B/P and Winchester 1886/Cimarron Conversion

[AethelstanAegen]

Hi guys, I took the plunge and sold off my AKs given the great market for them right now. I've decided to get one of the guns off my list of guns I've always wanted to own. The two top contenders are a Winchester 1886 Extra Light and the Cimarron Transition (Type II) Conversion. I've found you can get some Lee handtools for reloading both .45/70 and .45LC so I plan to be doing some reloading with black powder for which ever gun I get. The price comes out closer than you might think once you factor in the necessary gun belt/holster for the Cimarron (though the revolver is still the cheaper buy altogether).

Anyone have any tips on these guns and black powder loads? I'm guessing the Winchester would be a lot harder to clean with black powder loads. If anyone has a favorite BP load for either of there, I'd be very happy to know what it might be.

I'm planning to make this my fun gun for when I do some old-time camping. The handtools should make it easy to reload with BP in the field if I need to. Also given a choice between the two (realizing one day you'll own both but there might be a long lag before buying the second one) which would you choose?

 

[CraigC]

Dang, you don't set yourself up with an easy decision to make! I'd say either way you come out the winner. Just decide which you wanna get first.

The 1860 would be more of a fun gun but I carry my Open Top every year as a sidearm when hunting. The 1886 is not something you'd want to burn 500rds through in an afternoon but could be used to hunt anything on planet earth. The Extra Light is one of my favorite configurations. I was faced with a choice between it and a late model 1895 .405WCF. I chose the `95 but still want the EL.

 

[AethelstanAegen]

Dang, you don't set yourself up with an easy decision to make!

Haha. Yeah, I find myself able to talk myself into either one without too much trouble. So I figured, I'd see if you guys could help me decide. I'd definitely like to own both one day but I imagine it'll be a while before I can add the second one.

Craig, when you carry while hunting, what type of holster do you use? Do you wear it crossdraw? I feel like with the long barrel of the open tops/conversions, crossdraw must be easier than a straight hang on your strong side.

 

[CraigC]

I use both. The crossdraw makes it easier while sitting but a I find a strongside to be quicker to get to but slower to get out. If that makes any sense. I can work with either one but I've grown accustomed to a crossdraw because I carry my blackpowder bag on the left and my horn on the right and don't like my horn banging around on my sixgun. For other purposes and particularly with shorter sixguns, I prefer a strongside with the FBI cant. I'm partial to the Threepersons design.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

I've found you can get some Lee handtools for reloading both .45/70 and .45LC so I plan to be doing some reloading with black powder for which ever gun I get.

Howdy

If you are talking about the kits that include everything you need except a rubber mallet, I strongly advise you to forget that. Black Powder should be compressed to function properly in a cartridge. I strongly advise against hammering a bullet down onto Black Powder. Not a good idea. If you are talking about the old fashioned hand squeeze type of kit they sell, your hand is going to get pretty tired after loading a few rounds, plus you have to buy dies for it.

If you want to load Black Powder, spend a little bit of money and buy an inexpensive single stage press.

 

[BHP FAN]

.....and a drop tube for .45-70.

 

[AethelstanAegen]

I went with the Cimarron. In the end, when I realized I could get the Cimarron, a nice El Paso Saddlery rig and a Winchester 1897 for about the same price of the Winchester 1886, the Cimarron won out. I'll eventually get that Winchester but I think I might really save up for it and try to find an original if possible and if not get the one I was looking at...but I think for now I got a lot more bang for my buck. I'll post some pictures when it arrives.

 

[CraigC]

I really don't think you could've screwed this one up but I like your choice.

 

[AethelstanAegen]

Me too. I'll be throwing some pics up once the guns get here and once again when the El Paso rig comes in (many weeks later). I think the shotgun and pistol should be arriving sometime this week...so stay tuned!

In the end, I did go ahead and get the Cimarron in .45 LC. I talked with the guys at Buffalo Arms and with someone at Cimarron. They both said they haven't had any customers complain about Cimarrons in .45 LC (well the Cimmaron guy told me they had some early problem but nothing in several years). I guess I'll get to be the guinea pig to tell you if they're still having issues.