BIG IRON

When Marty Robbins sang "Big Iron" he could have been singing about this S&W Model 629-6 Classic .44 Magnum. I acquired this gun a few years ago (which is a story in itself) before all the craziness started with ammo supplies, so it sat quietly in the safe.

But somewhere along the line I picked up a good sized box of .44 Special reloads, so this week I decided things got straightened out enough that I figured I could take this one out and play with it a bit.

It was at the end of a long practice session and I didn't use full bore Magnum loads, so the gun was probably a little over-engineeered with .44 Special loads. This target was my last target of the day, and I was really pleased with the results once I got the sights dialed in. This target had two strings of 5 rounds fired at it, and I think I'll be taking this gun out more in the future.

Big Iron

“Big Iron” is my favorite western ballad. What a great song. Willyboy

Give it a try at ranges it was designed for: 25 to 50 yards.

They really shine at distance.

"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day....."

Rpg said:

Give it a try at ranges it was designed for: 25 to 50 yards.

They really shine at distance.

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That's good to hear.

I'll probably take it out to 15 yards next. The indoor range I'm using only goes out to 25 yards.

Eric300 said:

"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day....."

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o/"There was 40 feet between them
When they stopped to make their play
And the swiftness of the Ranger
Is still talked about today
Texas Red had not cleared leather
'fore a bullet fairly ripped
And the Ranger's aim was deadly
With the Big Iron on his hip
Big Iron on his hiiiiiiip. o/"

I have some "Big Iron". 3 0f the 44-mag variety, and 8 of the 45 Colt style! and 9 more in 45 ACP! (But only 1 9mm!)

I believe it was Bill Jorden that said, "If it don't start with a 4, it ain't really a gun."

Ivan

That doesn't seem likely, since his standard gun was a Combat Magnum. 357.

My non-gun owning twin brother asked me a question just the other day about whether they used the term "duels" in the Old West similar to the 17th and 18th century Code Duello. I had to explain to him that face-to-face duels were not the norm in the post-Civil War period through around 1910, which covers the so-called "Old West". Mostly, they were just "gun fights", no rules, and no standing at 40 paces, quick drawing, etc.

Marty Robbins' "Big Iron" epitomizes the Hollywood Old West dueling tradition that never existed. And after "El Paso" it is my next favorite Western ballad.

Also, of course, the "big iron" would have been a Colt SAA in .44-40 caliber, with a 4.5" or 5" barrel.

Here are some targets from my "Big Iron" - 629-6 Classic. Mine a DX (supposedly selected for accuracy).
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At 25 yds with random hand loads. Initial shooting to get an idea of what might be possible. Groups labeled DX - those labeled PC are a different gun.
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At 50 yards - different day testing one load several different guns. Three shots with classic DX
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The above were shot rested with a 4x Luepold.

These guns will definitely shoot.

Paul

My 86 year old friend Jim Martin has been involved in fast draw since the late 50s. He still rebuilds actions of Colt SAAs and was a premier SAA gripmaker. He was best friends with early fast draw movie coach Rodd Redwing and also holster maker Alfonso Pineda. And he knew holster makers Arvo Ojala and Andy Anderson well. He made the grips for James Drury’s long butt Colt in the Virginian. Anderson’s long barreled .44 Special Colt SAA fast draw gun had a long butt, too. Jim told me Marty Robbins, a big fan of Anderson holsters, saw Anderson’s “big iron” at his shop and wrote that song about it. I have a picture of Anderson’s gun in a book on fast draw.

Interestingly, there is an article called "Dueling Across Time and Distance" in the Winter 2023 edition of a magazine called "Guns of the Old West". The author uses the term dueling in his comparison of "cowboy gunslingers" to "samurai warriors". In a general sense it's a fair comparison but in a specific sense it fails because 19th century gunfights were almost never "duels". They were spontaneous, they were wild (the author kind of acknowledges that but insists on the term "duel" which is simply incorrect), and were very, very rarely squared off, face to face, at 40 paces. As noted earlier.

