Some years are tougher than others as far as the introduction of Old West-type firearms are concerned. This year was definitely an improvement over 2022, but still there wasn’t exactly a “bumper crop” of new cowboy guns and gear. One of the most interesting trends that I noted was three replica Single Action Army sixguns are now being chambered in 9mm Luger (9×19), plus there’s even a “Space Cowboy” looking lever-action carbine being chambered for the same cartridge.
New Cowboy Guns & Gear for Shooters
If you’ve been to your local gun shop, big-box sporting goods store or shopped online, you’ve noticed a lack of a lot of traditional “Cowboy” cartridges. Even if you handload, you have a tough time finding components; especially primers. What’s out there is scarce and expensive. However, 9mm ammo is plentiful and inexpensive. You can shoot up a bunch of it for practice and save your .38 Special or .45 Colt ammo for Cowboy Action Shooting matches. So, let’s jump in and take a look at what’s out there!
American Tactical Road Agent
Shotguns were the unsung “winners” of the Old West. Kept behind the cabin door or over the fireplace, they provided meat for the table and protection. The Turkish-made “Road Agent” is back and perfect for Cowboy Action Shooting beginners. It’s a box-lock action, with external hammers and a de-cocker safety, plus interchangeable choke tubes. The aluminum receiver is black anodized and photo-engraved. The stock is Turkish walnut and double triggers enable instant barrel selection. It takes 12 gauge shells, up to 3-inch Magnums. The overall length (OAL) is 34.5 inches; empty weight is 6.99 pounds, and it has an MSRP of $579.95. (americantactical.us)
Bond Arms Rawhide .22
Bond Arms handguns are the top choice for derringer CAS side matches. They come in calibers like .38/.357 and .45 Colt/.410. Recently Bond Arms chambered a derringer in .22 LR. This new Rawhide model is a perfect understudy and practice gun. Built from stainless steel, on the “Cowboy” frame, there’s a spur trigger, and a “Rough and Tumble” finish. Features include a rebounding hammer, cross-bolt safety, spring-loaded cammed locking lever, and retracting firing pins. It’s a SA two-shooter, has a 2.5-inch barrel, 4.5-inch OAL and an empty weight of 21 ounces. MSRP is $269. (bondarms.com)
Cimarron Dueling Lightning
The Cimarron Lightning was invented by CEO Mike Harvey, to resemble the Colt Model 1877 Lightning, but with SA simplicity. This version’s dual-cylinders allow the use of .32 WCF (.32-20) or .32 H&R Magnum cartridges. It has the classic blued barrel and cylinder, with a color case-hardened frame and hammer. The unique grip frame has a prawl up near the hammer, allowing good control during fast shooting. Stocks are smooth one-piece walnut. It’s offered with 3.5-, 4.75- or 5.5-inch barrels. The OAL with the 5.5-inch barrel is 14.8 inches and empty weight 2.87 pounds. MSRP is $742.26. (cimarron-firearms.com)
CZ Hammer Coach Gun
Short barrel scatterguns were favorites of Old West stage coach guards. The CZ Hammer Coach Gun is an exacting replica. It has functional external hammers, double triggers, handsome 19th Century style color case-hardening on the receiver, and short 20-inch barrels. Both barrels are cylinder bore choked and chambered for 3-inch 12 gauge shells. Other features include a checkered pistol grip walnut buttstock and splinter forend, shell extractor, manual tang safety and gloss black chrome finish. The OAL is 37.38 inches; empty weight is 6.7 pounds, and the MSRP is $1,049. (cz-usa.com)
EMF Liberty SAA
With the supply chain problems we are experiencing, it makes since to chamber handguns for readily obtainable cartridges. For 2023, EMF has chambered their Liberty SAA in 9mm Luger. This Liberty version has a 3.5-inch barrel and is blue finished all over with attractive photo-engraving on most surfaces. It also has Ultra Ivory grips decorated with a Liberty Eagle design. This is a real “Barbeque Gun” any cowboy would like. It has an OAL of 9.75 inches, an empty weight of 2.11 pounds, and an MSRP of $734. (emf-company.com)
Heritage Manufacturing Rough Rider “Bass Reeves”
Heritage was making the Rough Rider .22RF SA revolvers long before Taurus acquired the company in 2012. For 2023, it releases a version honoring Old West Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a noted black lawman in the Oklahoma Territory in the late 1800’s. This sixgun comes with a 4.75- or 6.5-inch blue barrel, a simulated color case-hardened zinc frame and wood grips with a laser-cut portrait of Bass Reeves. An unusual feature is its hammer-block safety. OAL is 10.1 inches (4.75), and empty weight is 30.1 ounces, with an MSRP of $213.83. (davidsonsinc.com)
Marlin Model 336
The Marlin Model 336 is a direct descendant of the Marlin Model 1893, but with some improvements. It’s returning to the lineup in “early 2023.” Marlin Firearms, now under Ruger, had a new Model 336 rifle at the 2023 SHOT Show. Some of the features are the traditional gold-plated trigger, checkered pistol grip walnut buttstock, and a crossbolt safety. It takes .30-30 Winchester, has a 6+1 capacity; plus, it has a 20.25-inch satin-blued barrel. OAL is 38.6,” empty weight of 7.5 pounds, and it brings an MSRP of $1,239. (marlinfirearms.com)
Marlin Model 1894
One of the most popular rifles for CAS main match shooting is soon to be back! The Marlin Model 1894 is chambered in .357 Magnum, with an 18.75-inch barrel and 11-round capacity or in .44 Magnum, with a 20.25-inch barrel and 10-shot capacity. Unloaded weight is 7.25 pounds, and OAL is either 37 or 38.5 inches. Both versions are made of alloy steel with a polished blue finish and checkered, straight-wrist, American black walnut stocks. The front sight is a hooded bead; the rear sight is an adj. semi-buckhorn type. MSRP has not been determined. (marlinfirearms.com)
