USFA Rodeo.....the best buy in any USFA gun

yahoody · March 28, 2015, 11:15:58 AM

At first blush a Rodeo is one butt ugly gun IMO. But truth is, likely the best deal USFA produced and still can be had at a decent price.
Rodeos are my choice of a blank canvas for some exceptional guns.

The fact that every thing about a Rodeo is exactly the same internally as the Prewar or Premium guns makes them exceptional guns. Only the manner in which they are cosmetically final finished is different. And thankfully that doesn't effect how they shoot

A few ideas of what can easily be done with a basic Rodeo for not a lot of money or time involved.
If money is no object, send a Rodeo off to Turnbull and he can hook you up with a Prewar finish for $700 or $800 last I heard.
Might still get you a prewar for under $2000 in today's market. Add some more $ for the UBER and super rare bright nickel finished USFA gun.

But anything is possible.

I'm not a huge fan of blue and cased guns as it isn't a very durable finish. I shoot my guns a lot. So not being stressed about finish wear (and eventual refinish) is something that is important to me. Thankfully there are other options

Brushed Nickel Rodeo (aka Rodeo II)

Antigued Rodeo that started out matte black blued

2 different Engraved Rodeos, first gun is in the white. The second has gold inlays and is a high polish and charcoal blue.

Exceptional guns?
Pictured is likely one of the best six-guns I've owned. I call it the "cutter". Maked with rampant Unicorn now and a golden horn inlay. Not the best group shot in the picture (more typically it would be one hole) but I cut playing cards with this gun on a regular basis at the same distance. The base gun was Rodeo I bought cheap off GB to use as a shooter. Boy, does it ever shoot!

Antiqued finished, engraved Rodeo

three cards cut with three consecutive shots from the "cutter".

The Holy Grail? May be. Bright nickel USFA guns. This too can be had using a Rodeo as the base gun.

I can't shoot them all. So after writing this I added a NIB Rodeo II to GB this morning.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=475356719

Pangaea · March 28, 2015, 01:39:55 PM

Yahoody,

I have a consecutive pair, one 5 1/2 inch and a 7 1/2 inch bright nickel Henry Nettleton guns. They are 44 wcf and are in a display box. The original boxes are not labeled, they are in the 47xxx range. Do you think these would be original finish guns? Would they qualify as to the collect-ability as the ones you described herein?

Philip

yahoody · March 28, 2015, 01:55:37 PM

Some nice ones you have there Ben!
My lickspit is a polishing cloth and real ivory

Philip? Heck yes!

All the USFA guns are collectable. Some more than others. Most of the bright nickel guns are USPFA not USFA guns. And the USFA guns that were nickeled are typically early Italian parts guns. But then so is the $10K Sears engraved USPFA gun that Hapalong owns.

Here is a USPFA nickel gun that has been around for months now unsold. A nickel Uberti IMO which can be had with nice wood grips for $650+ from Cimarron.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=475059129#PIC

I suspect the prep work for a bright nickel finish was simply too costly and why they stopped doing it early on. Call it a marketing experiment. My pair were custom ordered as I suspect many/all of the nickel guns were. That adds to the collectability. But as we know some guns are more collectable/valuable than others.

For me it has been the US made guns. Past that I want true matching pairs. For others it might be Bisleys or Flat tops.....or bright nickel guns

Either way I bet your pair of bright nickel guns is stunning!

Pangaea · March 28, 2015, 06:32:01 PM

I hope this works.

GaryG · March 28, 2015, 08:21:48 PM

Let me add to the remarks on nickel guns. USFA installed their own nickel tanks in about 2008. Prior to that and after the Italian era, nickel was done by outside vendors.

GaryG · March 28, 2015, 08:24:09 PM

The casing for Pangaea was done by Brookfield Case. We did a few Inspector series guns in nickel.

yahoody · March 29, 2015, 11:18:50 AM

Quote from: GaryG on March 28, 2015, 08:24:09 PM
The casing for Pangaea was done by Brookfield Case. We did a few Inspector series guns in nickel.

