Hey Guys,

I know a lot of people get their undies in a bundle when someone refers
to the .45 Colt as the .45 Long Colt, but these are changing times.
When I started playing with the .44 Colt I discovered that it also changed.
Now I try to refer to mine as the .44 Colt Original, not the new stuff with a .429" projectile.

AntiqueSledMan.

No naders here in Madison, but friends who farm between Columbus and David City had 7 inches of rain in one field.

I hear they got quite a bit towards Omaha as well.

Between Monday and Tuesday 7 1/2" of rain. Has to be some kind of record. All the mulch we had laid down got washed down and sieved through the neighbor's cyclone fence. I'm gonna give a day to dry out a bit and then rake it up and re-spread it where it was. Only two branches down of any size from winds, so that's lucky.

Well Golly Gee Whiz Mr Grumpbutt    A tiddly bit of Speculative Humor is always appreciated. 
…..

Unfortunately, Founders Ranch was a fools errand from the beginning.  P
…..
What Were They Thinking

AHA! I dont just resemble that, I am the postergrump!

I can LITERRALY see what they were thinking….
1. California was already unfriendly, hadda move “somewhere”
2. New Mexico is still a firearm freindly state, and NRA Wittington has been here for ages, setting the precedent,
Along with the Boy Scout Philmont Ranch, both of which have had great history here.
(Btw i myself dreamed of going th Philmont as a kid, and Wittington for many many lustrum)
3. The ranch selected got the folowing near it walmart supercenter, couple NICE motels, several feed stores selling ammo, Smiths supermarket, quite a few other amenities for a rural town.
4. 4the ranch is literally 40 minutes from Albuquerque with all its amenities.
5 until 2022 Albuquerque and NM have been VERY gun friendly
6. They succumbed to the same hopeful mindset that all real estate speculators fall prey to:
It will expand and succeed if everybody does their part! I can point to such debacles as Pueblo West Colorado,
The Sallton Sea resorts and suburbs, several rural burbs built aro7nd the concept of “private plane commuting”
And several company towns that died as soon as that specific business dried up.

The old, if we build it they will come.

But theres not that much other stuff to visit once you are done shooting.
If you are extremely interested in “Indian Country” , visiting the Pueblos, visiting Hopi, Zuni, and Navajo land,
And ancient archialogical sites… there aint much here.

Others hav esaid they shoulda built it near Las Vegas - easy cheap airfare and lots of other stuff to do!
And they are right! Desert in nevada probably cost more that the Bunch wanted to spend.

They invented a cool hobby game.
They ruined a good hobby by turning it into a business
They tried to build an international business model based on a Very Small Niche hobby market.

Their heads got too big, they became too self important and did not listen to the user base.
They stifled outside ideas, stifled any opinions outside of the wild bunch. Even to the point of censoring
Any body who disagreed.

They kept increasing the cost of membership! With no real value added! I myslef kept saying
Well, this year I can budget in the cost…. And they increased the cost past the pain point.
And frankly, what value did they add? The excuse is “covering costs and insurance” . The rality is
Every single club outside of founders ranch found a way to play CAS without requiring SASS membership,
Usually thru a “one time” five dollar fee. For a person such as myself, who could not shoot more than once or twice a month, and who goes all winter without shooting an outdoor event, SASS membership was a overbearing expense that literally was not worth it. Especially since most clubs are a “shoot and leave “ crowd. No point gearing up, dressing up, etc if I am only there for a 2 hour shoot and no visiting…..

Now, before anybody starts trying to prove “why I am wrong” …..
Look at any of the weekend or week long Rondesvous Events held all over the country.
These are hobby events, run by hobbyists. Not by Egomaniacs who want to make a living off it.
Most all these rondys are still reasonable and affordable, and except for specific stuff like national sanctioned matches, or civil war anctioned matches, are all easy going and affordable.

Sooooo

Let the opinions fly!

How much can a gofundme raise, i wonder…..

Yhs
Prof whatever

Ah my good netizens….

Many lustrum ago I used to have dedicated firelocks for specific games.

My CVA “plains hawken” kit rifle in .58 was my “goto” for any paper puching or woods walk events. The thing was lighter than
A “real” hawken or the real close copies, and it was insanely accurate.

I had several different 1911 gvt models set up for different purposes, from my “slivercup” parts gun with the heavy bowmar rib, match bushing & barrel, heavily tuned match trigger assembly and softball springset to my heavily sprung slef built “officers model” frame with steel commander slide set up for .451 detonics magnums.

Thank goodness I didnt have time or money to get roped into cartridge benchrest rifles !

Nowadays, (except for training/drills) I only shoot CAS -ish games . If I can find them.
I am getting ready to throw Together a Mobile Cowboy Shoot On a trailer so my buddy and I
can run out to the legal shooting open space 27 minutes away
And play by ourselfs….

Soooooo for cowboy games
No gun choices for different matches. It all depends on the mood of the day.
I can choose from   C&B 1851’s , 1860’s , 1858’s in various barrel lengths, for “outdoors”
And have added 1860 & 1858 conversions. 
I recently said “the hell with frugality!” And got one each 1873 model p’s in 3.5, 4.75, 5.5 , and 12 inch barrel lengths

Wet Weather? What is that? Do you know where you are ? The High Plains Desert!

Except for one (or is it three?) 1851’s  (oh and two 1847 dragoons and some 1849’s )
Everything is .45 ( well, .44 c&b )

and money wasn't an issue what would you shoot?
Oh my thats easy, I would start the “Professor Marvel Memorial Museum of 19th century
Herbal, patent, and Native Remedies, Snake Oil, Medical Accutrements, devices, fortune telling,
And firearms” . As a trust. Then collect two each of each replica since (and including) the Colt Patterson,
Up until ( and including) the 1873 winchester. After that, not so interested.

Then I would begin rotating them, so no one firelock would feel neglected.

 
If you shoot a substitute powder is it because of availability, local laws or you just like the way it works and eliminate the "hassle" of BP?

Subs as reqd due to availabilty for revovlers, since i reserve real black for flint and cap rifles. And revovlers
Are much easier to clean perchlorates out of.

I do shoot smokless due to
powder, caps, lack of availability, and I just want the change up, and i AM lazy.
 
I may need to find reneactment crap to play in, since cowboy shooting here has gone to pot, and
The only club left wants to start at dawn then run off before noon. Not much point to even dressing up
As far as I am concerned.

Yhs
And as opinionated as ever
Prof grumblebunny

      Greetings, All!

   Well, I called the Charleston, WV Cabela's; after chatting up the fellow in the Gun Library, I gave him my CC# and had the #3 shipped to my Cabela's...
   This revolver is an A.Uberti Old Model #3 American, 5" Bbl., chambered for the ".44 Colt", as stamped on the barrel and etched on the rear of the cylinder. A .44 S&W SPL case will fully chamber. I could find nothing that resembles a Date Code anywhere on the frame, nor under the grips. SN #CS057X...
   Apparently, this revolver was owned by an 'Old Western Lawman' reenactor who might have shot it once or twice. I was informed that there was some holster wear; actually it was subjected to "faux holster wear", not only on the revolvers high spots, but also in places untouched by even the most amorous of holsters. Oh well, I've chosen not to worry too much about that; mechanically, it's nice, and I'll be shooting it in a couple of days. From a Lyman #429383 mould, I casted over a hundred bullets ( about 10BHN ); fifty of these were seated over 4.3gr Hercules Unique. Later I'll try other period target & gallery bullets cast from Ideal #429106, #429348, and others.
   I'd like to add a lanyard ring...
   I'll keep You All posted...!

            M.T.M.
          5-21-24