Self Defense

Cimarron .44 Magnum Bad Boy

By Mike Dickerson

Cimarron combines Old West styling with modern power and accuracy.

If you’ve seen one Colt Single-Action Army clone, you’ve seen them all, right? That was more or less my thinking until I got my first look at the new Cimarron Bad Boy. It looked very much like an 1860 Army revolver, alright—but on steroids.

Traditionalists will likely love the fact that the Bad Boy does not employ a transfer bar system, but this means it should be carried with only five rounds loaded and the firing pin resting on an empty chamber.

Make no mistake about it: the Bad Boy, with its beefy eight-inch octagonal barrel, is one big hunk of powder-burnin’ handgun, but that bulk is necessary because the revolver is chambered for the .44 Rem. Mag. cartridge, and Old West SAAs were never chambered for such a potent, high-pressure round.

The gun was actually designed by Cimarron Firearms’ president, Mike Harvey, and is built by the Italian firm of Uberti, which is very well known for building quality replica guns of the Old West. Attention to detail and quality is evident upon even a cursory examination of the Bad Boy. Old West elements include the so-called Pre-War frame, “Army” walnut grips, non-fluted cylinder and octagonal barrel. In another nod to the past, the gun retains a case-hardened hammer, while the chambering and polished blued steel finish add versatility, good looks and corrosion protection. The bluing, deep and lustrous, is particularly well done and I could find no faults with the fit and finish.

The Bad Boy sports a beefy 8-inch octagonal barrel (also available in a 6-inch model) which, in testing, delivered more velocity than factory-stated numbers for most tested loads. The revolver’s name is proudly engraved on its side. A full-length ejector pushes spent casings out without issue and a traditional base pin and latch allow removal of the cylinder.

The Bad Boy has something else that most Old West guns didn’t have: adjustable sights. The rear sight has a rectangular notch and is adjustable for windage and elevation. The front sight has a large blade situated within a serrated ramp to reduce glare. Paired with a long sight radius, the sights promised fine accuracy, and I quickly discovered that the gun delivers on that score.

One thing traditionalists will love is the absence of a transfer bar system. While this is true to the original design of Old West single-action revolvers, it mandates that you must carry the gun with only five rounds in the cylinder and the firing pin resting on an empty chamber. Otherwise, there’s a real risk that the gun could discharge if it’s dropped or the hammer is struck accidentally.

The gun’s single-action trigger broke crisply and consistently at an average pull weight of 3 lbs., 9 oz. The trigger itself has a somewhat narrow curved blade, but I liked the feel of it. One added touch I very much favor is a knurled top surface of the hammer, which greatly aids in maintaining positive control when cocking or lowering the hammer.