Third Model Dragoon Ordered At Last

Just ordered a Uberti 3rd Model from an outfit called the History Store down in TX today--$289 plus UPS. Have long been fascinated by these big lunkers and decided that I really needed one.

The local museum has a very rough Dragoon with good provenance to a feisty little Scotsman, Robert Foote, who came to the US around 1855 or so. He enlisted into the US Dragoons and was at Fort Laramie circa 1858, serving a few years in that area. His military service was unnotable, but afterwards he stayed around as a civilian. Had some horses stolen by an Indian, who later showed up at the fort. He announced to Foote that he was "a good Indian"; Foote hauled out his Colt, saying "I'll make you a good Indian" and killed him. Some time later he was sick in bed when another Indian entered the room and announced that he was going to kill Foote. You guessed it--up came the big old percussion Colt, and that situation was back under control.

Lots of stories about this "little big man". The Colt stayed in his family until the 1930s--much abused, but mostly intact.

Then there's "John Cremony's Ride".

Dragoons rule.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Called today--seller had to order one up as he did not have it in stock. Said he was shipping it out UPS today. Tracking shows it is in the hopper and scheduled to arrive here on Good Friday. The UPS truck usually hits here around 2PM at which time I will probably be in church. Oh, well.

Cabelas still carries a partitioned wood case for the Walker and Dragoon. I will probably not rest until I get it cased with accessories.

Glocks come "cased with accesssories" but somehow it's just not the same.

Well, It's Here

The Dragoon showed up on Good Friday as expected. Haven't shot it as of yet due to other committments and a stretch of spring thunderstorms, strong winds, etc. However it looks very good--nice fitting, blue, trigger pull, timing and so on. The hammer spring was on the heavy side so made up a leather shim and it not only lightened up the effort needed to cock the gun but cut the trigger pull weight from a little over 4 pounds to about 3.3. Won't know if ignition will be affected yet but we will see. I expect to try .457 balls and #11 caps initially and see where we go from there.

Delivery from the History Store was a bit poky but they claimed they had to order the gun in. Considering I've been gnawing this bone for six months already a few days more or less is acceptable.

This is my second recent Uberti, the first being a 61 Navy. Very nice guns for the money so far.

Finally got out with the new Dragoon yesterday; fired 18 rds with #11 caps, about 28 grains FFg, .457 balls. Seating the .457s took a little effort but produced a nice shaved ring of lead and nice tight seal. Ignition and function fine except for a bit of trouble with cap fragments. May have to look into that. Did not use any wads and grease was the old standby, chassis lube.

POI is about 4" high and 2" rt of POA in the two 6 shot groups I fired @ 20 yds on paper. Paid a bit more attention to letoffs on second group and did not get quite so much right windage that time--so more quality time may be indicated. Still, the groups were about the size of a small fist so the gun definitely wants to shoot.

Fired on a pop can out around 30 plus yards and had to hold lower yet plus some left windage; but nonetheless bounced it just about every shot even with holdoff.

If I can resolve the POI issue this will be an excellent shooter. My 61 was dead on from day one so I have been quite happy with that.

The 28 grain load was what the flask spout threw, even though it looked like more. I have a 50 grain one that I will have to trim down to get one into the 35-45 grain range which is more appropriate.

Shot it just a few miles from the site of the "Fight at Crazy Woman Creek", where Jim Bridger and some troopers from Fort Phil Kearny actually *did* rescue a besieged wagon train in 1866 or so--just like in the movies. Just us and the antelope...

New Dragoon, New Camera--Low Tech, High Tech.

Sometimes the magic works; sometimes it doesn't...

This time it apparently did.