hawg
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Colt didn't make it and had nothing to do with making it except sell them the license. Just sayin.
Colt Dragoon. Should I?
- Thread starter Leadshark
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Colt didn't make it and had nothing to do with making it except sell them the license. Just sayin.
dickydalton
Member
Well, I have a C-Series Colt 3rd Dragoon that Colt will letter and Mike has tuned it. It was put together in Colt's factory and it is a Colt!
hawg
Member
I misread his post. If it's a 2nd gen it will letter. I read it as a 3rd gen instead of 3rd model.
dickydalton
Member
I hit the steel targets with it at 75 yards all the time too. Mike did wonders. He gets my 1860 done and I'll send my 1861 next, I think.
I talked to Colt Blackpowder in 1999, this was their mailing address.
Colt Black Powder Arms Company (CBAC)
110 8th Street
Brooklyn New York 11215
Per discussions with J.D. Cabrera, forgings were done in Italy. Barrels came rifled and cylinder is rough finished. The cylinders final finish and reamed in US.
I am going to claim that Colt made full use of US Content laws, and an obvious location only due to subsidies for having a factory in an "economically depressed" area. The majority of American labor was in the polishing, finish, and assembly. Somehow, even though the "value added" parts were made in Italy, the content of touch labor was such Colt was able to stamp their pistols as US Made. One should never assume that US made means anything. Lots of items have been made by Chinese laborers in Guam, and other American territories, in the border with Mexico, and able to bring products into mainland US as "made in America".
Regardless, Colt Blackpower firearms sell for a premium because people will pay for the Pony.
45 Dragoon
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Nope, your main problem with the Colt is that it was manufactured wrong. It has a short arbor which means you have a barrel that isn't in the same place all the time.
Second, you're correct about it's original sight picture. It was designed for fighting a war 100 yds away, not 25 yds away.
Third, the Remington was never offered with a tall, dovetailed front sight to zero in windage and elevation. That's a modern Uberti/Pietta "enhancement" not an "evolutionary advancement".
Comparing modern examples that have modern enhancements to others that were manufactured incorrectly 40 - 50 yrs ago is slightly disingenuous.
Mike
I have not tried to diagnose the arbor situation, and so what you say could be true. I have never seen anything shipped with a blackpowder pistol mentioning how to determine the arbor is of incorrect size, and how to adjust for it. Have you an inspection procedure to determine the proper fit of an arbor, and then, how to correct an improper fit?
I cannot afford an original Remington, but if the modern Remingtons all come with tall and drift adjustable front sights, that is the only way to go. I have looked at many replica blackpowder revolvers, pointed the barrel at my head and looked to see whether the front sight is perpendicular to the bore. I cannot remember one where the front sight is perfectly perpendicular. I am going to say, even with my Uberti, the front sight is canted. I have one Pietta M1858 where the front sight is at 1 OC and the front sight cannot be drifted as it is seized in the dovetail. It is apparent to me, that the average user does not care if the pistol shoots to point of aim or not.
My Colt blackpowder musket, the rear sight is at 2 OC. Paying more did not get a musket that would shoot to point of aim.
Jackrabbit1957
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Just about every black powder revolver I've owned shot level sights at 100 yards. You can open up the the notch in hammer nose on the open tops to compensate for elevation. Then it's a matter of practice, practice, practice and get used to the pistol and what it's capable of.
hawg
Member
The same is true of the second gens. What makes the second gens real Colts is Colt did the final fit and finish and will letter them. 3rd Gens were "made" in the old Iver Johnson factory by Colt Black Powder Arms Co owned by Lou Imperato which had no affiliation with Colt other than to purchase the license from Colt. Colt will not letter them. Being "made" in the USA has nothing to do with it.
entropy
Member
Slamfire, if you want the most accurate (though least historically correct) BP revolver, the Ruger Old Army will put a well tuned 1858 to shame. Of course, the adjustable rear sight helps.
AlexanderA
Member
Farbs! Yellow bandanas were worn only in the movies. And in the Civil War, the wide pants stripes were for sergeants. Officers had thin piping on their pants.
But those suspenders are not supporting the belts, only their pants. The belts are being worn way too low. The proper cavalry equipment has a diagonal shoulder strap (leather) attached to the belt on the saber side.
ShotgunDave
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Ugly Sauce
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I just thunk of something. Back in the day I carried a Super BlackHawk with 7.5" barrel everywhere I went, as far as hiking/shooting/camping/hunting and back packing. That was a fair load for a early twenty-something kid, so I ran a shoulder strap from the holster, over my shoulder, and back again. That takes a lot of weight off the belt. With a wide pistol belt and that shoulder strap I packed that pistol many a mile and for days at a time. And my pants never fell down.
You want the shoulder strap to be adjustable so that you can get just the right balance between the weight on the belt and weight on the shoulder. I'm guessing 75% on the belt, 25% on the shoulder strap. ? Something like that. I had the strap attached to the holster, but you could/can run it from/on the belt. My strap was pretty skinny, in hind-sight it should have been nice and wide and padded. But I was a tough lad and never thought it was uncomfortable.
