.36, or .44 / .45

[Jim McArthur]

If you could own only one percussion revolver, would you opt for the medium
.36 caliber, or for a big .44 or .45: and why?

Jim:confused:

[Smokeless Coal]

Hi Jim, I have been shooting my .44 for a while, it has a massive grin factor but realistically I'm thinking a .36 would be better on the paper.

Less bang/recoil must be better. I light load but consistancy drops off. Less powder/lead would be a bit more ecconomical too. I'm seriously thinking of putting in for a variation to my FAC and adding a .36.

[Wobbly 2]

Thats a difficult choice.
I love shooting my .45 ROA, I love its big bang, and how well its made, but shooting my Pieta .36 as it so sweet, is real fun.
Im glad I dont have to make that choice.

[master_shriller]

I have two Ubertis in both calibres, a .44 Remington New Model Army stainless steel job, and a Colt .36 Navy.

The .36 is easier to shoot and as you don't need to download it, accuracy is better, and it's cheaper to run, the only downside when I use it is, some of my fellow clubmates call me a sissy for shooting a girls gun. :D:D

I was thinking of selling them both and buying a .45 Ruger Old Army, as I like the high quality construction and larger handgrips.

Maybe I should keep them both and buy a Ruger Old Army as well :)


Ben

[Jim McArthur]

I have two Ubertis in both calibres, a .44 Remington New Model Army stainless steel job, and a Colt .36 Navy.

The .36 is easier to shoot and as you don't need to download it, accuracy is better, and it's cheaper to run, the only downside when I use it is, some of my fellow clubmates call me a sissy for shooting a girls gun. :D


Ben

I know the feeling. But I prefer to shoot a smaller caliber well, than to miss with a bigger one! :p

Jim

[tim56]

Ruger .45 is an exellent gun but a bit heavy for me and although mine was totally reliable i prefered to shoot the .44 Rogers and Spencer i had and
still have now. My advice would be to first find a gun that fits your hand
and feels "right" then worry about caliber. In my .44 i use 18grns of TS2
black powder with semolina to bring the ball to near the top of the chamber
then cover the ball with wonderlube. Different guns prefer different caps
but mine likes remminton number 11s.
Recoil is minimal and accuracy is exellent, far better than i will ever be. Plus
it has a great feel to it when shot with a good old bang, 2 foot flame and
lots of smoke.
Cost as far as i can see per shot is about the same what ever caliber you
choose apart from ball price. If you shoot say 50 balls per outing and .44
are £2 a hundred dearer than .36 then it costs you £1 more. Quid well
spent i recon. If you home cast like i do then ball price is not a consideration.
Get yourself a basic melting pot and mould and you can cast hundreds of
balls in a couple of hours.
As a foot note i dont care if i dont hit the bull every shot, its only a paper
target so it dosent matter if you dont hit the kill zone every time. Just enjoy
your shooting while we can!

[moonraker]

Hit squat no matter the size, so I would go big and in fact I did with a Ruger Old Army (just about keep it on a A4 size target:rolleyes:) and My newly acquired 1860 Army in .44 (no idea where any of the shots go:eek:) Don't really worry about the accuracy I just love to make big noise and lots of smoke:D

[Jim McArthur]

I hope you have a good (and large) backstop, Moonraker! :D

Cheers!

Jim

[bigglesworth]

I don`t shoot B/P anymore ,but when I did ,my 2 favorite pistols were a Uberti 51" Navy in 0.36 and an Armi San Marco 3rd Model Colt Dragoon 0.44.

I felt that if you were going for a 0.44 ,then you might as well go big!, that said if I was forced to choose one gun and one caliber; then it would be the 1851 Navy Colt in 0.36.

Apart from the economy of shooting a 0.36 , the little Navy was just a nice, handy and well balanced gun and with light to medium loads it was very accurate over a 25 yard pistol range.

[moonraker]

I hope you have a good (and large) backstop, Moonraker! :D

Cheers!

Jim

Don't worry it’s big enough even for my terrible aim:D (what barn door?:confused:)

[Jim McArthur]

Lots of great advice posted here mates. Thank you! :) I must admit that I started this thread leaning more toward the .36, and am now even more inclined in that direction.

Jim

[lilguy43uk]

Hi Jim, I have been shooting my .44 for a while, it has a massive grin factor.

