One Of The Finest Single Action Pistols

[JimT]

Nearly 40 years ago I met Bill Grover, the owner of Texas Longhorn Arms and the inventor of the 'left handed' singleaction sixgun.

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My Dad and I became friends with Bill and always enjoyed our time with him. Sometime in the 1990's he sent me a Texas Longhorn Arms West Texas Flattop .45 Colt. This is one of the finest-made single actions I have ever owned.

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You will note the loading gate is on the left side of the pistol. The cylinder rotated opposite of Colts, Rugers and Colt-copies. Also note that the hammer, trigger and bolt screws are "blind" ... they do not come through the left side of the frame. The fitting of the stocks and of the grip frame, trigger guard and ejector rod housing were almost perfection. The barrel/cylinder gap was tight. The cylinder pin fitting was excellent. The trigger was a 'shotgun style' trigger that stayed at the rear of the trigger guard. There was a lot of hand work in Bill's guns.

The gun was very accurate and I used it on several hunts taking Mule Deer and Whitetail with it.

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Bill intended to only build 1000 of these. This gun was in the 800 series. Unfortunately Bill Grover died unexpectedly in 2004.

The fit and finish of this pistol demonstrated what a skilled craftsman can do.

[Bill in Oregon]

I've never seen one in the flesh, Jim, but sure have read about them -- especially his No. 5. Too bad Bill passed so soon -- and that no one seems to have taken up his design.

[Bronco]

To kewl

[Grizz]

That's a real beauty Jim. I think it would be great for a right hander, seems to me. I've thought that about bolt action pistols, keep them in the right hand, load with the left. How's it work for you?

[jeepnik]

Yes, truly a masterpiece. But it removes what I call the southpaw's revenge. Colt style single actions are really mad for us, and it's one of the few devices that the right handed world has had to adapt to.

[Walt]

John Taffin wrote extensively about Bill Grover and his Texas Longhorn sixguns. If a bit unusual due to the reversed loading gate and cylinder rotation, the quality of his outstanding work certainly made up for it. Bill's story is a sad one. Like Bill in Oregon, I have never seen one either but doing so would be delighting. What a collector's item, Jim! What a gem!

Thanks for the pictures.

[JimT]

That's a real beauty Jim. I think it would be great for a right hander, seems to me. I've thought that about bolt action pistols, keep them in the right hand, load with the left. How's it work for you?

I never got used to it. Raised on Colt SAA's and old model Rugers ... not intuitive for me to use like the Colt's and Ruger's.

[44shooter]

It actually makes more sense in that one can keep their grip and open the gate and start ejecting with their left. Once you are used to the other way though everything is backwards

[Pat C]

That does look like a nice sixgun , very unique .

[High Desert Hunter]

They are beautiful guns!

[Walt]

The blueing on your West Texas Flattop looks absolutely first class.

[OldWin]

Absolutely beautiful. Now that's something not everyone has. Never saw one in person, and doubt I ever will.

[Scott Tschirhart]

When I was still working out of the downtown station (61 Riesner in Houston) Bill was trying to sell his guns and had some advertising materials posted there.

Unfortunately I was not terribly interested in “cowboy” guns in those days. I should have been.

[.45colt]

I re-member reading about those Fine Revolvers along time ago. Got Me lookin around and found the article in the Gun blast archives. Hard to believe it was fifteen years ago! what a Treasure.
https://gunblast.com/Boge_TLA45FT.htm

[JimT]

Boge is a good guy and a great friend.

[AkRay]

Diabetes is a killer.

[JimT]

Diabetes is a killer.

Yessir it is.
How are you doing? It's been awhile since I said "Hi".

[Ysabel Kid]

I'm not a southpaw, but darn that is one cool revolver!!!

[Walt]

I get the feeling there are a lot of us diabetics on this forum. Best of luck to you all!

[AkRay]

Diabetes is a killer.

Yessir it is.
How are you doing? It's been awhile since I said "Hi".

Hi Jim! Yes, it has been a long time. I've been doing good. I retired from teaching at the end of the 2023 school year and 3 of my adult children are back living in Fairbanks again, and now there is a grandson and 2 granddaughters to help me celebrate holidays and birthdays! I have been a long term substitute teacher in the job I retired from, so have been putting some money aside for the future. One of my latest purchases is a Savage 99 in 284 Winchester. It's spent time on boats or hunting camps and someone cut the stock down but a replacement recoil pad has it looking fairly presentable. The TVSA gun show is this weekend so I'm looking forward to that, and spending a weekend with my gun show pals.

[Griff]

I'm not a southpaw, but darn that is one cool revolver!!!

Actually, like Doc said it really is more geared to the right-handed person than a "lefty". I'm a lefty and would find operating one awkward. I shoot right-handed, as I'm right eye dominant, but loading & unloading is handled with my SAAs with my left hand. I don't hold by the grip as would seem natural, but, rather in the left held with the loading gate toward my palm & barrel downrange. This allows me to rotate the cylinder with my middle finger & thumb, while the ejector rod is worked by the index finger of my right, empties dumped right in may palm. Also feeding in new rounds with the right hand. I don't recall ever seeing one in the flesh, but read of them back in the day. Would have like to do so, to see if it rally would be as awkward as imagined, and workmanship was as described in the article I read.

[Crazy Horse]

I sure wish I would have gotten one of those. Back in the day I went back and forth between it and a Freedom Arms. I wish I had gotten Grovers pistol because the FA are still available.