Gunslinger - Summer 2016

GNSLCoverMay2016.
QXP 3/11/16 6:34 AM Page US_C1
From the Editors of World of Firepower | Gunslingers | Firearms of the Old West | Summer 2016
FROM THE EDITORS OF WORLD OF FIREPOWER

GUNSLINGERS SUMMER 2016
U.S. $9.99 DISPLAY UNTIL: 6/7/16
63
25274 01506
Engaged Media Inc.
GS-1605-2-3-INSPIRE.qxp 3/6/16 10:34 PM Page 2
FRONT SIGHT
Along
for the
Ride
T
his working dog gets a rare break to take

a free ride. Now, its time to set aside your
work, and come along for the ride as we
go back to the days of the Old West to
explore the era, the people and their guns.
GUNSLINGERS I SUMMER 2016
Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images
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SUMMER 2016 I GUNSLINGERS
GS-1605-4-5-TOC.qxp 3/9/16 11:03 PM Page 4
Summer 2016
On the Cover:
8 LESSONS FROM LENSEIGNE
Cowboy Mounted Shooting
sensation Kenda Lenseigne
discusses the fastest shooting
sport on four legs.
By Mike Searson
Special Sections:
18 NEW SHOOTIN IRONS
50 The Wire
This years hot rearms include deluxe commemoratives

and new takes on some Old West favorites.
A boon to business and the bane of the bad men,

the creation of the coast-to-coast telegraph system
was a hard-fought step to civilizing the West.
By Steven Paul Barlow
By John McQuaid
28 TAMING OF THE WEST

The taming of the West wasnt accomplished so
much with the Winchester rie or the Bowie
knife as it was with advances in communication
and transportation.
30 Ride Fast, Ride Hard

Across miles of hostile territory and rugged terrain,
Pony Express riders risked death to deliver mail.
By Stratten Waldt
36 Desperate Journeys
Attacks and terrible weather were only some of the
challenges stagecoaches faced.
By Stratten Waldt
42 Steam-Powered Progress
From scaling the Rockies to battling train robbers,
establishing the railroad was a monumental task.
By John McQuaid
56 Old West Horsepower

A look at how horses changed
life in the Old West.
By Stratten Waldt
GS-1605-4-5-TOC.qxp 3/9/16 11:03 PM Page 5
Features:
Departments:
62 THE FIRST GUNFIGHTERS GUNS
First Shot
Editorial
131
Closing
The Colt Navy and the Colt Army revolvers changed

the face of combat forever.
By Bob Campbell
70 THE GREATEST HANDGUN OF THE FRONTIER

The Colt Single Action Army continued to be effective
years after more advanced designs were introduced.
By Bob Campbell
78 THE WILD BUNCH SEARCH

A classic Western movie inspires a passionate hunt
for the guns showcased on the silver screen.
By Bob Campbell
86 HOLSTER EVOLUTION
As revolvers became handier, new holster designs
allowed for secure and easily accessible carry.
By Bob Campbell
94 PREVALENT IN POCKETS
Small top-break revolvers were favorites for portable
protection.
By Mike Searson
102 SEEKING OTHER SINGLES

Not obsolete: Single-action revolvers are still great
choices today.
110 REVOLVER REVIVAL
ON THE COVER:
Cowboy Mounted Shooting Champion
Kenda Lenseigne
Cover Photo by Henry DeKuyper
Cover Design by
Johann Frederick Mendoza
Cimarrons replica of the Smith & Wesson Schoeld

might be better than the original.
By Mike Searson
118 ANYTHING ON EARTH

Turnbulls take on the revered Model 1886 results in
a versatile rie suitable for hunting any game.
124 DOUBLE-BARREL BLASTER

Cimarrons Doc Holliday side-by-side can do it all.
GS-1605-6-7-EDIT.qxp 3/6/16 10:46 PM Page 6
Editorial
The New
Old West
I appreciate tradition as much as
anyone. Occasionally, Ill try to step
back to look at the big picture, to
view the present with some sort of
historical perspective.
When it comes to Old West
firearms, especially, it can be
fascinating to hold an original
firearm and ponder the history of
the piece. I like to imagine what
adventures its owners might have
had, and how they might have
depended on that gun to get them
through safely. With a replica, too,
there can be an added appreciation
you dont get with todays rearms.
Wyatt Earp carried one just like
this, you might think. Or, Wild Bill
Hickok was deadly accurate with a
gun like this.
Historically accurate replica
rearms can be important to
reenactors, cowboy-action shooters
or those who just want one as close
to the genuine article as possible.
More and more, however, Im
seeing manufacturers respond to a
faction of the shooting community
that wants modernized Old Weststyle rearms for everyday use,
hunting, plinking and defense.
Sure, Marlin has continued to
produce its line of ne lever-action
ries, which are remarkably similar
to the ones they produced so long
ago. And the majority of them
are for real-world use, not just for
weekend cowboys.
Companies like Ruger and
Freedom Arms have made modern
single-action revolvers for years,
geared toward those who want
updated versions of the old designs
for hunting.
More companies are jumping on
the bandwagonthough, because
were talking Old West-style guns,
maybe the bandwagon would be a
covered wagon or perhaps a stagecoach. In any case, were seeing

more lever-action and single-shot
rifle designs updated for todays
shooters, featuring materials like
stainless steel, updated sights,
scope rails and other provisions for
mounting optics. Henry Repeating
Arms is one company that comes
to mind; Uberti is looking to this
market, as well, introducing its 1885
High Wall single-shot with a shorter
barrel and scope rail.
Some of the older designs are
even sporting laminate and, dare we
say it, synthetic stocks.
So while I love historically
accurate replicas, I believe many
old gun designs have a value for
todays shooters far beyond their
mere historical significance. Yes,
there are legitimate roles for the
modern black guns you see everywhere, and in other gun magazines
Im not against progress.
But to me, real progress is a
Turnbull 1886 with a wooden stock,
color case-hardened finish, hand
engraving, and updated to fire a
useful modern cartridge, such as
the .475 Turnbull. Im saving my
pennies for one.
If you should happen to run into
me sometime while Im wandering
about the woods in the rain or snow,
chances are youll nd me carrying
a lever or pump-action rie with a
single-action revolver strapped to my
hip. Dont cry heresy if one of those
guns is made of stainless steel.
EDITORIAL
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Steven Paul Barlow
Malena Jaime
Henry Z. De Kuyper
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Editor
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DESIGN
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GS-1605-8-17-MOUNTED.CX.qxp 3/8/16 11:49 PM Page 8
Lessons
from Lenseigne
Cowboy Mounted Shooting Sensation

Kenda Lenseigne Discusses the Fastest
Shooting Sport On Four Legs
BY
-- MIKE SEARSON
f the sport of Cowboy Mounted Shooting has a face,

it is that of Kenda Lenseigne.
She has spent most of her life on the back of a
horse, riding competitively since the age of four.
Throughout her childhood, she competed in both Western and
English riding disciplines. She was introduced to the sport of
mounted shooting in California, where she qualied for the
World Championship after only her fourth competition.
An accomplished trainer of horses and riders, she went
on to become the rst female Cowboy Mounted Shooting
Association (CMSA) World Champion, and has amassed
more trophies and titles in shooting sports than just about
any other.
Additionally, she has set 11 world records in mounted
shooting, and works with numerous manufacturers to
develop gear for the sport, as opposed to just endorsing
products. In 2015, she was inducted into the CMSA Hall
of Fame.
We sat down with Kenda to get a better understanding
of the sport and to hear her thoughts on shooting, horses
and training.
Photo by Scoop
Gunslingers: I know that you had

a background in riding before you
got into mounted shooting. What
sort of riding was that?
Kenda: You could say that I was

born on a horse, but technically,
I started riding before I was born.
When my mom was pregnant with
me, she rode all the way until she
couldnt t in the saddle anymore.
At just a few months old, and as
soon as I could hold my own head
up, I was in the saddle with her again.
At the age of two, I got my
first pony, and was riding on my
own; and [I] started competing in
Western games (Gymkhana) at
age four. As I grew, I competed in
Western and English pleasure, and
then moved to Texas after school
to work on a cutting-horse ranch.
Gunslingers: Do you still compete
When banking into a turn,

you cant correct the horse too
much, so you need to get on
target quickly. (Photo by John
Beckett Photography)
in other competitions, or is it
to come out to a Western festival to
the fact that youre dealing with
see this new sport, and ended up
another brain. It takes time to build
Kenda: I have dabbled in Cowboy
giving it a try while I was there.
a strong partnership with a horse,
Action Shooting, and [I] also pick
The rest is history, as I was hooked
to convince them to work for you
up a 1911 to compete at a USPSA
from the very rst shot.
at high levels of speed, especially
strictly mounted shooting?
when adrenaline (and gunre
[United States Practical Shooting

Association] match here and there.
Gunslingers: You qualied for the
Mounted shooting consumes my
World Championship after only
days, nights and weekends, so
your fourth competition. Were you
Gunslingers: I see mounted
theres not a whole lot of time left
a stronger rider or shooter (or
shooting competitions as being
for anything else.
both) than most?
more than just blanks and
noise) enters the equation.
balloons. Besides requiring top
Gunslingers: What made you
Kenda: I was denitely a stronger
shooting skills, its made even
decide to make the transition to
rider, as I had not picked up a gun
more difficult by being on the
mounted shooting?
prior to that fateful day at the
back of a moving horse. Is that a
Western festival when I was talked
correct assessment?
Kenda:
In 1998, I moved to
into trying the sport. Handling
California to work on another
rearms is a mechanical skill,
Kenda: You would be absolutely
cutting-horse ranch, and by way of
but riding horses is a constantly
correct. From the outside, at a
a friend of a friend, I was introduced
evolving skillset of balance,
quick glance in, I think the fact that
to mounted shooting. I was invited
technique and rhythm; plus, theres
we shoot blanks at balloons does
10
Uberti has introduced the

Short Stroke CMS KL Pro, which
is a special Kenda Lenseigne
edition with a birds-head grip
and 3.5-inch barrel designed
specically for those involved in
Cowboy Mounted Shooting.
plant a Wild West show image

into some folks perspective. In
reality, the mounted shooting
difficulty meter is through the roof.
There are so many factors
that need to happen all at once to
shoot clean. Heres a scenario to
think about: We are shooting a
Single Action Army, one-handed,
at reactionary targets; traveling
an average [speed] of 35 MPH
through a course with multiple
turns; changing guns halfway
through the course; all the while,
managing an animal; and oh yes,
then theres the fact that we must
remain focused and accurate while
all this is happening.
Gunslingers: Wow, thats a lot to

keep going! What would you say
your fastest time is?
Kenda: My fastest time clocked

this past year was a 9.3, in a fullsize stadium arena (about the size
Single-action revolvers
were meant to be red
one-handed so you can
hold the reins with the
other. (Photo by Kristen
Lynn Photography)
of a football field), and all of the

aforementioned fundamentals
had to happen within those
nine seconds!
11
Shooting on the move is difficult,

but a true master of the sport,
such as Kenda, makes it look easy.
(Photo by Ken Amorosano)
We are shooting a Single Action Army, one handed, at reactionary

targets; traveling an average [speed] of 35 MPH through a course with
multiple turns; changing guns halfway through the course; all
the while, managing an animal
Gunslingers: What is involved
partnership with the horse, so they
depending on temperament, take
with the training of a horse for
will work for you instead of doing
to the sport immediately, where
mounted shooting, beyond
their own thing.
others require more time. I look at
acclimating them to the noise?
breeding, conformation and tem-
Gunslingers: Will any horse make
perament as three basic qualities
Kenda: Training shooting horses
for a good mount, or is it some-
when selecting a mounted-shoot-
includes countless hours of
thing on the individual level of
ing horse.
pattern work to get the horses to
the animal?
After that, starting the horse

properly on gunre, and then train-
be responsive and efficient in their

turns. As its technically a team
Kenda: Each horse is individual,
ing it to become an athlete and
sport, its important to build a
just like people. Some horses,
partner is key.
12
Kenda: The most popular breed in the

sport is the American Quarter Horse.
They are bred to achieve high levels of
speed and agility in a short amount of
time, sort of like a Porsche sports car!
Gunslingers: Are there any special tack

requirements or gear that is tailored more
for the sport: saddle, stirrups, bit, etc.?
Kenda: Our rule book indicates that any

style [of] saddle may be used, but there
are certain advantages of using a saddle
designed for the sport. In 2008, I was
fortunate to work with Circle Y Saddles
to collaborate on a design specically
made for mounted shooting. It includes a
forward-tilted horn to allow clearance for
the riders holsters, and a few other
design features that make it unique to
mounted shooting.
Circle Y is a 50+ year-old company
and a leader in Western saddles; it is a huge
honor to have a line of saddles that bear
my name under the brand. I also helped
create a bit line with Professionals Choice,
another leader in the equine industry,
to enable riders to get the most out of
their steering power.
Gunslingers: Is there any part of a

mounted-shooting competition that you
nd difficult or challenging or something
Cowboy Mounted Shooting started with period clothing, as in SASS, but the rules have lightened up over
the years to allow for more comfortable and modern Western athletic clothing. (Photo by Scoop)
A common comment from
had horses that were high-
horse people when I tell them
strung and spooky, and ac-
I am a mounted shooter is,
cept the noise from the rst
My horse would never accept
shot. I suppose horses, like
gunre noise My response is
kids, will make a liar out of
that, You just never know.
you every chance they get!
I have owned horses that

have been quiet and calm
Gunslingers: Are there
about everything until they
particular breeds that are
hear gunfire.
better athletes in the sport
In contrast, I have also
you could get better at?
KENDAS CREDENTIALS
Some of Kendas honors include:
2014 CMSA Overall World Champion

2012 CMSA Overall National Champion
2010 CMSA Overall National Champion
2009 CMSA Overall World Champion
2012/2013 CMSA Western U.S. Champion
2012 CMSA Winter Champion
2011 CMSA Central U.S. Overall Champion
2010 Winner of the Bianchi Cup Celebrity Pro-Am
than others?
13
Those blanks pack enough

wallop to break a balloon
at 20 feet. (Photo by Mark
Quigley Photography)
Kenda: Any competition, in any
same level of partnership with my
from launching a new Kenda
discipline, is a constantly evolving
new mare.
signature line of SAA revolvers that
skillset. There are so many factors
will be competition-ready out of
that go into competitive shooting,
Gunslingers: You are sponsored
and just when you think youre on
by Uberti/Benelli. Are your
top, something can happen at any
revolvers off the shelf models
guns will revolutionize the sport,
given time and humble you. Thats
or are they built specially for you?
as they will come with a short-
the fun part, and the part that
Do you make further refinements
stroke action, which provides
continues to charge my batteries.
after you get them?
the entire job in half the time, and
My latest challenge is that I
the box.
I am confident that the new
low and wide hammer spur for
am on a new horse this year. My
Kenda: I signed on with Uberti last
easier one-handed pull.
horse partner of 10 years had a
year, as we are working on giving
A big challenge of our sport is
career-ending accident last spring,
the brand a fresh new look, so to
getting that hammer cocked back
so I am working on achieving that
speak. We are a few months away
with one hand while moving at
14
Fancy, but practical, Kenda

has her own signature line of
holsters with Bianchi Cowboy.
35MPH, especially if the targets
years ago and I feel that it works
are close together.
just right for me.
THE WILD WEST

SHOW CONNECTION
Gunslingers: I notice you use a
Gunslingers: Obviously, you
birds head-grip frame. Does the
were an accomplished rider from
birds head give you better leverage
the start, but this is a shooting
for cocking the hammer one-handed
sport, so what do you feel is your
while riding, or does it simply t your
strongest attribute as a shooter?
Cowboy Mounted
Shooting, or Western mounted
shooting, got its start in the
early to mid-1990s as a way to
combine the skill at arms of
Cowboy Action Shooting with
an equestrian sport; however,
it harkens back to shooting
exhibitions held at Wild West
shows over 100 years ago.
At the close of the 19th
century, shooters would shoot
glass balls while riding at full
gallop; modern competitors use
blank ammunition and re at
balloons for the sake of safety.
hand better?
Kenda: Given the fact that I have

Kenda: The birds head is a great fit
been riding so long, I feel that my
for my hand. As grips are a personal
ability to pilot my horse to get the
preference, unique to each user,
most out of my pattern work is my
it was what I was introduced to
strongest attribute.
15
some of the worlds best shooters

in action, but it opened a door
of opportunity.
I met Scott Carnahan of
Safariland, who set me up with a
Bianchi rig to shoot the Pro-AM,
and afterward, we developed a
plan to breathe some fresh air
into the Bianchi Cowboy brand,
creating a line of mountedshooting holsters, specifically
designed for my sport.
Gunslingers: What do you think

poses the biggest challenge for
someone wanting to get into the
sport of mounted shooting?
Kenda: I teach new riders on [an]

average of five days a week, and
also train horses for the sport;
I am fortunate enough to live
near Ben Avery Shooting Range,
[which] has two full-size arenas
where I can teach and practice
without hassle. (Meaning, I dont
have to worry about disturbing
Kenda trains horses and riders to compete in mounted shooting. (Photo by Ken Amorosano)
I also feel that I am a solid mental
With that kind of prize at the
my neighbors or having the sheriff

called every time I shoot.)
With that, I would say the
competitor. Several years back,
end of the line, one can imagine
I would let my nerves get the
the angst sitting in the saddle with
biggest challenge for most is
best of meadrenaline was my
me. I took a deep breath and told
finding places to practice.
Kryptonite. After studying a
myself that it was only 10 targets,
Whereas a CAS or Pistol shooter
mental-management program,
the same balloons that I shoot at
might easily find a range in any
my adrenaline is now my fuel.
home, and the rest made history.
given town, mounted shooters

have to locate arenas that will
Pressure now helps me

achieve clarity and focus, and
Gunslingers: You proved your
thats often where the game is
skills as a shooter off the horse,
won or lost. Like most competitive
too, when you won the Bianchi Cup
by the day, finding places to ride
shooters, I have been in the
Celebrity Pro-AM in 2010. How did
and shoot are becoming more
highest pressure situations, and
that make you feel?
and more challenging. GNSL
accept gunfire noise.

As America is getting smaller
mental focus was the winner of

the game; for example, in 2009,
Kenda: Shooting the Bianchi Cup
going into the last stage, I was 10
Pro-AM was a turning point in my
of a second in the lead to be the
career as a professional shooter.
first woman to ever win the World

Championship overall.
16
Not only was it a blast to

participate, and exciting to witness
MORE KENDA
To nd out more about Kenda and
the sport of mounted shooting, visit
her website at: kendalenseigne.com.
GS_1605_17 3/7/16 3:13 AM Page 17
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GS-1605-18-19-NEW INTRO.qxp 3/2/16 1:40 AM Page 18
Shootin
This Years Hot Firearms Include

Deluxe Commemoratives and New
Takes on Old West Favorites
18
IRON
Photo Courtesy of Navy Arms
GS-1605-18-19-NEW INTRO.qxp 3/2/16 1:40 AM Page 19
BY STEVEN PAUL BARLOW
ew things can stir up your enthusiasm about

putting rounds down range like a new gun
with Old West style. This year, there are
specially engraved commemorative models
for collectors, such as this Navy Arms/Winchester 1873
that celebrates the centennial of the Buffalo Bill Center
of the West museums. Also new this year are rugged,
all-weather guns for hunters, and historically accurate
replicas for competitors and those who appreciate
Western traditions.
19
GS-1605-20-27-SHOT.qxp 3/3/16 11:21 PM Page 20
NEW GUNS
... The Commemorative Model 1866 'Yellow Boy' leveraction rifle is a faithful rendition of the first Winchester.
The Model 1866 was the rst rie to carry the Winchester name. Now, 150 years
later, the company is introducing this highly engraved commemorative Model 1866.
Winchesters 150th Anniversary Commemorative Model 1873 is chambered in

.44-40, which was the original chambering for the gun that won the West.
Winchesters Model 94 became popular for its use of the .30-30 cartridge, which used
smokeless powder. Winchester chose this iconic design as one of ve to offer in a special
commemorative edition celebrating the companys 150th anniversary.
150th ANNIVERSARY
Winchester Celebrates 150 Years with Special
Edition Releases of Some of its Classic Firearms
In 2016, Winchester Repeating
Arms is looking back 150 years to
1866the year it introduced the rst
rie to bear the Winchester name.
In recognition of this milestone, the
company is introducing ve commemorative ries in 2016, three of which
will be of special interest to those who
appreciate guns of the Old West.
Except for the caliber (.44-40),
the Commemorative Model 1866
Yellow Boy lever-action rifle
is a faithful rendition of the first
Winchester. However, this rifle also
features some very special touches.
The polished brass receiver is embellished with an engraving reminiscent
of that done by renowned brothers,
20
Herman, Conrad and John Ulrich, in the

19th century.
The rifle also features a Grade
V/VI oil-finished, walnut straight
stock and a highly polished, 24-inch
full-octagon barrel. Sights include a
blade front and a ladder-style rear.
The tang is also drilled and tapped
for installation of an optional tangmounted rear sight. The MSRP of the
Model 66 is $3,330.
The 150th Commemorative
Model 1873 is a special-issue model
of the gun that won the West. The
gun will be offered in its original
.44-40 chambering. It also features
an oil-finished walnut stock, and a
silver nitride-finished receiver with
deep-relief scroll engraving and

gold embellishments.
The 24-inch barrel is also a fulloctagon configuration and has a gold
barrel band. The suggested retail
price is also $3,330.
The third gun is the Commemorative Model 94 in .30-30 Winchester.
It too features a 24-inch, full-octagon
barrel. The sights are the traditional
semi-buckhorn rear and a Marble
Arms, gold-bead front sight. The stock
and forearm will have cut, spade-style
checkering. The MSRP is $2,670.
The other Winchester commemoratives for 2016 will include a Model
70 bolt-action rifle and a Model 101
over/under shotgun.
EXCELLENT CHOICES
Henry Repeating Arms Continues to Expand its
Rimre and Centerre Lever-Action Offerings
The new All-Weather lever guns
from Henry Repeating Arms are sure
to please those looking for hard-use
hunting arms. The metal is hardchrome-plated, but is finished with
low gloss, so it wont spook game.
The .30-30 model ($850) features a
20-inch barrel and straight-grip,
specially coated hardwood stock.
The .45-70 model ($950) features an
18.43-inch barrel and a pistol-grip
coated hardwood stock.
Also in .30-30 and .45-70 are
color case-hardened, steel-framed

ries with 20-inch and 22-inch barrels,
respectively, for a suggested $995.
For $1450, new engraved models with
wildlife themes are available.
Among the companys pistolcaliber firearms are the Big Boy Steel,
with blued steel receivers in .44
Magnum, .45 Colt and .38 Special/.357
Magnum; these feature 20-inch barrels.
Henry also offers a carbine version
with a 16.5-inch barrel and big-loop
lever ($850). For $990, the Big Boy
Silver is a pistol-caliber rifle with a

