Just some random Single Actions pictures

You did yourself and the world a favor saving that old Colt. It appears you have had the same results we have had with Ford's and Nutmeg.

Whats even more impressive is that those nickel USFA's were both Rodeo's originally with their crappy matte blue finish. I made a killer deal on 3 rodeo's for $1300 and traded one of them for that finish and grips on the top one. The other one I paid I think $800 for the nickel and ivory.
 
I have very few Cowboy Guns, but like the ones I do have pretty good, even though they never get shot anymore and I found out this morning that two of the three double rigs I have, have shrunk up from not being used properly I suppose. Both of these are Galco rigs, one I had them custom make for me many years ago, must have been using bad leather I reckon for the to shrink up like that????? Hmmmmm................???

I can't remember where I got these from or how, Billy probably does, the older he gets, the more I forget............ Anyway, not Colts, but I am sure, if $$ were not a factor, I would not trade them for two Colts....... I think these are American Western, or something such....... But they are far slicker and tighter than the two Colts I do have.............

I had Mammoth Ivory Grips fitted to them years ago........................

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Billy and I had a fellow do a couple of Elephant Leather rigs for us some years ago from some of my Elephant Leather............ Thank God, this one still fits, didn't shrink up like that Galco leather...............
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Seems to me it’s something about the age of the leather. The newer the leather, the less it seems to shrink. ;)
 
The newer the leather, the less it seems to shrink

I wanted to see about that. Makes good sense to me.

I thought I would go order a couple new belts, went to Galco site, and they don't have but one, and it looks like CRAP..........Not like the ones I have above..........
 
A super blackhawk I rescued. I put an 1873 trigger guard on it and built the bisley backstrap. A buddy gave me a piece of marble wood for the handles. I removed all the rust and pitting and gave it a slow rust blue.

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Where did get the barrel stretcher?

Some of those rascals came with a 10.5" barrel. Here's my .357 Maximum.
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I'm a bit of a .41 Mag nut, however.
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Man's gotta have a proper brace of .22s, as well.
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First single action I bought. Plain ol' 6.5" .357Mag with some Altamont grips on it. Makes me look like a hero at the range.
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Was that converted? I thought they only came from the factory in 44 magnum with a 10.5" barrel.

Nope. Long frame model Ruger made from '81-'83 for the silhouette crowd. The case is .310" longer than a .357 Mag. Got bad press from the gun writers who didn't understand the round & Ruger discontinued the model. It was designed to launch 180-200gr bullets hard enough to knock down heavy steel rams at 200 yds. Folks were trying to shoot 110-125gr at warp speed & crying about forcing cone erosion & top strap cutting, so Ruger pulled the plug.

I've seen 1500fps wit 200gr cast over 4227 & just starting to show pressure signs. The gun will take the pressure- brass is the limiting factor. Might be more there with 1680, but I'll try that out with some 180hr SJHPs I've got.

ETA- 215gr & 240gr .41 Mag beside 200gr .357 Max-

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.357 Max is capable of silly velocity from a rifle or Contender. I believe @BatteryOaksBilly has seen right at 3000fps with 110gr in a HandiRifle. Basically a .357 bullet over a .44 Mag's worth of powder. I'd love to have the coin to track down another for conversion to .414 Supermag/ET Gates (.41 version of the .357 Max).
 
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I'm kind of at the point now where I have "enough" nice single actions & rather than buy another nice s/a, I want to start getting mine 'smithed into very nice revolvers. Dunno where I wanna start first, though.

The stainless 6.5" .41 is miserable with heavy loads & needs conversion to a Bisley along with a better front sight, along with accurizing & smoothing. Of course, my OCD will demand I track down the stainless 4 5/8" .41 to do the same with & the hazard there is that I would be only 1 gun away (the standard SBH Hunter) from having every stainless .41 Ruger's ever made. :oops:

I'd also like to send the Max & the 6.5" .357Mag to Bobby Tyler for a Bisley conversion & accurize/smooth the Max, along with installing the Max's grip frame, hammer & trigger on the 6.5"er, as well as a front sight, accurize/smooth & refinished with his CCH & slow rust blue.

