1873 colt/cimarron cattleman question about the upgrades

Z

Zathras

New member
Ok guys...I rely on your professional and learned knowledge as I'm fairly new to the cowboy action guns..I traded my 1873 7 1/2 inch 45LC cimarron model P for a stoeger uberti 1875 outlaw, and I learned from that mistake..I got rid of the outlaw and got another 1873 cimarron..but I noticed this one is identical to the one I had except it has a half moon ejector instead of the bulls eye one, and a side spring cylinder release pin..I was wondering...is this accurate from the 1870-1880 period?? and is the earlier model better??, and if any of you know..when did they do that upgrade ?..I was a bit dissapointed with the difference, but didnt notice it until I got it home.

Thanks
 
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My understanding is that the half moon ejector button came about in the early 1880s because people complained that the bullseye ejector kept getting caught up on stuff.

What problems did you have with your Outlaw? I always thought that it was a nice looking revolver, but form doesn't always follow function, I guess.
 
For one, the action was LOUSY, very tight, and it was nowhere near as balanced as the 1873, ..in addition the grip was uncomfortable, and didnt sit well in my hand , and had a heavier weight than the cattleman..Looked great, but that goes to show just because it looks great, doesnt mean its functions were good..it shot well..I didnt enjoy it anywhere near the cattleman..I had to keep fighting to pull the hammer back..Its history and outta my hands..I bought this 1873 brand new in the box.
 
Cimarron doesn't make guns. They're a reseller - mostly Uberti. So if you swap between the two assuming there's going to be a significant different, you're Doing It Wrong.

Now go buy Rugers and be done with it :).
 
Pizz on Ruger. Uberti's are fine guns. Cimarrons are supposed to be cherry picked from the factory. I know mine has a better action than the cattleman I had. The spring loaded cylinder catch denotes it as a smokeless powder frame but actually smokeless was in use before the frame change came about,
 
Not sure if ruger still makes a 7 1/2 inch 45lc...no one had em, and said they couldnt get em, and especially in the old style 1873 cattleman ..the cattleman I had that I traded for that lousy outlaw, was great..smooth action, well balanced, and a great shooter..to me, cimarron is a fine gun..I dont need to go chasin down a Ruger..this one does it for me..my only questions were about the upgrades..as to if the spring cylinder release pin
was around in the late 1870's and early 1880's..I liked the earlier version myself..but this one is exact except for that upgrade.
 
Ok I did some checking and the cross pin came about in 1896 but Colt didn't guarantee any of their revolvers with smokeless until 1898.
 
thanks hawg..so that would mean any cattleman models before 1896 would not have the spring pin for the cylinder...
 
Early 96's were a bp frame. During the production year around serial number 165,000 they switched to the smokeless frame.
 
thanks hawg...no other differences other than that spring pin for the cylinder and ejector, right? aside of that ..its the same as the earlier ones?
 
The cylinder pin is a little different and the one piece grips were discontinued around 1881 when they went to the two piece hard rubber.
 
not tryin to sound stupid now...but then by what you said...with this spring release cylinder pin, this gun would not be a good example of a catteman made in the late 1870's ..correct?..it has the wood grips though..
 
Not technically no but if historical accuracy doesn't mean so much let your imagination run with it.
 
I don't understand this conversation. There were no Cimarron Cattleman revolvers in the 1800s at all.
Click to expand...

OH NO, say it ain't so!!!:eek: We were comparing the Cattleman to original Colt's. :rolleyes: As if you didn't know. :D
 
mine was $469.00 for the 7 1/2 inch barrel 45lc ..its the 1896 "pre war" version..I prefer the "old version" with the black powder frame, and no side spring cylinder release..I just traded this pre war version back for the one I traded for that lousy outlaw..so I got my old one back, box, papers and all ..I'm a happy camper again...I should have it back by wednesday...:)..I suure learned my lesson!
 
As you can see..I'm no expert on these guns..but I'm learning, and thats why I like this forum..Its got alot of "veterans" of this topic here...obviously this isnt about cimarrons in the 1800's..its about the colt clone Cimarron copies ...I wouldnt spend what the colts go for ,and just about every gun guy in the shops have told me..the cimarrons are just as good if not better than the colts..
thanks for all the info hawg...

case closed
 
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