20-inch octagon barrel. The gun
features nickel plating over an
aluminum-bronze receiver.
If you want an original-style
Henry, its now offered in a deluxe,
engraved model with brass receiver for
$2495, and a color case-hardened
steel receiver for $2750; both are
chambered in .44-40.
Henry is also introducing its
Freemasons Tribute Rie in .22 caliber
for a suggested $1020.
The Henry Big Boy Silver features nickel plating over an

aluminum-bronze alloy receiver. Its available in .44 Magnum,
.45 Colt and .38 Special/.357 Magnum.
The Henry All-Weather Rie is available in .45-70 with pistol-grip

stock (shown), and in .30-30 with a straight-grip stock.
The Henry Big Boy Steel is available in pistol calibers with options
of a straight-stock, 20-inch barrel (shown), or with a 16.5-inch
barrel and big-loop lever.
21
NEW GUNS
TOP REPLICAS
Ubertis New Guns for 2016 Offer Something
for Competitors, Collectors and Hunters
This year, Uberti is introducing an
1873 Cattleman II single-action revolver
with an innovative retractable ring pin.
The ring pin is on the hammer, but it is
free oating. This allows the shooter to
safely carry the revolver with all six
chambers loaded, without the fear of
an inadvertent blow to the hammer
causing an accidental discharge.
When the hammer is fully
cocked, and the trigger is pulled, the
sear engages the firing pin, locking it
in the forward position to allow the
gun to fire. The revolver features a
color case-hardened frame and
walnut grips, and is available in .45,
.44-40 and .357 calibers, in barrel

lengths of 4.75, 5.5 and 7.5 inches. Its
available in all steel for a suggested
price of $559, or with a brass trigger
guard and back strap for $549.
For competitors, Uberti offers
the new Short Stroke SASS and shortbarreled (3.5) CMS Pro models with
low-prole hammers featuring shorter
travel for faster shooting. The Short
Stroke CMS KL Pro is a special Kenda
Lenseigne edition, named for the
Cowboy Mounted Shooting World
Champion. For practice, theres a
CMS 12-shot, .22LR model for
low-cost training. The centerfires
will run at $719, with the .22 going

for $609.
For hunters, Uberti will produce
the 1885 High Wall Big Game in
.45-70 calibers, with a 22-inch round
barrel and checkered walnut stock. It
will have standard iron sights, but will
also come equipped with a Picatinny
rail for mounting optics. The MSRP
will be $1119.
For something a bit fancier, Uberti
offers an engraved, 150th anniversary
Model 1866 Yellow Boy flat-side
short rie with a 20-inch barrel in .45
Colt. It will be offered at a suggested
retail price of $1778.
Ubertis 1873 Cattleman II revolver features a

retractable, free-oating ring pin that allows the
gun to be carried safely with all chambers loaded.
Ubertis Short Stroke CMS KL Pro with birds-head grip

is a special-edition revolver named for Cowboy
Mounted Shooting World Champion, Kenda Lenseigne.
22
Ubertis engraved Model

1866 rie commemorates
the 150th anniversary of
this rie, but will be
offered in the more widely
available .45 Colt.
Ubertis 1885 High Wall Big

Game in .45-70 calibers,
with Picatinny rail, should
prove to be an effective
hunting rie for all types of
North American big game.
23
NEW GUNS
The Navy Arms 1892, featuring a 20-inch barrel, will

be offered in either .44 Magnum or .45 Colt.
The Navy Arms Lightning is a pump-action

rie in .45 Colt or .357 Magnum, which will be
offered in 20- and 24-inch barrel lengths.
The Navy Arms Smith Carbine, .50-caliber, will

feature a 21 58-inch semi-octagon barrel.
The Navy Arms Parker-Hale Whitworth rie will

feature a .451-caliber hexagonal-bored barrel.
SENSATIONAL SHOOTERS
Navy Arms Adds New Models to its
Lineup of Special Old West Firearms
Capitalizing on its recent success
with its Model 1873 rifle, Navy Arms
has announced the introduction of
several new models that are sure to
be special. The company is taking
orders now for its exhibition and
presentation-grade Centennial Model
1873 rifles, which will commemorate
the 100th anniversary of the Buffalo
Bill Center of the West, which the
Wyoming-based museums will be
celebrating in 2017.
The rie (shown on pages 18 and
19) will start as a newly manufactured
Winchester 1873 in .44-40, and will be
highly engraved and embellished. Each
will feature a 24.25-inch octagon barrel,
color case-hardened receivers and will
24
include a display case. Only 200 of the

hand-engraved exhibition models will
be made. The MSRP will be $7995,
while the presentation model will be
machine engraved and sell for $3500.
Also new from Navy Arms will be
its Lightning Deluxe pump-action rie
in .45 Colt or .357 Magnum. Available
with either a 20-inch or 24-inch
octagon barrel, the ries will feature
bone-charcoal, color case-hardened
receivers with Nitre Blue screws. A
special coil-spring-powered extractor
will ensure reliable functioning. Iron
sights are provided, but the tang is also
drilled and tapped for installation of an
optional Marble Arms tang-mounted
peep sight. The MSRP will be $2500.
Navy Arms will also offer a

Model 1892 pistol-caliber carbine to
be available in ones choice of .44
Magnum or .45 Colt. These will
feature a Grade I American walnut
straight stock, 20-inch octagon
barrel and color case-hardened
frame. A coyote killer version in
.44 Magnum with pistol-grip stock
will also be offered. The MSRP will
be $2500.
For black-powder enthusiasts
and reenactors, Navy Arms is
introducing its versions of the ParkerHale Whitworth .451-caliber rifle and
the Skirmisher Model Smith .50caliber Carbine. The MSRP on each
will be $1500.
READY FOR ACTION

Cimarron Continues to Offer Quality
Replicas of the Old Wests Finest Firearms
This year, Cimarron is offering a
long list of interesting Old West replicas,
many of them geared toward Cowboy
Action Shooting competitors. Among
their handguns is the Eliminator series
of single-actions, with Cowboy Comp
U.S. Action Job and 25 percent shorter
hammer stroke.
The Eliminator 8 features a 4.75inch octagon barrel and is offered in
.38/.357 and .45 calibers. The MSRP will
be $779. The Eliminator C (Competition)
has a 4.75-inch barrel and is also available in .38/.357 and .45 calibers. It has a
color case-hardened, pre-war frame and
checkered grips. Theres the option of
either a standard or low-profile, wide
hammer. The MSRP starts at $714,
depending on model.
The Eliminator TS (Thunderstorm)
is offered in 3.5-inch or 4.75-inch barrels.
Geared toward mounted-shooting competitors, it features a specially designed

low, wide hammer for easy cocking on
the move. This .45 revolver is available in
either a blued or stainless finish. The
MSRP is $748 for the blued models and
upward of $973 for stainless-steel
models. All of the featured guns are
made exclusively for Cimarron by Pietta.
For those wanting something extra
special, Cimarron is offering laserengraved pistols in either a nickel finish
or old silver frame, which is a twotone finish where the barrel, cylinder
and grip assembly have a blued finish,
while the frame is left white. Grips
are available in poly-ivory or walnut.
The revolvers, chambered in .45 Colt,
are available in 4.75-inch or 7.5-inch
barrels. The MSRP starts at $649.
As for long guns, Cimarron offers a
line of powerful and strong Model 71

lever-actions in .45-70 calibers, made by
Pedersoli. There is the Classic ($1846)
and fancier Premium ($1940), both with
24-inch barrels. Now available is the
Hogzilla Killa, which is a Model 71 with
19-inch barrel and Picatinny rail that
should be perfect for hunting in thick
cover. Its MSRP is $1846.
Cimarron will also be offering a
blend of old and new, seen in their
Model 1883 deluxe and Model 1889
standard double-barrel shotguns, made
by Daudsons Armory.
The 1883 deluxe is a side-lock
model with engraved side plates; the
1889 is a box lock. Both will feature
single triggers. The 1883, in .410 or 12
gauge, will cost a suggested $813. The
1889 will cost $792 for the .410 and
$618 for the 12 gauge.
Cimarrons Eliminator 8 is an
1873-style single-action revolver
with an octagon barrel.
Cimarrons engraved revolvers

will be offered in either a
nickel or two-tone nish.
Cimarron will be offering its

1889 double-barrel shotgun
in either .410 or 12 gauge.
25
NEW GUNS
A TAKE-ANYWHERE .22
Chiappas New Kodiak Cub, Lever-Action Takedown
is a Portable, All-Weather Rimre Carbine
For those putting together a survival pack or wanting to
hunt small gameeven for those who just want peace of
mindChiappas new Kodiak Cub All-Weather LA322 might
just be the rearm for you. This little lever-action in .22LR
features a matte, hard-chromed nish on the receiver, bolt,
hammer, barrel, lever and magazine tube, making it a truly
all-weather rearm.
The stock has Chiappas soft touch coating for a
comfortable, non-slip grip in all conditions. To increase the
portability of this little gun, it is offered as a takedown

model. It quickly breaks down to a mere 25 inches to make it
easy to put in a pack.
The gun also comes with a hooded front sight and a
rear leaf sight thats adjustable for elevation. A 38-inch
dovetail on the receiver accepts scope rings, and the
receiver is also drilled and tapped for optional scope bases.
It has a capacity of 15 rounds and weighs about 5.5 pounds.
The MSRP is $809.
For those putting together a survival pack ...

Chiappas new Kodiak Cub All-Weather might be
just the firearm for you.
Chiappas Kodiak Cub has

an attractive and durable
hard-chromed nish.
26
CONTACTS
Winchester
winchesterguns.com
Uberti
uberti.com
Navy Arms
navyarms.com
Cimarron Firearms Co.
cimarron-rearms.com
Henry Repeating Arms
henryrepeating.com
Chiappa Firearms
chiapparearms.com
Chiappas Kodiak Cub is

easy to take down to
make this little .22
handy to bring along.
27
GS-1605-28-29-SHRINK.CX.qxp 3/8/16 11:56 PM Page 28
TAMING
Image by Universal Images Group/Getty Images
of
28
theWest
GS-1605-28-29-SHRINK.qxp 3/3/16 11:30 PM Page 29
he taming of the West wasnt

accomplished so much with
the Winchester rifle or the
Bowie knife as it was with
advances in communication and
transportation, as depicted in this
1880s illustration from the Illinois
Central Railroad.
In this special section, we look at how
the Pony Express, stagecoaches and
the establishment of transcontinental
railroad and telegraph systems all played
a part in making the West accessible.
29
Image by MPI/Getty
GS-1605-30-35-PONY 3/6/16 11:00 PM Page 30
30
GS-1605-30-35-PONY 3/6/16 11:01 PM Page 31
Ride Fast,
Ride Hard
Across Miles of Hostile Territory and Rugged Terrain,
Pony Express Riders Risked Death to Deliver Mail
BY STRATTEN WALDT
n April 13, 1860, at

exactly 5:45 PM, a
rider made his way
into downtown
Sacramento, Calif.; he was
accompanied by tremendous fanfare, including
bands playing, bells ringing
and flags waving. He bore a
letter of congratulation
from President James
Buchanan to Governor John
Downey of California. This
rider was the first of the
Pony Express to complete
the journey from St. Joseph,
Mo. to Sacramento.
And he had done it in

only 10 days.
One of the most remarkable stories to come out of
the Old West is that of the
Pony Express. Although it
only existed for 19 months
between April 1860 and
October 1861it was the
rst great line of communication between the U.S.
coasts. Unlike some of the
other stories of the time,
like those of many
gunslingers, the story of
the Pony Express needs
no embellishment.
31
GS-1605-30-35-PONY 3/6/16 11:01 PM Page 32
This painting, showing a Pony Express rider trying to outrun an Indian attack, is indicative of some of the dangers faced by the riders. (Image by Ed Vebell/Getty)
Mark Twain called them little bits of men, brimful of spirit,

and they included some of the most famous names of the time.
LEADING THE WAY
Though it was ultimately
creation of an expedient mail

service between St. Joseph and
THE ROUTE
The rst key to achieving
unprofitable, the Pony Express
Sacramento, and in 1859, they
quicker delivery times was a
enterprise helped to win federal
incorporated the Leavenworth &
shorter route; however, the shorter
aid for an overland postal system,
Pikes Peak Express Company.
route was still approximately 1,900
foreshadowing the greater impor-
Their goal was a delivery time of
miles long. It roughly followed the
tance of overland parcel delivery,
10 daysa number that many
Oregon and California trails to Fort
which would be taken up by Wells
said was impossible.
Bridger, Wyo.; then, the Mormon
Fargo and later the United States
Before the creation of the
trail to Salt Lake City, Utah; and
Postal Service. It also contributed
Pony Express, there were several
nally, the Central Nevada Route
greatly to the frontier towns along
ways for messages to pass from
to Carson City, before crossing the
its route.
coast to coast. One of the most
Sierras into California.
The Pony Express was
reliable optionsdelivery by ship
founded by three men in the late
could take at least a month, while
1850s: William Russell, Alexander
stagecoaches could take at least
Majors and William Waddell. All
three weeks. In comparison, the 10
three were already involved in the
days proposed by the founders of
freighting and drayage businesses,
the Pony Express were daunting.
and they held government contracts
By using shorter routes,
for delivering army supplies to
mounted riders and way stations,
the frontier.
however, they were able to accom-
The team proposed the

32
plish this goal routinely.
In 1860, there were roughly

190 Pony Express stations spaced
ORPHANS PREFERRED
PONY EXPRESS: St. Joseph, Missouri

to California in 10 days or less.
WANTED. Young, skinny, wiry fellows
not over 18, willing to risk death daily.
Orphans preferred. Wages $25 per
week. Apply Pony Express Stables, St.
Joseph, Missouri. (Excerpted from
job advertisement.)
GS-1605-30-35-PONY 3/6/16 11:01 PM Page 33
THE ONE TIME IT

DIDNT MAKE IT
Only once did a Pony Express
shipment fail to go through. The Pony
Express often rode through hostile
territory. The riders did so lightly armed,
if at all. Some carried only a single
revolver with them for defense.
The Paiute War in mid-1860 took the
lives of many Pony Express employees;
it would be the only event that ever
stopped a shipment of mail from
reaching its destination.
380-mile ride, Pony Bob was shot

through the jaw with an arrow and
lost three teeth. Nonetheless, he
reached his destination.
After the Civil War, Pony Bob
Onlookers cheer the arrival of a Pony Express rider upon completion of the rst ride into California in April, 1860.
(Image by Ed Vebell/Getty)
every 10 miles along the route. This
After discovering that his
worked as a rider for the Wells

Fargo company, and was a scout
for the U.S. Army well into his 50s.
was about the distance an average
relief rider had been killed, Cody
He maintained a strong friendship
horse could travel at a full gallop
performed one of the longest
with Buffalo Bill, and took part in
before tiring. At every station, the
nonstop rides in the history of the
his diplomatic mission to negotiate
riders would take only the mail
company, traveling round trip
the surrender of Chief Sitting Bull
pouch with them as they switched
from Red Buttes Station to Rocky
in 1890.
to a new horse. The pouch would
Ridge Stationa distance of 322
hold roughly 20 pounds of mail.
miles that required 21 horses to
record with Lincolns inaugural
complete. Buffalo Bill would go on
address, which took just eight
to become one of the most storied
days to reach California.
THE RIDERS
The mounted riders, roughly
80 of them, were usually small
These young men set their
figures in American history.

Pony Bob was also well
TOO MANY PROBLEMS
teenage boys, and they could cover
known in his day for both loyalty
approximately 180 miles in a day,
and bravery. Born in England in
Pony Express was destined to be a
though many rode shorter legs.
1840, he emigrated to the United
short one. From the outset, the
Mark Twain called them little bits
States as a teenager, and later
Pony Express was not a protable
of men, brimful of spirit, and they
worked as a ranch hand and
venture. The creation of so many
included some of the most famous
government messenger. When the
way stations, all of which had to be
names of the time.
Pony Express set up operations in
outtted, supplied and staffed,
1859, he helped with the creation
was enormously expensive.
Chief among them was

William Buffalo Bill Cody and
of several way stations before
Robert Pony Bob Haslam. At the
getting hired as a rider.
age of 15, Cody was on his way to
He is credited with the longest
California, when he encountered
ride in the companys brief history,
company agents along the way and
which took place near the outset
signed on as a rider. He took part in
of local Paiute hostilities. Some
the construction of several way
of his fellow riders were so scared
stations, and was eventually trans-
of the Indian threat, they refused
ferred to a division in Wyoming.
to take the saddle. During the
Unfortunately, the story of the
STEEP OBSTACLES FOR

PONY EXPRESS
1. Way stations were expensive to build

and maintain.
2. The general public found it too
expensive to send mail this way.
3. The Paiute War made it dangerous.
4. Advent of telegraph system made
it obsolete.
5. Outbreak of Civil War stalled its use.
33
GS-1605-30-35-PONY 3/6/16 11:01 PM Page 34
patrons were the government,

newspapers, businesses and
banks. There were also reports of
riders appearing in Sacramento
with as few as several dozen
lettersnowhere near their
carrying capacity.
On top of this, the Paiute War
broke out in May 1860, shortly after
the rm began operations, and
lasted until July. Roughly 6,000
Paiute had suffered through a long
winter when a raiding party
attacked Williams Station, a Pony
Express outpost on the Carson
River. Over the following months,
seven more stations were attacked,
16 employees were killed and
nearly 150 horses were lost. This
forced the edgling enterprise to
cease operations temporarily.
PONY EXPRESS BY
THE NUMBERS
80 The approximate number of Pony

Express Riders
18 The maximum age of a rider

25 The number of dollars per week a
rider earned
180
The average number of miles a

rider could travel in one day
10 The number of miles a rider traveled

before switching horses
1,900 The number of miles covered

to make the rst delivery
to California
10 The number of days it took to

This period advertisement tried to drum up business for the Pony Express. (Image by Three Lions/Getty)
get a letter from St. Joseph

to Sacramento
322 The number of miles covered by

East of Salt Lake City, there
be hauled across considerable
were pre-existing overland stage
distances, which was not accom-
operations that the company
plished cheaply.
could utilize, but there was no
Compounding this, the Pony
such infrastructure out west.
Express was never widely used by
In many places, water had to
the general public. Its primary
34
young Bill Cody during one ride
21 The number of horses Cody used to

make his trip
19 The number of months the Pony

Express was in business
GS-1605-30-35-PONY 3/6/16 11:01 PM Page 35
and edited by Colonel Prentiss

Ingraham, a well-known dime
novelist noted for his tendency
to embellish.
LASTING LEGACY
In spite of its shortcomings,
the Pony Express was an amazing
innovationnot only for its time,
but for any time. Until the
invention of the telegraph made
the firm obsolete, it pushed
the limits of human and animal
endurance, accomplishing feats
once said to be impossible.
Even though it operated for
less than two years, the Pony
Express still holds a place in our
imagination. We are still captivated by the image of the lone,
unarmed mailman racing across
the frontier to deliver parcels in
record time.
Before the invention of the
telegraph, the Pony Express was
one of the threads that bound the
Billy Johnson was just one of about 80 riders employed by the Pony Express. (Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty)
East and West. It lasted only a short

while, but it has left an indelible
On June 16, 1860, about 10
most people were still unwilling to
weeks after the Pony Express had
pay such a sum. The owners had
begun operations, Congress
hoped to gain a protable contract
passed a bill that would subsidize
with the Federal Government, but
the creation of a transcontinental
this never came to pass.
telegraph line. Finally, the outbreak
On October 21, 1861, the Pony
of the Civil War in April 1861 further
Express was officially terminated,
damaged business. With a major
though it was not until November
war brewing, fewer businesses
that the last letters completed
were interested in sending
their transcontinental journey.
expensive mail across the country.
The endeavor led to the near
The initial cost of Pony
nancial ruin of its three founders.
Express mail was prohibitively
Russell and Waddell died within a
expensive. From the outset, the
decade of its failure, and never
cost to send one ounce of postage
wrote a word about it. Majors
across the country was ve dollars,
survived long after, but he did not
roughly $130 today. Although the
compose his life story until nearly
cost dropped to as low as one
the end of the 19th century. When
dollar before operations ceased,
he did, much of it was ghostwritten
mark on American history. GNSL
THE PONY EXPRESS

TIMELINE
1859 The Leavenworth & Pikes Peak
Express Company is formed to get mail
from St. Joseph to Sacramento.
April 13, 1860 The rst run between
St. Joseph and Sacramento is completed;
the rst letter is delivered.
May to July, 1860 The Paiute Indian
War spells trouble for the Pony Express as
stations are attacked, employees are killed
and horses are lost.
June 16, 1860 Congress passes a bill to
fund the transcontinental telegraph
system, which will make the Pony
Express obsolete.
April 12, 1861 The Civil War begins.
October 21, 1861 The Pony Express
ceases operations.
35
GS-1605-36-41-STAGE.qxp 3/3/16 11:40 PM Page 36
Desperate
Attacks and Terrible Weather Were Only Some of the