I've heard BFR is supposed to start doing 6 shot .357 & .44 Mags & when that happens, I will have to have a 10" Bisley .41Mag from them & maybe a .410GNR (.454 brass necked to .41- 210gr @ 1800fps) cylinder from Gary Reeder.

Never ends, does it? :D
 
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I'm kind of at the point now where I have "enough" nice single actions & rather than buy another nice s/a, I want to start getting mine 'smithed into very nice revolvers. Dunno where I wanna start first, though.

The stainless 6.5" .41 is miserable with heavy loads & needs conversion to a Bisley along with a better front sight, along with accurizing & smoothing. Of course, my OCD will demand I track down the stainless 4 5/8" .41 to do the same with & the hazard there is that I would be only 1 gun away (the standard SBH Hunter) from having every stainless .41 Ruger's ever made. :oops:

I'd also like to send the Max & the 6.5" .357Mag to Bobby Tyler for a Bisley conversion & accurize/smooth the Max, along with installing the Max's grip frame, hammer & trigger on the 6.5"er, as well as a front sight, accurize/smooth & refinished with his CCH & slow rust blue.

I've heard BFR is supposed to start doing 6 shot .357 & .44 Mags & when that happens, I will have to have a 10" .41Mag from them & a .410GNR (.454 brass necked to .41- 210gr @ 1800fps) cylinder from Gary Reeder.

Never ends, does it? :D

Bisley and heavy loads are like peas and carrots. They were meant for each other. My SBH is a pleasure to shoot now. Even with mid level loads before, it was a knuckle buster.
 
Yessir. Loads that are enjoyable in the 2 Bisleys are nasty in the 6.5"er. Plus, the Bisley SBH is a tank of a gun, which helps tremendously. Even more so once I get that Leopold 2x mounted.

The SBH grip frame works well also & doesn't beat my hand up like the smaller BH grip frame, but the Bisley is perfect for the heavy hitters.
 
Yessir. Loads that are enjoyable in the 2 Bisleys are nasty in the 6.5"er. Plus, the Bisley SBH is a tank of a gun, which helps tremendously. Even more so once I get that Leopold 2x mounted.

The SBH grip frame works well also & doesn't beat my hand up like the smaller BH grip frame, but the Bisley is perfect for the heavy hitters.

I'm guessing you have hands like baseball mitts. The SBH beat my little hands to death. The BH frames are a little big for my liking. I have a single seven and it feels right in my hands.
 
I'm guessing you have hands like baseball mitts. The SBH beat my little hands to death. The BH frames are a little big for my liking. I have a single seven and it feels right in my hands.

Yep. Reason I don't get my knuckle rapped by trigger guards is that there ain't enough room for the trigger guard to get a run at my finger.

The standard grip panels on Blackhawks are weird for me. Too wide at the bottom & dig into the heel of my palm. I always go with "gun fighter" grips on that grip frame- slightly fuller in the middle & thinner at the bottom. They work well for me with .22 & .357 with that grip frame., but that .41 is restricted to a diet of softball plinking loads till it gets Bisley'd.
 
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Did you buy that with the snakes in the grips, or put them in later? I have an Uberti conversion that would look dead sexy with snakes inlaid in the grips, but I'm worried about how they might come out.

I put them on myself. I did not inlay them, just sitting on top and they made the grip a tad "bigger" but I love them. I have them on both sides. I also have them on my plowhandle grip revolver. The Birdshead grip snakes are smaller, intended for 1911's.
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Here is a video clip using 38 specials


Here are the plowhandle grips on my 44-40
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I can tell the difference between the plowhandle and the birdshead grip some but it doesn't really interfere with the draw itself.

 
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The finest SAA I ever owned. Engraved by Robert Burt. I bought this gun from Phillip in Wagram. I no longer own it. It is in one of the most prestigious collections in America. Though it brought me many thousands of dollars it was meant to be somewhere else. Under heavy magnification it was amazing. The horse's tail blowing in the wind and the sage brush and mountains in the back were wonderful. The Chief with the war bonnet on looked as if he might speak. I have many others still, but This was my finest moment in Colt ownership.
What is it they say....?
from my cold dead hands.... LOL.
 
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