[Tony Mig]

I'm thinking about getting one of these. I enjoy loading up .45 Colt black powder loads, and shooting them out of my Vaquero, but I'd really like to get a cap & ball smoke pole. I've been looking and comparing all the different Italian imports, and most are pretty cool looking replicas, but I'd prefer to get a gun made of stainless, with a top strap, and with a loading ram that won't fly around under recoil. This Ruger looks like a pretty solid unit, but it's roughly twice the money over most of the repro's out there.

I'm hoping to get some input from those of you who have and shoot cap & ball.......

[Iggy]

If authenticity is important, then the Italian Repros would be more in line, but if you want a serious shootin' machine the Ruger is outstanding...

[P95Carry]

Tony,

I'll make this comment ..... when I shot cap & ball quite a bit years ago - I used a Colt pattern 44 Uberti. It served me well but, some of the other guys in the club had Rugers. At the time I could not afford one but, for shooting a lot, could see the many benefits of them .. cleaning certainly seemed less of a chore, plus - no one seemed to have to replace parts!

I had to replace hand springs (actually a multiple leaf dealie) ... plus the hand itself. IMO the repro's are for occasional .. the Rugers are best for regular BP shooting.

I currently have a Pietta Remington pattern in 44 ..... and it hardly gets much use ... so is adequate.

Conclusion? Shoot a lot? - save up for Old Army.

Now and again?......... repro will probably do.:)

[4v50 Gary]

Twice the price but a lifetime of quality. The stainless Ruger Old Army was the first handgun I bought and it is as good today as when I first purchased it 20 years ago. Spend the $ and get the best. It'll never give you cause for regret.

BTW, buy a .457 round ball mould. It's what the factory recommends.

[Fatelvis]

I have a SS Ruger, and love it too. Mine does better with Lee`s conical mould bullets, than RBs. Get one, you wont regret it.

[carpettbaggerr]

Look for a used one. Lots of people buy them for Cowboy shooting, then lose interest.

[Tony Mig]

Thanks for your input guys, I think when I do decide to get one, I will save my $$$ and get the Ruger with the 7.5" barrel. I know that when I get a gun, I shoot it a lot, and I don't like having to replace parts, besides, the Ruger comes with stainless nipples, and I hear they last a lot longer than the blue steel nipples on the repro's.

Once I do get one, I'll save the Vaquero for smokeless loads, and get my Black Powder Ya-Ya's out on the Old Army......

As a side note:......shooting where I do here in South Jersey, 99.5% of the people that shoot here, own and shoot modern semi-auto's, 1911's, Glock's, and Sig's seem to be the popular handguns of choice. Very few shooters show up with revolvers, let along SAA type revolvers, and when I strap on my cartridge belt, and western style holster with my Stainless Vaquero, most folks here look at me like I'm some kind of yahoo. They smerk, and giggle, then go back to shooting holes in paper. Then when I break out those black powder loads, and they hear that first "KA-BOOM", and see that cloud of white smoke, and most importantly, they see that steel plate fall, I seem to drawl their attention.
Most of these shooters have never fired BP, or ever been around someone shooting BP, and it really piques their interest. I've had several shooters walk down the line, and watch me shoot, ask questions about what I'm shooting, and a few have asked to shoot a round, and I'm always ready to turn a shooter on to the joys of Black Powder.
I only know of one other shooter here that owns and shoots a front stuffer, it's a repro of the Remington 1858, and he also has a Manson & Richards conversion that he shoots with BP cartridges. He only shows up 2 or 3 times a year, but when he does come out, he brings enough ammo & powder to shoot all day.

Thanks again for the advice.......

[Fatelvis]

Isnt it funny that everyone is shooting the new, expensive, high-tech guns, and when you touch off a couple shots with a BP gun, they come nosin' over. They`re usually surprised/impressed with how accurate they are, too!

[P95Carry]

They`re usually surprised/impressed with how accurate they are, too! I have surprised many in the past re accuracy etc but - you left one thing out ...... THE SMELL!! :D Some just lurv that sulfurous stench!:p

[Iggy]

Isnt it funny that everyone is shooting the new, expensive, high-tech guns, and when you touch off a couple shots with a BP gun, they come nosin' over. They`re usually surprised/impressed with how accurate they are, too!

Same thing happens on sight in day before hunting season when you break out an old Sharp's or Trapdoor.

That boom and cloud of smoke draws'em like skeeters!!;)

[Cortland]

The Old Army isn't the only gun that meets your specifications. I have a Uberti 1858 Remington (http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/307218) in stainless. The quality is excellent. Hard to beat for $264 from Midway!

[vega]

Hard to beat for $264 from Midway! And if you want the blued one, its on sale this week for $189.99

http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/722781

vega

[c_yeager]

The idea of a stainless black powder revolver strikes me as a little odd. But, after looking at the Ruger site i REALLY want this baby:

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/images/Products/59L.gif

19th century "pimp gun"? I love it.

[Fiveshooter]

I like that model so much I bought me a brace of them. They shoot great with round balls. I save the conicals for the ajustable sighted Old Armys.
http://photos.imageevent.com/fiveshooter/gunpictures/websize/Old%20Army%20Brace.jpg

[4v50 Gary]

Now I want another Old Army. :(

[c_yeager]

Fiveshooter, those are gorgeous. They look better in your picture than in the Ruger Catalogue.

[Fiveshooter]

:D Thanks c_yeager they were my favorite Old Armys but the postman delivered this full custom .50 caliber Old Army by David Clements on Friday. I will try to get out and shoot it some Sunday. If it shoots as good as it looks I may have a new favorite Old Army :)

Billy

http://photos.imageevent.com/fiveshooter/ccgoa/websize/01.JPG
http://photos.imageevent.com/fiveshooter/ccgoa/websize/04.JPG
http://photos.imageevent.com/fiveshooter/ccgoa/websize/06.JPG
http://photos.imageevent.com/fiveshooter/ccgoa/websize/07.JPG

[Fatelvis]

That is simply a awesome custom revolver! Please let us know how well it shoots!

[Battlespace]

I will try to get out and shoot it some Sunday. If it shoots as good as it looks I may have a new favorite Old Army.


We are waiting for the results.