Challenges Faced by Stagecoaches
BY STRATTEN WALDT
n the best of times, it

was a dangerous, bonejarring profession. In the
worst, it could be fatal.
That was the rough-andtumble life of a stagecoach
driver. Drivers often overcame
terrible weather and pitted
dirt trails. Coaches became
stuck, disabled and sometimes overturned. Horses
often came up lame. There
was also the real danger of
attacks from both bandits
and American Indians.
36
Many stagecoach services

operated in the Old West,
and their owners constantly
fought over passengers,
freight and, most important,
government contracts.
It has become a dening
part of the history of the Old
West. Wells Fargo, a company
with its origins in both banking
and freight, still uses the
stagecoach as its symbol.
But the history of the
stagecoach doesnt begin
in America.
Peter Barritt/robertharding/Getty
Journeys
37
Although the stagecoach was the safest way of traveling

long distances, it was considered terribly uncomfortable;
a journey to be endured, not enjoyed.
Stagecoaches sometimes covered great distances through remote areas where railroads didnt reach. This photo of a stagecoach passing through Monument Valley, Ariz.,
was taken in 1905. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty)
JOURNEY ACROSS THE POND

The production of stage-
At that time in America,

however, stagecoaches were just
coaches began in England. Today,
about to enter their golden age.
crude designs survive from the
They had begun operating in the
13th century, though they took
United States by the mid-18th
on a modern form sometime in
century, first within New England
the 1700s.
and later between New York and
The first routes ran between
Philadelphia. By 1829, Boston was
Edinburgh and Leith, and over the
a hub of 77 stagecoach lines,
next 200 years, they became a
which grew to 106 by 1832.
defining part of English culture.
The first mail coaches
In fact, Shakespeares plays were
appeared in the late 18th century,
first performed at the coaching
carrying both passengers and
inns dedicated to supporting this
parcels, and replacing the earlier
form of transportation. By the
post riders. It was the stagecoach
1830s, the creation of railways
that first opened up the American
had spelled out the end for the
West to a wider range of passen-
slower stagecoaches.
gers, mail and cargo.
38
THE BUTTERFIELD
OVERLAND MAIL COMPANY
Even though stagecoaches
connected existing population centers
on the East Coast, nothing of the sort
existed between Missouri and California.
This all changed in 1857, when John
Buttereld began the development of
an overland mail route from St. Louis to
San Francisco, by way of El Paso, Texas.
After being awarded a federal
contract of $600,000 per year to carry
U.S. mail across the country, Buttereld
used the money to develop way stations
at regular intervals.
Preparation for the line took more
than a year, but Butterelds Overland
Mail Line began operations on September
16, 1858. Except for the brief stops at the
stations, the coaches would operate
both day and night, and passengers
were expected to sleep on the move.
The journey was grueling, but it was the
fastest option available. It would take
passengers and cargo roughly 25 days to
get from St. Louis to San Francisco.
RIDING SHOTGUN
Stagecoach travel in the Old West

could be an adventure, as depicted
in this painting of a stagecoach
eeing from an attack. (Image by
DEA Picture Library/Getty)
The phrase riding shotgun comes

from the term shotgun messenger
a private express messenger and guard
who oversaw valuable private shipments.
This individual was employed to protect
shipments deemed more important
than mail or passengers, including cash
or bullion, and to provide an armed
response to bandits. As their title
suggests, shotgun messengers would
often carry sawed-off shotguns; however,
they also commonly used ries.
The term did not actually enter
popular usage until 1905, when it
appeared in The Sunset Trail by Alfred
Henry Lewis. It became commonplace
to hear the term in Old West films,
including the 1939 classic Stagecoach.
By the 1950s, it was almost an
obligatory term in U.S. Westerns.
Today, it is more commonly used to
claim the passenger seat in a car.
Even as the East developed a

more comprehensive rail network,
it was still exceedingly difficult to
go to or through the American
frontier. Travel by ship was expensive, and could take anywhere
from three weeks to three months
to make the journey from New York
to California. Until the construction
of the Transcontinental Railroad in
1869, the stagecoach lled this
role admirably for the better part
of a century.
BUILT FOR FUNCTION

Stagecoaches were operated
by skilled drivers pulling teams of
four to six horses, and operated at
an average speed of about ve
miles per hour. Drivers would swap
out every 45 to 50 miles.
Cargo was just as important as passengers to a stagecoach line. Here, a restored Wells Fargo Concord coach is being
loaded in a reenactment. (Photo by George Pickow/Getty)
Although the stagecoach was

the safest way of traveling long
used stagecoach for passenger
The coaches weighed more
distances, it was considered terribly
services. Designed by the Abbot
than a ton, and cost between $1,500
uncomfortable; a journey to be
Downing Company, the Concord
and $1,800 (roughly $40,000 to
endured, not enjoyed. However, this
utilized leather-strap braces in place
$50,000 today). They had three
all changed in 1827 with the inven-
of a spring suspension, resulting in a
seatsenough for nine passengers
tion of the Concord stagecoach,
swinging motion instead of jostling
with little legroom, though passen-
which became the most commonly
passengers up and down.
gers were welcome to ride on top.

39
Enough restored stagecoaches

still exist that some are used in
historical reenactments and
Western shows. (Photo by
gchutka/Getty)
Additionally, they earned a
that stagecoaches would
reputation for unmatched
have been able to operate for
quality; a Concord, it was said,
the benet of passengers
didnt break down, it simply
and freight.
wore out.
U.S. Mail contracts were
Even though the Pony

Express is often credited with
especially protable for
being the first fast Missouri-
stagecoach companies, and
to-California mail service,
the competition for these
this is not necessarily true.
was erce. In fact, without
In September of 1858, the
these government contracts,
Overland Mail Company
it would have been unlikely
began a twice weekly mail
40
THE POETRY OF THE STAGE

Creeping through the valley, crawling oer the hill,
Splashing through the branches, rumbling oer the mill;
Putting nervous gentlemen in a towering rage.
What is so provoking as riding in a stage?
Spinsters fair and forty, maids in youthful charms,
Suddenly are cast into their neighbors arms;
Children shoot like squirrels darting through a cage
Isnt it delightful, riding in a stage?
Feet are interlacing, heads severely bumped,
Friend and foe together get their noses thumped;
Dresses act as carpetslisten to the sage;
"Life is but a journey taken in a stage.
From: Six Horses by Captain William Banning & George
Hugh Banning (1928)
GS-1605-36-41-STAGE.CX.qxp 3/9/16 12:20 AM Page 41
STAGECOACH HISTORICAL TIMELINE

1200s 1800s Coach lines operate in England
1827 Concord stagecoach invented using leather strap braces for a more comfortable ride
1832 106 coach lines operating in Boston area
1858 Buttereld Overland Mail Company created to run between St. Louis, Mo. and
San Francisco
1866 Wells Fargo consolidates transportation providers west of Missouri
1869 Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad provides faster, more comfortable journey
between coasts
1900s Proliferation of the automobile spells the end of the stagecoach
1939 The movie Stagecoach shows the difficulties encountered by stagecoach passengers,
and makes a star out of any actor named John Wayne
Swing stations were more
1861 also created massive problems
numerous, and usually ran by a few
for the industry. Confederates
bachelor stock tenders; they were
would often seize coaches,
smaller and normally consisted of
interrupting mail service between
nothing more than a cabin and a
the two coasts, and stagecoach
corral. Here, the stagecoach driver
lines were forced to engage in the
would swap out his horses for a
costly practice of moving their lines
fresh team and continue the
northward. This necessitated the
journey after a break of about 10
construction of new way stations
minutes; these stations were
and infrastructure, which was
spaced every 12 miles or so.
almost prohibitively expensive.
Home stations, on the other

hand, were usually located about
of the automobile in the early
50 miles apart, and were often
1900s that truly killed the stage-
run by a couple or family. These
coach. Up to that point, short-
stations provided meals and
haul stagecoaches had continued
overnight lodging, and often
to function in areas with little
included stables, a blacksmith
railroad service; but automobiles
and a telegraph station.
proved to be too inexpensive and
All told, at one time, more than

150 stations existed between
California and Kansas. In its hey-
service that ran from San
Express famous ten-day route, it
effective for the stagecoach to

compete with.
At its best, stagecoach travel
day, the stagecoach truly was the
was not very comfortable, it was
dominant form of transportation
not glamorous and it was not fun.
between the East and West.
For the average rider, the eastto-west journey was a test of
Francisco to Missouri. While it

wasnt quite as quick as the Pony
Ultimately, it was the invention
REPLACED BY RAIL AND AUTO

Much like the Pony Express,
endurance. As Louis McLane,

once the head of Wells Fargo and
regularly made the journey in 25
however, the development of new
Company, said, I thought staging
days or lessno small accom-
technologies spelled the end of
looked very well to the lithographer,
plishment for the time.
the stagecoachs glory days.
but was the Devil in reality.
By 1869, the completion of the
STOPS ALONG THE WAY

Stagecoach lines usually operated two types of stations along
their routes: swing and home.
Nonetheless, the stagecoach
Transcontinental Railroad elimi-
was the first real bridge between
nated the need for transcontinental
the two coasts, and today, it
stage-coaching.
occupies an important place in
The advent of the Civil War in
Americas history. GNSL

41
GS-1605-42-49-RAIL.qxp 3/6/16 11:12 PM Page 42
42
Steam-Powered
PROGRESS
From Scaling the Rockies to
Battling Train Robbers,
Establishing the Railroad
was a Monumental Task
BY JOHN MCQUAID
uilding the countrys First

Transcontinental Railroad was
a colossal task, requiring the sweat,
blood and intense labor of thousands
of men, who worked under harsh conditions
and often died as a result. Mountains that got
in the way were chipped to size with pick and
shovel, or blasted with dynamite, forging
pathways to the West Coast.
The rail line, covering 1,776 miles and
connecting the Atlantic and Pacific coasts,
was constructed between 1863 and 1869. Men
from all walks of life worked on the railroad,
including former slaves who had become
free men after the Civil War ended. Several
thousand Chinese immigrants also tirelessly
labored through the back-breaking work
of laying track.
43
Railroad workers in South Dakota

relax during some down time.
(Photo by John C.H. Grabill/Getty)
Ten Pinkerton agents were waiting for the

Reno Gang, and opened fire when the gang
attempted to board the express car.
Many Native American tribes

were angered by the white mans
ever-growing expansion into tribal
East establish an invaluable link to
from east to west was no longer
the Wild West.
such a long, difficult journey. Those
Consumer goods, professional
who never would have dared to
territories. Railroad workers
services and mail could be carried
venture west before the railroad,
also had to deal with attacks by
at much faster speeds via the
no longer found the journey so
American Indian Braves trying to
railroad than by horse-drawn
daunting. The Wild West didnt
stop the loss of their ancestral
wagons. For the faint of heart,
seem so wild anymore.
lands to western expansion.
trains offered a safer, more
Once the railroad was

completed, train robbers became
comfortable way to explore the

untamed American West.
BOOM TOWNS
Several boom towns sprung
With the Transcontinental
up in the West during the expan-
volatile and exciting times in
Railroad came new townscenters
sion of the railroad. Depots were
Americas history.
of commerce. Midwestern rail
placed about 20 miles apart to
yards became distribution hubs
provide trains with needed water
for rugged cowboys bringing their
and coal. Telegraph stations were
cattle to satisfy customers on the
also located at train depots.
a new concern. These were
BRIDGING THE GAP

The invention of the steamdriven locomotive, and the establishment of the Transcontinental
Railroad, helped America in the
44
East Coast eager for fresh beef.

As the rail lines expanded, the
West seemed to shrink. Getting
The railroad expansion required

tons of timber to lay track, and
water to power the steam engines.
GS-1605-42-49-RAIL.CX.qxp 3/9/16 1:31 AM Page 45
This wooden viaduct near Dale

Creek, Wyo., was built by the Union
Pacic Railroad. It was later
replaced with a steel structure.
(Photo by Henry Guttmann/Getty)
GUNS OF THE
RAILROAD COPS
The Pinkerton detectives carried
various rearms while protecting the
Transcontinental Railroad. In 1874,
Pinkerton detectives Louis Lull and John
Boyle ran into the Younger Gang in
Roscoe, Mo. Detective Lull carried a
British-made, Trantor .43-caliber pistol
with a 5 78-inch barrel, and a concealed
No. 2 Smith & Wesson revolver. At the
end of the gunght, John Younger and
Louis Lull were both dead.
Another preferred rearm of the
Pinkerton Detectives was the .31-caliber
small-frame dragoon with a ve-shot
cylinder. It was concealable and proved
effective in a shootout conned to a
train car.
Popular arms for lawmen of the
day ranged from Colt and Remington
revolvers, Henry carbines and the
Winchester lever-actions rifles that
followed. It was even reported that
Allan Pinkerton carried a sawed-off
double-barrel shotgun.
Omaha Station (Nebraska) of the Union Pacic in 1870.
(Photo by Hulton Archives/Getty)
45
Building the railroad required

the sweat, blood and intense labor
of thousands of men, who worked
under harsh conditions and often
died as a result.
A train stops near Weber Canyon on its

way to the Golden Spike celebration,
marking the completion of the
Transcontinental Railroad in 1869.
(Photo by Archive Photos/Getty)
The buildings were often made
Therefore, rail lines needed to be
during their down time, which
located relatively close to sources
created opportunities for entre-
of nothing more than wood or
of water, coal and timber. The
preneurs to help them squander
canvas, and were often temporary
discovery of coal, gold, silver and
their hard-earned coins.
structures that could be packed up
gems would often dictate where

rail lines would branch off.
HELL ON WHEELS
It was Samuel Bowles, editor of
and moved to follow the railroad
the Springeld, Mass., newspaper
as it advanced. Living conditions
The Republican, who rst used
were less than sanitary.
the term Hell on Wheels after he
Trainloads of migrant workers
observed the railroad town of North
came to these towns looking to land
overnight, there was bound to be
Platte, Neb. The town consisted of
jobs laying track and working the cut.
trouble. Lawlessness and anarchy
gambling houses, saloons, brothels
Large amounts of money changed
ran rampant through these rail-
and dance hallsall of which
hands in these often lawless towns,
road-driven urban areas. Railroad
served to entertain railroad workers,
creating an environment where
workers needed a way to let loose
miners and traders.
criminals could cash in on robbing
Whenever towns sprang up
46
DEMISE OF THE RENO GANG

On October 6, 1866, the Reno Gang carried out the rst moving-train robbery in the U.S.,
making off with over $10,000 from the Ohio and Mississippi train in Jackson County, Ind.
Pinkerton was called on to investigate the robbery.
Although train robberies had previously taken place aboard locomotives stopped at
train depots or shipping yards, robbing moving trains was unprecedented. This new method
caught on quickly due to the scant law enforcement in the Old West.
The Reno Gangs train-robbing career came to an end on July 9, 1868, when the gang
attempted to rob an O & M train at the Shields watering station near Brownstown, Ind. Ten
Pinkerton agents were waiting for the Reno Gang, and opened re when the gang attempted
to board the express car. One was captured; three others were wounded, but ed.
William and Simeon Reno were captured by Pinkertons detectives that same month.
Frank Reno and Charlie Anderson ed to Canada, but were captured and turned over to
the Pinkertons.
Six other Reno members had been previously lynched by mobs in two separate
incidents. On December 11, 1868, the four remaining Reno gang members were taken from
the jail in New Albany by a lynch mob.
The mob cut the telegraph lines and overpowered Chuck Whitten, who was guarding
outside. The vigilantes then beat and shot the sheriff, who had refused to surrender the
keys to the jail. His wife turned over the keys after her husband took a bullet in the arm.
All four men were hanged, ending their outlaw careers.
Ready for the rails, a path is cleared for the laying of tracks during construction of the Transcontinental Railroad.
(Photo by Omikron/Getty)
train-robbing career in history.
trains and railroad men. Justice was
marksman, known to be fearless.
likely meted out through the barrel
He joined brothers Tom and Sam
of a smoking peacemaker or the
Ketchum in what became known as
robbers was Jesse James, who had
bloody edge of a bowie knife.
the Ketchum Gang, notorious for
formerly served for the Confederate
robbing trains in New Mexico.
Army during the Civil War. He was
ROBBERY ON THE RAILS

The railroad had its problems,
In 1898, Kilpatrick joined

another band of outlaws, known
One of the most famous train
trained in guerrilla warfare and had

experience disrupting trains.
James first train robbery took
too, with outlaws trying to make a
as the Wild Bunch. The gang
quick buck. One of the most noto-
consisted of leader Butch Cassidy,
place on July 21, 1873, in Adair,
rious train robbers of the Old West
Harry Longabaugh (The
Iowa. Dressed in Ku Klux Klan
was Ben Kilpatrick.
Sundance Kid), Harvey Logan,
garb, he and his gang derailed a
George Curry, William Carver, Elza
Rock Island train by loosening
tall, Kilpatrick earned the name,
Lay and Bob Meeks. The Wild
a section of track and yanking it
The Tall Texan. He was a deadly
Bunch had the most successful
away as the train approached.
Standing at 6 feet 2 inches
47
The Wild Bunch, shown in 1901: (Standing, left) William Carver and Harvey Logan (Kid Curry). Seated (from left) are Harry Longabaugh (The Sundance Kid); Ben Kilpatrick
(The Tall Texan); Robert Leroy Parker (Butch Cassidy). All of these notorious train robbers were eventually shot and killed. (Photo by Print Collector/Getty)
This resulted in the death of the
Men like Jesse James and
some of the most notorious out-
trains engineer. James and his
Ben Kilpatrick made it necessary
brother Frank then robbed the
for the railroad companies to
train at gunpoint, making off with
equip trains with armed men who
by Allan Pinkerton, who had been
about $3,000.
would protect passengers and
born in Glasgow, Scotland and
valuable cargo.
immigrated to America in 1842.
On January 31, 1874, James
LAWMEN ON THE RAILS
Hill wearing Ku Klux Klan masks;
The Pinkerton Detective
they stopped the train by lighting
Agency was subsequently hired
a bonre near the station platform,
to protect railroad interests.
and forcing one gang member to

stand on the tracks holding a red
The agency was formed
He worked as a barrel maker, a
robbed another train in Missouri.

Jesse and his gang rode into Gads
laws of the Old West.
Pinkerton detectives were

responsible for bringing down
deputy sheriff and a special

agent for the U.S. Post Office.
Around 1850, Pinkerton
formed Pinkertons National
Detective Agency. The motto of
his agency was, We never sleep.
signal lamp.
As the train neared the station,
the conductor jumped off to investigate. He was taken prisoner, and
RAILROADS IN THE OUTLAWS SIGHTS

1850 Pinkerton National Detective Agency founded; eventually hired to track
down train robbers
October 6, 1866 Reno gang commits rst peacetime robbery of a moving train in the U.S.
the train was switched to a siding.
December 11, 1868 Last four members of the Reno gang are lynched
The Jesse James Gang boarded the
May 10, 1869 The First Transcontinental Railroad in the U.S. is completed
train, raided the mail express car,
July 21, 1873 Jesse James robs train in Iowa, his rst since the Civil War
and then robbed the passengers of
June 2, 1899 The Wild Bunch, with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, rob their last train
their valuables.
48
Union Pacic Railroad

workers lay track near
Laramie, Wyo., in 1868.
(Photo by Omikron/Getty)
To drive this point home, the
down the tracks, helped to shrink
towns that sprang up along
agencys symbol featured an
the West. The railroad made it
the Transcontinental Railroad.
unblinking eye.
possible to haul multitudes of
Train-robbing outlaws murdered
people and goods across the
citizens and lawmen assigned to
President-elect Abraham Lincoln
continental United States.
protect the rail lines.
protection as he traveled to
But this innovation came at a
Washington, D.C., to be sworn in.
steep price.
Pinkertons agents provided
He also served under Union
Men died laying track.
Trains carved a bloody path

through the American Frontier,
and laid the groundwork for
General George McClellan as
People were murdered in the
bringing civilization to the Wild
Chief of Intelligence during the
lawless wood-and-canvas boom
West. GNSL
Civil War.
Eventually, Pinkerton agents
were hired to protect trains, which
often carried large quantities of
cash and gold, brought on by a
booming western economy. The
sparsely populated West gave
outlaws plenty of places to stop
trains in remote areas.
CIVILIZATION AT A PRICE
Theres no doubt the steambelching locomotive, chugging
HE NEVER CAUGHT JESSE

The Pinkerton Agency became famous for its pursuit of train robbers like Butch
Cassidys Wild Bunch, The Younger Gang and the Dalton Brothersbut Pinkerton was never
able to capture Jesse James.
The Pinkertons were hired on by the Adams Express Company to capture the James
Gang after they robbed a train in Gads Hill, Mo. Pinkerton sent Detective Joe Whicher to Clay
County to investigate. Detective Whicher went to the James homestead against the advice
of a former sheriff and was found murdered the next day.
In January of 1875, Allan Pinkerton sent detectives, accompanied by sympathetic
locals, to the James homestead, which resulted in a botched raid. Jesse and Frank James
were not captured, and tragedy struck when an incendiary device malfunctioned and
exploded in the house. Jesses eight-year-old half-brother, Archie, was killed, and his
mother, Zerelda, was injured.
Pinkerton suffered extreme criticism for the raid at the James farm, causing him to
give up on the case. Pinkerton died in 1884, just two years after Jesse James was shot in
the back by Robert Ford. Pinkertons sons, William and Robert, took over the agency,
which continued with successful growth.
49
Photo by Tetra Images/Getty
GS-1605-50-55-TELEGRAPH 3/7/16 2:14 AM Page 50
THE WIRE
A Boon to Business and the Bane of the Bad Men, the
Creation of the Coast-To-Coast Telegraph System Was
a Hard-Fought Step to Civilizing the West
50
BY JOHN MCQUAID
ending a telegraph message across the country

in 1862 must have seemed miraculously easy.
Building the transcontinental telegraph system
just a year earlier, and across a vast wilderness,
was at times so difficult, it seemed a miracle would be
needed to complete it.
51
In the late 1890s, Marconis invention of a

practical, long-range wireless telegraph
phased out the stringing of wires across
long distances. (Image by Stock
Montage/Getty Images)
TAKING THE LONG WAY
Telegraph workers put up
these hard-working men got the

job done.
The telegraph systems
anywhere between three to eight
rst obstacles were the endless
miles of line per day. But Mother
stretches of rugged terrain that had
Nature didnt always cooperate.
to be crossed through the Great
Rain storms, high winds and
Plains and over the towering Rocky
extreme temperatures made it
very good source of timber, which
and Sierra Nevada mountain
difficult for men to dig holes, drop
was needed to make telegraph
ranges. Remember, the transconti-
in telegraph poles and string
poles. Procuring the telegraph
nental railroad had not been built at
telegraph wire.
poles for the route would involve
this time. Suppliesglass insulators
Installing telegraph poles in
SOURCING TIMBER
The Great Plains werent a
hauling timber in wagons from
and telegraph wirehad to be
a blistering-hot desert certainly
Carson City, Nev., to Salt Lake
shipped the long way to the West
hampered work crews; neverthe-
City; the journey was 600 miles
Coast, and then, moved by horse-
less, the prospect of spending a
in length.
drawn freight wagons to the
bone-chilling winter in the wilder-
construction crews working their
ness spurred the men to complete
Overland Telegraph Company,
way east. Provisioning the workers
the job all the more quickly. It
solved the problem by forging an
was also a major concern.
was a daunting challenge, but
agreement with Brigham Young to
52
James Street, representing the
INDIAN RELATIONS VIA TELEGRAPH

