Last Rites for USFA

Yep, sad day when a good company goes out of business! Chris S

There are just too many high quality small companies being subdued by the times. Not just in the gun business either. Seems like if it might take a bit of time to get something done perfect, most will take the quick and easy route instead.
You never get the personal advice and attention from the biggies though. Take Ron Power at Power Custom. I needed a base pin for my Beretta Stampede but the Ruger one are all too long. I took measurements and called Ron. We had a short discussion about modifications, and he got my pin in the mail that afternoon. Try that with Ruger or Colt or any number of others.

Mike

May be behind and busy but definetly still there.

Doesn't answer email or the phone.
Mike

He still posts on the single action site. Somewhere in the posts they told how to get ahold of his place...Chris S
http://singleactions.proboards.com/index.cgi

Went there and did a search for Belt Mountain. No joy.
Mike

I went on the site. It is in the gunsmith section. I put the exact tag below see if that works. Chris S
http://singleactions.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=gunsmithing&action=display&thread=10087

Chris;
Not to be a quibbler, but those communiques are a month and a half old. If he is still going, he needs to answer emails and phones.

Mike

Sorry Mike, I don't know much about him or the company other than I have a BM pin in my Colt but I got it through Midway if I remember right. Chris S

Thanks, Chris, for digging the information up. It was Mr. Taffin who messaged me originally letting me know of our error?  Understand your frustration, Mworkmansr, but what can you do?
AL

I hope I am mistaken about both Belt Mountain and USFA. Companies that make great products are too rare to let a couple go.
Mike

USFA was on the ropes for some time.
They started up by fitting together Italian parts, progressed to their own manufacturing, and branched out way too fast and way too far. Yes, their guns and their finishes were great-with the exception of their reproduction of the Colt Lightning rifle, which to put it politely, sucked.
However, if one is going to pay more for a USFA than a Colt, then they won't be lighting the market on fire. Yes, USFA was more authentic than Colt, but Colt still makes the SAA, and that means everything else is a copy, no matter how good they might be.
Maybe part of the problem was their name YOUSEFUH just doesn't have much of a ring to it. Anyhoo, before I provoke too much ire, let me just say that as of a few years ago, USFA made the best SAA on the market-bar none.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Belt Mtn is done as well. Here, I'm more unhappy than with USFA, because I could actually afford their stuff, and it was good, but they were a little challenged in terms of customer service, letting their attitudes ride right over their common sense.
The truth is that the world economy is being trashed by a group of out of control crooks who own the prostitute politicians across the board. In fact, its hard to find a worse group of human beings anywhere. If you have ever had the great misfortune to be surrounded by politicians and bankers, you would be excused for thinking you had to burn your clothes, and take repeated hot baths to wash away that evil stench. Yep, a real group of winners who are destroying it all so they can have yachts registered in foreign countries.

Mak;
When I was in college, I spent a lot of time in DC. My favorite place for lunch was The Market Inn. It was close to the Capitol, so it was popular with our buddies. I would come in about noon, and I could tell the Free Lunch Bunch had been there a while already because they were getting loud from Martini Acceleration. If classmates were visiting we might stay until 2PM, and the lampreys would still be there. I'm sure they only appeared in their offices from 10AM till 11AM. Think how lucky we are that they aren't teetotalers.
 
Mike

Yeah, I guess now we understand why our country seems like it is run by a bunch of drunken dirtbags-because it is.

One more thing about USFA. Before they folded they occupied the Blue Dome where Colt built so many of their groundbreaking creations. It appears that they both recovered and refurbished the original machine that marked "Colt : Super 38" on the bottom of the magazines. It is my sincere hope that this machine survives the savaging that arrives after any financial disaster. I know that this a Sixguns forum, but the Super 38 is and always will be the apple of my eye.

I had a 38 Super in my early Montana days. In reality, it was an Astra 400 military chambered for 9mm Bergman-Bayard. Interestingly, a 38 Super would chamber and fire admirably in it since the Super is a semi-rimmed case. In the Spring when the farm ponds just south of the Canadian border were filling up, they would also attract hoards of muskrats which the ranchers heartily disliked because of their delightful digging in the dams. I would take the old Astra out with 115 Gr. hollowpoints I loaded and would pot them from 50 to 100 yds distance. Sure would flip 'em. Could have used the Super Blackhawk, too, I guess, but I didn't. Gave the Astra in partial trade for a Marlin 1893 in 38-55.
I always forget my own advice - never get rid of a gun. You will always wish you hadn't. 
Mike

