By Dennis Adler
Lead downrange
Throughout this issue I have been fighting the weather (the article on the Iron Frame Henry was shot two weeks earlier in a snow storm, and this article in somewhat uncharacteristic 80 degree early spring weather), and you have to be pragmatic about these things. Back in the Old West weather rarely dictated the actions of gunslingers or lawmen, they worked with what nature put in front of them.
Since “The Sheriff” is chambered in .45 Colt and “The Posse” in .38 Special (.357 Magnum) I decided to keep things as close as possible by using 150 gr. Winchester .38 Special lead round nose and 165 gr. Ten-X hollow base flat point .45 Colt cartridges. I could have run 200 gr. or 250 gr. rounds through the gun but my intent was to keep the two revolvers running as close as possible and a spread of 15 grains in bullet weight was my best option.
The .38 Special clocked an average velocity of 750 fps from the 3-1/2 inch barrel, the .45 Long Colt, 523 fps. I set my target out at 10 paces (or 30 feet give or take) and fired five consecutive rounds at each target from each gun. Like most short sight radius revolvers, especially Single Actions, the blade front and the channel notch rear on the 3-1/2 inch barrel length Single Actions will get you on target, but there is always some “correcting” to do with your aim once you find the gun’s sweet spot.
The .45 shot low, no surprise there, and the correction was holding over by 3-1/2 inches. Windage was almost on center. Same for the .38 which was right at point of aim for windage and hitting 2 inches low. It was also the more accurate of the two. “The Sheriff” is actually the lighter weight of the two at 32.5 ounces vs. 38 ounces for “The Posse” with its heavier barrel and ejector. Recoil was also a bit more controllable.
My best five-shot group with “The Sheriff” measured an even 2.0 inches with four out of five rounds covering 1.375 inches and one round hitting low. “The Posse” put its best five rounds all inside the red X ring with two overlapping hits dead on in the bullseye at 2 o’clock, for a total spread of 1.43 inches. Both guns ran flawlessly, with the spent .45 Colt shells dropping freely out of “The Sheriff’s” cylinder, good thing, too with no ejector, and the .38 Special shells needing a little shove.
Back in the Old West, when push came to shove and pistols were drawn at close range, a man who was fast with a Sheriff’s Model probably had an edge. “The Sheriff” and “The Posse” rekindle that kind of Wild West bravado, and they do so quite handsomely.
For more information emf-company.com; 800-430-1310.
Specifications
E.M.F. Pietta “The Sheriff” and “The Posse”
Caliber: .45 Colt/.38 Special (.357 Magnum)
Barrel: 3-1/2 inches
OA Length: 9-1/4 inches
Weight: 32.5 ounces/38.0 ounces
Grip: Walnut
Sights: Fixed
Action: SA
Finish: Blued, casehardened
Capacity: 6MSRP: TO COME
Performance
E.M.F. Pietta “The Sheriff” and “The Posse”
Load Velocity Accuracy
Winchester .38 Special 150 gr. lead round nose 750 1.43
Ten-X .45 LC 165 gr. hollow base flat point 523 2.0
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in fps by chronograph and accuracy in inches for best f-shot groups at 10 yards.