James Street of the Overland Telegraph Company made it a point to meet with Native
American chiefs after negotiating a timber deal with Brigham Young and the Mormons.
His goal was to establish good will with the chiefs, and explain to them the purpose of the
telegraph. He met up with Sho-Kup, the chief of the Shoshone Indians, who also had great
inuence over other tribes, such as the Goshutes and Paiutes.
Street ended up inviting Sho-Kup on a trip to San Francisco via stagecoach. Yet, when
Sho-Kup arrived in Carson City, he wanted to go back home and check on his sick wife.
An interpreter explained to Sho-Kup how the telegraph worked, prompting him to call
it, We-ente-mo-ke-te-bope, meaning, wire-rope express. He was told that when the
telegraph was nished, he could speak to his wife all the way from San Francisco. But
Sho-Kup could not grasp the idea that he could communicate across a distance of 300 miles.
Sho-Kup looked at the telegraph like it was an animal, asking to know what it fed
on. He was told that it ate lightningwhich Sho-Kup also didnt believe. Sho-kup dug in
his heels, refusing to go to San Francisco to meet with Overland Telegraphs President
Horace Carpentier.
Fortunately, a compromise was reached, and the two men spoke to each other via
telegraph. Sho-Kup sent a message to Carpentier, ensuring him that his Indians would not
trouble the telegraph, and that he was a friend of the white man.
Once Carpentier received this message, he sent several friendly replies to Sho-Kup.
Carpentier also sent several gifts to the chief. The importance of having friendly relations
with the tribes was well understood.
have his Mormon workers provide

a large amount of timber to cover
that section of the route.
During the Civil War, labor and
supplies were in high demand for
the war effort, and the telegraph
line was dismantled and rerouted
due to political pressure.
UNWELCOME CHANGE
The invention of the telegraph
wasnt welcomed by everyone in
the Westnamely by notorious
outlaw Jesse James. During the
Civil War, he conducted guerrilla
operations under the leadership
of William Quantrill.
Samuel Morses single-wire telegraph system was used to send messages using his Morse Code. (Image by Stock
Montage/Getty)
53
Members of the U.S. Military Telegraph

Corps set up communications at
Wilcox Landing, Va., in 1864.
(Photo by Buyenlarge/Getty)
His Bushwhackers attacked
telegraph. His telegraph lines ran
That same evening, Overlands
quickly and viciously, going after
from Omaha, Neb., to Salt Lake
president, Horace Carpentier, sent
Union supply wagons, camps and
City. Meanwhile, James Gamble
message to President Abraham
trains. They burned bridges and
worked on the western end, super-
Lincoln announcing the comple-
also cut telegraph lines.
vising the installation of lines from
tion of the telegraph to California.
Later, outlaw Joe Walker

teamed up with Butch Cassidy and
San Francisco to Salt Lake City.

The Pacic Telegraph Company
PUT TO PRACTICE
Elza Lay for the Castle Gate robbery.
finished the eastern portion of
While Cassidy and Lay were robbing
the line on October 18, 1861. The
allowed speedy communication
the mine office, Walker was busy
western section wasnt as long,
over hundreds of miles. If a U.S.
cutting the telegraph lines near
but covered rougher terrain.
Marshall or Pinkerton detective
Helper, Utah, so that authorities

couldnt raise an alarm.
Native Americans would also
The Overland Telegraph
The invention of the telegraph
obtained intelligence on a wanted
Company took on this task,
gang of outlaws, he could go to the
completing it on October 24, 1861.
nearest telegraph station, transmit
cause disturbances, sometimes

rustling cattle intended to feed
work crews. At times, crews were
murdered, and isolated stations
were terrorized.
COAST-TO-COAST COMMUNICATION
Western Union General Agent
Edward Creighton supervised the
labor force that worked on the
eastern end of the transcontinental
54
A WISE BUSINESS DECISION

The Overland Telegraph Company decided to play it smart and meet with the Native
American tribes whose land the telegraph lines crossed. They hired Native American
workers, mainly to herd stock, and often paid them in clothing and supplies, which
seemed to satisfy them.
The Native American workers were happy to stay away from the telegraph lines
following an incident where a worker with bare hands and feet received an electrical shock
while helping another worker handle copper line.
By and large, it did not appear that Native Americans regularly damaged the
telegraph lines. There are, however, exceptions. For example, Sweetwater Station was
attacked by Sioux warriors, leading to a fight that lasted several days.
When the Sioux initially attacked, the telegraph operator promptly notied the
nearest fort for military assistance. The Sioux cut the telegraph lines after the message was
sent, in an attempt to stop Sweetwater Station from obtaining assistance.
THE BIRTH OF RAPID COMMUNICATION

Samuel Morse and other inventors worked on creating the telegraph, which was
invented between the 1830s and 1840s, and revolutionized the communications industry.
It worked by transmitting electrical signals over wires from one station to another.
Morse also invented a code for communicating by telegraph, appropriately named, Morse
Code. The code assigned a series of dots and dashesshort and long signalsto represent
each letter of the alphabet. This allowed for the transmission of messages across telegraph
lines. The original Morse Code printed code on tape, and a trained Morse Code operator could
transmit 40 to 50 words a minute.
In 1844, Morse sent the rst telegraph message from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore.
The telegraph caught on quickly, and by 1866, one was transmitted across the Atlantic
Ocean, connecting the U.S. and Europe.
Dispatching trains by telegraph began in 1851, with telegraph lines usually running along
the railroad right of way. By 1861, the transcontinental telegraph was completed.
In this 1880 drawing, Texas cattle

herders practice their revolver
marksmanship skills by ring
at telegraph insulators. (Image by
Universal History Archive/Getty)
the information to his superiors and

request additional manpower, if
needed. Backup could board the
next train and be en route a lot
quicker than horseback.
The telegraph also provided
the railroad industry with valuable
quick-time data. For example, a
train stopping at a depot could
have a telegraph waiting for the
engineer to warn him of broken
tracks ahead or a derailed train.
This would avoid a potential
derailment or collision with the
disabled locomotive.
Important messages could be
carried more quickly than via the
Pony Express. Meanwhile, military
With a steady hand on the key, a telegraph operator often relayed important messages for the military,
law enforcement and business. (Photo by Super Stock/Getty)
outposts could call for additional

assistance or requisition supplies.
MAKING CONNECTIONS
distances sped up the process of
it was a modern marvel. High-
taming the Wild West. With the
speed communication signicantly
completion of the telegraph,
helped forge the West from a
people in California didnt have to
lawless territory to a place where
telegraph systems ability to
feel isolated from the rest of the
law and order would become the
communicate quickly over great
country. Like the steam locomotive,
norm. GNSL
The transcontinental
55
GS-1605-56-61-HORSES.qxp 3/2/16 1:59 AM Page 56
Old West
HORSEPO W
A Look at How One Animal
Changed Life in the Old West
56
O WER
M
BY STRATTEN WALDT
ore than anything else, it was the horse that

shaped the history of the American West.
All of the enduring cultural symbolsfrom
stagecoaches to the Pony Express, and
cowboys to lawmenwere defined by the animal.
Horses played a major role in both the development
and everyday life of the Old West. They shaped its culture
and the way people were able to interact with the land.
Photo by Peopleimages.com/Getty
57
It was difficult to travel almost any distance in a reasonable

amount of time The horse was the only solution.
Horses were needed not

only for transportation,
but also for work around
the homestead, such
as plowing elds. (Photo
by Buyenlarge/Getty)
HORSES REINTRODUCED
Although domesticated horses
American settlers started to move
rst made it to the North American
westward, horses already had a
missionaries first brought horses
mainland in 1519 with the arrival of
long and storied history in what
over to the New World. These
Hernn Corts, it was not until the
would come to be known as the
horses were primarily Spanish
end of the 16th century that they
frontier. With the distances
and North African breeds, but
were brought north of Mexico in
between major hubs being so vast,
many escaped shortly after they
greater numbers. At that point, the
the horse took on even greater
were brought to the American
local Native American populations
importance in the West than it did
West in the early 1500s.
quickly adopted the practice of
in the cities back east.
Spanish explorers and
Interestingly, horses had
domestication. They found horses
Horses were work animals,
actually originated in North
to be incredibly useful as a form of
sources of transportation and,
America, but they had gone extinct
transportation and as travois
when all else failed, they were
roughly 10,000 years before. In a
haulers; they also used horses in
sustenance. They defined the
sense, the escape of those Spanish
battle, trade and bison hunting.
frontier. Its conquest would not
horses was a homecoming.

58
Needless to say, by the time
have been possible without them.
The horse was such a part of everyday life in the West that
it was even used for entertainment and sport, such as in
rodeo competitions. (Photo by H. Armstrong
Roberts/Getty)
They also played a key role
1900-mile journey into 10-mile
in the lives of the rst American
legs, and rode their horses at a
settlers heading west from
gallop from station to station.
Independence, Mo. Although the
The riders would change horses
wagon trains often used oxen to
at each stop, taking only their
pull their belongings, horses also
mailbags with them.
played a part.
The horse was vital to the
GETTING THERE MEANT HORSES
Pony Express, which used the
Like the Pony Express, horses
animals as the main method of
made stagecoaches a dening
transportation from St. Joseph,
feature of the Old West. Athough
Mo. to Sacramento, Calif. The
their time transporting mail was
Pony Express pushed their
relatively shortonly lasting from
horses in a way unlike any other.
1858 to about 1869 the stage-
The company broke up the nearly
coach became the de facto form
THE WESTS MOST

FAMOUS HORSES
Possibly the most famous horse of the
Old West was Comanche. A former army
horse, Comanche was the sole survivor of
General George Custers ill-fated conflict
with the assorted Native American tribes
at the Battle of Little Bighorn. Though
severely wounded, the horse was found two
days later by a burial party investigating the
site of the battle. He lived for another 13
years, until 1891.
Traveller was an American Saddlebred,
and was known for being General Robert E.
Lees horse before, during and after the Civil
War. He was also known for being difficult to
frightena valuable quality for an army
horse. Traveller outlived Lee by several
months, though he developed lockjaw in the
summer of 1871 after stepping on a rusty nail.
59
The cavalry horse was an

integral part of U.S. military
operations throughout the
19th century, as depicted in
this modern reenactment.
(Photo by Karen Bleier/Getty)
of transportation in the territories,
great cavalry charge during the
particularly where rail lines had not
Spanish-American War, the U.S.
yet reached.
cavalry and their horses played a
Stagecoaches usually oper-
key role in the westward expansion
ated with teams of four or six
of the United States. In 1832,
horses, and they were famous for
Congress formed the United
operating way stations along their
States Mounted Ranger Battalion
established routes. This is where
to keep the Santa Fe Trail open
we get the term stagecoach
and to protect settlers along the
fromthe word refers to the
banks of the Mississippi River.
distance between each stopping
In 1836, Congress established
point, where horses would be
the 2nd Cavalry Regiment of
swapped out for fresh teams.
Dragoons to combat the growing

Native American threat. These
CAVALRY HORSES
The U.S. Cavalry was in its
dragoons would also serve in the

war with Mexico from 1846 to 1847.
prime when it operated in service
They would, of course, ght in
of the western territories. Before
virtually every campaign during
Theodore Roosevelt led the last
the Civil War in the 1860s.
60
FAST GETAWAYS,
SPEEDY CHASES
Of course, horses were also
used by outlaws, and by the lawmen
in charge of tracking them down.
Everyone from Jesse James to Billy the
Kid used horses as a speedy escape
from the sites of stagecoach, bank
and train robberies. Of course, U.S.
marshals like Wyatt Earp and Wild Bill
Hickok also used them to give chase.
The U.S. Marshal program was
established in 1789 as a way to
represent the Federal Governments
interests at the local level. While
they initially existed in the cities and
towns of eastern states, as the U.S.
moved westward, so did the U.S.
Marshals. In fact, in many areas of
the Old West, the U.S. Marshals were
the only kind of law available.
The marshals had an incredibly
dangerous job; 103 deputies were
killed between 1872 and 1896 in the
Oklahoma territory alone. It was due
to horses that they were able to keep
people safe.
Even after railroads were

established, horse-drawn
wagons were necessary to
haul freight to the many
remote areas of the West.
(Photo by Charles Phelps
Cushing/ClassicStock/Getty)
The dragoons would play a
The image of the cowboy,
possible to ship cattle directly
key role in every conict with
from the range to the slaughter
however, survived with the
Native Americans after the Civil
house. As millions began to
creation of various rodeo shows.
War, as settlers encroached more
settle in the territories, fences
It is this image, more than any
and more on what had long been
restricted grazing land, bit by bit,
other, that is associated with the
tribal land. These conicts did not
until the heyday of the cowboy
idea of America.
end until 1924.
came to a close.
The role of the horse in every-
FROM HORSEPOWER
TO MOTOR POWER
The horse was present in

every aspect of frontier life, from
day life was further diminished
the glamorous to the mundane.
with the widespread adoption of
It was used to fight wars, to move
Less glamorous, perhaps,
personal automobiles. They were
mail and to move people. And
but as important as any of its
faster, more reliable, required less
when Wild West shows became
other uses, the horse was a key
maintenance in many ways, and
popular, it was used to entertain.
form of daily transportation
they could go further distances
The horse defined the history of
for many people. Before the
without stopping.
the West itself. GNSL
invention of the automobile, it

was difficult to travel almost
any distance in a reasonable
amount of time. For a country
with an abundance of land, the
horse was the only solution.
By the early 20th century,
technological advances had
reduced the Wests dependence
on horses. The development
of additional branching rail
THE COWBOYS ESSENTIAL HORSES

For cowboys, horses were the only things that allowed them to do their jobs. In the early
19th century, pioneers heading west relied on the Colonial Hill Quarter Horse, which was
known to be a hardy and willing animal. When these horses were bred with feral mustangs
and various breeds used by local tribes, the resulting crossbreeds showed a natural instinct
for working with cattle, as well as a high level of endurance.
From 1866 to 1888, more than nine million head of cattle, driven by more than 40,000
cowboys, would make their way from Texas to the rail yards of Kansas, according to Martin
W. Sandler in Galloping Across the U.S.A.: Horses in American Life.
They would leave from these railyards to feed a growing nationand the rest of the
world. In its heyday, the beef industry was so large that more than 1.3 million miles were
dedicated to cattle raising44 percent of all the land in the United States. It was the horse
that allowed the cowboys to handle this daunting task.
networks in the 1880s made it

61
GS-1605-62-69-GUNFIGHT.CX.qxp 3/9/16 2:14 AM Page 62
The First
GUNFIGHTERS
GUNS
The Colt Navy and Colt Army Revolvers
Changed the Face of Combat Forever
62
GS-1605-62-69-GUNFIGHT.qxp 3/3/16 11:52 PM Page 63
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY BOB CAMPBELL
olts revolver changed

the world of rearms.
Sam Colts genius
gave us a powerful,
reliable and portable repeating
rearm. Many believe that
Colts revolver made the
westward movement possible,
and safer for American
soldiers, drovers and settlers.
A man alone was a formidable
adversary if armed with a
six-shot Colt revolver.
This modern replica of the

Colt Navy is well balanced
and accurate.
63
These Colt revolvers

shaped the world
to come. They
were reliable, hit
hard and often
saved the users life.
The under-barrel loading lever

was used to seat the lead ball
and compress the powder charge.
Note the hammer is at half cock.
THE EARLY COLTS
than with any other handgun ever
revolver with a ve-shot cylinder in
in common use. The answer to
.31 caliber, the Baby Dragoon was
the ground running, and it went
the problem was the Colt Walker
Colts rst pocket pistol. Colt was
through various renditions before
.44-caliber revolver and, later, the
turning toward the standard of
becoming the reliable handgun it
scaled down Colt Dragoon.
pocket, belt and holster pistols,
The Colt did not quite hit
would eventually be known as.
Robust, powerful and accu-
widely adopted later. Colt now had
The rst Colt, the Paterson,
rate well beyond 100 yards, the
a hideout revolver and a revolver
was not as robust as later revolvers.
.44-caliber Colt Dragoon was a
useful for mounted men to carry in
The .36-caliber ball was effective
tremendous revolver. These
pommel holstersbut the belt
in close-range combat, as it
revolvers were not handguns you
pistol was yet to come.
expanded when it struck an
wished to carry on your belt, but
adversary (particularly if striking
they did the job. They were well
bone). The soft-lead ball was
suited for deliberate re at long
far less effective at ranges past
range, but not for rapid handling
fastest-handling, most balanced
50 yards.
at a personal-defense range.
and, some say, loveliest Colt yet
Since ghting Indians and
In 1849, Colt brought out
COLT 1851 NAVY

In 1851, Colt introduced the
produced. The Colt 1851 Navy
mounted bandits was common at
another revolver that proved
handgun, known thereafter as the
the time, long-range effect was
immensely popular as a hideout:
Navy Colt, was light, fast to action
more important with the rst Colt
the Colt Baby Dragoon. A miniature
and hit hard at close range.
64
The Colt Navy was perfectly balanced and
This could be dangerous, and could put
possessed a natural point few revolvers
the revolver out of action at the worst
could claim. It could be carried in the pants,
possible time. Finally, the cylinder was
in a tightly woven sash or a cavalry holster.
capped with a percussion cap for ignition,
The Colt Navy featured a loading lever

mounted under the barrel. To load the
revolver, the action was rst placed at half
thus earning these handguns the name,

cap and ball revolvers.
To sight the revolver, a simple front
cock. Powder was poured into the cylinders
bead was supplied. The rear sight con-
one at a time; then, the lever was used to
sisted of a notch in the hammer. While
seat a ball.
rudimentary, the sights were superior to
To seal the chamber, a type of wad
those of most pistols of the day. The
would be placed under the ball, or some
revolvers typically fired several inches to a
kind of grease was used. This prevented
foot high at combat ranges of 15 yards.
ash res, which occurred when the re
With this sight regulation, the handgun
from one chamber ignited the black
could be counted effective at ranges of
powder charge in the next chamber.
approximately 100 yards.
STARTER KIT IS
RECCOMMENDED
Firing replica revolvers is fun, but must be
done safely. One of the best investments
is the Rydon Corporation Revolver Starter
Kit. Available for either .36 or .44-caliber
revolvers, these kits include a powder
ask, balls, wads and a nipple wrench.
This kit is highly recommended for rsttime shooters. Rydon also offers a special
xture that allows a cylinder to be loaded
with six balls at a time. Wild Bill Hickok
never had it so easy.
When the hammer is cocked on

this Navy replica, the rear of the
hammer acts as a rear sight.
Note nipple on the chamber for
placement of a percussion cap.
65
This is the Traditions

Firearms 1860 Army replica.
It was gured that a handgun

should be useful in shooting an
at the lower body.

The Colt Navy may arguably
Pyrodex powder and Hornady balls.

Both Pietta and Uberti offer good-
enemys horse, and it was no mean
be called the rst gunghters gun.
quality replicas of the original Colt
feat to hit a horse at 100 yards with
For black-powder fans, the Colt
Navy revolvers.
the Colt revolver. At closer range,
Navy is a joy to re and use: Recoil
sighting was accomplished using
is light, there is plenty of smoke,
and the natural point is as good as
only the front sight, and by aiming
and it is economical to use with
the old shooters claimed. The
The handle ts most hands,
Colt Navy had one shortcoming,

however, and that was power.
At longer ranges, the .36 ball was
ineffective. At short range, against
Indian war horses, the Colt Navy
was less than ideal.
THE COLT ARMY

The Colt Navy continued to be
popular well past the cartridgerevolver era; however, a more
The Uberti replica closely copies the
original Colt-style octagon barrel.
66
powerful revolver was introduced

in 1860: The Colt Army.
The Colt Army .44 features a round

barrel, long grip and rebated cylinder.
Wild Bill Hickock

was said to fire off
his revolvers regularly
and check their
charges.
The Colt Army featured a rebated
cylinder; the front of the cylinder was
enlarged to accommodate a .457-inch
ball. The frame was notched to allow
this cylinder to be used with what
was basically a Colt Navy frame.
Colt preserved the fast handling and
balance of the Colt Navy while taking
power to a different level.
During the Civil War, the Colt Army
THE COLT NAVY: WILD BILLS GUN

Wild Bill Hickok carried a brace of Navy Colt revolvers long after the
introduction of cartridge revolvers. The efficiency of the former in fast handling
and easy accuracy cannot be overrated. The Colts efficiency was proven in the
hands of Western gunmen and in cavalry engagements during the Civil War.
The .36 Navy was regarded as the more durable of the two Colt revolvers.
The .44 Army, period literature claimed, shot loose more often than the .36
Navy. This is understandable as the Colt Army shoehorned a heavy powder
charge and ball into a .36 frame.
The Colt Army was almost as powerful as the much larger Colt Dragoon
revolver. The Colt Army featured an elongated grip frame that fit large hands,
and gave the user a stable grip for long-range use. Sight regulation was similar to
the Colt Navy, with the ball usually striking eight inches high at 15 yards.
These Colt revolvers shaped the world to come. They were reliable, hit hard and
often saved the users life. However, caution is advised when ring modern replicas.
Even the best of the Western gunfighters sometimes had problems with
black powder and cap-and-ball revolvers. This was evidenced by one particular
fight that occurred between two men, Littlefield and Watson. As reported by the
late Colonel Charles Askins (Texans, Guns and History ), Watson fired first and
missed at a range of a few feet. When Littlefield fired, however, two chambers
went off at oncecausing him to miss as well. Littlefield grabbed another
revolver, which misfired as Watson was still firing back at him. Finally, Littlefield
returned to his first gun and managed to fire it, hitting Watson in the heart.
Needless to say, when it comes to fighting gear, one can understand why
Hickok was said to fire off his revolvers regularly and check their charges.
earned its reputation as a man-stopper.