That said, cowboy fast draw competition in America began in California due to the popularity of Western movies which routinely featured face to face "duels" in the sun. Older folks will remember the singer Mel Torme, who had a huge gun collection and probably participated in these games. Other participants were equally popular entertainers and I believe it was Mel Torme who, in the 1950s, described one or both of comedian actor Jerry Lewis and singer actor Sammy Davis as "kind of sudden" when it came to fast draw competition.

That game still exists, it is quite different from cowboy action shooting. It has specific rules, specific permitted guns and leather (no metal lined Arvo Ojala holsters or fancy buscadero rigs), uses wax bullets, usually in .45 caliber, as opposed to real lead in CAS with variable calibers, and the Cowboy Fast Draw National Championship was last held in Deadwood, CO at its "Wild Bill Days".

Page not found | Deadwood

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"Page not found" will lead you to Deadwood's home page.

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I know, not the original point of the thread and the guns are not S&W double action .44s but the OP and others got me started on a favorite subject. I blame the "Big Iron" title!

ISCS Yoda said:

I know, not the original point of the thread and the guns are not S&W double action .44s but the OP and others got me started on a favorite subject. I blame the "Big Iron" title!

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Guilty as charged. I just didn't think "Big Stainless" had the same panache as "Big Iron."

Yep, I love me some Big Iron!

Rpg said:

Give it a try at ranges it was designed for: 25 to 50 yards.

They really shine at distance.

Click to expand...

Only 50 yards?

Imagine the satisfaction of smacking some "Big Steel" at 200m and watching the Ram slowly topple. Then doing it again!

It doesn't take hot loads to schwack steel critters any more. A 240gr bullet at 1000fps muzzle velocity will do the job. Although the wait for the "Spang....Crash!" can be a nail biter!

http://www.lasc.us/Spotti-Ram-Group-2.jpg


Stolen from the LA Silhouette Club website:
Load & Firearm Tests, Reviews, Industry News , The Ranging Shot Column Fom The IHMSA News - Todd Spotti

ISCS Yoda said:

My non-gun owning twin brother asked me a question just the other day about whether they used the term "duels" in the Old West similar to the 17th and 18th century Code Duello. I had to explain to him that face-to-face duels were not the norm in the post-Civil War period through around 1910, which covers the so-called "Old West". Mostly, they were just "gun fights", no rules, and no standing at 40 paces, quick drawing, etc.

Marty Robbins' "Big Iron" epitomizes the Hollywood Old West dueling tradition that never existed. And after "El Paso" it is my next favorite Western ballad.

Also, of course, the "big iron" would have been a Colt SAA in .44-40 caliber, with a 4.5" or 5" barrel.

Click to expand...

Ahhhhh.... It would be a .45 Colt loaded with either 45 Government (Colt case at Schofield length) or 45 Colt with Peters 35 grain black powder loads.

Arizona Rangers took no lip and feared no man...

I saw the title "Big Iron" and thought this was going to be about Max Prasac and his hunting show by the same name although he never uses S&W's.

Wyatt Burp said:

My 86 year old friend Jim Martin has been involved in fast draw since the late 50s. He still rebuilds actions of Colt SAAs and was a premier SAA gripmaker. He was best friends with early fast draw movie coach Rodd Redwing and also holster maker Alfonso Pineda. And he knew holster makers Arvo Ojala and Andy Anderson well. He made the grips for James Drury’s long butt Colt in the Virginian. Anderson’s long barreled .44 Special Colt SAA fast draw gun had a long butt, too. Jim told me Marty Robbins, a big fan of Anderson holsters, saw Anderson’s “big iron” at his shop and wrote that song about it. I have a picture of Anderson’s gun in a book on fast draw.

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Yep. Jim Martin and Tom Corso told me this too, back in the late 80s. A 7.5" Colt SAA with an extra long special grip. Beautiful custom gun that reportedly inspired Marty Robbins.

Rpg said:

Give it a try at ranges it was designed for: 25 to 50 yards.

They really shine at distance.

Click to expand...

I decided to work toward what you suggested. This is 2 5-shot groups at 15 yards with two hands using .44 Special handloads of unknown parentage except a 5 grain powder charge. I'll have to figure out holding down because the rear sight is cranked down all the way.

And I thought Big Iron was the inspiration for X Frame Smiths.
Live and learn.