CAS TOPICS > CAS FAQ

Out of the box CAS guns - not good enough?

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Marshal Halloway:

Many newcomers to our sport or wannabe shooters have doubts when looking for guns and the total price tag to get started.

Through marketing, advertising and articles the potential new shooters can get the impression that having a set of guns out of the box is the same as being halfway through to get started. Many are in fact believing they are not ready to start in CAS unless the guns have gone through some gunsmithing, have some parts changed and otherwise done what may be considered a mandatory internal modification.

A set of CAS firearms (2 revolvers, 1 rifle and 1 shotgun) will cost a lot more than the price tags on the guns itself.

This has for many become a hesitating factor to join.

What is your advise to those on the doorstep to CAS and being afraid of the total cost?

Prof. A. Wickwire:
Marshal,

The only work I have had done on my CAS firearms (2 Uberti 1873 Cattleman revolvers, 1894 Marlin lever rifle, 1930's vintage Ithaca double shotgun) was to have the shotgun checked for safety and the barrels shortened to 24 inches from 30.

That's it.  No action jobs, no refinishing, nothing.  I just take them out and shoot them, bring them home and clean them.

The only spring that was replaced was the bolt/trigger spring in one of the revolvers.  The original spring broke and I replaced it with another flat spring.

For me this game is more about authenticity and fun then competition.

Sincerely,

Prof. A. Wickwire

St. George:
I detail-strip any new or new-to-me gun that I get - regardless of whence it came.

I look for any burring or high point that needs relieving and thoroughly clean the weapon.

I'll then use 'Pro-Gold' for a grease on any bearing surface and 'Break-Free' for a general lube, since I like both products and am familiar with their properties.

That's it.

Those articles are written to sell spring kits and action jobs.

Better to spend that money on ammunition and develop a feel for the weapon and its accuracy, as most guns will easily out-shoot their owners.

Fantasies aside - most shooters will never rise to the upper levels due largely in part to the fact that they won't devote the ammunition/range time, so a tricked-out piece is wasted until their skills improve to the point to where they can actually gain from the work done on the weapon.

Spend the initial money on a shooting battery that feels natural - the rest on ammunition - and practice, practice, practice...

Good Luck.


Scouts Out!

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Four-Eyed Buck:
There are some "out of the box" guns that are pretty close to being "smithed" guns. The Great Westerns and Charles Daly's come to mind first. Most of my revolvers have only had a spring change to make them easier to cock Duelist and not much more than that.
 Rifles and shotguns can be more of a problem, IE: shotguns that don't stay completely open to reload. Or rifles that stove pipe or won't feed smoothly......Buck 8) ::) ;)

Ed Clintwood:
I agree with St George.  Though I haven't shot CAS yet I have certainly shot my share of Police and IPSC.  Spend the money first on ammo.  If or when you get good enough, you will know what smithing you want.  I must have put 50,000 rounds through 1911's before I started messing with them, and then it was sights and a trigger job.  Could I shoot IPSC with a stock 1911? Yes and did.  That was before the sport went to hell in a hand basket with trick leather, comp guns, optics and so on.

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