Anyway, I received the #5 Keith base pin I ordered from Ron Power today. Beautiful work and precise fit. It had to be a shorter length than the Rugers to fit my Stampede, but he didn't gripe, just got 'er done.
However, it has developed another problem. (might as well have a Colt) Every once in a while, the bolt doesn't retract when I try to cock it, so of course it jams. Anybody know the cause? I'll take it apart tomorrow anyway to diagnose it myself. probably rounding on the hammer cam. I know how to fix that. I know it had a lot of Cowboy Action use before I acquired it, so it may need some sharpening.
Just got back from judging physics and chemistry projects at the state science fair, so I'm too tired to mess with it tonight. Out of 40 projects, two were meritorious. I asked every kid (high school seniors and juniors) if they used any reference materials besides the internet: negative. Books scare them.

Mike

Thought the problem would be like a Colt or AWA; the bolt actuating stud on the hammer would have developed a lip. Usually, a pass with the old India stone to true it up cures the problem. When I got in there, however, I found that the transfer bar mechanism changes a bunch of things. The bolt/trigger return spring on mine is a piano wire gizmo, and the bolt actuating wing was bent a bit too much so that it occasionally didn't drop the bolt when cocking. A tiny twitch with the magic needle noses and everything is good.
The gun is the one I put the ivory grips on, so I want it to work as good as it looks.

Mike

Well, it sure is nice when things fix so easily. Just a word of caution, though-if the spring bent due to use, it may have done so due to metal fatigue. Might give the nice folks at Wolff Springs a call, and find out if they have any replacement, or can recommend one.
I think there are probably as many Super .38 stories as there are people whose lives have been touched by the great lil cartridge. A long gone buddy of mine happened upon a 1911 in the oddball 9x23mm. He managed to find ammo maybe twice, paying the outrageous premium, when his el cheapo side took over and he tried some old Remington 130's he found in the Super. Worked great. In fact, the Super was more accurate, and less of a punishing cartridge than the 9x23.
Never did find out what happened to that gun.

The gent that owned USFA wasn't defeated because of money issues. He's a very wealthy man and basically got bored and closed it down. Belt mtn. is still going strong. Keyle is swamped with work and doesn't answer the phone as it takes him away from shop work. I just received a pin from him and have two more on order.
to mworkmansr. Do you still live in Mont.? I was born and raised in Sidney where they are taking out all that oil. It hasn't all been good. They have paved and cemented over some of the best farm ground that my uncle farmed to expand the town and build motels etc. The culture of the town is not what it used to be. it was a great place to grow up.All the old fence lines and stands of trees where we used to hunt pheasants as kids are gone. last time i went there it was depressing. Ruined all my old memories.

Singlesixj;
I lived in Montana for 37 years; Havre and Great Falls. It's changed in general, mostly due to Kaliforians and Minnesotans with little brains ans too much money. I had to come here to Mudhole, Mississippi because my wife's and my mother were both getting old and infirm. Our younger brothers lived much closer, but were not really useful (worthless as tits on a boar). There ain't nuthin like lookin out your upstairs window in the evening at the Highwoods Mountains and thinking about Liver Eatin' Johnson trapping there and cutting firewood for the steamboats.
Next time, I think I'll try Wyoming, though. Even fewer people, but they do speak English, which is rare here. No, I'm not pissed off; I'm livid.

I agree with you. The kalifornians and Easterners with money have polluted montana. Esp. the university towns. I live in Cal. but my hearts still in old Montana where Sunday entertainment after church was bucking horses and sipping whiskey and having fried chicken for dinner.Whenever someone tells me they are going to Mt. I tell them they don't like you and as soon as you cross the border and see some cattle pull over and get a good handful of cowshit and spread it on your license plate.I still have a lot of family there that farm and ranch. When I got out of the Navy I went back home but there was no future there and driving someone elses tractor 12 hrs. a day was bareley gas money. Never owned a pair of levi's until i got out of the Navy. When I bought my first pair I felt like a success story. I'm going to be buried in levi's with my Montana silversmith buckle on the belt i had made by the Rocky Mountain Saddle co. in Bozeman many yrs. ago. It still carries one of my single actions.Bozeman:Missoula:Billings are all college towns now and turning out the same minds as Berkely. I suspect next election it will be a blue state.The calif. have bought up all the lakefront property around Fort Peck.They are not popular,but Montanans have themselves to blame by sticking out their greedy hands.I probably put you to sleep so will call it a night. Good shooting.Thanks for the contact.

