I want a ssa colt style pistol

[jaguarxk120]

I think Bob was confused. If you carry 6 with an OM Ruger, Colt or Colt clone, eventually you'll have an accident.
First he said OM Rugers, Colts and Colt clones, then in reply #50 he changed that to cap and ball pistols.

As far as his other myths, the .357 was not introduced in 1932. Some sources say 1934, some 1935.
Difference in weights of various SA's is small as he said, just a few ounces. But there is a big difference in balance and feel because of the extra metal in the .357's. I've never held a .357 SA that felt and handled as nice as a .44 or .45.

I just tried it with my Uberti 45's, yes the firing pin is trapped between the two cartridge
rims with the hammer down.

The usual drill is load one chamber, skip one chamber, load four chambers, cock and let the hammer down on the empty
chamber.

[Froogal]

Where a fixed sight gun hits out of the box doesn't answer jneidbalski's question about accuracy.
In the Ruger convertibles, cheap 115 grain FMJ out of the 9mm cylinder isn't going to do as well as most .357 ammo will.
I got pretty good (2 inch groups at 25 yards) using 147 grain Federal FMJ.

With the 45ACP, you'll probably do better because the diameter of those is a better match to bore diameter.

If you reload, you can see better accuracy with any caliber.

And those fixed sight revolvers like the Vaquero can be regulated so they don't shoot low and left ( or where ever).

With a fixed sight gun, you want to see just the very top of the front sight when looking down the rear groove. My Uberti conforms to that technique, as well as both of the Cimarrons, right out of the box. The Ruger Vaquero does not. Yes, I could file away part of the front sight and maybe rotate the barrel a bit, but if the others shoot to point of aim right out of the box, why would you want to fuss with all of that on a Ruger?

[9.3X62AL]

Not a huge sample size, but "Here goes" anyway. I have owned 2 Uberti Cattleman revolvers with 4-3/4" barrels. The older variant (1990s) was in 45 Colt, and I regret selling it VERY MUCH. Using 250 grain cast bullets (Lymans #454190 and #454424) it placed both right where the sights looked at 25 yards using 9.0 grains of Unique. These clocked in the 850-875 FPS ZIP Code. I never had the good fortune of sending one at a mule deer, but I have no doubt that either bullet cast of WW metal would have filled the tag quite capably.

I also have a C-Man currently in 44/40 WCF caliber. It was made c. 2012 or thereabouts, and has that push-in cylinder arbor pin that is alleged to make it 'safe' for loading 6 into the charge holes. That pin regimen is a PITA, and I don't/won't use it. It reminds me of the "button safeties on Marlin leverguns" and "keyholes in S&W revolvers" stupidities that have proliferated in the 21st Century. THERE ARE NO FOOLPROOF GUNS--SO FOOLS NEED TO LEAVE GUN THE HELL ALONE. The sights place hits where they look at 25 yards using SAECO #446 200 grain RNFP over a variety of fuels giving 875-900 FPS (RL-7, 2400, SR-4227, SR-4756, Unique, Herco). This revolver is a companion arm to an 1897-made Win '73 carbine that sends these same loads at 1100-1150 FPS. The biggest component upgrade I have ever made in this caliber has been to TOSS OUT the W-W and R-P brass and replace it with Starline cases. LIGHT-YEARS-BETTER.

I also have a Colt Bisley Model x 4-3/4" in 32/20 WCF. It too has a companion rifle--a 2004-made Marlin 1894CCL with 20" octagon barrel. Oh, how I like these firearms! And the other two 32/20 revolvers I have on-hand, a Colt Army Special and a S&W M&P, both 5"-barreled. Here again, we have another caliber that benefits markedly from Starline brass intercession.

In all of these S/A wheelguns I have always carried them with "5 Beans In The Wheel", the hammer at rest over an empty chamber. My Ruger S/As are carried full-up. I will give a test-drive to Bob's "between the rims" method with empty cases later today. I will need to go hands-on with the process before I can assess the "warm fuzzies" or "cold sweat" potential of the method.

[Jniedbalski]

The Uberti in 45 looks great to me. There is a gun show this weekend in town so I will go check it out. All the info every body posted Is of great help. I should get the 38/357 because I already have all the bullet molds and dies already but I have always wanted a big bore. 45 fits the bill because I can use black powder or smokeless and the ssa was originally in 45. Not looking for a magnum just a fun shooting gun. Got to S&Ws in 38 so the 45 looks great. Thanks for all the help

[Love Life]

You’ll enjoy the 45 Colt.

[sandog]

With a fixed sight gun, you want to see just the very top of the front sight when looking down the rear groove. My Uberti conforms to that technique, as well as both of the Cimarrons, right out of the box. The Ruger Vaquero does not. Yes, I could file away part of the front sight and maybe rotate the barrel a bit, but if the others shoot to point of aim right out of the box, why would you want to fuss with all of that on a Ruger?

