New to CAS with questions on rifles

[Buffalo Barny]

   Hi all, I’m looking to get into CAS hopefully this year. I currently have a Great Western II .45lc 4 ¾ barrel and a Taylor Smoke Wagon Deluxe .45lc 5 ½ barrel.  I’m looking at getting an 1866 but I’m not sure what to get.  I’m currently looking at an Uberti 1866 45lc 24” barrel and an Uberti 1866 44-40 24” barrel. 

These are they only two I can find here in San Diego, CA.  The first is brand new and on sale for $859, the latter is used and is $799.  But my questions is should I get one of these or a short barrel (20” or 19”). Which is better 45lc or 44-40 and what are the advantages between a longer barrel or shorter?
   
I’ve always been a fan of the Henry Golden boy and the 1866 yellow boy over the 1873, but someday I might get an 1873. Any help would be great.  Thank you
 

[Jefro]

Howdy Buffalo, the 44/40 is the best IMHO, no blow back and much smoother. I prefer the 24'', good price too. Welcome, and Good Luck.

Jefro

[pony express]

You should go to a shoot, and handle the different rifles and see what "feels" best to you. I don't have a preference on long vs short barrel, but for me the carbine style stock feels more comfortable. If you're going to shoot smokeless, then might as well stay with .45 to simplify the ammo situation. But, if you're going to go Blackpowder, then most say a 44-40 works better with BP(although I shoot a .45 carbine with BP. It was there, and I had the money......)

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[WaddWatsonEllis]

Since you have two .45 LC pistols, I would lean towards the .45 LC rifle.

The first time you are in a hurry loading and put the 44.40 into the .45 LC, you might rue the day when you bought that 44-40...

BTW, I have two Schofields and shoot .45 Schofield rounds in them. I started out with a used Model 94 that would not digest the Schofield rounds, so I had to put .45 Cal Slides on my shotshell belt just to deal with having extra in case I dropped a shell, etc.

I now have a Cody Conagher Uberti '73 Winchester in .45 Colt. I am hear to tell you that it fires the Schofields just fine ... and it was with a bit of relief that I took those slides off my shotshell belt.

Now, does any one want to buy some .45 Cartridge Slides? (5 cartridges per slide ...)

[Buffalo Barny]

Thanks for the input. I was leaning towards the .45lc just because I have two pistols in 45lc, but the 44-40 is closer to the real thing and was a little cheaper, but it's used and I don't know how many rounds have been fired or how well the loading gate will hold up.  

[pony express]

Loading gates are cheap, and only takes a few minutes to change, I wouldn't base a purchase on just that.

[Shotgun Franklin]

You should go to a shoot, and handle the different rifles and see what "feels" best to you.

This is the best advice you could get. Take a couple of bowes of ammo and someone is gonna loan you a rifle, maybe several someones. Know to that at any shoot there are guys upgrading or cleaning out the closet or hurting for money who'll have guns for sale. These are very often good buys. My experience has been that a guy who figures he'll be shooting with you once a month is less likey to burn you on a gun deal.

[Dr. Bob]

I have been shooting a 45 Colt 1873 for 5 years with black powder & BP substitures and have had no problem!  A full case with a 250 gr. Big Lube bullet keeps fouling to a minimum.  Shot 6 stages without any problem and the action doesn't get dirty enough to require more cleaning that once a year.  YMMV.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Although everyone has sound advice, I think that for sensible reasons, I agree with Shotgun Franklin.

I started with what I could afford ... I got a great deal on a pair of immaculate Schofields ... such a deal!

Then I got another package deal on a post '64 Winchester 94 in .45 Colt and a an old and well used Baikal Bounty Hunter.

The Model 94 has been retired from active shooting ... maybe a pig hunt of two. The Baikal is currently at the gunsmith getting work done on it.

The point is that the guns got me out shooting on a financial level that I could afford ... and later the Model 94 was replaced with the Uberti/Cody Conagher Model '73, and the shotgun I am using now is a Cap Coyote Norinco Model '87.

But the point is, like Shotgun Franklin's post, all these weapons were bought from active shooters and were first discovered at club shoots or through club members.

So go out and shoot those .45 revolvers, and post a link with the club that you want to beg/borrow/steal (only kidding about the steal ... *S*) some long guns so that you can try them out. Then, when you know what you want (For instance, barrel length, pistol grip or carbine, type of round, etc), you might run into a really good deal on those long guns ... for instance, I ran into a pair of SS 5.5 Ruger Old Armies with a bottle of powder, 100 rounds of bullets and all the tools for $700 for the pair ... some one was retiring from shooting and took sympathy, and gave me the deal of the century.

Then, once you know what you want, start looking around at the ads on the club bulletin boards ... and let club members know what you are looking for. In one of my 'finds', the member had four pistols and hadn't even thought about selling two of them until I said I was searching ...