Buffalo Bills; Short or long barrel ??

P

Pahoo

New member
I currently have two Buffalo Bill Commemoratives. One is the carbine and the other is the rifle. A good friend has been trying to talk me out of these for a couple of years. Have decided that one could go to his house although he would prefer both. When I pulled them out of the safe I remembered why I bought them in the first place. Both are very handsome and of course, I started having second thoughts. We do that from time to time, don't we ??? .... ;)

It's tough enough to decide to even let go of one, let alone, which one. So the question is, which one do I let go of? The long barrel or the short one?

Be Safe !!!
 
The 26" bbl will ALWAYS be more saleable/valuable AND accurate than the handier 20" bbl.

Hobson's Choice - Some hunters (as opposed to droolers) might prefer one length over the other, too.

Only YOU can answer that Question, for YOU.

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it........................:p

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Risking sounding selfish, I'd keep'm both - both fun to shoot - the 20" barrel SCR handles easier hunting in the woods - but - that 26" barrel draws lots of admirers at the range (I taking the fifth on what I paid for them - I stole'em really - but - it was from a dealer friend).

I sold a gun in 1940 - have regretted it ever since - and will NEVER DO THAT AGAIN.

YMMV
 
Even Winchester made the same mistake as the OP made. I have collected antique guns for 45 years and this is a common error. What you photographed is NOT a carbine and rifle. They are both rifles. A rifle and carbine were two different models of the same model. Confused yet? Winchester built model 94 rifles and model 94 carbines. These are both rifles. The lenght of the barrel has nothing to do with the difference. The main differences are barrel style, buttplate style, forend retainer style and magazine retainer styles.
 
30-30remchester Even Winchester made the same mistake as the OP made. I have collected antique guns for 45 years and this is a common error. What you photographed is NOT a carbine and rifle. They are both rifles. A rifle and carbine were two different models of the same model. Confused yet? Winchester built model 94 rifles and model 94 carbines. These are both rifles. The lenght of the barrel has nothing to do with the difference. The main differences are barrel style, buttplate style, forend retainer style and magazine retainer styles.
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From Wikipedia "A carbine ( /ˈkɑrbiːn/ or /ˈkɑrbaɪn/[1]), from French carabine,[2] is a longarm similar to but shorter than a rifle or musket. Many carbines are shortened versions of full rifles, firing the same ammunition at a lower velocity due to a shorter barrel length."

Makes it easy to use those terms - most people understand which one is which - and, we're riflemen or gunners. ;)
 
ART, I thought I was still on the OP's topic. He asked which would the forum choose, rifle or carbine. The fact both are rifles and no carbine in site.
 
Back on point; I think !!!

ART, I thought I was still on the OP's topic.
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Well, you are not but that's okay ... ;)
I do respect your expertise and as you know, these are far from being antiques. In practice, right or wrong, these are commonly refereed to as the Rifle and Carbine. I would also refer you to the Blue Book of Gun Values and they list them in this manner, as well. Look it up yourself. I will give you that we are probably all wrong but that was not my question or concern. ... :mad:

If you had two of this model, which barrel length would you keep? ... :confused:

As an after thought and a separate topic/post it might be good to ask what makes a Carbine, a carbine.. ?? ... :confused:

Be Safe !!!
 
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Well I'm selfish, so I wouldn't give either of them up.

I've only been collecting rifles for a few years now and I don't think I will ever sell one, I still have (albeit mostly rust) a Hamilton 27.

But as PetahW said "Only YOU can answer that Question, for YOU."
 
Even Winchester made the same mistake as the OP made. I have collected antique guns for 45 years and this is a common error. What you photographed is NOT a carbine and rifle. They are both rifles. A rifle and carbine were two different models of the same model. Confused yet? Winchester built model 94 rifles and model 94 carbines. These are both rifles. The lenght of the barrel has nothing to do with the difference. The main differences are barrel style, buttplate style, forend retainer style and magazine retainer styles.
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This is 100% correct. With leverguns, the difference between rifles and carbines is not as simple as barrel length. It's in the configuration. For it is entirely possible to have a "short rifle" with a barrel shorter than that of a carbine. The difference lies in the buttplates, forend style and magazine retention. As stated.

I wouldn't go getting my education in gunology from Wikipedia. ;)
 
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