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Post by Ken O'Neill on Jul 23, 2019 12:36:57 GMT -5
There was a time a few years ago, when I was prowling some of the back corners of the globe, when I would not have considered a sidearm in a caliber less than .44 Magnum. However, that time has passed, and I no longer have the need or desire for that amount of power or recoil. Several posters have alluded to the type of single action shown above: a bright stainless Ruger New Vaquero birdshead in .45 ACP only. To properly zero it, I filed .023" off the front sight, and quite by accident, the resulting sight picture presented the vision of a shiny round ball atop the front sight. In a hurry? Place the vision of the shiny ball on the target and press the trigger. Need more precision? Center the shiny ball in the rear sight notch. Other than a trigger job, which I performed in short order, nothing else had to be done to the gun, although I did have Gary Reeder put my name on the backstrap. All 230 gr. lead trucated cone FN's, 230 hardball, or hollowpoints are nicely zeroed from the muzzle out to about 40 yds. which is as far as I've had occasion to shoot it. The revolver is carried in the Simply Rugged rig shown below. My Ninja / serious adventure seeking part of my life is behind me, and I have entered my "cautious" period, with no acknowledged need for quick draw; if I sense I may want a gun, it is in my hand , awaiting use. Yes, I've carried other single actions for protection and still do. But this is my favorite.
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Post by deaconkc on Jul 23, 2019 19:14:38 GMT -5
Mr. O'Neill, that is a FINE rig from top to bottom.
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Post by Burnston on Jul 24, 2019 7:45:19 GMT -5
Free spin would be helpful for reloading under pressure, I second the free spin cylinder as mentioned above. While I've never yearned for such a feature in field carry, I can see it's application on a fighting rig. Fermin, your explanation for the question clarifies a few things and makes me want to alter my first response a bit. I realize you're asking what we would consider ideal, as opposed to what we have. In that spirit, I think our .45ACP guys are on to something. Not anywhere near my favorite round, I can see this working well in this context. Reason being; it doesn't take much of an ejector rod to dispense with cases so a shorter, concealable barrel can be used. A 1911 magazine for your extra rounds seems very practical, and a simple maneuver to learn under pressure. I prefer the SBH hammer on plow handles over the bisley hammers, and it may be worth exploring some of the cowboy action guys and their use of short action on their revolvers and reapply it to personal defense. I'd keep the plow handle because, A. it is what I'm used to, and B. Recoil in the .45acp wouldn't be substantial enough to merit the bird's head for me personally. For me, that plow handle should feature some sort of textured grips emphasizing use over appearance, which means no stag or bone, in my case. As another somewhat unusual preference, I'd also have that back-strap serrated, or textured in some non-aggressive but gripping way. A colt style thin trigger would be in order, and a stainless or matte (ugly, I know), non-shine surface, serrated front sight blade to avoid reflection, and a wider rear notch (iron) sight I believe would round out a fairly deadly rig for a guy who has practiced with it. All of this to be done on a New Model, so we can safely apply that sixth chamber to use. Though we are an open carry state here in Oklahoma, I believe I'd have some master design a practical small of back carry for me to be worn with coats or vests. I believe there is some merit to considering how an open carry pistol can often make the carrier a primary target out the gate, therefore nullifying any advantage he or she may have. The only problem I see is I've never heard of a .45acp carbine to match your pistol, unless you're looking beyond the realm of lever actions, in which case your Marlin Camp rifle, or dare I say, hi-point, might come into play. The Marlin might be better, given it takes the same 1911 mags you'd be carrying on your belt. I know next to nothing about the hi points. This, of course, is an amateur's take on a master's question.
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Post by magnumwheelman on Jul 24, 2019 8:08:56 GMT -5
Interestingly enough, on my matching pair of Vaquero Montados with the brass lightning grips I posted earlier, those were very early examples of those guns, which originally had grooved plow handles... those were not allowed in the SASS rules, so Ruger changed them I think the 2nd year of production... so I actually have a pair of polished stainless grooved plow handle grip frames in my parts drawer from those two guns
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lws
.30 Stingray
Spokane Valley, Washington
Posts: 229
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Post by lws on Jul 24, 2019 10:05:54 GMT -5
My most carried piece is a s/s vaquero birdshead 3 3/4" 44 magnum. In a pancake holster of my own make. 240 gr. 44 special loads for everyday carry and 265 gr. 44 magnum for anything that might bit.
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robl
.375 Atomic
These were the good ole days!
Posts: 1,415
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Post by robl on Jul 25, 2019 9:36:06 GMT -5
Ken O'Neill's Ruger in 45 ACP with a 1911 mag is appealing. I tried to get Colt to make me a dual cylinder 3" SAA in ACP/Colt No EJH. They would not... I found a set of 2.5" AWA Copies in 45 Colt. they work fine...for self defense or general packing a good ole pancake is the way to go. A Bisley Hammer works better for me. Plow handle grips, free spin nice trigger of course. Croft's work is indeed the exemplar. Good to be back here after so many years...