Before you move to Wyoming think about how much you like wind. My cousin is a retired sheriff in laramie and I think the women all have haircuts the same as the men. They did in Eastern Mont.Two things I don't miss about Montana. The wind and the Mosquitos.

....short haired women and mosquitoes and even the wind but I sure couldn't stand living in Kali so I packed up and left right quick...Chris S

Good for you Top. Where did you move to. I would have moved myself if not for my family and many yrs. invested in the same job. My son is my hunting partner and he is a tug boat captain. If not for my grandsons he would move from here also and fly back for his week long shift. Most of the other captains he works with live out of state.This state is being destroyed by immigration. It's hard to tell its still America.I'm retired but don't want to move and leave my family behind as we are close.My grandsons both hunt and shoot with me. The gunclub I belong to has a lot of great folks. The nicest people you meet are at a shooting range or in a hunting camp. I buy most of my shooting and hunting gear out of state inc. guns. This state taves enough. I don't give them any more than I have to.Thanks for the contact. I have a trigger to adjust and bullets to cast today so time to get busy. Good shooting to you.

Chris, I just realized it was you that sent me the mssg. I thought it was Top. Where ever you moved to I hope it has worked out well. With plenty of shooting freedom.

Speaking of liver eating. We recently were deer hunting for ten days. The first night my son cooked up some Elk liver we got in New Mex. with some onions and mashed spuds with gravy.Don't eat it very often but it sure was a treat. Most folks don't save the heart and liver from their deer or Elk. They don't know what they are missing.

Upper Michigan! Cold in winter, mosquitoes in summer but no real anti-gunners yet, and I stress YET. Michigan has a kind of stained past for GC. It was announced rather matter of factly back in about 1922 that the "RIGHT" to carry concealed weapons was cancelled by the legislature????? We then somewhat were granted a reprieve of sorts when the CCW laws were passed a few years ago, but we are still required to obtain permission to buy a handgun and have it "Safety Inspected???" which is really handgun registration as the permit is kept on file at the SP headquarters in Lansing. I have not really been unduly hampered by this but it is a bit irksome to a person who strongly believes in the Constitution and Second Amendment. All this aside I don't have to register my "ASSAULT WEAPONS" like Kali requires and I can still shoot lead bullets (SMILEY FACE)............I left Kali back in about 83 or 84 and never looked back! Chris S 

you don't have it as bad as kalif. yet and I hope you never do.We have the ten day wait+ 1 handgun a month.Its nothing but harrassment aimed at gunowners. If they did as much to the bad guy with a gun, crime would really go down.They are going to try and pass a no lead at all for hunting this year +no use of dogs for any hunting and no trapping or shooting bobcats. This place is thick with bobs. When they start seeing no fawns with the does the idiots will stand scratching their head wondering what"s going on.We have a Gov. that is still suffering from an LSD hangover from the 60's.I have been a bullet caster for 40 yrs. and have a ton&1/2 in ingots and can't hunt with cast bullets or carry them in a handgun while hunting.The next thing will go after the outdoor ranges. I will be picking up my new bh 45colt monday and then have to wait a month to pick up my bisley. Unfortunatly the bisley came with a ss hammer that won't take color case. Don't know what ruger is thinking.Back to my trigger job. Have a nice Sunday and thanks for the chat.

I'm glad to read that Belt Mtn is still in business.
Does anyone know, are they still selling the punch bullets?
In terms of the hoplophobic gun laws that haunt everyone, no matter where they live, the truth is that such laws are part of a larger, and much darker agenda. Gun control is directly related to international banking, whose derivatives scam is already multiples of the economic activity of the entire world. Gun control is an important facet of the ever widening police state, and gun control is central to the agenda of the take down of America.
It isn't fun to realize this stuff.

All one needs to understand when considering "Gun Control" is simple, remove the word "Gun" from the question or statement and you are left with one simple idea, "Control". Control exercised by those who are deemed in power and want to control those who are deemed to be powerless. Simple and the reason why we are still debating a subject that should be un-debatable. Chris S