POF-USA Tombstone PLA-9 Lever Action Carbine
This is definitely in the “Space Cowboy” category. I’m including it because now you can have a lever-action carbine that chambers economical and available 9mm ammo for inexpensive practice. It operates like other lever-guns, but has a 20-round detachable box magazine. The aluminum receiver has side ejection, a large-loop lever, external hammer, plus a cross-bolt safety. The fluted and ported 16.5-inch barrel featires a 10.5 M-Lok modular receiver rail. The buttstock is a MagPul SGA and it has a matte-black finish. OAL is 36 inches, empty weight 5.75 pounds and MSRP is $1,962. (pof-usa.com)
Ruger Wrangler 3.75” SB
For 2023, the Wrangler is now offered in several new configurations. Unlike the 3.75-inch barrel birdshead grip version, this Wrangler has a square-butt grip frame, for those who prefer the “plow-handle” shape and feel. These budget sixguns shoot readily available .22 LR ammunition, are single action, with a transfer bar mechanism, loading gate interlock and grip panels are checkered synthetic. The Cerakote finish comes in black, silver and burnt bronze; the cylinders are all black. OAL is 9.3 inches, empty weight 26.1 ounces and the MSRP is $269. (ruger.com)
Ruger Wrangler 6.50”
Introduced in 2019, the Ruger Wrangler originally had a 4.625-inch barrel and the “plow-handle” grip. Next the 3.75-inch barrel birdshead grip model was offered, and now for 2023, we have some longer-barrel versions. This Wrangler has a 6.5-inch cold hammer-forged barrel for precise accuracy. Like the rest it has a fixed rear sight and blade front sight. It can be safely carried with six rounds in the cylinder and the Cerakote finish provides ruggedness in all environments. OAL is 12 inches, empty weight 32.1 ounces and the MSRP is $269. (ruger.com)
Ruger Wrangler 7.50”
Like the original Model 1873 Colt SAA, this new Wrangler variation has a 7.5-inch barrel, offering improved ballistic performance for the .22 LR round. Weight is held down by the aluminum alloy frame, that unloaded, gives the gun a weight of 34.1 ounces. It too offers 3 Cerakote finishes and the grip frame is modeled after that on the Single Six. OAL is 13 inches and the empty weight is 34.1 ounces. The Wrangler series are great starter guns for Buckeroos and Buckerettes with an MSRP of $269. (ruger.com)
Standard Manufacturing Single Action
One of the finest single-action revolvers produced today, this .45 Colt sixgun in polished nickel-plated version is especially handsome; with contrasting fire-blue screws and ejector rod head. The gun utilizes 4140 stainless-steel; the carefully machined parts stoned and fitted by skilled gunsmiths. A traditional SA, the chamber under the hammer carries empty for safety. It comes in the traditional 4.75- 5.5- and 7.5-inch barrel lengths, along with a choice of one or two-piece walnut grips; regular or fancy-grade. OAL is 10.25 inches (4.75), empty weight is 40 ounces, and the MSRP is $1,995. (stdgun.com)
Taylor’s & Company TC9
The TC9 is chambered in 9mm Luger, taking advantage of readily available ammunition in that caliber. It comes in two styles. One utilizes the Colt 1860 Army grip frame with one-piece checkered walnut stocks and polished blue finish. The second style sports the standard-size SAA grip frame; black plastic make up the two-pieces checkered stocks. The color case-hardened frame mates with a polished blue barrel and cylinder, with a 4.75- or 5.5-inch barrel. The OAL measures 10.25 inches (4.75), while the gun weighs 2.3 pounds. The TC9 retails for $546.39. (taylorsfirearms.com)
Uberti Model 1873 150th Anniversary Rifle
To celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Winchester Model 1873 lever-action rifle, Uberti-USA has produced a replica of that famous lever-gun; this version has a 20-inch blued, octagonal barrel, a steel color-casehardened receiver, engraved in a style popular in the 19th Century, with scroll designs and game scenes. The stock features figured A-Grade walnut, satin finished, with a blue steel, crescent butt-plate. It’s chambered in .38/.357 Magnum or .45 Colt, both top-choice CAS calibers. OAL is 36 inches, empty wight 8.2 pounds and MSRP is $1,799. (uberti-usa.com)
Uberti Cattleman 9mm SA Revolver
A third SAA replica in cheap and plentiful 9mm Luger, comes from Uberti in their Cattleman lineup. It features a 5.5-inch barrel, featuring blue, along with the cylinder. The frame utilizes color case-hardening, while the frame/trigger guard unit sports brass. This six-shooter also offers a .357 Magnum accessory cylinder. It utilizes one-piece, satin-finished walnut stocks. It wears fixed sights, and the overall length measures 11 inches; it weighs 2.3 pounds. The revolver retails for $649, or $779 with the accessory cylinder. (uberti-usa.com)
Winchester 73 150th Anniversary Model
The “Gun that Won the West,” the Winchester 1873 debuted 150 years ago with an improved iron receiver replacing the brass receiver of the Model 66. It also ushered in a new, more powerful centerfire cartridge, the .44 WCF (.44-40). Winchester now offers a commemorative model with a blue steel receiver and 24-inch octagonal barrel. The rifle comes elaborately engraved, with gold-filled 50th Anniversary embellishments. It features a satin-finished, V/VI Grade, checkered, walnut butt stock and rifle-style forend. The rifle capacity numbers 13 rounds, while the overall length measures 43 inches; it weights 8 pounds. The rifle costs $3,659.99. (winchesterguns.com)