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Post by kings6 on Jul 25, 2019 9:53:20 GMT -5
Glad to see you back Rob! I thought maybe you had been out planting nice pine trees on a 5 acre parcel for me!
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Post by ezekiel38 on Jul 25, 2019 12:06:39 GMT -5
robl, glad to hear from you. Always interested in what you are playing with. The 45 ACP presents a way to shoot a versatile cartridge, that is fairly inexpensive to run, and at my age no chasing brass. No birdshead, above 45ACP recoil levels.
54 years of DA revolver shooting makes SA a learning proposition. In this case a plowhandle would be preferred.
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davet
.30 Stingray
Posts: 112
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Post by davet on Jul 25, 2019 13:28:10 GMT -5
I am a big fan of the now extinct USFA single actions, and likewise the 45 Colt cartridge. If I were to seriously consider SA carry for self defense I would look for and purchase a late production USFA Rodeo 4-3/4", in 45 Colt of course. A high, tight holster on a solid belt would do under cover garments and a cartridge slide would provide back up rounds, although I cannot envision reloading a SA revolver in the middle of a shoot out. The spare 45 Colts would be to reload after the fight so I wasn't standing around with an empty, or nearly empty gun, while waiting for the cops. Like wise, I'm not worried about one more round (6 shots vs 5). If I need one more 45 Colt, driving a 255g flat nosed bullet at 850 fps, I've screwed up 5 times already. That would make me think God was calling me home that day. (smile)
Dave
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Post by kings6 on Jul 25, 2019 15:56:53 GMT -5
Well 2 Dogs raided my wallet once again. He starts a thread like this and I end up buying that Clements vaquero off RF and now I have to fit the bisley hammer and the tweaking begins. How that little no neck fiend gets my wallet from 2000 miles away never ceases to amaze me.!
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Post by 2 Dogs on Jul 25, 2019 18:12:28 GMT -5
Well 2 Dogs raided my wallet once again. He starts a thread like this and I end up buying that Clements vaquero off RF and now I have to fit the bisley hammer and the tweaking begins. How that little no neck fiend gets my wallet from 2000 miles away never ceases to amaze me.! Talk about great timing! Today I handled a Cimarron El Malo in 45 Colt. The extended grip frame was the perfect length and weighed against the ejector rod length octagon barrel allowed not just perfect balance but “heft” much like my No5. In other words, the perfect amount more than a SAA to bring it to my mind just right. The wide low Spur Hammer was easily reached even by my thick stumpy thumbs and the action drew back like it was on ball bearings. The frame mounted rear notch was generous and square. I really liked it Rob Barnes (mysterious Jedi hand movement) you should buy us each a pair... I would change the traditional coin shaped front for a sharper dovetail unit and I bet the internals could benefit from some hardening as well. Then of course the CCH would have to be changed into the real deal...
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Post by 2 Dogs on Jul 25, 2019 18:16:55 GMT -5
Ken O'Neill's Ruger in 45 ACP with a 1911 mag is appealing. I tried to get Colt to make me a dual cylinder 3" SAA in ACP/Colt No EJH. They would not... I found a set of 2.5" AWA Copies in 45 Colt. they work fine...for self defense or general packing a good ole pancake is the way to go. A Bisley Hammer works better for me. Plow handle grips, free spin nice trigger of course. Croft's work is indeed the exemplar. Good to be back here after so many years... I’m not understanding why you wouldn’t have Alan Harton make that 3” dual cylinder Colt up for you?
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Post by buckelliott on Jul 25, 2019 20:22:34 GMT -5
Mostly, there's not a whole lot of difference between 2-legged and 4-legged adversaries. They all have critical points for quickest end to a threat, and I see no logic in changing to another gun or load, just because I may have to shoot a human.. What's good for bear, lion or wolf will also suffice for homo sap... I don't like tricky guns, with weirdly-shaped or fashioned grips. I abhor so-xalled Birds-head grips, because they rob my hand of a very important index point, which is the tail of the gun's grip, against the jeel of my palm.. When I am out and about, I am loaded for bear - literally. If a miscreant biped does something that requires shooting him,he'll just have to suffer the consequences of his in judicious actions. A heavy-loaded .45 Colt is designed and intended to inflict serious damage..
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Post by bula on Jul 27, 2019 7:58:59 GMT -5
It's Nat'l Day of the Cowboy. Think this reason enough to pack a S.A. today.
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Post by magnumwheelman on Jul 27, 2019 8:27:07 GMT -5
Well I will
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