I was following the progress on the Fed Ex tracking page and when I knew it was on the delivery truck, I looked outside every time I heard a truck drive by. Finally at 12:10PM I heard the truck I wanted to hear. I met the Fed Ex driver at the door and signed his scanner.
After that I sat down and worked like crazy to unwrap this thing. Steve had it wrapped well in bubble wrap and then in newspaper.
I examined it from muzzle to grips and was quite impressed with Steve’s work. I really had no idea it would look as good as it does. He was able to work 99% of the bow out of the top strap. What little bow is left isn’t visible, and unless you know it’s there you won’t see it. The fit of the rest of the parts isn’t too bad either. Considering the cylinder frame and barrel is over 33 years old and the remainder of the parts is a later vintage. Even the replacement front sight blends in to the point I wasn’t sure it was a new sight.
I noticed a roughness I couldn’t find, but I wanted to get to the range and shoot it as quickly as possible so I didn’t bother looking for it.
My wife got home about then and said; “What’s it look like?” So I showed it to her. I think she’s impressed. She even asked me if it was a .357. Ha Ha, I said look at those holes, do they look like a .357? I think she was hoping it was so she cold abscond with it.
As we were talking I got her to take a picture of me with it. Finally home in my hands. A project completed. Only took 33 years.
I got everything packed up and headed to the range. I took my two Ruger Blackhawks too. I got there around 2:30PM.
It didn’t take me long to realize I was so excited about getting the Cattleman back that I forgot to bring my ear muffs, safety glasses and diopter. What a dunce.
I borrowed a set of muffs from the range owner and bought a cheap set of glasses. I like them. They are totally clear, and almost weightless. It’s like wearing nothing.
Then I set up the first target and ran it out to 7 yards. I timidly loaded 5 rounds of R-P factory ammo into the Cattleman and fired off the first 5 shots. Then reloaded and fired another 5 rounds. I was utterly amazed at where the holes appeared in the target. The original front sight on the Cattleman revolvers was too short, so you ended up shooting way high. Steve told me the sight he put on for me was 1/8” taller. It seems that it is just about perfect. Here are the first 10 shots on target;
Here is IJ posing after his first 10 shots in over 30 years.
After that I shot several more groups, the next one another 10 shot group, was even better. I took a bit better aim.
I shot my Ruger .45 a bit, I had some odd ball .45 ACP stuff to shoot up, and then I went back to the Cattleman. I ran the target out to 50 feet and really tried to shoot a good group. Well, the front sight is a narrow tapered one, and the big hot pink bull looked like a fuzzy blob of cotton candy so I didn’t do quite as good as I thought I would. But you can see how the sights put the bullets just a hair under the point of aim.
Then I moved the target out to 25 yds and again tried to shoot a good group at the fuzzy pink blob. I didn’t do as bad as I thought I would, but it wasn’t great either.
You can see the elevation was right on. I just pulled them left. I do that sometimes.
I found a sillywet in my range bag and put it up. Ran it out to 7 yards and was getting ready to shoot it when another shooter came in. Since I was by myself, wifie was working, I asked him to take a picture or two of me shooting the Cattleman. He obliged and took this one;
Here’s the result of my fearful encounter with the dastardly red hearted blaggart sillywet;
Gotcha, HA! John Wayne eat your heart out.
While I was shooting the first box of factory ammo I slipped in a couple of my slightly warmer loads. My cast 268gr Keith SWC over 9.0grs of Unique. Not bad, not bad at all. I’ll have to give that load a real try out next range trip.
I fired off the rest of the box of factory ammo, and then started on a box of reloads. The reloads were loaded with Winchester brass colored primers. I had a half dozen misfires from that box. They would usually pop on the second try, but a couple of them just would not go off. I had to shoot them out of my Ruger.
While I was shooting the reloads I played around by shooting groups at different points on the target.
IF I did my part all the holes magically appeared close together. I was more and more impressed by the accuracy of this old revolver.
I fired a couple more groups from another box of older R-P factory ammo and a couple more misfires. Hmmmmmmm ??? I was getting a bit worried.
Well, I ran out of energy. I’d shot a bunch out of my Rugers as well as the Cattleman, so I was really ready to pack it up.
My range stall;
I had a great day. My Cattleman project has exceeded all expectations. Steve Young did a really good job getting this relic back up and running.
There are a couple things that will need to be addressed, but they are nits and nothing to get worried about.
The roughness I noticed when I first got it is the top of the main spring rubbing on the underside of the hammer. I cut 1/8" off the top of the spring and rounded it. That cured that problem. And Steve thinned the mainspring a bunch to lighten the action. It might have been too much as I insist on my guns being able to pop every brand of primer.
Now the old shooter is back snug in its box. All warm, comfy and happy to be back in the world of the living.
This project has been a long time getting finished. I’m as happy with it as I would have been with a new gun.
Thanks Steve.
Joe
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That is so cool!!! 
I am really happy for you Joe!!!