What he said doubled :D:D:D:D

[metalmickey]

The Size Don't Matter If You Point It In The Right Direction. :) I Personally Prefer My .44 Remmy Ss Nma. Over My .36"!! Stuff As Much Powder In The Chamber As You Can, Put An Oily Felt Wad On Top, Then Ram A Waxed Ball On Top. Make Ready Hold A Deep Breath And Grin As You Pull The Trigger.:) Don't Worry About The Cost And Make The Most Of It As You Will Only Be Able To Talk About It Soon In This Country.

[Simon G]

I own three .36's and three .44's, the .36's are without doubt the most accurate. On of the .36's I have a detachable shoulder stock for as well...... I wish I could emulate it's performance without the stock!!!:rolleyes:

[Jim McArthur]

You're ready for anything, Simon! :D

Wild Bill must have known what he was about, eh? Shot Dave Tutt through the heart with his .36 Colt Navy. At 75 yards!!!:eek:

Jim

[Hsing-ee]

I think the bigger the calibre the more consistent it will shoot.

Best gun for choice, the non-authentic Ruger Old Army .45, stainless steel with fries on the side and a rootbeer cup-holder. If you pack it with enough Pyrodex and pig-fat it will kill an furious steer during a stampede, like the song 'Utah Carol' relates. But you are in New Orleans, so go get a nice eight-shot Smith & Wesson 627 .357 Magnum and shoot .38 Special target wadcutter loads in it. Darn accurate and nice sweet shooting, you won't have to spend an hour loading and an hour cleaning the dang thing.

Blackpowder will decrode your life and your wife will end up feeding you nothing but pot-liquor and biscuits because she won't be minding you no more, no Sir! Get a nice Smith and make life easy for yourself.

[Jim McArthur]

I own three .36's and three .44's, the .36's are without doubt the most accurate. On of the .36's I have a detachable shoulder stock for as well...... I wish I could emulate it's performance without the stock!!!:rolleyes:

Which one of them has the shoulder stock, Simon?

Jim

[Jim McArthur]

I think the bigger the calibre the more consistent it will shoot.

Best gun for choice, the non-authentic Ruger Old Army .45, stainless steel with fries on the side and a rootbeer cup-holder. If you pack it with enough Pyrodex and pig-fat it will kill an furious steer during a stampede, like the song 'Utah Carol' relates. But you are in New Orleans, so go get a nice eight-shot Smith & Wesson 627 .357 Magnum and shoot .38 Special target wadcutter loads in it. Darn accurate and nice sweet shooting, you won't have to spend an hour loading and an hour cleaning the dang thing.

Blackpowder will decrode your life and your wife will end up feeding you nothing but pot-liquor and biscuits because she won't be minding you no more, no Sir! Get a nice Smith and make life easy for yourself.

:D:D:D

What are you doing up so late, Hsing-ee? :)

Well, I just got me a 10-shot Umarex Smith and Wesson! :D Maybe I'll get a 627 Smith to go with it. EIGHT shots, you say?.....

You know, I did read about a fellow in the States who liked his Umarex Smith so much he went out out and bought a cartridge one, just so he'd have one to match.

Cheers,

Jim

[Simon G]

Which one of them has the shoulder stock, Simon?

Jim

It's an Uberti 1861 Navy. I'll take a couple of pics soon....

[Hsing-ee]

:D:D:D


Well, I just got me a 10-shot Umarex Smith and Wesson! :D Maybe I'll get a 627 Smith to go with it. EIGHT shots, you say?.....


Cheers,

Jim

Yes, it's based on the the large-frame Smith that was originally designed for the .44 Magnum cartridge, so there is plenty of space in the cylinder for eight .357 Magnum rounds. Because it is large and heavy it has less recoil lift so it is supposed to be nice to shoot. Was saving up for one when the ban came in in the UK. Never mind ...

[Jim McArthur]

It's been out for awhile, then.

Jim

[Jim McArthur]

It's an Uberti 1861 Navy. I'll take a couple of pics soon....

That would be great, Simon.

One thing I love about these BP pistol Threads is seeing the pics of everyone's great pistols.

