Advice/Experience with Colt SAA/SAA Derivatives?

[Bazoo]

I'm opposite, I ain't a colt man. I'm a Ruger man. I like the way Rugers look. I like the adjustable sights. I like the centered trigger. I like new models because I like carrying 6 rounds. A colt is what? Near a thousand? A Ruger is $400-$500 used. That sounds like a deal to me.

Now I recognize the history of colts. Ruger took up where colt left off. The deal breaker either way for me is carrying 6 rounds.

[Walks]

All My Life I've heard the the Colt SAA was fragile. My Dad, who probably one's 40-50 in his lifetime; said that was horse pucky. Started by the fast draw maniacs who abused guns worse the anyone would think possible.
I Have 2 SAA's in .44Spl that I shot from 1987 to 2009 or 2010. At least 5,000rds a year. Did a complete strip down & clean once a year. Replaced springs every year, and bolts just once each.
My kids shot one Colt & 3 Uberti/Pietta clones from 1992 to 2005. Replaced both springs, hands & bolt once each, when new with Colt parts and after about 15,000rds.

Colts will last as long as any other Revolver.
And longer then some.

I'd sure like to find a used colt for $1,000

Carrying 6rds ? or 5rds ? never needed that extra round, when I stepped off the asphalt.

[downzero]

I own about 10 Colt’s SAA’s all 3rd gens. A Ruger New Model and 3 Ruger 3 screw SA’s, a couple of Italian copies.

I’ve thought about this a lot. Why do I like the Colt’s? When I take guns out of the safe to go to the range I grab my Colt’s first. When I get to the range I grab my Colt’s first. I shoot the Colt’s more by far. Why? I dunno. The Colt’s SAA simply is my favorite handgun.

I’ve got Colt’s I shoot off hand, unsupported, one hand at 100 yards, they are very accurate.

The 454190 is by far shot the most, and Unique is most frequently used.

Your mileage my vary. I’d buy the Colt’s. If you don’t like it you can always sell it.

We were told years ago the Colt’s SAA was fragile. I’ve tried to break mine with constant shooting and haven’t been able to yet.

If a 3rd gen blows up on me, history hasn’t been altered. No Colt’s has ever blown up on me yet and I’ve been shooting Colt’s since the early 1980’s,

The loads I shoot in my Redhawk would send it to the moon. I won't even post them here!

[Silver Jack Hammer]

The loads I shoot in my Redhawk would send it to the moon. I won't even post them here!

Ouch. I won a Redhawk in a shooting match. Took that Redhawk to IHMSA matches and shot 300 gr. boolits out to 200 yards without any problem. Shot 2 classifications, 40 rounds each classification. 80 rounds each match. Never had any problem with the recoil. Took second place in the nationals with that Redhawk.

The Colt’s SAA is a much lighter gun than the Redhawk, and the cylinder walls of the Redhawk are much thicker.

I know you know this Downzero, I’m just stating the obvious.

Brian Pierce said he has a SAA by USFA bored out to .44 magnum and he’s been shooting it. That’s fine for him, again I say; ouch.

[Green Frog]

You mention looking at the clones. I decided I wanted to join the fun in Cowboy Fast Draw competitions that shoot wax “bullets” at a stop plate. I went to Taylor’s in Winchester, VA where they sell a variety of imports (including the long line of Uberti SAA revolvers) during one of their annual open house celebrations. They offer a SAA version called the”Smokewagon” that has the classic case colored frame and blued barrel and cylinder. They offer this and other models in “Taylor Tuned” condition which I bought and highly recommend. This involves jig cutting of sear surfaces and improved springs... it was competition ready right out of the box.

I can’t speak for all brands, but I’d be comfortable shooting any current factory loads (or factory equivalent reloads) out of any of the Uberti copies of the SAA. Wax bullets don’t stress it much, of course, but I’ve also played around at the range with a couple of boxes of factory stuff as well.

Froggie

[VariableRecall]

You mention looking at the clones. I decided I wanted to join the fun in Cowboy Fast Draw competitions that shoot wax “bullets” at a stop plate. I went to Taylor’s in Winchester, VA where they sell a variety of imports (including the long line of Uberti SAA revolvers) during one of their annual open house celebrations. They offer a SAA version called the”Smokewagon” that has the classic case colored frame and blued barrel and cylinder. They offer this and other models in “Taylor Tuned” condition which I bought and highly recommend. This involves jig cutting of sear surfaces and improved springs... it was competition ready right out of the box.

I can’t speak for all brands, but I’d be comfortable shooting any current factory loads (or factory equivalent reloads) out of any of the Uberti copies of the SAA. Wax bullets don’t stress it much, of course, but I’ve also played around at the range with a couple of boxes of factory stuff as well.

Froggie

Cutting the sear surfaces sounds like a bad idea to me. Wouldn't that shorten the lifespan of some of the most important parts of the firearm?

[downzero]

Cutting the sear surfaces sounds like a bad idea to me. Wouldn't that shorten the lifespan of some of the most important parts of the firearm?

Cutting/smoothing the sear surfaces to do a trigger job is something every serious handgunner does. You'd be hard pressed to find any competitor at a major tournament who hadn't done trigger work. Nothing is more important to keeping the sights on the target than a smooth trigger press, whether light or heavy.

It's less critical on a SA revolver, where the triggers are light already, but it something that every competitor does at every type of competition in order to gain a competitive advantage, especially in handguns where the gun itself might be lighter than the force needed to trip the sear.

[RJM52]

VR...one of the guns I don't recall anyone mentioning is the mid-frame Ruger Flat Top... It is smaller than the Blackhawk and has the original XR3 gripframe that is more like the original Colt. A friend has one in stainless steel with the extra .45 ACP cylinder and it is both good looking and a great shooter. They come in 4 5/8" and 5.5" I believe as well as blue and stainless...just VERY hard to find right now and expensive when one does.

https://ruger.com/products/newModelB...eets/5243.html

Being mainly a .41 shooter I have not had many .45 Colts but have owned a USFA and Colt both with the 4.75" barrel. Beautifully balanced guns. And both shot right to the POA. That said, I don't really care for the fixed sight SAAs as the sights are just too small for aging eyes...

Good luck on your quest...

Bob

[Von Dingo]

VR...one of the guns I don't recall anyone mentioning is the mid-frame Ruger Flat Top... It is smaller than the Blackhawk and has the original XR3 gripframe that is more like the original Colt. A friend has one in stainless steel with the extra .45 ACP cylinder and it is both good looking and a great shooter. They come in 4 5/8" and 5.5" I believe as well as blue and stainless...just VERY hard to find right now and expensive when one does.

https://ruger.com/products/newModelB...eets/5243.html

Being mainly a .41 shooter I have not had many .45 Colts but have owned a USFA and Colt both with the 4.75" barrel. Beautifully balanced guns. And both shot right to the POA. That said, I don't really care for the fixed sight SAAs as the sights are just too small for aging eyes...

Good luck on your quest...

Bob

The recommendation for the mid frame flat top convertible was a point I was going to make after reading this thread. They are quite refined, and built on newer tooling, and after a couple of years of production Colt coincidentally brought back the New Frontiers. Take the time to track one down, they are nice.

[Ed K]

Definitely find fixed sights are harder to shoot accurately but workable - fixed sights on a stainless steel gun are downright difficult.

[VariableRecall]

The good news is that i have been able to find a retailer that actually sells Uberti models in my area, and they are selling for a lot better prices than gunbroker. ill be certain to check them out when i get the chance.