??? Some Rugers might be right on out of the box, some not. Some Uberti's might be right on out of the box, some aren't. So you are going to trade off the Ruger just because you are unwilling to try to regulate it ?
You are just lucky the Cimarrons/Ubertis are right on. I've had to rotate and/or file the front blade on many Ubertis/Cimarrons/Piettas.
Most SA's come with a too tall front sight just so you can file it down to get it dead on.
Properly regulating fixed sight sixguns would be cheaper than trading them off because you are unwilling to do so.

[Froogal]

??? Some Rugers might be right on out of the box, some not. Some Uberti's might be right on out of the box, some aren't. So you are going to trade off the Ruger just because you are unwilling to try to regulate it ?
You are just lucky the Cimarrons/Ubertis are right on. I've had to rotate and/or file the front blade on many Ubertis/Cimarrons/Piettas.
Most SA's come with a too tall front sight just so you can file it down to get it dead on.
Properly regulating fixed sight sixguns would be cheaper than trading them off because you are unwilling to do so.

No. I am not getting rid of the Ruger. The reason we bought the Cimarron is because we needed to know if the Ruger was at fault, or if my wife was having issues. The Cimarron PROVED it was the Ruger that had issues. I WILL work on it. Might give me an excuse to buy some more gunsmithing tools.

[Pressman]

Froogal, it's just a short drive over to Grinnelland Brownells.

[35 Whelen]

I have seen a lot of myths posted. first the .45 colt was the most powerful handgun until it was replaced by the .357 mag in 1932. the difference in weight is so small it only counts to those trying to say mine is better then yours. also you can carry six in a old model rugers ,colts and colt clones safely.

I don’t think you understand the issue of carrying an old style SA fully loaded. Perhaps you should do more homework. And it’s irresponsible to advise others who are asking about a particular platform if you are advocating unsafe practices.

So many emotions when it comes to this subject. I can't for the life of me figure out why no one trusts the safety notch of the Colt's, Uberti's, older Ruger's et al. No one seems to consider that for a couple of centuries now men have headed off into the woods carrying exposed hammer firearms, loaded, with the hammer resting in the safety notch and never gave it a second thought. So why is it taboo to do so with a revolver???

Another little tidbit about which very few seem to be aware, is Uberti and their hammer blocks. When the hammer is drawn to the safety notch, a little block pivots up thus preventing the hammer, were it struck, to fall allowing the firing pin to detonate a primer.

In the down position-



And in the actuated position-



And as far as "...advocating unsafe practices.", I think that's a little dramatic. Firearms aren't for idiots.

Almost forgot, lowering the hammer between the rims of two cartridges doesn't work very well with the .44 Special, 45 Colt and others with large diameter rims. I carry a SA .44 Special a lot and tried that for awhile, but one day found the cylinder had rotated enough that the firing pin was resting on the rim of a cartridge. I see no reason why it wouldn't work with a .357/38 and other small rim cartridges.

35W

[sandog]

35 Whelen, you don't trust the safety notch as it's a very shallow notch, and it doesn't take much of a blow against the hammer to have that notch fail. A fall to the ground or even a strirrup hitting it when saddling or unsaddling.

Which brings me to another must when carrying a revolver. Use a retaining strap or leather thong around the hammer to hold the revolver in the holster. You'd be surprised how many guys don't.
Whenever someone relates a story about an accident it usually involves the gun "coming out" of the holster and hitting the ground. Would have never happened if some sort of retaining strap was used.

"No one seems to consider that for a couple of centuries now men have headed off into the woods carrying exposed hammer firearms, loaded with the hammer resting in the safety notch and never gave it a second thought".

Yeah and for that same amount of time, there have been accidents because of that, too.
A lot of guys think they're invincible, and that nothing bad will happen to them.
A resistance to employ those two rules, chamber under the hammer empty, and always use a retaining strap, has got a lot of guys into trouble. If you've ever read about the gold rush and westward expansion, many journals of wagon train parties mention someone dying of accidental discharge from their own firearm.

[Froogal]

I just now opened the safe and took a look at my Uberti and Cimarrons. They do not have that safety notch thing.

[Froogal]

Froogal, it's just a short drive over to Grinnelland Brownells.

And an even shorter drive to my local gunsmith, or to Midway USA. Grinnell is about a 3 hour drive.

[Bent Ramrod]

I don’t have any personal experience of the SAA “safety” issue (nor do I want to do any such research), but from my reading, it isn’t just that the safety notch on the hammer is fragile and the trigger sear is easily broken.

The same ergonomics and balance that allows the gun to roll up in the hand on recoil for recocking also increases the probability that the gun, if fumbled out of the holster or otherwise dropped, will land on the hammer and backstrap when it hits the ground. The barrel, at this point, is pointing up at an angle at the shooter’s thigh or groin.

A rifle with the hammer on the half-cock notch would be difficult (I hesitate to say anything is “impossible” any more) to drop this way. I’ve not read any specific autopsy reports, but there is enough mention in the old magazines of this peculiarity of the single action ergonomic design, and the consequences, so I’m really not interested in testing whether it’s a “myth” or not. I just load five.