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Old 13th August 2019, 05:10 PM   #21
Jim McDougall
Arms Historian
 
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,699
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Hey Hombre!!! I'm glad you're back! I was afraid the discussion here had run its course, but my fascination with the west surges ahead. We are out of Albuquerque now in Arizona with an appropriately named park , "Dead Horse Ranch" just north of Prescott. We have been here many times and we enjoy going to an old mining town we can see from here on the side of a mountain (actually these are rugged foot hills).
Going through wester history of the late 19th c. you will see many of the key figures mentioned being in Prescott at one time or another.

Of course you are welcome to use pics of my carbine, and I am pleased to share it as I have here. The dealer I got it from is well known and quite up front in his dealings and pointed out the numerous elements which this one had. As may be expected in a gun with a very long working life, numerous alterations have been made such as the cut down magazine. The dark patination is congruent overall so many of these have been done many years ago.

The butt as I understand has a rifle plate rather than the one originally on it, possibly having to do with damage to the stock. The action is well working.
I am suspecting that while this is a 3rd model, the dovetail sight suggests earlier, before the addition of the ladder sight.

Being chambered in .44-.40 is a plus also, as this 'universal' caliber was preferred on the range so interchangeable with the Colt .44-.40, again as I understand. This is quite a learning curve for me, so exciting and fascinating, and I appreciate your notes and recommendations.
The book you recommended is outstanding !!

Last night watched the movie "You know my Name' with Sam Elliott as Bill Tilghman. It was brilliant, and truly showed just how the 'wild west' transcended into the 20th century, here taking place in Oklahoma in the 1920s. It seemed strange with model T's and horses in the same context, but its true to form.

In Texas where we are most of the time, it is still very much the west as it was in the towns (the cities of course are mainstream). I have often mentioned the Texas Rangers (see the movie "Hell or High Water" Jeff Bridges. They are still on patrol (about 171 in the state) and while with modern equipment (radios, computers etc.) they still are on horseback in much of the area with cattle herding and activity on the ranges.

With the slow and subtle transition from the wild west into the next century (and still of course), it is easy to see this carbine, just as many others, saw such a long working life, in its case in New Mexico, just one state away.

Thank you for showing your carbine here, BEAUTIFUL example!!! These are fantastic rifles overall throughout the spectrum, and truly deserving of their name (along with the Peacemaker), 'the guns that won the west'.
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