67
The Colt Army is nearly

identical to the Colt Navy
in terms of particulars.
Its soft-lead ball expanded with authority.

At long range, a portion of this effect was
retained, and the Colt Army proved a
formidable revolver.
BOTH SHOOT WELL

I have fired both of these revolvers
extensively, using high-quality Uberti
replicas. Accuracy hovers at around three
to four inches at 25 yards, with careful
loading practices. However, using greater
care, I have occasionally experienced a
2.5-inch group with the .44.
Both guns are plenty powerful:
The .36 Navy is capable of over 1,000
FPS with the heaviest loads. In the .44
revolver, over 900 FPS is possible. These
were formidable fighting handguns.
COLT OPEN TOP

After converting many cap-and-ball
revolvers to cartridge-ring handguns,
Colt introduced the Open Top revolver.
This is a true cartridge-ring revolver
based upon the cap-and-ball frame.
Uberti replicated this Colt in good
detail and excellent nish with its Open
Top revolver. Originally chambered for the
.44 Colt, modern replicas are chambered in
.45 Colt.
COLT NAVY AND COLT

ARMY REPLICAS
Shooting results using Hodgdon Pyrodex powder
and Hornady round balls:
68
.36 Navy
Charge
20 grains
25 grains
Velocity
650 fps
1050 fps
.44 Army
Charge
25 grains
30 grains
35 grains
40 grains
Velocity
670 fps
790 fps
897 fps
944 fps
A pleasing, well-balanced
revolver averaged about a 3 -
revolver, the Open Top isnt as
inch group at 25 yards, striking
such companies as Traditions
strong as the later Single Action
two inches above the point of aim
Firearms are well made of good
Army. This revolver used a sighting
with the Black Hills 250-grain
material, and offer an enjoyable
notch on the barrel, near the
Cowboy load.
shooting experience. Needless

to say, they are well worth their
cylinder, and the same brass bead

as the Colt Navy. In its original
form, this revolver shot high.
Today, replicas from
REPLICAS ARE GOOD

OPTIONS
price. GNSL
The modern Uberti replica
Most of us will never fire the
was well regulated for Hornady
original Colt Navy and Colt Army
250-grain Cowboy loads. Breaking
revolvers. These revolvers were
SOURCES
about 750 FPS, this load is both
an important part of firearms
clean-burning and pleasant to
development and history. We will
uberti.com
traditionsrearms.com
rydoncorp.com
fire. Meanwhile, the Open Top
not see their like again.
A handful of caps and .44-caliber balls.
The six-shot loader certainly makes life easier.
69
GS-1605-70-77-GREATEST.qxp 3/2/16 2:11 AM Page 70
The Greatest
of the Frontier
70
t HANDGUN
The Colt Single Action Army Continued to be Effective
Years After More Advanced Designs Were Introduced
he Colt Single Action Army

revolver has long been the
strong right hand of good
men and the Devils right
hand of the bad. The Colt has been
involved in many Western gunghts,
but there is much more to the story.
When exploring dangerous
spots in the Middle East prior to
World War I (and prior to being
called, Lawrence of Arabia), T.E.
Lawrence packed a Colt SAA.
It saved his life more than once.
71
During the Philippine-American

War, the bolo knife (above left)
was a terrible weapon used by
the Moros. Meanwhile, a good
SAA .45 would be preferable
to the .38-caliber doubleaction revolver.
Douglas MacArthur put the

Colt SAA to good use in Mexico in at
him and a friend for two weeks.

As a child, I enjoyed Western
do everything right, own the best

gear and still lose.
It was a harsh world. The Colt
least three separate gunghts; as
movies and novels. But only when I
late as 1952, the Colt SAA was still
began studying Western history
the Generals favorite handgun.
and period journals did I nd a aw
memorable and capable handgun
Elmer Keith, the Dean of American
in the land depicted. As exciting
of the period, and is not a handgun
Handgunners, often experimented
as the West was, the land and the
to be taken lightly today. The
and hunted with the Colt. He wrote
people were rugged, harsh and
Colts reputation was such that it
of his camp being destroyed, and
unforgiving. The tools, accouter-
transcended generational, national
most of his gear getting lost, during
ments and gear of the drovers,
and cultural lines. The hardy and
an extended foray into the moun-
workers, miners and explorers had
reliable Colt was preferred by
tains. A Colt Single Action Army fed
to be reliable. However, one could
Western lawmen, British officers
72
SAA can be regarded as the most
This modern Pietta revolver,

offered by Traditions,
is among the best shooters
the author has ever used.
The clean lines of a SAA

cannot be matched by
any other revolver.
and professional gunmen, for

decades. It also saw use in some
of the bloodiest foreign wars ever
fought by the United States.
THE PHILIPPINES
The Colt .45 arguably saved
the day during the PhilippineAmerican War, but one cannot
help believe its reputation was
tarnished by the Colt 1892 .38-
HOW STRONG WAS THE .45 COLT CARTRIDGE?

The original loading for the .45 Colt included a 40-grain charge of black powder and a
250-grain bullet, though there were other variants. The adoption of the .45-caliber Schoeld
and its short .45-caliber cartridge resulted in a lower power level, as the Army issued the
shorter Schoeld cartridge for use in both Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers.
Since smokeless powder generates more pressure, modern cartridge cases feature a solid
head type, while older cartridge cases are called, balloon head. By using Modern Starline
brass and 37 grains of FFG powder under an Oregon Trail 250-grain hard-cast bullet, one can
achieve 870 feet per second.
However, my revolver is a 4 -inch barrel version; with the 7 -inch cavalry gun, the
norm should be closer to 900 FPS. A few years ago, a friend found a number of balloon-head
cases and loaded them with 40 grains of black powder; his load exhibited a solid 1,000 FPS in
his 7 -inch barrel Uberti revolver.
The 30-grain FFG load in Starline brass, under the Oregon Trail bullet, breaks about 800
FPSstill a decent defense load. The .45 Colt was easily among the most powerful military
handgun cartridges ever issued.
caliber revolver.
73
The Colt SAA is about as light

as the double-action, fourinch-barrel revolver (below).
The Colt SAA survived

long after the introduction
of tactically superior
handguns ....
The war stretched on until
The Army wanted a double-action,
duty. Fortunately, many were kept
swing-out-cylinder revolver and felt
in storage, along with a good
the final decisive battle at Bud
the .38 would get the job done.
supply of ammunition. Most of
Bagask in 1913. The arrival of the
However, the .38 emphatically did
the revolvers had their barrels
Springfield .30-06 rifle offered an
not get the job done, and good
shortened from 7 to 5 inches,
advantage, while the Winchester
men died after putting a cylinder of
and were recrowned before they
1897 shotgun was a tremendous
.38s into dedicated adversaries.
were sent to the Pacific; new front
harrow. Also used were double-
After ghting our own aboriginal
sights were also added.
action, .45-caliber revolvers and
warriors for hundreds of years, it
General John Pershing said of
can be said the Army should have
the Moros, They are absolutely
known better.
fearless, and once committed to
At this point, the Colt Single

Action Army was called back to
74
privately purchased Smith &

Wesson .44 revolvers.
The Colt 1911 .45 automatic,
combat, they count death as a
designed as a result of action in
mere incident.
the Philippines, arrived in the later
OLD COLT KEEPS ON GOING

During the past 40 years, I have
owned a handful of Colt Single Action
Army revolvers and many more clones.
One of my favorite shooters is a 4 inch-barrel version manufactured in
1899. This revolver has been shot and
handled often, and admired even more.
Recently, this Colt developed
a problem with cylinder rotation.
Although it would fire, it needed a
little budge to get the cylinder into
battery. I replaced the original hand
and handspring with a new part
from Brownells.
While one would think a Colt would
last more than 116 years, I gave them a
pass this time and kept shooting.
happy Americans willing to pay a

premium for swag.
This problem also led to the
formation of the United States
Border Patrol. The situation escalated to the point that, during one
well-documented year along the
border, the U.S. Border Patrol was
involved in a gunght every 17 days.
In these skirmishes, the Winchester
.351 automatic rie and automatic
shotguns were preferred.
This is Tom Threepersons badge. (Photo Courtesy of Autry Museum)
The Colt SAA, carried by many

border patrolmen, was nally
stages of the war. However, the

Colt Single Action Army was the
over the cowboy rifles.

Nonetheless, in period images,
outdated. Some border patrolmen

carried Colt 1917 revolvers or Colt
sidearm treasured by most, and it
the Colt can often be seen in every
1911 automatics, while others used
was the preferred handgun during
holster. After the Mexican
Smith & Wesson double-action
this jungle campaign.
Revolution, another war, every
revolvers. The bandits often used
bit as deadly, pitted American
the cowboy guns.
BATTLES ALONG THE BORDER

While the Colt was working its
way through the carnage in the
and Mexican gunners against

each other.
A new class of bandit came
As one border patrolman

noted, the smugglers had a good
thing going; they were making
Philippines, another war in North
across the border, just as raids of
plenty of money and were not
America kept the Colt going for 20
Mexican bandits had come across
going to let the U.S. Government
years past its prime, as writer
the border to steal cattle. These
stop them. This attitude resulted in
Thomas Ferguson said.
new bandits, however, were thriving
several battles along the border.
The Mexican Revolution

called for many Colt revolvers
and Winchester lever-action rifles.
due to the Volstead Act, known

more famously as Prohibition.
In Mexico, the Volstead Act
A known lawman of the time,

Tom Threepersons, carried a Colt
SAA with a tall front sight, which
The Mauser rie was well
meant that bandits could make a
he had custom made. Contrary to
respected, and as Emiliano Zapata
good living smuggling liquor across
the myth of point shooting or
reported, [it] had an advantage
the border. They were greeted by
instinctive shooting, the surviving

75
lawmen sought every advantage
Lucky. Frank Hamer was a Texas
during the gunghts of this time:
Ranger who served in other law-
They used their sights (at least the
enforcement positions during his
front sight), aimed carefully and
life; in fact, while working for the
placed their re accurately.
Texas prison system, he brought
Threepersons designed one of the
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow to
rst holsters that could be con-
justice. Pietta now offers an
cealed under a covering garment,
engraved revolver that is about as
rather than be carried on a wide
close to Old Lucky as mortals
gun belt.
can nd.
Another famous lawman
COWBOY-ACTION
SHOOTING AMMO
When ring the older Colts and
modern replicas, there is no need to stress
old steel or modern steel. The Black Hills
Ammunition cowboy-action load uses a
250-grain bullet that is hard enough to limit
leading. Average velocity is 750 to 780 FPS,
ideal for Single Action Shooting Society
(SASS) matches. These loads are accurate
and burn cleanwhich is all one can ask for.
handguns. For example, a rock-
There are many reasons why
solid base-pin alignment offers
of this era carried an engraved Colt
the Colt SAA survived long after the
good accuracy. While parts of the
revolver, which he called, Old
introduction of tactically superior
Single Action may break after
Even when compared

to the 1911 .45 auto, the
SAA delivers when an
accurate hard-hitting
rst shot is required.
76
This country will

develop in time. But
not until the ground
is soaked in misery
and blood.
Walter Reed
many years of hard use, it doesnt
modern shooter an excellent tool
go out of time easily. The pistol also
for reenactment, cowboy-action
features the best natural balance
and recreational shooting.
point of any handgun ever made.

The Single Action Army was
One version, offered by

Traditions, features a transfer-bar
the greatest gun on the frontier,
system. This allows one to carry
and remains a great handgun,
six cartridges rather than the five
appreciated by many.
dictated by the old system.
THE SWITCH TO A BRASS

FRONT SIGHT
Some years ago, I read that Tom
Threepersons had a custom front sight
added to his SAA. Today, the Sure Hit brass
front sight offers rapid sight acquisition and
a brilliantly fast hit. I added this well-made
brass sight to my Pietta with excellent
results. Sure Hit sights are available from
Slick Magic Guns at slickmagicguns.com.
Another version is entirely stain-
COLT REPLICAS
less steel. The older guns are

great in a historical sense, and
usefulness, sometimes when
only maker of the Single Action
the modern Pietta revolvers are
hiking or traveling, I carry the SAA
Army. Pietta revolvers give the
excellent shooters. As for their
on my hipjust in case. GNSL
Today, Colt is no longer the
To load the SAA, the

hammer is placed at
half cock, and the
loading gate opened.
77
GS-1605-78-85-WILD.qxp 3/4/16 1:15 AM Page 78
THE
Wild
BUNCH
SEARCH
A Classic Western Movie Inspires
a Passionate Hunt for the Guns
Showcased on the Silver Screen
78
The Wild Bunch only

managed to get away
with washers in the
moviebut the guns
used are now worth a
stful of dollars.
PHOTO BY HULTON ARCHIVE/ GETTY IMAGES
ot long ago, I watched

the classic cinematic
western The Wild Bunch
(1969)again.
The movie made quite an
impression on me as a youngster.
Perhaps my interest in cowboy
guns and shooting began there.
Watching this inspired me. After
some thought, I decided that
every rearm in my home did not
have to be assigned a particular
job or chore; therefore, I thought
it would be good to have a Wild
Bunch collection.
79
These .45 handguns were

reliable and effective,
and established much of the
reputation of the 1911.
Cimarron has done an excellent

job with the Wild Bunch 1911.
THE SEARCH STARTS HERE
It is easy to pay several thousand
rule book, and while I gave due
The collection Id amass would
dollars for an authentic version,
consideration to their rules, I did
include a period-authentic 1911 .45,
so I decided that a good-quality
not exactly abide by every single
a good lever-action rie and a
replica would be just fine, fitting
dot and dash. These rearms were
short-barrel shotgun. (By short
with the rest of the firearms,
primarily intended for my own
barrel, I mean the riot gun length
as well.
enjoyment, but one day, I hope to
of 18 to 20 inches.)
As many of you know, the
shoot in the real competition.
Single Action Shooting Society
Meanwhile, I am busting caps on
thing easy too difficult, I rst looked
not only sanctions Cowboy
my own and with my family.
over my own collection of 1911
Action Shooting events, but also
handguns, all of which were 1911A1
Wild Bunch Action Shooting
handgunsthis is what we call the
competitions, in which Wild
1911 today. The pre-World War I
Bunch-style firearms are used.
Texas, is well known for offering
I studied the competitions
quality cowboy guns and period
Not wanting to make some-
1911 was a little different, however.

80
THE WILD BUNCH .45

Cimarron of Fredericksburg,
For most of the hunt, the author was more concerned with nding movie-correct, rather than CAS-correct, rearms.
reproductions of famous rearms.
mainspring housing is flat. The
An importer, Cimarron orders
hammer, slide-lock safety, slide lock
handguns made to a specic type,
and sights are period-authentic;
including the nish, barrel length
the slide is marked with period-
and caliber. Cimarron decided to
style markings, including the
offer a reproduction of the typical
patent date and U.S. Property.
1911, from 1911 to 1918 period.
The improvements to the 1911,
The Cimarron Wild Bunch
which were codified into the
pistol features a frame without the
1911A1, were in place by 1929.
semi-circular relief cuts behind the
The Wild Bunch would have
trigger guard one might be familiar
carried handguns like the Cimarron.
with. This is correct for a Wild
These .45 handguns were reliable
Bunch-era pistol, however. The
and effective, and established
trigger is of a long type, and the
much of the reputation of the 1911.
LIKING THE LONG BARREL

During the making of this feature, the
photographer never grew tired of hearing,
Lets Go! Toward the end, I realized one
must have a good SAA revolver for a
personal (versus competition-oriented)
Wild Bunch collection. The Traditions 1873
revolver was chosen in the traditional
caliber, but with a different twist. For
some time, I have owned the 4 -inch
Gunghters Gun, exclusively.
The new Traditions is a 7 -inch
barrel revolver, and both handling and
balance are excellent. The long revolver
points like a nger. I have taken deer with
less, and I nd the 7 -inch barrel to be a
great eld gun. I can see why those in the
eld once clung to this revolver.
81
Tradition Performance Firearms

offers a well-made 1873 revolver,
with 7.5-inch barrel in .45 Colt.
The author nds it well suited
to all-around single-action
shooting. The holster is from
Circle Bar T, Marty Overstreet.
My collection of three working Wild Bunch firearms has

been a complete joy to gather, and firing them more so.
We have the perfect authentic
the Black Hills 230-grain JHP and my
These holsters are good examples
pistol for Wild Bunch competition.
own hand loads, using the Magnus
of craftsmanship that anyone from
The Wild Bunch .45 exhibited a
200-grain lead SWC. Reliability
1913 forward would enjoy using to
smooth trigger compression of
makes for greater versatility.
carry the 1911.
4.5 pounds.
Accuracy standards for the
original 1911 were generous. The
A HOLSTER FOR THE 1911

Just any holster would never
THE RIFLE
Wild Bunch rules for Cowboy
requirement was a five-shot,
do for this pistol. The Wild Bunch
Action Shooting state that a
five-inch group at 25 yards. The
holster is from Rocking K Saddlery.
period-correct, lever-action rifle
modern Cimarron pistol will group
Period-authentic, well-crafted
in .40 caliber or larger is needed
five rounds into three inches with
of excellent-quality leather and
for official competition. While
Black Hills 230-grain FMJ loads
featuring a proper safety strap,
acceptable, the movie depicted
it is a bit tighter than the original
this is a ne addition to the kit.
many Winchester 94 .30-30
handgun. I obtained half a dozen
However, the Wild Bunch also
rifles, and my guns are movie
Brownells, seven-round 1911
used military rigs. I purchased a
magazines to make certain the
flap-style holster from World War
Cimarron ran smoothly.
Supply, and it is an excellent
a nice Winchester 1894, made in
rendition of a cavalry holster from
1911, in .32 Winchester Special;
the Mexican excursion period.
though a great rie, the thrill of the
Incidentally, the pistol runs well

with the Black Hills 185-grain JHP,
82
guns intended for fun.

My collection already included
The Cimarron Wild Bunch

pistol sports interesting
markings, including
Cimarrons own logo.
THE WILD BUNCH, THE MOVIE

The Wild Bunch movie was released in
1969 and starred William Holden, Ernest
Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond OBrien,
Warren Oates and Ben Johnson.
Set in 1913, it follows a gang of
outlaws at the end of the Old West era.
They ee bounty hunters into Mexico,
where they take a job with a Mexican
General to rob a U.S. Army train carrying
weapons. The movie was famous for its
gunght scenes, which were extremely
violent for lms of the time.
Gun enthusiasts loved the movie for
the many period weapons depicted.
hunt pushed me to look further.

I also own a Rossi lever-action rie
in .357 Magnum that gets red
and used a lot. As a go-anywhere,
do-anything rie, the Rossi cannot
be beat. Since the movie also
depicts a few Model 92s, the Rossi
serves as a good stand-in. Finally,
I also own a Winchester 1892 in
.32-20, but it falls short of the Wild
The barrel cover is

turned, and the loading
gate locked open, to
load the 1860 rie.
Bunch official caliber requirements.