Gary pretty much answered that one for you Philip. They look to be really nice and I suspect very rare set of guns. The pair as a factory cased set even more so. 44wcf.....odd at best. Since they would never have existed in real life from the US Army Inspectors or Colt back in the day.

Great story to be had there how ever. The Army (7th Cav) issued Scouts (typically Indian Scouts) nickel guns. And many of them used a '73 Winchester after '73 if not the Sharps or Remington 45-70s. 44WCF was the choice in a Winchester '73 chambering so a handgun to match for caliber makes perfect sense. Not that the US Army has ever made "perfect sense'

I am guessing but I'd bet Gary's comment gives you the source for your pair:

Quote from: GaryG on March 28, 2015, 01:42:39 PM
USFA never did a Custer with a special serial number. "Special" numbers within the Ainsworth range could be ordered. Perhaps the most unusual would be a Custer with 1876 serial number.

There was a dealer in Oregon that ordered Inspector series guns in other than 45LC. That didn't last long as finally USFA said no more.

Pangaea · March 29, 2015, 11:23:56 AM

Thank you Dane.

yahoody · March 30, 2015, 06:33:50 PM

You have no idea how happy I am they are not .45s.

An incredible set of guns! USFA "Holy Grail" just got a new definition in my book.

yahoody · April 25, 2015, 08:50:19 PM

Thought this topic worth a bump....if for nothing else than to show off my current pair of "shooters" built on odd numbered, and well used Rodeos, salvaged off GB last summer. Call this one the clue bus.

In my hands the guns have had something like 8K rounds through each gun already. Nothing required to date past gluing ivory back together on one gun and some blue lock tight for both guns on the ejector rod housing screws. Wonderful guns.

Monsai52 · April 25, 2015, 09:39:22 PM

My one and only USFA is this Rodeo that I picked up from a LGS last year for 450.00. It shoots great, and I don't mind the matte finish that much, but I'd like to do something in the direction of what Kent Shootwell shows in his refinish thread.

I'd been away from shooting for a few years and when I got back into it I was excited to see what USFA was doing and was planning to order a Bisley, but unfortunately the window closed before I got an order in. At least I've got one of these fine SAs; maybe more will follow.

Best regards,

at 50'

sixguns · April 25, 2015, 10:39:46 PM

Quote from: yahoody on April 25, 2015, 08:50:19 PM
Thought this topic worth a bump....if for nothing else than to show off my current pair of "shooters" built on odd numbered, and well used Rodeos, salvaged off GB last summer. Call this one the clue bus.

In my hands the guns have had something like 8K rounds through each gun already. Nothing required to date past gluing ivory back together on one gun and some blue lock tight for both guns on the ejector rod housing screws. Wonderful guns.

Nice...who did the finishing and engraving on these?

yahoody · April 25, 2015, 11:12:54 PM

Nice gun and nice shooting Monsai!

Thanks Sixguns. I did the finish work on the guns and final contour and fit on the ivory. Not yet done with the finish as I am going back to add true, niter blue, to the screws, ejector rod and cylinder pin next week. I think that addition will really make the guns pop cosmetically. Always a work in progress as I shoot them both several times week.

Details on the engraving here:
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,54993.0.html

Without the grips the guns looked like this (actual bottom gun pictured prior to engraving) when I sent them to the engraver. Only an hour's work per gun compared to Monsai's.

Monsai52 · April 25, 2015, 11:33:01 PM

Quote from: what would you say on April 25, 2015, 09:50:04 PM
Nice range target shooting Monsai52. Are you also active on the Colt forum? Your screen name is definitely familiar.

Yes, I spend a lot of time on the Colt Forum, and try to contribute a little when I can. I still need to set up my avatar over here,which is the Alfa Romeo logo, one of my other interests.

Best regards,