Fun guns..........

B

Bob Wright

New member
Maybe I'm mellowing in my old age. I've always liked such guns as a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum, or maybe a .45 Colt Super Blackhawk. (Well, my .45 Colt Rugers do look like Supers.) And preferred to set my targets downrange apiece just to keep it interesting. But economics and ammunition supply have put a damper on my shooting program of late. Now my targets range from 10 to 25 yards, and much less thunderous muzzle reports.

I've built up some nice single actions over the years, but now I find myself wanting somebody to introduce a less imposing replica of some of the older cartridge revolvers, such as the old spur trigger S&W revovlers. Or, maybe some tip-up .32s as the old S&W No.2.

And surely a cartridge version of the Remington spur-trigger pocket Model 1849 (?). Ruger came close with the little Bearcat, but not quite what I had in mind. Or maybe one of those lever-action single shots that slid the barrel forward.

Just novelty guns, to be sure. But those things were cute! And felt pleasant to the hand as well as the eye.

How about ya'll?

Bob Wright
 
Most of my center fire shooting has become standard 38spl and 45Colt cowboy loads at the age of 59. The 22 rimfires have now moved into my favorites in all their varieties. I have been thinking that maybe it's about time to build a custom tuned and finished Single Six now after doing it to a few center fire guns.
 
Last edited:
Just for recreation and to keep in practice, I love to shoot my .38 special 148 Grain cast DEWC reloads in my .357 mag revolver. Very little recoil and the wadcutters make a perfect circle in paper targets no rips or tears. And they are EXTREMELY cheap to reload.
 
lighter bullets, faster burning/bulkier powder in 45lc and 44 special. Am partial to 200 grain lrnfp going 800-950 fps. Lighter recoil but enough zip to hit mid range targets and have an effect. Sometimes the sights need adjusted a fair amount if they are set to full bore heavy loads.

Ruger single six in 32 mag is also pleasant/fun to shoot. Have some 32 acp and 32 long pistols, which are fun/pleasant, but pain to handload for.

While stocked up on 22 lr over the years, the supply is dwindling
 
I enjoy shooting my flattop 44 and it's timing is a little off. Breaks my heart but I can't afford a gunsmith at the moment. My wife's favorite load is 8 grns of trail boss with a 250 grn. hard cast. It's going around 900 fps and is very relaxing to shoot.
 
BOB... you've seen my pics... just pick up an oldie, reload it down & shoot them... MRS. loves shooting the 32 S&W cartridges I reload, low noise, low recoil, really fun... We shoot mine a lot, & as long as you stick with the S&W's, & keep them lubed, they shoot pretty well...

one of my new projects, is a matching pair of old Stevens Crackshots, that I'm setting up as "gallery" competition guns... just something for my buddys to shoot... thought maybe pick up one of those motorized gallery target set ups, & shoot the Colibri's...

however have you considered looking for one of the newer Stevens 30 A's or what ever, the Favorite look a likes ??? been think about one of those myself... lil falling block, that can shoot modern 22 LR ammo
 
I recently bought a Dan Wesson 357 max Supermag with 8" barrel. It has a super slick double action and coupled with the weight,it practically shoots itself. Using 38 specials it has no recoil and you can poke hole after hole DA in very satisfying, tight little clusters. Now thats a fun gun to me.
 
My perspective has changed too lately.../ and like you I have not been shooting a lot of .44 mag's too much lately .....and deferring more to a .357 mag that doesn't tear up the arthritis in my hands as much...or even some of my other guns in 9mm..where the bullets are cheaper.

I have no intention of getting rid of my model 29's in .44 mag...but I also have not found a need to rush into calibers like .475 Linebaugh or .500 Wyoming Express either...( or to buy more guns .44 mag - I have S&W model 29's and 629's in 3", 4", 6" and 8 3/8"...and that's enough )...

and I have also gravitated back to some of my .22's ...like the old High Standards or the S&W model 41's...just having some fun !!
 
Bob, there is something neat about shooting the gun that was used to introduce the .32 S&W, namely, the No. 1-1/2, top-break, spur trigger. I have shot mine a lot with 1.4 -1.5 gr of Trail Boss pushing a .310 round ball or a 76-gr round nose from Hunter's Supply, I think. These light bullets with this charge maintain safe pressures, I believe. I know some will fire factory .32 S&W in these guns, but I will not. I have used similar loads with bullets up to 85 grains in my S&W double-action, top-break, 4th Model. These guns are well made and accurate. I have also done a lttle shooting with a Tip-Up No. 2 using the machined .32 rimfire cases from Dixie Gun Works. I used 5 gr of Pyrodex P on top of a .22 blank, pushing a .310 round ball. Fun, but tedious, and not something I felt like doing regularly.

I like the idea of shooting old cartridges in guns specifically chambered for them, rather than for some longer cartridge, as you get wth .32 S&W in a .32 Long chamber. My dream would be a Ruger Bearcat reworked to a five-shot .32 S&W.
 
McShooty said: I like the idea of shooting old cartridges in guns specifically chambered for them, rather than for some longer cartridge, as you get wth .32 S&W in a .32 Long chamber. My dream would be a Ruger Bearcat reworked to a five-shot .32 S&W.
Click to expand...

And with a spur trigger!

Bob Wright
 
By spur trigger are you talking about the spur on the trigger guard like the Russian S&W topbreak?
 
By spur trigger are you talking about the spur on the trigger guard like the Russian S&W topbreak?
Click to expand...

Nope, A spur trigger is one that has no trigger guard.

A few exaples would be:

NAA mini

Remmington 1863

S&W no.2

Google any of those to see pics (I don't own any pics that I can post)
 
Well, in answer to queries, I'm not interested in buying a cap-and-ball revolver then buying a conversion cylinder and backplate.

And, to those who have said they just use milder ammunition (.38 Special in .357 Magnum) my thinking was a modern made replica of a vintage revolver.

I kind of like the spur trigger, or sheathed trigger as some describe it, as it reduces the outline somewhat that is normally taken up by a trigger guard bow.

And, yeah, I could buy a vintage revolver, but those are somewhat hard to find in my realm, especially in shootin condition.

Bob Wright
 
Well, I have owned a lot of singleactions, mainly Ruger and Italian Replica Peacemakers, but only a couple of days ago, I brought home my first real Colt Model P singleaction and it's also my first .357 mag singleaction, with all of the others being big bores.

This gun is a like new nickel plated, 4.75 inch barreled Peacemaker with the factory plastic blacked checkered grips. I love shooting this thing, espacally with 38 specials. It's a powder puff to shoot compared to my big bores.

I also own lots of semi-autos, but I am getting tired of chasing empties, and figured with ammo being what it is right now, this new Colt might be a welcomed addition, and I don't have to chase my brass all over the place.
 
I still wish I hadn't traded away the nice little nickel top-break Smith .32 five-shot I picked up somewhere over fifty years ago. I imagine I could have some fun with it today, but I was young and broke and stupid.
 
I have a converted 1851 Navy Sheriff in 45 Colt. What a pleasure to shoot. I like the short barrell; very well balenced.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top