My wife says that I'm addicted to gun porn! :D

Jim

[Simon G]

Yes, it's based on the the large-frame Smith that was originally designed for the .44 Magnum cartridge, so there is plenty of space in the cylinder for eight .357 Magnum rounds. Because it is large and heavy it has less recoil lift so it is supposed to be nice to shoot. Was saving up for one when the ban came in in the UK. Never mind ...

The N frame was originally designed in 1908 for .44 Special. The first magnum cartridge chambered was the .357 in 1935 in the "Registered Magnum" which became the model 27. The .44 magnum didn't come about till 1957. Improvements in the strength of steel have allowed the fitting of 8 rounds into an N frame and seven into a K/L frame, as the cylinder walls don't have to be as thick to contain the 35000+ psi generated.

[Simon G]

The "collection" first... from the top....not vey good pics....
A pair of Pietta .36 1851 Navy Sheriffs
A pair of Uberti Cattlemen with 4.75 and 7.5 inch barrels.
Rogers & Spencer Stainless, Target Sights.
(For good measure...) An Uberti Remington 1875... Crown Air Cartridge
An Uberti .36 1861 Navy, shoulder stock fitted!:cool:

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/4236/1333325yr0.jpg

A pic of the Navy, sans stock...

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/7833/1333323cg6.jpg

[RichardH]

An Uberti .36 1861 Navy, shoulder stock fitted!:cool:

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/4236/1333325yr0.jpg

A pic of the Navy, sans stock...

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/7833/1333323cg6.jpg


I have a 24" barrelled version of that:D

[lilguy43uk]

I feel rather poor, I've only got one. :D

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn228/lilguy43uk/P1010006.jpg

[Simon G]

I feel rather poor, I've only got one. :D


But the beauty of B/P revolvers is that there are so may deals to be head! Out of those above, the 7.5 Cattleman cost me 70 quid and the Uberti Navy was free as part of another deal!!

A lot of guys bought into B/P but can't get on with it. Granted, I'd much prefer cartridge, but as a poor second, it'll do!

I'm even on the look out for a couple of others........:D

[moonraker]

I say that's a rather nice collection

I've got two!
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e34/stutely/Pistols1.jpg

the 1860 Army only cost £60

[Simon G]

I say that's a rather nice collection

I've got two!

the 1860 Army only cost £60

Thankyou!

What a shame you can't keep them on the bookcase, they do make a rather striking display!:D

[Mousemann]

Simon, I thought the Cattleman was a cartridge gun? :confused: How do you get that, or are you not in the UK?

And another general question for anyone here - which .36 revolver is a good fit for bigger hands? I'm moving to an R&S for the .44 for that reason so need something of that ilk in the grips department.

[Simon G]

Simon, I thought the Cattleman was a cartridge gun? :confused: How do you get that, or are you not in the UK?

And another general question for anyone here - which .36 revolver is a good fit for bigger hands? I'm moving to an R&S for the .44 for that reason so need something of that ilk in the grips department.

The Cattlemn are B/P. Uberti made a run of SAA's which have B/P cylinders which are loaded off the gun, using a small press. Caps are fitted to the nipples via the loading gate. Armi San Marco also did a version, but it wasn't as nicely finished.

As for a "bigger" .36, have you looked at Pietta? They chambered some of the 1858 Remy copies in .36 and called them the New Model Navy, or something like that.... Uberti also do a .36 Remington.

[Jim McArthur]

Simon, I thought the Cattleman was a cartridge gun? :confused: How do you get that, or are you not in the UK?

And another general question for anyone here - which .36 revolver is a good fit for bigger hands? I'm moving to an R&S for the .44 for that reason so need something of that ilk in the grips department.

I second your first question, Mousemann. :confused:

As to your second one: which .36 or .44 are best for SMALLER hands?

Jim

[Simon G]

See above, Jim!:D

[Jim McArthur]

They're all beautiful, Simon!

Of the lot: there's something very distinctive about the Rogers. And you just can't beat the look of the long-barrelled Colt Navies. :)

Jim

[Simon G]

Thanks Jim!

Here's a couple of better pics I took of the Navy Sheriffs when playing with the camera.....

The cartridges in the loops of the belt are .32-20, for an original Marlin 1894, which was made in 1894!!:cool:

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/7694/1323236lt8.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/4827/1323238ui0.jpg

[Jim McArthur]

See above, Jim!:D

I can't keep up with you fellows! :D

Jim