A faithful throwback with modern shootability, the Cimarron Model No. 3 American brings Old West speed reloads and shockingly tight groups to today’s range.
Old West, Reloaded: Why This Top Break Still Matters
Cimarron Recreates the Model 3 American
You know what it is like when you finally sit down to dinner after a long day, and then you are interrupted. Dallas Stoudenmire had been in court attending an inquest into the death of two murdered vaqueros who had been looking for cattle stolen from Mexico. The word on the street was that two American rustlers had killed the Mexican cowboys because they were afraid the vaqueros would figure out they had the missing steers. Tensions were high in the courtroom and the street. The Mexicans wanted answers. At the inquest, two men were arrested and taken into custody. It seemed like the wheels of justice were turning in the right direction. The court was adjourned for the day, and Dallas Stoudenmire walked across the street to have dinner at the Globe Restaurant.
Four Dead in Five Seconds: The American Earns Its Reputation
Stoudenmire had only been sworn in as El Paso’s new Marshal on April 11, 1881. It was his third day on the job. I imagine he didn’t even take a first bite of his steak when he heard gunfire. Stoudenmire ran into the street pulling his eight-inch barrel. 44 caliber Smith & Wesson Model 3 American revolver. Stoudenmire fired as he ran. The first killed was an innocent Mexican bystander, running for cover. The shot that started it all was from a drunk rustler who grabbed his buddy’s gun and shot the town constable. The constable wasn’t dead yet, but eventually would be the fourth person to die. Next to die by Stoudenmire was the drunk rustler who peered out from behind a thick adobe pillar. Stoudenmire didn’t need much of a target. He hit the man right between the eyes. The third man killed by Stoudenmire was the drunk rustler’s pal. Stoudenmire blasted him in the gut. The shooting lasted all of five seconds, and four men were lying dead in the street. The incident became known as the Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight. Stoudenmire wielded the S&W American revolver fast and with precision.
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O.K. Corral: Fast Reloads Meet a 30-Shot Street Fight
It wasn’t the first nor the last time S&W’s break-top revolvers were used in a gunfight. Legend has it Wyatt Earp chose a S&W American when he and his brothers, along with Doc Holiday, headed to the O.K. Corral to confront five horse thieves. That infamous gunfight took place in Tombstone in the Arizona Territory on October 26, 1881. It all began in a narrow 18-foot-wide lot on Fremont Street between Fly’s Photography Studio and the Harwood House, and then spilled onto Fremont Street. About 30 shots were fired in 30 seconds.
Speed Is The Edge: Why The American Was Faster
The Colt Single Action Army (SAA) was perhaps the most popular revolver of that era. It was issued to government troops; outlaws and lawmen carried them. But there were other revolvers manufactured then that competed with Colt’s SAA. The S&W American was one of them. The edge the S&W had over the Colt was speed. No other manufacturer at the time could offer what S&W brought to the gunfight, and that was fast reloads. To unload a Colt SAA, it takes about 26 seconds; to reload the Colt, it takes another 60 seconds. That is if you are proficient and don’t get rattled when someone is shooting back at you. The S&W American is fast; two seconds to unload and 26 seconds to reload. Smith and Wesson produced the Model 3 American from 1868 to 1898. A few were purchased by the U.S. Army, and that model was called the Schofield due to design changes made by Major George W. Schofield. Original S&W American revolvers can cost tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the condition. Cimarron, however, has made it easier to own a piece of Old West history.
Cimarron Model No. 3 1st Model American: What’s Modern, What’s True
The Cimarron version is produced by Uberti to Cimarron’s specs and is a very close replica of the original, except for a few new elements. New to the Cimarron American is the ability to fire .45 Long Colt. Originals were cambered in .44 Henry Rimfire, .44-40, .32-44, .38-44, and .45 Schofield, all shorter cartridges. The modernized Cimarron version also incorporates a hammer block safety. Pull the hammer back until you hear the first click, and a steel insert moves between the hammer and the frame to prevent the gun from accidentally firing if dropped.
The American has a unique grip that is more vertical than sweeping. Similar to a Colt Bisley revolver. The grip is small and thin, and comfortable to hold with the weight of the revolver balancing above your trigger finger. The fixed rear sight is built into the stub latch and is literally two small posts that stick straight up, just like the original. The front sight blade is a half-moon blade. Definitely 19th-century era sights, but that didn’t stop me from shooting tiny groups. The trigger is wide and smooth, and it took 4.5 pounds of pressure to make it break.
How To Load A Top Break Revolver Fast
To load the America, you need to cock the hammer to the first click to disengage the stub latch from a slot in the hammer. Pull up on the stub latch and rotate the barrel and cylinder away from the frame. The ejector pushes all the empties out in one fast motion, then snaps back into place. Then, a cartridge is dropped into each chamber.
To unload a Colt SAA, the hammer must be moved to the half-cock positioned cylinder gate must be opened. Gravity helps drop the empties out of each chamber, but if the cases stick, they need to be punched out with the ejector one at a time. Then each cylinder needs to be loaded one chamber at a time. If the case sticks, then you need to use the ejector rod to unstick it and push it out, which takes time. The American’s top break design offers an advantage in speed to reload compared to a Colt.
Cimarron American Range Test: Groups, Recoil, Rhythm
Naturally, some cowboy-powered ammo was used, but modern .45 Long Colt ammo, too. Cowboy loads are loaded to lower velocities for use in cowboy action shooting competitions and offer less recoil. It is also a good option for plinking. In the cowboy category were Hornady Cowboy with a 255-grain RNFP bullet and Choice Ammunition with a 250-grain RNFP. I also used Federal American Eagle with a 225-grain JSP, a more modern load.
The smallest five-shot group was with standard velocity Federal American Eagle, which measured 0.76 inches. The low velocity Cowboy loads from Hornady and Choice had the best groups that measured 1.66 and 1.05 inches, respectively. On average, groups measure from a little over one inch to two inches.
During recoil, the revolver curls in your hand so your thumb is close to the hammer spur to cock it and fire another shot. The weight of the pistol and the grip really managed recoil. Cocking the hammer with the support hand didn’t help to increase speed since there is not a lot of grip to hang onto. The trigger needed to be released to be reset after each shot, so you can’t keep the trigger pressed back and thumb the hammer. My preferred method was the cock the hammer with my firing hand. The revolver pointed naturally, and the long barrel offered a long sight radius, which was an advantage. Reloading was fast. I loaded the cylinder two rounds at a time as I do with a modern double-action revolver.
Cimarron Model 3 American Specifications
| Model | Cimarron Model No. 3 1st Model American |
|---|---|
| Caliber | .45 Long Colt |
| Barrel Length | 8.00 in |
| Overall Length | N/A |
| Weight | N/A |
| Capacity | N/A |
| MSRP | N/A |
Pros & Cons: Honest Take After The Smoke Clears
- Pros: True top break speed, authentic look and feel, mild recoil with cowboy loads, crisp 4.5 lb trigger, long sight radius from the eight-inch barrel.
- Cons: Primitive sights, slim grip offers less purchase for two-handed speed, unknown factory specs like weight and MSRP at time of test.
Conclusion: A Bucket-List Sixgun With Real Range Chops
The Cimarron American revolver is legendary. It is one shooting iron you should have on your bucket list. If you want style and a fun gun to shoot, then the Cimarron American is your huckleberry.
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