83
The Wild Bunch .45 is an

affordable handgun with
many recommended features.
The Henry rie has a charm
high-quality, period-correct repro-
was in the movie. CAS/Wild Bunch
unequaled by any other. The maga-
duction sling from ssrearms.com,
match rules mandate use of a rie
zine is loaded by locking the spring-
which I added to the kit.
made between 1860 and 1899, in a
loaded indent into the end of the
caliber of .40 or more. This was my
magazine tube (after twisting the
chance to jump on a rie I had
cover to one side), and then loading
desired for some time. Ubertis
10 .44-40 cartridges. After the rie is
would not be complete without a
replica of the Henry rie is a beau-
loaded, the loading tab moves to
shotgun. And what else would one
tiful combination of wood, steel,
the rear as the rie is red.
use but the Winchester 1897
However, it isnt all about what
brass and craftsmanship.
Feeding, extraction and
THE SHOTGUN
The Wild Bunch ensemble
shotgun? Designed by John Moses
ejection are smooth, and the rie is
Browning, the Winchester 97 was
an under-the-barrel, tubular maga-
surprisingly accurate. Using the
an improvement over the Model
zine, and is the rst of the breed.
Black Hills cowboy-action load,
93. The Winchester 97 features a
Very successful, the Henry rie led
three-shot groups of two to 2.5
robust and reliable design, with
to the creation of the Winchester
inches were common at 50 yards.
much to recommend.
1866. Originally chambered in the
The balance of the octagon barrel
.44 Henry, the modern Uberti is
is excellent, though different from
and slide action, the 97 will fire
chambered for the .44-40 WCF
later ries.
with every shuck of the action,
The rie is a lever action with
cartridge. (Caution: Use only
The Uberti Henry is my official
Using an exposed hammer
as there is no disconnectthe
cowboy-action loads; this action
Wild Bunch rie. Smooth, accurate
hammer simply rides down with
cannot take heavy loads, unlike the
and a joy to own, the Henry is a great
the bolt. This can make for inter-
Winchester 1892 rie.)
Wild Bunch gun. I was lucky to nd a
esting range practice.
84
Much of the mechanism of the Winchester 1987

shotgun is exposed as the action works.
modern dual-operating rod shot-
controllable, and these loads
the West, but also at war. The
guns are smoother and more
exhibit a highly efficient pattern
Winchester 12-gauge shotgun was
practical, but, then again, this is
to about 15 yards.
the most trusted stopper during the
the Wild Bunch shotgun.
The 97 was used heavily in
Philippine campaign. It was used in
With practice, the old
ALMOST COMPLETE
Mexico, in World War I, World War II
Winchester is brilliantly fast.
and, nally, in Vietnam.
Frankly, I have never handled a
Wild Bunch firearms has been a
shotgun with better balance. As
complete joy to gather, and firing
used in cinema, in epics as diverse
Wild Bunch matches require bird-
them more so. Now, I just need a
as The Wild Bunch to Captain
shot of size No. 6 or smaller, I ran
well-worn Single Action Army to
America. It is an iconic shotgun
a good quantity of Fiocchi bird-
complete the set.
with much appeal.
shot through the Winchester.
The Winchester has been
While reproductions of the 97

exist, I was able to obtain an
original model, in good condition,
After 50 shells, I was having too
My collection of three working
Now, let me see if my favorite

movie is on this weekend. GNSL
much fun.
The trigger may be held
for a fair price. I had the barrel
down, and the shotgun will fire
shortened to 18.5 inches, and the
every time the bolt is racked
result is a shotgun that is fast-
unlike modern shotguns. Firing it
handling and well-balanced.
that way is fun, if not accurate.
Today, I would not be reluctant to
I also fired a few of Fiocchis
use this shotgun as a house gun
high-quality, reduced-power
or defense gun. Truth be told, the
buckshot loads. The shotgun is
CONTACT
Cimarron
cimarron-rearms.com
Uberti
uberti.com
Traditions
tradtionsrearms.com
Rocking K Saddlery
rockingksaddlery.com
World War Supply
worldwarsupply.com
Circle Bar T Leatherworks
circlebar-t.com
85
GS-1605-86-93-HOLSTER.qxp 3/2/16 2:20 AM Page 86
Holster
Evolution
As Revolvers Became Handier, New Holster Designs
Allowed for Secure and Easily Accessible Carry
n the Old West, holsters were a diverse lot. One could

nd belt holsters, pocket holsters, shoulder holsters,
leather-lined pocket holsters, vest-pocket holsters,
cross-draw holsters, holsters suspended from a swivel,
holsters tucked into a boot and holsters that attached
to suspenders.
Movie and cinema depictions have shown a
different type of holster, and while some have strived for
authenticity, others have not. The Hollywood holster is a
form all its own. My research is extensive and ongoing;
cabalistic footnotes cover the men that sweated pearls
over these holsters.
86
This cross-draw holster is offered

by Jeffrey Custom Leather. Note
the tooling and excellent stitching.
87
Old West Reproductions offers

this belt slide in the period style.
It is well made, and a good
choice for modern shooters.
BEFORE BELT HOLSTERS

Even if not an expert, the study
Their effective ranges were just
carried a pair of revolvers and a
beyond those of the saber. This type
smaller knife.
The Colt Paterson revolver
of holsters can be fascinating.
of holster was in use until after the
The basics of holster history and
Civil War. However, a period report
became more important than the
broad design trends are discernible.
mentions well-known Westerner
saber or the rie in fast-paced
The precursor to the modern
John Slaughter using a pommel
mounted engagements. At the
holster belt was the sword belt.
holster much later.
time, ries had been carried in
For the most part, intlock and
The invention of reliable
slings, while the saber was carried
caplock pistols of the smaller
repeating rearmsparticularly
on a belt. New means were later
variety were carried in the pocket
the revolverended the age of
developed to not only deploy the
or stuck in a tightly woven sash.
steel. A relatively compact revolver
revolver, but also protect its load of
Military horse pistols were
could take the place of the saber.
powder and the percussion caps
carried in pommel holsters, which
As rearms became more reliable,
that ignited the powder.
generally carried a matched pair of
edged weapons became smaller.
handguns on each side of the
Many ghting men, who once
made that certain holsters were
saddle. In this case, handguns were
carried the Bowie knife to back up
associated with time periods and
drawn and red on horseback.
their single-shot horse pistol, now
eras rather than with specic arms.
88
The observation must be
This Jeffrey Custom Leather Lawman is

a highly developed Threepersons-style
holster. Note the faultless stitching, as
well as the application of a lost art: the
basket weave.
The magnicently large Colt
was worn on the left hip and cross-
Walker was a difficult rearm to
drawn. The pistol was drawn with
holster. It remained a pommel-
a twisted wrist and brought for-
holster rearm.
ward in the Cavalry draw.
BELT-HOLSTER EVOLUTION
soldiers carried a brace of three,
During the Civil War, mounted

The Colt 1851 Navy was one
four or even more revolvers. These
of the rst truly handy revolvers.
were worn in the belt, in holsters
A very important revolver, the Colt
and in pommel holsters; some
Navy combined fast handling and
were carried in saddle bags.
modest weight with good power.
After the full-ap cavalry
Arguably the rst gunghters gun,
holster, there seems to have been
the Colt Navy remained popular
little development. This holster
for decades.
covered the cylinder, which was
During the Civil War, most
the intent, but the draw angle and
Cavalry pistols were worn on the
speed of the draw were given
right hip, butt forward. The saber
seemingly little consideration.
ACCOMMODATING
SPARE AMMO
Research indicates that holster
belts followed military designs until well
after the Civil War. A great change came
with the buffalo hunter. These men
needed belts that carried cartridges.
With the advent of the cartridge-firing
handgun, designs emerged that allowed
spare ammunition to be carried on the
belt. Some were made to carry shotgun
shells, rifle cartridges and pistol
cartridges, as well.
This continued in modern times
(well into the 1970s), with peace officers
carrying up to 24 spare cartridges in belt
loops. For example, New Jersey State
Patrol officers once carried staggered
rows of cartridges above a drop holster
for the .38 Special revolver.
The Westerner certainly carried
spare ammunition on his belt. There
might have been a few rie cartridges
mixed with the revolver cartridges.
89
Military horse pistols were

carried in pommel holsters.
These holsters generally carried
a matched pair of handguns on
each side of the saddle.
This Keith holster, by Ted
Blocker holsters, is among
the nest all-around outdoor
holsters, and is one of the
last true Western designs.
The military flap holster
draw. Most of these holsters were
remained in use well after the
deep, offering little chance of
Civil War and until the present
a speedy draw when needed.
day. Although the holster was
These holsters were modified or
reconfigured to accommodate a
discarded, and eventually, saddle
conventional draw alignment,
makers began to offer suitable
and though some modern military
holsters for interested individuals.
holsters feature a removable ap,
Just the same, many who
the original military-style ap
worked in town and wore suits
holster remains recognizable as
continued to carry their revolvers in
the primogenitor of the type.
pockets or tightly woven sashes.
Often, those who carried
These holsters were similar to the
GETTING THE HAMMER

THONG JUST RIGHT
For those with limited knowledge of
hammer thongs, be aware the thong
needs to be a bit longer than the tip of the
hammer. When in use, it is twisted until it
ts just over the hammer. The tension
caused by twisting the leather thong
keeps it snugly in place, allowing it to be
released easily and quickly. Folks often let
the thong loop loosely over the hammer,
getting poor retention; or they pull it too
tightly, making it difficult to remove and
draw the revolver. Practice makes perfect.
A variation that gained some
revolvers cut the flap off of the
pommel, yet without the skirting or
favor was the half-ap holster,
full-flap holster to afford a proper
bag, and with an added belt loop.
which featured a cut-down design.
90
Made by cobblers and saddle

makers, the Kansas, Mexican and
Denver Loop holsters were all
named after important hubs in
Western cattle drives. These
towns were sources of supply
and commerce for the men of the
Old West.
The western photography of
George Catlin, Frederic Remington
and Charles M. Russell remain an
excellent source of information on
holsters. The details of the various
loop-type holsters can be noted in
their work. The surviving holsters,
seen in museums, also offer good
insight into the type of holsters
used during this era.
However, the fast-draw design
(the Hollywood holster) cannot be
found in museums, as it was
clearly invented by the cinema.
A true holsters primary duty
was to keep the revolver secure
when the wearer was on horseback. However, some of the
Hollywood holsters practically
bury the revolver in their body.
Others show the gun butt high
Legends in Leather offers
the Judge, which features a
modern design executed in
the Western style. It is worth
every penny of the price.
enough to have allowed for a

reasonably fast drawgiven a
quick jerk of the gun butt.
The ap still covered the cylinder
maintained security by keeping
of the revolver, but it was much
the handgun below the holster
smaller than the military type.
opening or mouth.
The introduction of cartridge
The next step resulted in the
revolvers, with their greater resist-
Kansas Loop and Mexican Loop
ance to moisture and corrosion,
designs. The original was made by
gave the makers more freedom in
looping leather back over the
design. Other holsters, such as the
holster and around the back to
Slim Jim, gained in popularity.
attach to the front of the holster.
The Slim Jim holster was simple
The design allowed the holster to
and held a handgun fairly securely.
be removed from the belt without
When made of bridle leather,
unbuckling. Another design, the
these holsters did not conform to
Denver Loop, was more tightly
the handgun very well; rather, they
molded than the other scabbards.
POST-WAR TENSIONS
After the Civil War, many former
soldiers left for the West, particularly
former Confederates. This set the pace
for hard-fought conflictsa result of
post-war animosity.
For example, the ght between the
Earps and outlaw cowboys was colored by
political affiliation. The Earps were former
Union solders and Republicans, while
the cowboy factions were Democrats.
The West may have been a melting pot,
but it was also a boiling pot at times.
Many of these men kept their revolvers
when they left the service, or obtained
new revolvers as surplus.
In such tense post-war times, holster
designs evolved to ensure pistols could
be both secure and easily accessible.
91
Rocking K Saddlerys rendition

of the Western shoulder holster
is well executed. This maker
may be counted on for
authentic and durable gear.
they were not used by civilians.
automatic, still existdefinitely an
Buscadero design, a high-riding
The military holster would ride low,
excellent design that was ahead
holster would not have flapped
as it was designed to stay out of
of its time.)
around the users lower body.
the way of the rie. (Some beauti-
Unlike the Hollywood
Tie-downs existed for military

holsters, but evidence suggests
92
Some working holsters fea-
fully made thigh holsters, made
tured a hammer thong for secu-
circa 1916 for the Webley .455
rity. As holsters progressed in
A Western-style holster with basket

weave, suede leather and border
tooling adds to pride of ownership.
The custom features of the
holsters required some effort to
Tom Threepersons holster, which
raise and clear the handgun. The
appeared after World War II, were
skeleton-style holster solved this
among the rst designed speci-
problem. Its open design had a plug
cally for peace officers carrying
at the bottom, where the muzzle of
handguns underneath suit coats.
the revolver t for stability.
During the 1930s, Elmer Keith
The retention element was a
designed a holster that was among
piece of spring steel covered by
the last of the true Western holsters.
leather backing. This was an
Still a ne design for outdoor use,
expensive holster, only purchased
the Keith holster is offered by Ted
by those with extra funds. Rocking
Blocker holsters.
K Saddlery offers an excellent

period-authentic version with
SHOULDER HOLSTERS
Among the most interesting
faultless execution. When hiking,

this holster keeps the handgun
of all Western holsters was the
out of the way; but it also offers a
shoulder holster. While various
fast draw for those that practice.
types were offered, shoulder
Western leather is an impor-
holsters were more expensive than
tant consideration for modern
belt holsters due to the handiwork
CAS matches. For hiking and
involved. The shoulder holster was
range use, these holsters remain a
concealed beneath a coat or
good choice. Many of the holster
duster, offering excellent access
makers, such as Jeffrey Custom
when the user was seated, as at
Leather, Legends in Leather and
the poker table.
Rocking K Saddlery, offer gear for
The shoulder holster became
modern shooters as well. A
most popular around the late
Western-style holster with basket
1870s. More concealed than a
weave, suede leather and border
cross-draw, and more comfortable
tooling adds to the pride of
if properly adjusted, the shoulder
ownership. In many ways, these
holster was an investment in life-
holsters have it all. GNSL
saving advantage. The simple

version was suspended from a
design, the top of the holster
loop that went around the users
was cut down to facilitate access,
arm, while a stabilizing strap went
and the holster was fitted tightly
around the chest.
to the body. Hammer keepers
Although these holsters were
became more common during
comfortable, they were not as fast
the 1890s.
as many would have desired; the
SOURCES
tedblockerholsters.com
rockingksaddlery.com
45maker.com
legendsinleather.com
jeffreycustomleather.com
oldwesternreproductions.com
circlebar-t.com
93
GS-1605-94-101-CENTURY.qxp 3/6/16 11:27 PM Page 94
Prevalent in
POCKETS
Small Top-Break Revolvers Were
Favorites for Portable Protection
94
The evolution of the Iver Johnson Safety

Automatic: (from left to right) Third Model
Safety Automatic Hammerless Bicycle Gun
32; Second Model Safety Automatic
Hammerless 32; First Model 38 Safety
Automatic with hammer; Third Model
Safety Automatic Hammerless 38.
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY MIKE SEARSON
e have all heard it

more than once.
The Colt Single
Action Army revolver
was the gun that won the West.
However, there was another
revolver design that was much
more prevalent in the 19th century,
and which found its way into the
pockets, holsters and nightstand

drawers of those in the West on a
grander scale than the Colt SAA:
The top-break pocket revolver.
To understand their appeal, as
well as some of their drawbacks,
lets rst look at how they operate,
and then delve into Smith &
Wesson and Iver Johnson models.
95
Short-barreled revolvers,
such as this Third Model Safety
Automatic Hammerless 32
from Iver Johnson, were called
Bicycle Guns.
HOW THEY WORK

Top-break revolvers have a
hinged frame located below and
forward of the cylinder. The lock is
loading gate where rounds or
occur at a microscopic level in
empty brass cases are loaded and
the latch, which will eventually
unloaded one at a time.
weaken over time.
The downside of a top-break
Luckily, these old revolvers
located at the base of the rear
revolver is the design is substan-
were designed with low-pressure,
sight, above and rearward of
tially weaker than a solid-frame
black-powder rounds in mind.
the cylinder.
revolver and cannot handle high-
Raising the lock and pushing

the barrel downward gives access
pressure rounds.
In order to function properly,
SMITH & WESSON

First developed by Smith &
to the rear of the cylinder for
these revolvers have a little play
Wesson, and released as their
loading and unloading. Many top-
in the top latch. Therefore, every
Second Model, or Model 2, in
break revolvers use an extractor in
time a top-break revolver is fired,
1876, the original version was a
conjunction with this movement,
compression of the metal will
single-action, five-shot revolver
which pushes the cartridges or

empty brass rearward, so they
may fall from the cylinder or be
removed by hand.
New rounds can be loaded into
the cylinder, and subsequently, the
barrel is rotated upward to lock
closed and be ready to re.
This action allows the revolver
to be loaded more quickly than
solid-frame revolvers, like the Colt
Single Action Army, which use a
96
OFFICIAL USE
Smith & Wessons rst model single-action, top-break revolver in 38 S&W was adopted by
the city of Baltimore, and remained in service as late as 1917. These revolvers are marked Balto
City Police.
The third model, or variant of the Smith & Wesson Double Action Model 2 in 38 S&W,
proved popular with police departments of the era and was used by many. Some departments
had their markings applied at the factory, such as the Baltimore Police Department (Balto or
BPD); Fall River, Mass., Police Department (FRP"); Cleveland Police Department (CPD);
and the Peruvian Military, which displayed the countrys crest.
The American Express Co. purchased several hundred for their guards; these are marked
AM.EX. Co. on the back strap.
Approximately 100 third models of the Safety Hammerless 38 revolver were sent to the
U.S. Army for possible adoption in the late 19th century. These revolvers are marked US on the
side plate, and are worth many times the value of even the most pristine top-break revolver of
the time period.
Smith & Wesson New

Departure in 32 caliber
made for a handy,
hideout pocket pistol.
TOP-BREAKS IN HISTORY
Colonel Rex Applegate carried a 2-inch

Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless in
a shoulder holster; he used it to defend
himself from a machete-wielding
assailant while in Mexico in the 1940s.
chambered in 38 S&W. The com-
in 38 S&W; but, a smaller version
pany made over 220,000 of these
was offered in another new caliber
revolvers between 1876 and 1911.
at the time: 32 S&W.
The first version sports a
In 1887, Smith & Wesson
full-length under lug, and is com-
offered a newer version that incor-
monly known today as the Baby
porated a grip safety known as
Russian, due to its similarity to
The New Departure or The Safety
the companys iconic and much
Hammerless, and unofficially,
larger Model 3, made for the
the Lemon Squeezer. This safety
Russian military.
measure was added to address
Perhaps the most commonly
Leon Czolgosz used an Iver Johnson

Safety Automatic to assassinate
President William McKinley in 1901
with a shot to the stomach. Despite the
small caliber, the president died eight
days later, as the result of an infection
that had spread from the wound.
In 1912, Floyd Allen used a Smith &

Wesson Perfected revolver in a daring
escape from the Carroll County
Courthouse in Hillsville, Va., on March
14, 1912, in which ve people were killed
and seven were wounded.
concerns of pocket carry, and to
encountered Model 2 single-action
prevent accidental discharge. The
is the Second variant; the rarest
design proved popular enough that
company had moved on to swing-
appears to be the Third variant,
the Safety Hammerless was pro-
out cylinders a few years prior
which sported a trigger guard.
duced as late as 1940, while the grip
with its Hand Ejector Models.
In nearly thirty years of collecting
safety reappeared on the Model 40
these pistols and combing gun
J-frame in the 1960s.
shows, pawn shops, gun shops,
Smith & Wessons final
In actuality, the design

resulted from an incident where
a criminal attempted to grab a
antique stores and online auctions,
top-break pocket revolver looks
policemans revolver and, in doing
I have only seen one of the Third
like a transitional piece to the
so, opened the top-break, dumping
Models in person.
swing-out cylinder, incorporating
the ammunition.
Four years after the release of
a side-plate latch in addition to
Smith & Wesson responded
the Model 2 single-action, Smith &
the top-break latch. Dubbed the
by incorporating the side-plate
Wesson unveiled a double-action
Smith & Wesson Perfected, this
latch, intended to be used in con-
version with the same dimensions
piece was not transitional, as the
junction with the top-break latch.

97
They also incorporated the trigger guard

as an integral part of the frame, as opposed
to a separate piece attached by screws.
The result was, undoubtedly, the sturdiest pocket top-break revolver of all time.
As top-breaks were declining to the swingout cylinder, this model was dropped from
manufacture in 1920.
IVER JOHNSON
Smith & Wessons success inspired a
slew of imitators, such as Forehand &
Wadsworth, Hopkins & Allen, Osgood
Revolvers, Manhattan Firearms, Meriden
The ultimate top break: S&W

Perfected Model with top and
side latch for the belt and
suspenders kind of shooter.
Firearms and many others from overseas

that were blatant counterfeits. Yet, one
company stood out from the rest of the
pack, as they made innovations that had
longer implications in handgun development: a company started by a Norwegian
bicycle engineer named Iver Johnson.
The Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works
was founded in 1871 in Fitchburg, Mass.
Originally, the company focused more on
producing bicycles than rearms.
Prior to the death of founder Iver
Johnson in 1895, the company produced a
new revolver, known as the Safety Automatic, which is perhaps their most iconic
top-break.
The Safety Automatic closely resembles
Smith & Wesson top-breaks of the same
time period, with the exception that it made
use of a transfer-bar safety.
A transfer bar rests between the
hammer and cylinder in order to prevent the
revolver from discharging when dropped.
98
DATING THE S&W TOP-BREAKS

S&W 32 DOUBLE-ACTION TOP-BREAK REVOLVERS
1st Model: Serial numbers 1-30 manufactured in 1880
2nd Model: Serial numbers 31-22142 manufactured from 1880 to 1882
3rd Model: Serial numbers 22173-43405 manufactured from 1882 to 1883
4th Model: Serial numbers 43406-282999 manufactured from 1883 to 1909
S&W 32 DOUBLE-ACTION SAFETY HAMMERLESS REVOLVERS
1st Model: Serial numbers 91417 manufactured from 1888 to 1902
S&W 38 SINGLE-ACTION REVOLVERS
1st Model: Serial numbers 1-25548 manufactured from 1876 to 1877
S&W 38 DOUBLE-ACTION TOP-BREAK REVOLVERS
4thModel: Serial numbers 322701-539000 manufactured from 1895 to 1909
Perfected: 1-59400, 09-1920 manufactured from 1909 to 1920
S&W 38 DOUBLE-ACTION SAFETY HAMMERLESS REVOLVERS
3rd Model Serial numbers 42484-116002 manufactured from 1890 to 1898
This action allows the revolver to be loaded

more quickly than solid-frame revolvers, like
the Colt Single Action Army.
further and incorporated a safety
Many of these old revolvers
button on the trigger. The revolver
were manufactured prior to 1898,
was incapable of being red unless
which officially classies them as
this smaller button was depressed
antique rearms meaning they
while squeezing the trigger. This is
can be sold over the counter, across
similar to the trigger mechanism
state lines or via Internet auctions,
on the modern Glock pistols.
without having to go through the
In their last version of the
Federal Firearms License (FFL)
top-break revolvers, Iver Johnson
process or completion of an ATF
made perhaps the largest techno-
Form 4473. Individual states and
logical jump of any firearms
cities may have further restrictions
company of the era by switching
on the transfer of these revolvers,
to coiled springs, as opposed
but under federal law, they are not
to flat ones. They removed the
even considered to be rearms.
trigger safety, as well.
For the collector, condition is

everything. The majority of top-
COLLECTING TOP-BREAK
POCKET REVOLVERS
In 2016, no firearms company
break pocket revolvers were

nished in nickel, giving blued
versions a slight premium. Barrel
produces a top-break pocket
lengths can affect value, as most
revolver. The small, black-
were designed with two to four-inch
powder-era rounds are deemed
barrels. Extremely short barrels
The revolver will only fire when
woefully unsuitable for modern
(also known as bicycle guns), or
the trigger is fully depressed to
self-defense, and they were not
barrels longer than four inches, will
the rear. Bill Ruger famously
exactly ideal for target work.
demand higher prices.
incorporated the transfer bar in
However, if you know
The majority of these revolvers
his 1973 versions of the Ruger
where to look, there are close
are not in proper working condition.
Blackhawk and Single Six, and
to a centurys worth of these
Some will sport freewheeling
later, in the companys Vaquero
revolvers floating out there in gun
cylinders; others will have broken or
series of revolvers.
shops, antique stores and other
worn-down ring pins. Most will
places. They represent a very
have lost their nish or will have
the transfer bar; Iver Johnson
affordable and interesting way to
broken grips and buggered screws.
produced a Hammerless version,
collect Old West firearms that
with an internal hammer that
saw use in the pockets, purses,
allows for ease of draw or to re
cash drawers and cigar boxes of
from a pocket if need be. The
countless lawmen, outlaws, store
hammer was internal, rendering it a
keepers, bank tellers and every
true double-action only revolver.
other sort between the 1870s
Innovation did not end with
Later versions went a step
WHATS IN A NAME?
Iver Johnsons Safety Automatic is
not a semi-automatic or automatic pistol,
despite the name. The safety refers to the
transfer bar, and the automatic refers to
the method of extraction and ejection in
the top-break mechanism.
and 1940s.
99
Model 2 S&W Double Actions

can be found in a variety of
barrel lengths. The 6-inch
revolver (top) is a rarity.
However, the first model of Iver

