beady on March 03, 2011, 09:51:56 AM
You just can't beat a Spencer for style!

No. No you can not.

Deadeye Dick · March 03, 2011, 07:07:11 PM

Quote from: Deadeye Don on January 31, 2011, 05:48:02 AM
As usual Abilene gives great advice. I am still contemplating buying a Burgess, but since there are guns sitting in my safe now that I don't shoot regularly it is hard to justify the expense. But then, that never stopped me in the past!!

Deadeye Don,
Know what you mean, my gun safe is in the same condition. I'm contemplating purchasing one too, either that or a 1860 Henry. In 44-40 of course. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Evelyn Canarvon · March 05, 2011, 02:42:46 PM

Quote from: Badlands Beady on March 03, 2011, 09:51:56 AM
Heh heh. You should have seen the looks some people gave me when, halfway through the rifle targets, I had to stop, pull the follower from the butt of my Spencer, open the Blakeslee box, pull the cork off an ammo tube, pull out the tube, empty it into the Spencer's magazine, replace the tube and cork, close the Blakeslee, replace the follower, then resume cocking the hammer before levering another round into the chamber for each shot.

You just can't beat a Spencer for style!

Now that I would have loved to have seen. I have been eyeing a Spencer just for fun as a rifle to go with a sort of Vivandiere outfit.

Shotgun Franklin · March 05, 2011, 05:32:45 PM

If you're more interested in shooting a gun like your Grandfather might have shot the Colt will fit the bill. If you're a gamer, it won't.

NCRanger · May 17, 2011, 08:34:43 PM

I just got a Burgess rifle (251/4" barrel) two weeks ago. (I like a longer sighting plane.) I must admit that it's pretty slick right out of the box. It has one "sticky" spot where the bolt rides over the hammer as one closes the action. When the action is stroked normally, however it is barely noticeable. Mine is in 45LC (I know, not the historically accurate caliber) but I discovered it will load up and feed 45 Scofields just as well. I figure that as a bonus. It does have a very strong action and it is very accurate. There are some SASS matches however where it cannot be used.

Pettifogger · May 17, 2011, 10:28:01 PM

"It does have a very strong action and it is very accurate. There are some SASS matches however where it cannot be used."

The action may be stronger than a 73, but it is not a "strong" action. It is a SASS legal rifle and legal for all SASS matches, so I'm not sure what you mean.