Gun control is of the same motive as mass transit. Convince people to use the bus and sell their cars and you have taken away a method of the freedom of movement and thereby they are easier to control in an urban environment. Gun control is the same stragedy "Rely on the police to protect you and you won't  need a gun." The sheep either don't connect or don't care because life is still good. The flood of immigrants do not care about our loss of the second amendment and many other freedoms that are the reason they came here because they never had those freedoms so will not miss them when they are gone. The baby boomers are the last stronghold fighting for those rights. When we are gone so go those freedoms. The kids coming out of college have been so brainwashed by the liberal professors{many who were the pot smoking;draft dodging brats of the 60's] will not fight to keep the rights that we see as so important for a free country. Nobody wants to make a living with their hands anymore or carry on the family farm or ranch because it is hard work. They want to sit in front of a computer. The images of the police after the Boston bombing send chills up down my spine and should have been a shocking wake-up call to the American people. Most people didn't pay attn. to the armed personnel carriers and the uniforms of the police that have morfed into a para-military organization in direct violation of our constitution. Not one news agency or even the NRA said a word about it.On a positive note the gov. of Colorado has announced there will be no gun control bills introduced this next leg. session. The peoples voice was heard. I'm sure Kalif. will pick up the slack.As Paul Harvey would say,"and that's the newwz". GOOD DAY! I have a trigger job to finish and a new Blackhawk to pick-up as it has served it's 10 day Kalif. jail sentence. As long as we are still upright the best we can do is be a pain in the gun-grabbers ass and stand tall for what we believe in and hope our offspring that we have taught to shoot and hunt will do the same. 

I don't know what punch bullets are but you might try "Montana Bullet Works" Dave Jennings  406-655-8163.

The only thing I have to say here on the particular politics is that it was all said for me when Colorado legalized pot and then stood by in stoned celebration while their elected officials gutted the Second Amendment. So much for the folks that claimed they were fighting for their "right" to get high. Don't find that was so important to the Founders. Heck, even with their consumption level they didn't give alcohol its own Amendment.
 

Thanks, I'll have to check them out. The punch bullet is a thick jacketed non-expanding bullet. I believe the jacket itself is brass over a small, totally enclosed lead core.

I wanted to try a few, and finally scrounged up some potential load data, which was subsequently destroyed in the fire and floods, but I wondered if they were still making them.
I assume MBW is a professional cast bullet provider???? If so, I'll have to scrape some $$$ together and try an order.  Since the hoplophobes have been hysterically shrieking about lead, I want to shoot as many lead bullets as I possibly can.

Yeah, Chris is right that the gun control thing is about control, but what makes it particularly alarming is that the agenda comes from outside our borders. Every effort has been made by an international cabal to undermine the culture, economics, and society of our country. Americans didn't vote for globalism, and they didn't vote to ship our manufacturing overseas, either. Sure, the stupid and the turncoats jumped on board this agenda, but I don't know one person who woke up one day and said, "gee, I hope they ship my job to China".
I'm not so ready to totally write off the younger generation, certainly not yet, anyway. They are lacking in experience with the real world, and without some good hearts and minds to guide them, they do become fodder for the control freaks. I try to teach what little I know as best as I can. Its not easy for me, because I'm scarred, in pain, and all my best days are behind me, but I try.
One youngster I've trained is already a far better shot than me, and that makes me smile. A big part of the agenda of destruction has been to take away the skills of people, to turn everyone into a whining complicit automaton. When you see a young one employing the skills he has learned with confidence and ease, well dammit, it makes me proud of them. I won't be around for ever, but in the time I have left I'll never surrender to the control freaks.

Keep up the good work thats the best thing we can do for the next gen.Sometimes I wonder if passing on the tradition to my son and grandkids was the best thing to do. They will have a tough fight ahead of them but my son is a fighter for his rights so I keep telling myself not all is lost and the beat goes on.

TO MAK,they are a small business and turn out quality cast bullets. When I had my .44 flattop converted to .327 mag. I needed some bullets while my mold was being made by LBT. I ordered from MBW and the bullets were to my specs. and no wrinkles.They were cast as good as I do my own and I'm picky.
Received my order of holsters and belts from Mike at Barranti Leather CO. and am completely satisfied as I could be. The quality is top of the line and you can see the pride he takes in his craft. I am putting together another order for another belt and holster cross draw.His work is a complement to the gun and you couldn't find an easier guy to work with.
These anti-lead nuts are sure trying to take the fun out of shooting with a bunch of bogus claims like the condor BS. I spent yrs. melting down the used wheel wts at work into five lb. ingots so I would have plenty when I retire. I've been casting for almost 40 yrs. and I'm no goofier than anyone else. I can remember everything I've done since noon.
Enough banter. Will catch some news from about what our godfather "O" is planning next so I can go to bed with my blood pressure up.

Kelye at Belt Mtn. is still turning out base pins. He e- mailed me two days ago and I placed another order yesterday. He won't answer the phone but will get back to you e-mail within a couple days.