Johnson revolvers featured freewheeling cylinders, as did a few
other manufacturers; therefore,
one must not always assume
these are broken.
Very few gunsmiths will work
on these revolvers, and spare parts
can be impossible to nd. It is not
uncommon for collectors to buy
multiple broken variants in order to
assemble one working gun from the
parts they have. Renishing is also a
wasted effort, as the cost to strip
old nickel, prepare the rearm for
re-plating, as well as the actual
plating process, will likely cost more
100
IVER JOHNSON DATES OF MANUFACTURE

STANDARD MODELS WITH AN EXTERNAL HAMMER
1st Model: Manufactured from 1894 to 1895; these models have a freewheeling cylinder.
2nd Model: Manufactured from 1896 to 1908
3rd Model: Manufactured from 1909 to 1941; these were built with coil springs.
SAFETY AUTOMATIC HAMMERLESS MODELS
1st Model: Manufactured from 1895 to 1896; these models have a freewheeling cylinder.
2nd Model: Manufactured from 1897 to 1908; these incorporated a safety on the trigger face.
3rd Model (or New Model): Manufactured from 1909 to 1941; these had no safety on the trigger
and were built with coil springs.
[The grip safety] was added

to address concerns of
pocket carry, and to prevent
accidental discharge.
than the price of the revolver
meaning an ATF Form 4473 is
determined by the serial number of
stripping it of its collector value.
required for a local purchase;
the revolver in question. With other
the revolvers can only be legally
manufacturers, it is a complete
shipped to the holder of an FFL or
crap-shoot: many of them have
a Curio & Relic license (03 FFL).
long been out of business, or have
DATING THE TOP-BREAKS

For revolvers manufactured
after 1898 but prior to 1966, the
When it comes to Smith &
missing or poorly kept records. It
antique firearm definition does
Wesson, the company kept metic-
is safe to say, if a barrel sports a
not apply; these top-breaks are
ulous records as to when each
patent date of later than 1898, it is
classified as curios or relics,
model was manufactured, which is
not an antique. GNSL

101
Photo by Steven Paul Barlow
GS-1605-102-109-SINGLE.CX.qxp 3/9/16 2:30 AM Page 102
Seeking
Other Singles
Single Action Revolvers Are Still Great
Choices Today
102
BY STEVEN PAUL BARLOW
utdated, obsolete, old-fashioned

these are some of the terms
used to describe single-action
revolvers, mostly by those
who have limited their experiences with
firearms to plastic-framed semi-autos with
high-capacity magazines.
But modern single-action revolvers
continue to be effective, useful and popular,
and they are a good choice for a number of
tasks where a handgun is appropriate.
103
GS-1605-102-109-SINGLE.qxp 3/6/16 11:35 PM Page 104
THE SINGLE-ACTION HERITAGE
though, is that most modern
me address their shortcomings:
single-actions have some sort of
First, theres the capacity issue.
many old single-action designs on
transfer-bar safety that allows you
Most single-actions have a six-
the market, most modern single-
to carry the gun safely with all
round cylinder. Some pocket
action revolvers descend from the
chambers loaded. The original
revolvers, such as the rimfire guns
Colt Single Action Army (the
single-action design featured a
from North American Arms, and
Model P of 1873) and the later
xed ring pin on the hammer. An
some revolvers that chamber
Colt Flattop Target Model of 1890,
inadvertent blow to the hammer
large cartridges, such as the
which featured an adjustable
could cause the ring pin to strike
Freedom Arms Model 83 in .454
rear sight and a replaceable
the cartridge primer, causing an
Casull, have a capacity of just ve.
front blade.
accidental discharge. For this
While there are replicas of
This alone wouldnt be much
reason, it was recommended to
of a disadvantage, except single-
often have adjustable sights, and
carry such guns with the hammer
actions are slower to reload than
many feature beefed up frames that
lowered over an empty chamber.
both double-action revolvers with
Modern single-actions most
swing-out cylinders and semi-auto
allow them to handle powerful

hunting cartridges. Many are also
available in stainless steel to make
them more corrosion resistant.
One of the biggest differences,
SOME LIMITATIONS
Before you get the idea that
pistols with detachable magazines.

Most modern single-actions
Im advocating the use of single-
must be loaded, one cartridge at
actions over all other handguns, let
a time, through the loading gate;
In a defensive
situation, I would opt
for my Ruger Vaquero
in .45 Colt ... over a
tiny .380 auto
The transfer-bar safety on Ruger

single-actions allows you to carry them
safely with all cylinders loaded, unlike SAA
clones with xed, hammer-mounted ring
pins. (Photo Courtesy of Ruger)
104
The North American Arms

mini revolver in .22LR is a
well-made, ve-shot handgun
that represents the pocket-sized
end of single-action revolvers.
(Photo Courtesy of NAA)
the empties must also be removed,
are available. For those after big
aeld with shotshells loaded in the
one at a time, by punching them out
game, single-actions have been
rst two chambers, followed by a
with the spring-loaded ejector rod.
chambered for powerful car-
couple of lead semiwadcutters,
tridges, such as: .41 Magnum, .44
followed by some factory-loaded
Magnum, .45 Colt +P, .454 Casull,
semi-jacketed hollow points.
MORE PLUSES THAN MINUSES

Law enforcement and military
units cant overlook such drawbacks when there are better options
.480 Ruger, .475 Linebaugh and

.500 Wyoming Express.
Single-actions are reliable with
Single-actions are more

streamlined, often weighing less
than double-actions of the same
for combat sidearms. But dont
a wide variety of ammo. Theyre not
caliber. Their grips are smaller
believe for a minute that single-
nicky about bullet conguration or
great for those with average to
actions are only good for Cowboy
cartridges varying in overall length.
small handscompared to the
Action Shooting competitions.
Ive often carried single-actions
large grips on many double-action
For hunters, single-action

revolvers are a logical choice.
They are accurate and easy to
shoot with their short, singleaction trigger pulls. They point
naturally, most have good sights,
and they are available in a variety
of barrel lengths. Longer barrels
provide a better sight radius, and
help to get more velocity out of a
chosen cartridge.
For small-game hunters, rim-
SCOPED SINGLE-ACTIONS
The Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 Magnum is a gun Ive owned for years. Its very
accurate, but Ive always wondered how well it would shoot if my old eyes could see better
at longer distances. With this in mind, I went out and bought a second one: a Hunter model
with integral grooves for mounting the included Ruger scope rings.
That scoped Super Blackhawk Hunter has become one of my favorite single-actions
for hunting. Mounting the scope was easy with the Ruger system. Special adaptors are
available for other single-actions that dont have integral rails or other provisions to mount
scopes. Edge Custom, Inc. is one company that makes scope mounts for a number of
revolversmost of which dont involve gunsmithing.
Keep in mind, the scope you choose must be an intermediate or extended eye-relief
model; this way, you can sight through the scope when your revolver is extended at
arms length.
Scopes do make handguns heavier and more unwieldly. Bandolier-style holsters are
often a better bet for carrying them. Every slight jitter and shake seems amplified when
shooting a scoped handgun, but shooting from a resta tree branch, shooting stick, etc.
is recommended anyway.
re models in .22LR and .22 WMR

105
The Freedom Arms Model 83,

offered in Premier and Field
grade versions, is perhaps
the nest single-action
production revolver on the
market that is available in
powerful calibers. (Photo
Courtesy of Freedom Arms)
Single-actions, such as these

from Freedom Arms, make
great eld companions for
hunting, pest control and
defense. (Photo Courtesy
of Freedom Arms)
revolvers and large autos with

double-stack magazines.
Single-actions are excellent
for new shooters, who are more
likely to learn the discipline of
deliberate shots because they have
to manually cock the hammer for
each shot. Youre not going to spray
and pray with a single-action. The
geometry of the grip allows the
gun to slightly roll in the hand upon
firing, which makes it easier to
ADVANTAGES OF
SINGLE-ACTIONS
1. Many shoot powerful cartridges useful

to hunters.
2. Reliable and not nicky about ammo
selection.
3. Easy to remove cylinder for cleaning,
maintenance and inspection.
4. Tend to point naturally.
5. Grip conguration allows for better
recoil management.
6. Excellent for beginners who learn
deliberate, disciplined shooting, as they
must manually cock the hammer for
each shot.
106
Modern single-action
revolvers continue to be
effective, useful and
popular, and they are a
good choice for a number
of tasks where a handgun
is appropriate.
The traditional grip conguration

of single-actions allows for good
recoil management; the gun
will tend to roll in the hand,
as the barrel rises upon ring.
(Photo Courtesy of Ruger)
manage the recoil of stout loads.
my ability to reload it quickly,
As most civilian defensive
and more concerned about my
shootings usually result in very
guns. When Im wandering the
ability to make accurate hits.
few rounds fired, mental attitude
woods, not concerned about
Because I spend a lot of time in
and composure under pressure
concealment, its a single-action
remote areas, defensive shooting
are more important than the
revolver that I often choose. With
distances could be longer than
number of bullets in your gun.
the right loads, Im ready to bag
statistical averages; I need to know
small game for the cook pot;
I can get hits at distance.
They make excellent eld
dispatch varmints and rabid
If I was still a uniformed
The need to manually cock

a single-action for each shot is
a training issue. With practice,
animals; hunt deer or bear; or
police officer, admittedly, I would
its no longer an issue. Watch
defend myself against most
favor carrying something such
cowboy-action shooters and
realistic threatsnot those found
as a Glock 21 service pistol in
see how quickly they engage
in Hollywood fantasies.
.45 ACP. But lets be honest here:
multiple targets.
The cylinder of a single-action
The average pistol-permit
is easily removed for cleaning
holder isnt carrying a Glock 21.
and inspection.
Many opt for convenience, and
SINGLE-ACTIONS FOR DEFENSE

When I carry a single-action
SINGLE-ACTION OPTIONS
There are many good choices
choose to carry subcompact .380
if a modern single-action revolver
autos. In a defensive situation,
is in your future.
I would opt for my Ruger Vaquero
NORTH AMERICAN ARMS
revolver, I dont feel vulnerable or
in .45 Colt (which shoots
handicapped. With a defensive
well) over a tiny .380 auto
arm, Im less concerned about the
(which also wouldnt have a
few more concealable than the
number of bullets in the gun or
high capacity).
North American Arms revolvers.
Among pocket guns, there are
107
Ruger single-actions are

available in a number of
calibers and barrel lengths,
some with Bisley grip frames
(center) and some in stainless
steel (top). (Photo Courtesy
of Ruger)
These well-made, five-shot minis

are available in .22LR or .22WMR,
in a number of barrel lengths and
grip congurations. Recently, I
tested one of NAAs Sidewinder
models, which came with both
.22LR and .22WMR cylinders, and I
found it remarkably accurate.
Among their revolver lineup is a
model (1860-3) nicknamed The
Earl, which has Old West styling.
MAGNUM RESEARCH
The company known for making the massive Desert Eagle
semi-auto also makes large single-action revolvers. Normally, if you
want ammo compatibility between your long gun and your pistol, you
FREEDOM ARMS
At the other extreme of the
choose a carbine that fires a pistol cartridge.

The BFR from Magnum Research is unusual in that it is available
power scale are the revolvers of
in models that fire rifle cartridges, such as the .45-70 and .30-30.
Freedom Arms. These are top-
The big single-actions are also available for a wide range of powerful
quality handguns. They are avail-
pistol calibers.
able in Premier and field-grade

versions, in a number of calibers
up to such powerhouses as .454
Casull and .50 Wyoming Express.
108
STURM, RUGER AND CO.

Years ago, Ruger started the resurgence in single-actions with such
models as the Single Six rimre, Blackhawk and Super Blackhawk.
This Ruger Super Blackhawk

Hunter belongs to the author;
it features integral slots on the
barrel that have been designed
to accept the included Ruger
scope rings. It provides a
simple, secure way to mount
a scope.
SOURCES
North American Arms
northamericanarms.com
Sturm, Ruger & Co.
ruger.com
Freedom Arms
freedomarms.com
Magnum Research
magnumresearch.com
Edge Custom, Inc. (Scope
Mounts)
edgecustom.com
Even their Vaquero, developed
I have been a big fan of
with cowboy-action shooters
Ruger revolvers for many years,
in mind, features modern
and I own several of their
updates like a transfer-bar
single-actions. They are well-
tempted to get rid of all my
safety and coil-spring ring
built, durable and offer a good
other handguns and just
mechanism.
value for the cost.
collect single-action revolvers.
tradition and innovation.

Every once in a while, Im
I probably wont go to that
The Single Six is available

in a convertible model, with two
the delicate balance between
AFFINITY FOR SINGLES
extreme, but if I did, I have no
Single-action revolvers
doubt Id still have the tools
for .22WMR. The Blackhawk is
arent going away any time
necessary to meet all of my
also available as a two-cylinder
soon, especially if companies
handgun needs. In the mean-
convertible in .357/9mm or .45
like these continue to offer
time, Ill continue to seek other
Colt/.45 ACP.
great new models that maintain
singles. GNSL
cylinders: one for .22LR and one
109
GS-1605-110-117-SCHOFIELD.CX.qxp 3/9/16 2:39 AM Page 110
Revolver
Revival
Cimarrons Replica of the
Smith & Wesson Schoeld
Might Be Better than
the Original
Some historians speculate that if the 7th

Cavalry Regiment at Little Bighorn would
have been armed with Schoeld revolvers
in lieu of Colts, rapid reloading could have
turned the tide of that battle in their favor.
110
GS-1605-110-117-SCHOFIELD 3/7/16 2:51 AM Page 111
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY MIKE SEARSON
choeld Kid, that's what they

call me.
Why, you from Schoeld?
No, it's on account of my
Schoeld Model Smith & Wesson pistol.
Those lines in the opening scene of 1992s
Unforgiven, starring Clint Eastwood, made
the Smith & Wesson Model 3 Schoeld
immensely popular for a new generation
of fans.
With rare original models selling in the
thousands (when they can even be found),
shooters had to turn to replica manufacturers in
order to whet their appetites for one. I recently
sampled a model courtesy of Cimarron Firearms,
and it proved why these revolvers have become
so popular with shooters.
111
Cimarron's reproduction
Schoeld dwarfs the Colt SAA.
SCHOFIELDS IN ACTION
The Schoeld saw service
from the American Indian Wars to
as late as the Spanish-American
War. At the close of the SpanishAmerican War, the Army sold the
entire stock of Schoeld revolvers
(close to 8,000) as military
surplus, with the bulk going to
rearms distributors that shortened the 7-inch barrels to a handier
ve inches, and renished the
revolvers in nickel.
A large number of these
surplus revolvers were bought
by Wells Fargo for use by their
road agents.
112
HISTORY OF THE SCHOFIELD

In 1870, the U.S. Army issued the Smith & Wesson Model 3 as the first cartridge-firing
revolver in the U.S. arsenal. It was chambered in 44 S&W American, a forerunner to the
modern 44 Special round. By 1873, the Army had adopted the Colt Model 1873 (Single
Action Army), chambered in the 45 Colt round.
However, there was resistance to giving up the faster loading Smith & Wesson Model 3;
in 1875, the U.S. Ordnance Board contracted Smith & Wesson to produce an upgraded Model 3
incorporating design improvements that had been drawn up by Major George W. Schoeld.
Most notably, the upgrade included a strengthened frame-mounted latch, as opposed to one
mounted on the barrel.
Schoelds improvements were a response to reports of the original barrel-mounted
latch catching on the edge of a holster, forcing the revolver to open and subsequently dump
the loaded cartridges.
Ever the entrepreneur, Schoeld patented his improvements and received a royalty of
50 cents for every revolver that Smith & Wesson sold.
As for caliber, the 45 Colt was a no go in the Schoeld. The 45 Colt was longer, and due
to its smaller rim, Smith & Wesson determined it would not reliably extract in their revolver.
The company came up with a shorter cartridge with a wider rim, dubbed the 45 Schofield
also known as the 45 Smith & Wesson. The longer 45 Colt round picked up the unofficial
moniker, 45 Long Colt.
While the two cartridges were interchangeable in the Colt Single Action Army, they
were not so in the Schofield. A number of instances were documented where troopers
issued Schofield revolvers had also been issued the longer ammunition that would not
chamber in them. For a while, the military issued just the shorter .45 Schofield round to its
troops, but eventually the Schofield was dropped from service.
Thumb the latch and pull

down the barrel to open the
action, but mind keeping
the hammer at half cock.
The Cimarron reproduction is slightly

larger and heavier than the original, so
as to accommodate the 45 Colt and make
for a safer shooting experience.
THE REPLICA SCHOFIELD
culprit. Smith & Wesson dropped
his personal collection to use as
With the retirement and sub-
the models as a Performance
samples. Harvey specied how he
sequent renishing of the original
Center offering in 2002, after a
wanted frames forged, marked
Schoeld revolvers ruining inherent
mere two years of production.
and case-hardened to put his
military collectability (original non-
Thankfully, Cimarron Firearms,
nickel-plated Schoeld revolvers
which has a unique role in the
are rarer than hens teeth), the
replica firearms world, decided to
quest for a reasonably priced
bring this old revolver to the masses
shooter for a reenactor, or even
by way of Uberti Firearms in Italy.
a lm-property master, lies in

modern reproductions.
Smith & Wesson tried reviving
Company CEO, Mike Harvey,

found himself dissatised with
imported replica firearms made in
the revolver at the turn of the 21st
Italy, and went to Uberti directly
century, but the revolvers were not
with instructions on how he
big sellers. Price may have been a
wanted his revolvers built.
factor, but the use of the shorter 45
Putting his money where his
S&W, over the more affordable and
mouth was, Harvey sent the Italian
available 45 Colt, was likely the real
arms maker antique rearms from
imported revolvers a cut above

the competition.
THE WELLS FARGO

CONNECTION
When Wells Fargo purchased surplus
Schoeld revolvers for their agents, each
one was hand-inspected by an armorer,
and re-stamped WELLS FARGO & CO.
next to the serial numbers.
In the 1970s, these particular
Schoeld revolvers became popular with
collectors. Sadly, a cottage industry
of forgers faked the logo onto other
surplus Schofield revolvers, as well as
foreign-made counterfeit copies.
It is estimated that there are more
falsied Wells Fargo Schoeld revolvers
than real ones.
113
pattern we all know and love, and
carried like a Colt Single Action
Schoeld replicas reported locks
even the stocks seemed perfect,
Army, with the hammer over an
blowing open while ringdue to
bearing the cartouche military-
empty chamber. For those not
the higher pressure of smokeless-
inspector markings that would be
accustomed to hammer-mounted
powder loads used in Cowboy
found on the grips of a genuine
ring pins, the revolver must be
Action ShootingHarvey investi-
Schoeld. Most importantly, it was
kept at half cock to break open the
gated and, subsequently, had the
chambered in the 45 Colt round.
cylinder for loading and unloading
When initial complaints of
angle of the latches recut on his

Model 3 replicas.
THE TEST GUN

Under extremely short notice
I could not wait to get his one
the revolverotherwise, the pin can
to the range, and rolled out with
break. However, it must be lowered
several boxes of 45 Colt courtesy
onto the empty chamber, as the
of Freedom Munitions.
cylinder will spin if the hammer is
The rst thing you notice is the
left at half cock, putting the shooter
and while he was out of the country,
heft and size of the revolver. It is, by
into the danger zone with regard to
Cimarrons Jamie Wayt overnighted
no means, in the class of a Walker
live ammunition.
a Schoeld to us in order to conduct
Colt or Smith & Wesson 500, but it
this review.
dwarfs the Colt Single Action Army
strap and barrel, this handgun is
Despite the beefed-up top
Revolver. The Cimarron reproduc-
not intended for hot loads of 45
the Cimarron Schoeld looked as if
tion is slightly larger and heavier
Colt that might work well in a
it had rolled off a Smith & Wesson
than the original, accommodating
Thompson Center single-shot or
assembly line in 1875.
the 45 Colt and making for a safer
Ruger Blackhawk.
True to their business model,
The blue was gorgeous, the

color case-hardened lock and
hammer had that beautiful swirl
shooting experience.
There is no transfer bar in the
Schoeld replica, so it must be
By the same token, going to

the opposite end of the scale,
with authentic black powder or an
MOVIES FEATURING THE

SCHOFIELD
Courtesy of IMFDB.org
(The Internet Movie Firearms Database)
Despite the beefed-up top strap and

barrel, this handgun is not intended
for hot loads of 45 Colt ...
Hard Times
The Long Riders
Romancing the Stone
Unforgiven
Tombstone
Dead Man
Shanghai Noon
The Last Samurai
Van Helsing
The Assassination of Jesse James by
the Coward Robert Ford
3:10 to Yuma
Wanted
The Artist
Crossre Trail (Television)
Deadwood (Television)
Cimarron's reproduction
Schoeld is all business
and surprisingly accurate.
114
approximate propellant in your
However, based on some of the
rounds, is also not a good idea.
Old West characters who elded
Uberti built these revolvers with
the Schoeld, I gured there had to
high tolerances, and did not incor-
be something to it.
porate a cylinder gas ring, as was
I posted targets at 50 feet and
found on the original. As a result,
held the xed sights over the bulls
black-powder fouling after a
eye. My rst shot impacted six
cylinder full of rounds can lock
inches high, as did the second. I
the revolver up.
manually adjusted by aiming lower,

and shot several fantastic strings
ON THE RANGE
Thinking back to when I saw
with all rounds touching.

