Win An 1873 Uberti Rifle

This popped up on Facebook yesterday, win an 24.25″ .45 Colt 1873 Uberti. I entered and you should too!

From the photo it appears to be a Special Sporting model.

Photo Updates – (Like Us On Facebook)

Recently it became clear the links to many of our photos are broken. It is a cumbersome process to go back through all the posts over the past three years to fix the issues. In some cases it may not be possible, but many of the photos are mine and I just need to revise each post. If you find a broken photo link, feel free to post a comment and I will get to it. I’ve gotten about half way through both 2014 and 2012 and will continue to work on it with the goal to have the photo links restored where possible in the next two months.

If you feel so inclined, please like our Facebook page. The button is at the bottom right of the cover photo which is the same photo as on the blog.

Wishlist Revisited

Back in September I posted a Wishlist. Then in March I updated the list. I got to thinking about it today and some things on my list have been procured while others are still elusive due to either price or scarcity. Currently my list looks like:

• SAA – .44-40
• Uberti Buntline – .44-40
• 1873 Winchester replica – .44-40
• Ruger Red Label – 12 gauge
• Benelli Ethos – 12 gauge
• Rossi Rio Grande – .410

What I find interesting about the list is only two firearms on it are handguns and both are in .44-40. The SAA comes in many replica variants and I just haven’t found the one I want. The Buntline is a ridiculous pistol with an 18″ barrel. I saw one on GunBroker and thought it would relist for less, but it never came back. Since then that may be the only one I have seen.

Lately I’ve been on the lookout for an 1873 Winchester in .44-40. I like the case hardened look and thus far have only seen a few which appeal. There have been a few where the appearance wasn’t what I was after and I let them go. It is a wishlist after all so I can be choosy.

The last three are firearms I definitely do not need. A Ruger Red Label is a thing of beauty and the Benelli Ethos is a fine-looking shotgun. Both are more money than I care to spend so the chances of adding them to the safe are slim. the Rossi Rio Grande is affordable, but again, something I really don’t need. If I find one for a song I might sing, but otherwise paying full boat is out.

So there you have it, the current wish list. I’m sure something else will pop up and catch my eye, but currently that’s what I’m after. What’s on your Wishlist?

Django Firearms

Happened to watch Django Unchained last night and noticed more Henry rifles than I had seen in a movie ever before. Only one problem, the Henry is 1860 and the movie was set in 1858. Oh well, why bother with the minor details. Lots of cool reproduction firearms in the movie. Probably some Pietta firearms, especially the 1858 Remington. I kinda doubt a gun which debuted in 1858 would have been in someone’s hand the same year, but stranger things have happened. Anyway, I enjoyed the movie even if many of the firearms in it did not exist in 1858.

Wishlist

I’m sure every gun owner has a wish list somewhere out there. Often they will pine for a gun their father owned, or something new which is coming out. Me, I typically go for the firearms which speak to me on some level. So with that in mind here is what I have on my wishlist at the moment and why:

• 1860 Henry Rifle -.44-40 – I’ve loved this rifle since I first noticed it in a movie called Silverado. For some reason it speaks to me. I’m not looking for an authentic, but I do want to take a gander at the one Henry Repeating Arms is releasing soon.
• SAA – .44-40 – I’d like to get a companion pistol for a Henry and Uberti has a Cattleman, but it is difficult to locate in the caliber I would like. Pretty much any Single Action Army would suffice, but the Uberti is the most affordable.
• H&R 676 with 12″ barrel – 22LR – I actually have a 676 with a shorter barrel, maybe a 7 1/2″, but one with a stupid long 12″ (or longer) barrel just makes me giggle.
• Ruger Alaskan – .454 Casull – Anyone can get a Ruger Alaskan in .44 Magnum, it takes a real man to shoot it in .454 Casull. These things are about as rare as a Dodo bird egg right now, maybe one day I will come across one at a reasonable price.
• Rossi Rio Grande – .410 Shotshell – I think for me it is just the thought of having a lever action shotgun. These were on sale at one time and I passed up the deal, but I probably won’t make that mistake again.
• Star Model B – 9mm – Just because it is a 9mm which is very close to a 1911. These pop up quite often and are military surplus.
• Coonan 1911 – .357 Magnum – Are you kidding me, what is not to love about a 1911 which is chambered for .357 Magnum!
• Ruger Red Label – 12 gauge – They don’t make these anymore, but it is a handsome shotgun.
• Ruger Gunsite Scout – .308 Win – I’m not quite sure why this one speaks to me, but it does.

I could probably think of more to add, but what’s on your wishlist?

1866 Henry Yellowboy

My first experience with a Henry Rifle was the 1985 movie Silverado and it was the rifle Mal (Danny Glover) carried and used. The gun was created in 1860 and production ended in 1866. Of course Henry Repeating Arms is in business today, but they do not make the original Henry rifles of the 1860’s. There is something about the brass receiver that just captured my eye and for years I have been on the lookout one to call my own. Uberti makes reproduction Henry’s which are known for their high quality and finding one has become rarer over time despite the fact they are still in production.

Last year I posted some differences between the .44-40 and the .45 Long Colt cartridges and have been seeking a Henry chambered in .44-40 for quite some time. Well recently one came available which was new in the box, but had passed through several owners. Needless to say it now has a new owner. It is an 1866 Yellowboy Henry with a 24 1/4″ octagonal barrel and she is beautiful. Now the challenge is to find the .44-40 ammunition. It is not widely available to start with and with the recent buying frenzy people have cleared the shelves so it may prove to be a difficult cartridge to secure. I’m hoping it takes less time to find the ammo than it did to locate the rifle. 😉

.44-40 vs 45 Long Colt

Last night I was discussing .44-40 and 45 Long Colt with a friend who knows I have an affinity for cowboy firearms. While I know and can instruct the basics of reloading, he takes reloading to another extreme and even casts his own bullets.

He said he prefers the .44-40 to the 45LC because the thinner brass will expand fuller in the chamber of the rifle on the .44-40. I did some research this morning and found out he was correct (I already figured he was). The brass on 45LC does not seal the chamber as well and can end up fouling the chamber as well as potentially scorch the casing. Best I can find the 45LC (bottom photo) is easier to reload due to the straight casing as opposed to the .44-40 bottleneck casing (first photo below), but with some practice it is not difficult to learn how to handle the .44-40.

On one forum I found a note that the smaller rim on the 45LC can cause issues cycling in a level action, and someone mentioned the bottleneck casing on the .44-40 helps with feeding into the chamber.

So now I’m torn. I guess when I finally decide to go get that Henry or Uberti Henry I’ll probably have to consider the .44-40.