Just a thought, I think that would carry a Dragoon comfortably.
You want the shoulder strap to be adjustable so that you can get just the right balance between the weight on the belt and weight on the shoulder. I'm guessing 75% on the belt, 25% on the shoulder strap. ? Something like that. I had the strap attached to the holster, but you could/can run it from/on the belt. My strap was pretty skinny, in hind-sight it should have been nice and wide and padded. But I was a tough lad and never thought it was uncomfortable.
Just a thought, I think that would carry a Dragoon comfortably.
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I used to see those Old Army Ruger's at the gunstore, and positively freaked at the price! OUCH!
I am a total failure when it comes to recognizing value. Old Army's cost even more!!!
Can an Old Army be found under $800? That is one that was not used as a ball peen hammer?
https://www.gunbroker.com/Ruger-Old-Army/search?Keywords=Ruger Old Army
hawg
Member
In todays market not likely.
Navy Six 2
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I have a pair of 2nd model Ubertis that I occasionally use at Cowboy shoots. They are manageable to wear but you notice the difference in weight. However, they still feel like a Colt when shooting them--you know, that old familiar Colt feeling. I can't say the same for my Walkers. Where I most enjoy the Dragoons is the shooting experience--that bit of extra weight soaks up recoil nicely. Both of mine are most accurate with 42 grs of FF and a .454 round ball.
Missed that boat. Got to the dock when the ship had already crossed the ocean. Story of my life...
Welp, the ROA most certainly is historically accurate. It isn't a copy, replica, reproduction or facsimile of another firearm nor was it meant to be. It's an original design of it's own. Kind of like the Remington 1858 is not a copy of a Colt or vice-versa. I don't think Ruger or anyone inferred that the ROA was designed to replicate an original Colt or Remington blackpower revolver. It's historically accurate to it's production years of 1972 through 2008 and not an attempted copy of a "historical design" from the 19th century. In fact, it's a modified Blackhawk which itself, in part, is more closely aligned to a Colt SAA as a basis.
If one found a ROA for under $800 it would probably be a blued one. For a SS ROA less than $800 you'd most likely stumble across it through a local sale by getting lucky....either someone you came across directly that wanted to sell it or perhaps a local pawn shop or gun shop that didn't deal in the world of blackpower. Personally, I think you should get at least one of each of everything.
Colts, Rugers, Pietta, Uberti, etc. etc.
If one found a ROA for under $800 it would probably be a blued one. For a SS ROA less than $800 you'd most likely stumble across it through a local sale by getting lucky....either someone you came across directly that wanted to sell it or perhaps a local pawn shop or gun shop that didn't deal in the world of blackpower. Personally, I think you should get at least one of each of everything.
Colts, Rugers, Pietta, Uberti, etc. etc.
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hawg
Member
Welp, the ROA most certainly is historically accurate. It isn't a copy, replica, reproduction or facsimile of another firearm nor was it meant to be. It's an original design of it's own. Kind of like the Remington 1858 is not a copy of a Colt or vice-versa. I don't think Ruger or anyone inferred that the ROA was designed to replicate an original Colt or Remington blackpower revolver. It's historically accurate to it's production years of 1972 through 2008 and not an attempted copy of a "historical design" from the 19th century. In fact, it's a modified Blackhawk which itself, in part, is more closely aligned to a Colt SAA as a basis.
If one found a ROA for under $800 it would probably be a blued one. For a SS ROA less than $800 you'd most likely stumble across it through a local sale by getting lucky....either someone you came across directly that wanted to sell it or perhaps a local pawn shop or gun shop that didn't deal in the world of blackpower. Personally, I think you should get at least one of each of everything.
The thing is I shoot black powder for the historical aspect. I want my C&B revolvers to be based on something that actually existed during the Civil War. The ROA has no appeal to me whatsoever. I don't speak for everybody and I don't pretend to.
John Joseph
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Sounds like the Hickock-Tutt shot!
That Uberti hasn't fixed the arbor problem sucks. But oh well. What can you do if they have it on all models. There are fixes for it (even those that work for the not-as-mechanically inclined).
I like the Uberti Dragoon because of it's size and look. It looks better to me than a Walker and is way cheaper (and probably functions better) than a Pietta Lemat.
So far I have gotten a lot of cool information from you guys. Thank you.
I like the Uberti Dragoon because of it's size and look. It looks better to me than a Walker and is way cheaper (and probably functions better) than a Pietta Lemat.
So far I have gotten a lot of cool information from you guys. Thank you.
hawg
Member
They don't see it as a problem. To them it's an adjustable cylinder gap.
Captain*kirk
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Scary thought, that.
BLACKHAWKNJ
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I like the heft and the balance of the Dragoon, recommend some "revolver" PT to get the feel of it. I have found a full power load out of one is like firing 44 Specials out of a 44 Magnum revolver.
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