Knowing where I was hitting, I
FAMOUS SCHOFIELD USERS

Jesse James
Frank James
Bob Ford
John Wesley Hardin
Pat Garrett
Theodore Roosevelt
Virgil Earp
Billy the Kid
Wyatt Earp
Buffalo Bill Cody
Cole Younger
Jim Younger
Charlie Pitts
Texas Jack Omohundro
Bill Tilghman
Marshal Dallas Stoudenmire
Ranald MacKinzie
Unforgiven in 1992, I remember
moved on to steel shooting. With the
remarking to my boss at an
guns perfect single-action trigger,
ammunition plant that I wanted to
long barrel and quality ammunition,
could ask for a more accurate
find a replica Schofield. The boss
I gained a new appreciation for the
single-action revolver.
answered, Why? Those things
Schoeldan appreciation based on
are ugly, ungainly and inaccurate;
performance, not aesthetics or
with a modern cowpoke getting
plus, they cost a fortune.
historical signicance.
into trouble with one of these
Following the wisdom of my
The weight may make it
The only other potential issue
would be a competitor who is too
boss, who was a master shooter
slower in the hand of a competitor
used to carrying Colt or Colt clone
and rearms historian, I put the
who is used to firing lighter
single-actions, and the issue with
matter out of mind for decades.
revolvers; but, I dont think one
carrying at half cock.
Beautiful color case-hardening

adorns the latch work of
Cimarron's reproduction Schoeld.
115
With the guns perfect single-action

trigger, long barrel and quality
ammunition, I gained a new
appreciation for the Schofield.
Single-handed is the only

real way to re a single
action like Cimarron's
reproduction Schoeld.
Be wary if you plan on running one alongside

a Colt or a clone in a match, as the pressure of
the competition could endanger you or other
participants by way of muscle memory. It happened
to me a few times on the rangea hazard of
playing with Colts for close to three decades.
A FIRST-CLASS REPLICA
From the improved angle cut of the lock to this
rearms accuracy and ability to chamber the 45
Colt round, its clear Cimarron and Uberti built the
revolver that Smith & Wesson and Major Schoeld
should have made over 140 years ago.
SOURCES
Cimarron Firearms
cimarron-rearms.com
116
One of the advantages of the Schoeld was that six rounds

could be loaded all at once, as opposed to the Single Action
Army, which loads one at a time.
GS-1605-110-117-SCHOFIELD.CX.qxp 3/9/16 2:45 AM Page 117
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offerings include .357 Mag
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STARTING AT: $199 MSRP
See our complete line of revolvers and accessories at:
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132
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117
GS-1605-118-123-TURNBULL.qxp 3/7/16 12:10 AM Page 118
Anything
On Earth
Photo Courtesy of Turnbull
Turnbulls Take on the Revered Model

1886 Results in a Versatile Rie
Suitable for Hunting Any Game
118
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY STEVEN PAUL BARLOW
dmittedly, I was worried when rst

considering the prospect of shooting the
Turnbull 1886 rie, chambered in the
powerful .475 Turnbull and developed by
Doug Turnbull himself.
This is going to hurt, I told myself. Ill probably
destroy my shoulder, bash my nose and detach
my retinas.
After all, were talking about a 400-grain bullet
traveling at 2,050 feet per second.
Each Turnbull rie starts life as a newly manufactured
Winchester 1886. Turnbull then puts on a new octagon
barrel, chambered in .475 Turnbull, and also does
some work to the loading gate, lever and carrier to
accommodate the .475 cartridge.
Then, Turnbull performs his companys specialty:
He embellishes each rie with his famous, color
case-hardened nish. Special features, like engraving
and deluxe wood, can be added to suit the buyers
tastes. Turnbull also offers this lever gun as a packable
takedown model.
The result is a beautiful, top-quality rie with Old
West style, capable of taking any game on Earth.
119
FROM PRAIRIE DOGS

TO ELEPHANTS
Doug Turnbull has certainly
After a well-placed shot with the
action. There were a variety of .475
.475 Turnbull, you wont have to do
bullets available, and ultimately,
much tracking to nd your animal.
the .475 Turnbull was created.

The .475 Turnbull is basically a
used his rie/cartridge combination

all around the world to take a wide
range of game. As he reasons, its
THE CARTRIDGE
What was the motivation for
50-110 casing, shortened by .200

inches and then necked down to
not over-doing it to go deer hunting
creating the .475? Turnbull wanted
accept the .475 bullet. The overall
with a rie thats capable of taking
a gun that could do it all. His com-
cartridge length is 2.75 inches.
down an elephant.
pany was doing a lot of custom
Turnbull worked with Barnes
work on Winchesters, and building
Bullets, which developed a 400-
big, heavy, slow-moving bullet
one that red his own cartridge
grain version of its TSX (Triple
actually destroys less meat than
seemed a logical progression.
Shock Expanding) bullet for this
According to Turnbull, the
many smaller bullets traveling at
The company didnt want to
cartridge. On impact, the bullet
a higher velocity. The big bullet
worry about running out of case
expands with four petals opening
has also proven to be very
capacity, but kept in mind the car-
to .90 caliber. Solid bullets are
effective at anchoring game.
tridge had to fit in the Model 1886
also available.
Doug Turnbull demonstrates

the use of his Model 1886,
which res his own powerful
.475 Turnbull cartridge.
THE TIME-TESTED
WINCHESTER 1886
The Winchester 1886 was a landmark
firearm. It was the first Winchester
designed by legendary designer John
Moses Browning. It did away with
the old toggle-link actions of earlier
Winchesters, in favor of a much stronger
locking-block action.
It also allowed for the use of more
powerful black-powder cartridges,
including the .45-70, 45-90 and 50-110.
The action was strong enough to make
the transition to the smokeless powder
era, when it was chambered for the .33
WCF in 1903.
The rie was in regular production
from 1886 to 1935, when Winchester
replaced it with the updated Model 71,
which was chambered in .348 Winchester.
The action has proven strong enough for
use as a base platform for custom ries,
and eventually, the Turnbull .475.
120
GS-1605-118-123-TURNBULL.CX.qxp 3/9/16 2:50 AM Page 121
The action of the Winchester

1886, a design that's 130 years
old, is strong enough to handle
modern cartridges. The only major
upgrade was the addition of a
new barrel.
Shooting the .475 Turnbull

was not the unpleasant
experience I had anticipated.
I would liken it to shooting slugs
out of a 12-gauge shotgun.
The 400-grain load produces
accurate and powerful enough to
It comes down to how well
a muzzle velocity of about 2,050
penetrate deeply and take big
you can shoot with iron sights,
FPS from a 26-inch barrel for more
game at much greater distances
says Turnbull, who has personally
than 4,100 foot pounds of energy.
but remember, this is an open-
used the Model 1886 to take an elk
The cartridge is Sporting Arms
sighted rearm.
at just under 300 yards.
and Ammunition Manufacturers'

Institute (SAAMI) approved,
and has been loaded by Cor-Bon
and Grizzly Cartridges in the past.
Hornady and RCBS both offer
reloading dies for the .475 Turnbull.
One can order the reloading
dies, brass and bullets directly
from Turnbull.
TRADITIONAL OPEN SIGHTS

The Model 1886 in .475
Turnbull is capable of shooting
about -inch at 100 yards. The
TURNBULLS VARIATIONS
The Turnbull Model 1886 is available with a full-octagon barrel, in lengths of 26, 28
and 32 inches. The magazine capacity on a 26-inch version is eight cartridges. The rie is
not a lightweight: Depending on barrel length and the wood used for the stock, it weighs
in the 10- to 12-pound range.
Prices on these ries vary greatly, depending on select features and embellishments
on the nished product. A base model costs in the neighborhood of $4,700; meanwhile,
some takedown models with deluxe wood and engravings, platinum barrel bands, and a
leather-covered recoil pad can go as high as $12,000. Aside from the .475 Turnbull, you
can also get one of these Model 1886 ries, chambered in .50 Alaskan.
The Model 1886 isnt the only rie that res the .475 Turnbull. Turnbull teamed with
Sturm, Ruger & Co. to produce a Ruger No.1, single-shot rie in .475 Ruger. The rie is made
by Ruger, but the color case-hardening is still made at Turnbull.
The Ruger No. 1 rie features a 26-inch barrel and has an overall length of 42 inches.
It weighs approximately nine pounds, and comes with iron sights and a set of Ruger scope
rings. A mercury-lled recoil reducer in the stock is also available. The price of the Ruger
No. 1 is about $2,000.
rifle/cartridge combination is
121
A loaded .475 Turnbull cartridge

(center) is shown with new bullets
(right) and red bullets recovered
from game. At modest velocities, the
big, heavy bullets have been known
to expand to .90 caliber, making
them reliable, big-game stoppers.
After a well-placed shot with the .475 Turnbull, you wont

have to do much tracking to find your animal.
TURNBULLS CHEAT SHEET
I had a chance to handle
Turnbulls personal Model 1866.
It shows the signs of being much-
BENEFITS OF ONE GUN
experience I had anticipated.

I would liken it to shooting slugs
out of a 12-gauge shotgun.
We all like to ponder which gun

we would pick if we could only have
Its denitely not a plinker, but
one, all-purpose gun. The Turnbull
used and well-traveled, but it is
neither is it a punisher. The reason,
Model 1886 is one that can live up to
still a beautiful rie. Taped to the
I believe, is the weight of the gun,
what youd expect such a gun to do.
barrel, just ahead of the receiver,
which lands in the 10- to 12-pound
It is beautiful to the extreme,
is a chart that serves as a guide
range, depending on barrel length
and is well-made to inspire pride
to sight adjustments at specific
and stock material.
of ownership. It has an Old West
ranges from 100 to 340 yards.

Once the distance is known, its a
simple matter of adjusting the rear
sight on the Model 1886, and then
youre dialed in for that distance.
SHOOTING THE .475 TURNBULL

I was pleased to discover that
shooting the Model 1886 in .475
Turnbull was not the unpleasant
122
.475 TURNBULL BALLISTICS

BULLET WEIGHT (GRAINS)
MUZZLE VELOCITY (FEET PER SECOND)
MUZZLE ENERGY (FOOT POUNDS)
350
2,300
4,110
400
2,150
4,104
450
2,050
4,198
500
1,900
4,007
GS-1605-118-123-TURNBULL 3/7/16 11:45 PM Page 123
Doug Turnbull is able to test and

develop new rie and cartridge
combinations in the facilities behind
his companys headquarters.
heritage; hunting with it means

connecting to the traditions of the
to hunt deer-sized animals.

The Turnbull Model 1866
But remember, this isnt your

average rie. Its a rie that can
America of a more adventurous
costs considerably more than your
easily replace any three or four that
time. It is powerful and accurate
average hunting rifle$4,700 for
are currently in your safe. It really is
enough to reliably take on any big-
a standard model to more than
the rie of a lifetime. GNSL
game animal; yet its recoil is man-
$12,000 for a highly engraved and
ageable enough that it can be used
embellished takedown model.
SOURCES
Turnbull Restoration &
Manufacturing Co.
6680 State Route 5 and 20
Bloomeld, NY 14469
(585) 412-2970
turnbullmfg.com
Grizzly Cartridge Company
(503) 556-3006
grizzlycartridge.com
The receivers of the Model 1886
ries are color case-hardened at
the Turnbull factory, making each
a one-of-a-kind rearm.
Barnes Bullets
(435) 856-1000
barnesbullets.com
123
GS-1605-124-129-CIMARRON.qxp 3/7/16 12:16 AM Page 124
Double-Barrel
Blaster
Cimarrons Doc Holliday Side-By-Side Can Do It All
124
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY STEVEN PAUL BARLOW
he shotgun has always been a

do-everything, close-range
rearm. With small shot, you can
shoot birds on the y and rabbits
on the run. Load it with slugs, and
the shotgun becomes capable of taking
big game.
As a defensive weapon, the shotgun has
an awesome and intimidating reputation.
Just the sight of a man with a shotgun has
been known to give the boldest of bad men
the shivers.
Cimarron Firearms offers its Doc
Holliday double-barrel 12-gauge model
with the wonderful old rabbit ears the
external hammers that must be cocked
before ring. Theres no mistaking when
things are getting serious with this shotgun.
When those hammers are cocked, devastating blasts from the two big barrels are
not long away.
When we think of the Old West, this is
the kind of shotgun that comes to mind
more than any other, with its short barrels
and compact overall length. Whether its
the guard riding shotgun atop a stagecoach, a deputy guarding a prisoner or a
sheriff dispersing an angry mob, the doublebarrel shotgun is a critical part of the image.
This particular shotgun is named the
Doc Holliday, because it was reported
that Virgil Earp handed such a shotgun to
Holliday, who carried it and used it at the
infamous Gunght at the O.K. Corral.
Its actually manufactured by Pedersoli
in Italy and imported by Cimarron.
125
The Cimarron Doc Holliday

shotgunwould make
an easy-to-operate
home-defense gun
shotgun is a compact package
at just 37 inches overall.
FIT AND FINISH

shotgun is an attractive rearm
with an authentic look and feel.
This shotgun comes with an extractor that pulls the

shells partially out of the chambers, where they must be
plucked the rest of the way out.
It has an oil-nished walnut stock,

pale color case-hardened receiver
and blued barrels. The name Doc
Holliday is engraved on the right
side plate. The overall t and nish
is excellent.
The barrels are 20 inches
long; the overall length is about
37 inches. There are dual triggers.
The front trigger fires the right,
cylinder-bore barrel. The rear
trigger fires the left, improved
cylinder barrel.
When closing the action, it
locks with a positive, conrming
thunk. The shotgun is tted with
an extractor, which lifts the shells
enough so that you can pluck
them out the rest of the way.
126
The exposed rabbit ear hammers are reminiscent of days gone by,
and also provide for a very safe rearm, as they must be manually
cocked before the shotgun can be red.
As with most break-action shotguns, this one

takes down easily for discreet transport.
The gun has a manual
recoil pad to catch on clothing.
and to the target beyond.

Additionally, the shotguns
safetyit isnt automatically
The rib between the barrels is
engaged upon closing the action.
slightly curved; this creates a
compact size makes it very handy
All things considered, this type of
trough that serves as a speedy
for both close-quarter defensive
firearm is one of the safest that
runway, leading the eye past the
purposes and when hunting in
you can own because the hammers
single brass-bead front sight
thick cover.
must be manually cocked, and

you wouldnt do that until youre
ready to fire.
Those rebounding hammers,
when in the down position, are
away from the firing pins, so even
a blow to those hammers wont
cause an accidental discharge.
At a glance, you can confirm that
the hammers are down and your
safety is on.
HANDLING QUALITIES
The Doc Holliday shotgun
is well-balanced and naturally
comes to the shoulder, in line
SHOOTING RESULTS
I did all of my ring with the Cimarron Doc Holliday shotgun standing, off hand. This
isnt a target rie, so I didnt see much point in shooting from the bench. I wanted to test it
as Id use it.
The barrels proved to be well-regulated at realistic distances; there wasnt a
noticeable difference in the point of impact with either barrel at 15 or 25 yards.
I red the shotgun at 15 yards with Remington Game Loads in No. 6 shot. Despite not
being tightly choked, the shot pattern was condensed enough to make this a worthy
companion on small-game hunts.
Next, I fired some Federal Tactical 00 Buckshot loads at 15 yards. In the past, this
has always proved to be a tight shooting load, and I wasnt disappointed this time.
Firing two shots at 15 yards kept the total of 18 pellets within a pattern of 10.5 inches.
This gun would have a devastating effect in a close-range defense scenario.
The shotguns role has always been as a versatile firearm; so, I fired slugs through
this one, as well, fully knowing that this usually isnt the task where youd normally pick
a side-by-side. I fired Remington Slugger 2 -inch, 1-ounce rifled slugs and Federal
Power-Shok 1-ounce, hollowpoint rifled slugs at 25 yards.
Neither man nor beast would want to face this Cimarron Doc Holliday shotgun.
After ring a couple of practice rounds to get used to it, the shotgun shot pretty much
to point of aim, and kept ve slugs into a 3 -inch group, again from standing, off hand.
In the dense woods where I hunt, that translates to venison in the freezer.
with the target. There is no rubber

127
While handling the Old West-styled Cimarron Doc Holliday shotgun, the author felt it was only appropriate, if not mandatory, to wear a cowboy hat. (Photo by Gary Barlow)
This shotgun handles and shoots well and, like all doubles,
offers a quick follow-up shot
The exposed rabbit ear
The trigger pull on each of the
hammers are large and easily
two triggers was clean, with little
cocked, either singly or at the same
or no travel, but it was a bit on the
time, with the sweep of a thumb.
heavy side. I measured the pull of
Should you need to lower the
the front trigger at 6.5 pounds, and
hammers, their size and shape
the rear trigger at 5.5 pounds. As it
lend themselves to doing it safely,
turned out, the triggers were not at
and with less chance of fumbling
all a detriment when it came to
than other types of rearms.
ring the shotgun.
Pushing the top lever to the

right unlocks the break-open action.
Tilting the barrels down proved to
SHOOTING HOLLIDAYS SHOTGUN

No matter who you are, I dont
be smooth but a bit stiff, which I
think a short-barreled 12 gauge
attribute to the test gun being new.
with no recoil pad will ever be
128
considered an all-afternoon plinker.

Early in my law-enforcement career,
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Cimarron SH906
Doc Holliday shotgun
Manufacturer: Pedersoli of Italy for
Cimarron Firearms
Type: Double-barrel shotgun with
exposed hammers, dual triggers
Gauge: 12 gauge, 2 -inch chambers
Barrel length: 20 inches
Overall length: 37 inches
Finish: Color case-hardened side plates,
blued barrels
Stock: Walnut
MSRP: $1,605
we had lightweight Ithaca pumps

that could wake you up without
your morning coffee. So I had an
idea what to expect.
When I snugged the butt
of the shotgun firmly into my
shoulder and leaned into it
properly, the recoil really wasnt
that bad. The gun was so lively
in the hands, fun to shoot and
easy to shoot well, that I wasnt
concerned about the recoil after
the first couple of shots.
FUN, BUT STILL USEFUL

This shotgun is fun to shoot,
and Im sure it would be treasured
by anyone who likes to take part
in cowboy competitions or who
simply enjoys owning something
reminiscent of the Old West.
I appreciate nostalgia, but
personally, Im fond of rearms
that offer a wider range of utility.
Thats why I like the Doc Holliday
model so much: I dont see it as
merely a specialized competition
firearm, or one to be hung
on a wall and admired for any
historical significance.
This shotgun handles and
Takeout dinner. You certainly could with the Cimarron Doc Holliday shotgun, as it proved to pattern
No. 6 shot very well.
shoots well and, like all doubles,

offers a quick follow-up shot
without the need to manually
operate an action. The Cimarron
Doc Holliday shotgun is one
that would make an easy-tooperate home defense gun, and
Id like to try it hunting rabbits
and grouse in thick cover, where
shots are short and fast, and
theres not much room to swing
a longer gun. GNSL
SOURCES
Shooting slugs off hand at 25 yards, the author managed a respectable 3.75-inch group, making this shotgun
capable of downing bigger quarry with authority.
Cimarron Firearms
cimarron-rearms.com
129
GS_1605_130 3/7/16 1:32 AM Page 130
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GS-1605-130-131-CLOSING.qxp 3/7/16 12:26 AM Page 131
PARTING SHOT
Defending
Image by Universal History Archive/Getty
the Herd
hose in the Old West

had to have their ries
ready and their wits
about them to handle
any unexpected situation. Its
that self-reliance and readiness
to act that, in part, intrigues us
about those bygone days of
the cowboy.
In todays political climate,
its not the herd we have to
defend, but our rights and our
ability to be self-reliant.
131
GS_SUM16_C4 2/25/16 10:46 PM Page C4

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QXP 3/11/16 6:34 AM Page US_C1

FROM THE EDITORS OF WORLD OF FIREPOWER

GS-1605-2-3-INSPIRE.qxp 3/6/16 10:34 PM Page 2

his working dog gets a rare break to take

GUNSLINGERS I SUMMER 2016

Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images

GS-1605-2-3-INSPIRE.qxp 3/6/16 10:34 PM Page 3

SUMMER 2016 I GUNSLINGERS

GS-1605-4-5-TOC.qxp 3/9/16 11:03 PM Page 4

This years hot rearms include deluxe commemoratives

A boon to business and the bane of the bad men,

By Steven Paul Barlow

28 TAMING OF THE WEST

30 Ride Fast, Ride Hard

GUNSLINGERS I SUMMER 2016

56 Old West Horsepower

GS-1605-4-5-TOC.qxp 3/9/16 11:03 PM Page 5

62 THE FIRST GUNFIGHTERS GUNS

The Colt Navy and the Colt Army revolvers changed

70 THE GREATEST HANDGUN OF THE FRONTIER

78 THE WILD BUNCH SEARCH

102 SEEKING OTHER SINGLES

110 REVOLVER REVIVAL

Cimarrons replica of the Smith & Wesson Schoeld

118 ANYTHING ON EARTH

124 DOUBLE-BARREL BLASTER

SUMMER 2016 I GUNSLINGERS

GS-1605-6-7-EDIT.qxp 3/6/16 10:46 PM Page 6

covered wagon or perhaps a stagecoach. In any case, were seeing

DIRECT MARKETING GROUP

Business Analytic Manager

EDITORIAL, PRODUCTION & SALES OFFICE

Steven Paul Barlow, Editor

GUNSLINGERS I SUMMER 2016

GS_SUM16_7 2/25/16 10:35 PM Page 7

YOU TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR PROPERTY. PROTECT IT WITH A

GS-1605-8-17-MOUNTED.CX.qxp 3/8/16 11:49 PM Page 8

Cowboy Mounted Shooting Sensation

f the sport of Cowboy Mounted Shooting has a face,

GUNSLINGERS I SUMMER 2016

GS-1605-8-17-MOUNTED.CX.qxp 3/8/16 11:49 PM Page 9

SUMMER 2016 I GUNSLINGERS

GS-1605-8-17-MOUNTED.CX.qxp 3/8/16 11:50 PM Page 10

Gunslingers: I know that you had

Kenda: You could say that I was

Gunslingers: Do you still compete

When banking into a turn,

the fact that youre dealing with

see this new sport, and ended up

another brain. It takes time to build

Kenda: I have dabbled in Cowboy

giving it a try while I was there.

a strong partnership with a horse,

Action Shooting, and [I] also pick

The rest is history, as I was hooked

to convince them to work for you

up a 1911 to compete at a USPSA

from the very rst shot.

at high levels of speed, especially

strictly mounted shooting?

when adrenaline (and gunre

[United States Practical Shooting

Gunslingers: You qualied for the