The Cimarron Plinkerton

When I first heard about the Cimarron Plinkerton about this time last year, it was one of the first handguns in a while that made me say "Hmmmmmmmmm!"

I had the opportunity to handle one today, and unfortunately, I was not impressed. It was a new gun, priced at $159. The finish was black paint, but that was OK. I would just remove it, and let the gun go au naturale. However, the chambers and the barrel were sleeved. I suppose the rest of the gun may have been manufactured from melted down doorknobs and lug nuts toenail clippers. The grips did not fit well, and then there was a free floating firing pin held in place by a roll pin through the frame. On the left of the single action revolver's recoil shield was an integrated hammer block safety that required a key to operate. It totally destroyed the looks of the gun.

I did not shoot the gun, but I figure for $159, it whips the Heritage Arms Rough Rider's tail handily. It's a shame Cimarron dropped their standards to meet a price point though. I, for one, would have paid considerably more for a 22 caliber Single Action Army revolver made to Cimarron's usual standard. As it is, I'm happy with my Ruger MKII and my Model 17.

Number One

Up for bids at Greg Martin Auctions is a uniquely unique Colt single action Army revolver. In a long line of firearms, the SAA revolver established Colt as the premier firearms manufacturer in the United States. This bare metal beauty was the first. Serial number one. One. Uno. Ichiban. Nyng.

Serial no. 1. 6-shot fluted cylinder, 7 1/2-inch barrel with slanted barrel address, "+ Colt's Pt. FAA. Mfg. Co., Hartford, Ct. U.S.A. +" on top of barrel. Left side of frame with two-line patent marking, "-Pat. July. 25.1871-/-Pat. July. 2. 1872.-" Serial no. 1 stamped on bottom of frame, on triggerguard strap, buttstrap, bottom of breech of barrel, and in ink on grips inside cutout for backstrap. K inspector initial on back of cylinder. 8 on inside curve of loading gate. Pinched top strap forming rear sight, German silver front sight blade. Round ejector rod head, with bulbous contour to loading gate. Blued finish, with case-hardened frame and hammer. Varnished walnut grips.

Condition: Fine. 30% blue, 25% case-hardening. Brown and gray patina with wear. Minor surface pitting. Traces varnish on one-piece walnut grips. Custom-made display case of brown leather, contour-lined in gold velvet, the lid gold-tooled and with gold leaf inscription noting "The First Production Model of 'The Gun That Won the West' and The Most Famous Handgun in the World." Case by Arno Werner Bookbinders, c. 1987.

Yeah yeah yeah. What caliber is it, and if it's 45 Long Colt, can I fit a .45 ACP cylinder?

Estimate: $500000 - $1000000

Hats off to JR.

Incongruence

I spotted these single action cowboy revolvers from USFA over at Michael Bane's place, and I almost felt my retinas flicker. There is something wrong, very wrong about even a reproduction SAA revolver in baked on Coyote Tan, Sage Green, Forest Green, Federal Brown or Sniper Grey. Black Graphite is somehow tolerable, but not this.......

I went to the USFA website to confirm, and alas, they had no pictures up yet. Now their weathered finish "Gunslinger" is sweet, and their new twelve shot single action 22 caliber hog leg is inspired, but spraying an oven baked modern finish on these revolvers is as incongruent as catsup on ice cream.

All this tacticality, and they don't even come with Trijicon sights! I guess that's next.

Cimarron Plinkerton

Hmmmmmmm........ This looks interesting. The Cimarron Plinkerton in .22LR. Cimarron has an excellent reputation for quality single action Army type revolvers. I own three of Cimarron revolvers, and they are all excellent handguns. I'm not really a cowboy gun fan, but at $154.70 MSRP, it's grabbed my attention.

I might have to darken the door of a gun store and take a look see. I wonder if it's pot metal junk.....

My Best Deal

I'm occasionally asked "Xav, what's the best gun deal you ever found?" My response is simple...The best gun deal I ever found are the ones I've walked away from. Seriously. I've never lost money by walking away from a deal. Of course, that isn't the answer most are looking for.

One morning, on the way to a camp, I decided to stop by a store that billed itself as the largest sporting goods outfit in the South. They were big, the place was impressive. There was more hunting clothing and gear in that place than most people see in a lifetime in the woods. I found the gun section and asked where the used guns were. I was sneered at. I began scanning the handgun cases, taking in all the Kimbers and Glocks when I spotted some blue and walnut at a far case. I ambled on down.

It turned out to be a case of Uberti and Pieta blackpowder revolvers. I have always drawn a line at blackpowder. A young man, who I was later to learn was the owner's son, was unpacking a shipment of very nice single action revolvers and placing them under the glass. I asked to see one, an odd looking revolver with a birdshead grip. It came with two cylinders, a .45LC and a .45ACP cylinder. That was interesting........

I looked at the tag and saw that the young man had tagged the Cimarron revolver at $125, the same as the lowest priced blackpowder gun. I couldn't help myself. I had to ask him if he might have made a mistake. He informed me that he was the owner's son, that he knew his merchandise, that he did not make mistakes, and that if I did not like the price of this revolver, I did not have to buy it. He jerked it from my hands, and stuck it back in the case.

I was dumbfounded. I had just been treated like a moron by a snot nosed teat sucking know-it-all kid. I almost walked out of the store never to return. I fumed a bit as the kid went to answer the telephone. I decided I did not have to take this crap.

When the kid hung up the telephone, I waved him over, and told him the price on his revolver suited me fine, and I would like to buy it. In fact, I told the young man, I'd like to see that other revolver in the case as well. He removed another Cimarron Thunderer, this one in .357 Magnum from the case. It, too, was tagged at $125. I told him to ring it up as well. He asked me if I needed any ammo. I said no, but how about showing me that Colt 1911 in the next case? He told me I would be much happier with a Kimber, but I responded that I didn't think I could afford such an exotic gun, and a Colt would have to do.....

He looked disappointed as he handed me a blued Series 80 Colt NRM 1911. Sadly, it was priced correctly at $609 (the usual price back then). I let out a sigh, and said I guess I would just be buying the two revolvers. I pulled $270 out of my wallet and paid for both new Cimarron Thunderers and the tax as well. I went straight from the gun counter to the door, to my vehicle, to the parish line. To this day, when I return to that store to peruse the gun counter, I always smile at that young man, but he has never volunteered to show me another gun. I wonder why......