Assorted Qs about USFA single actions

[P. Plainsman]

1. Would there be anything wrong with using jacketed bullets in a U.S. Firearms .45 Colt or .44 Special sixgun? I envision a Rodeo or one of their beautiful Pre-War models in one of these calibers.

2. How stout would you be willing to go with ammo in such a gun? At the top of the spectrum, I might like to be able to shoot Buffalo Bore's Keith-style cast SWC .44 Special load -- a 255 gr Keith bullet rated at about 1000 fps. Caution?

3. Between the .44 Special and .45 Colt versions, would one chambering have an advantage over the other?

4. How well does USFA sight in its .44 Special single actions for POA/POI?

Thanks.

 

[Pilot]

1. Would there be anything wrong with using jacketed bullets in a U.S. Firearms .45 Colt or .44 Special sixgun? I envision a Rodeo or one of their beautiful Pre-War models in one of these calibers.

2. How stout would you be willing to go with ammo in such a gun? At the top of the spectrum, I might like to be able to shoot Buffalo Bore's Keith-style cast SWC .44 Special load -- a 255 gr Keith bullet rated at about 1000 fps. Caution?

3. Between the .44 Special and .45 Colt versions, would one chambering have an advantage over the other?

4. How well does USFA sight in its .44 Special single actions for POA/POI?

Thanks.

I have a USFA Rodeo in .45 LC.

1. Jacketed bullets are fine in the Rodeo.

2. I would load to standard pressures only for .45LC, like any other SAA clone. This is not a Ruger Blackhawk.

3. I thing .45LC is more common. I don't see any advantage of going to .44 Special.

4. My .45 LC Rodeo is right on a 25 yards POA/POI with 250 grain bullets. I have no experience with the .44 Special.

I like the Rodeo a lot. Its a high quality SAA at a decent price.

 

[MrAcheson]

1. Jacketed is fine.
2. Its an SAA, don't go +P. They aren't built for it like the Rugers.
3. .44sp has cheaper factory ammo and is slightly harder to blow up accidentally if you handload. Or so thought Elmer Keith. .45 long colt is the historic chambering and is more traditional. Honestly, the difference is pretty minimal between the two.
4. They probably sight them in well for whatever load they use. It's a fixed sight revolver though so depending on what load you use, the point of impact may move up or down a bit.

 

[P. Plainsman]

Thanks for the feedback.

I am drawn to the .44 Special option, even though it isn't a "traditional" SAA caliber -- Colt made lots of .44 Spl SAAs in the Second Generation, but very few in the First. The caliber would provide a little bit more cylinder beef for safety, as Uncle Elmer noted, and I think the smaller case gives the .44 more accuracy potential. Finally, I already shoot a lot of .44 in my S&W 629, whereas a .45 Colt means stocking yet another caliber. If I take up handloading for one cartridge, it'll be the .44 Special.

Yet the .45 Colt is the gunslinger. The cartridge that conjures up the crackle of the campfire and the smell of bacon, in John Taffin's memorable words. Tough call.

 

[Harve Curry]

I shoot a Colt SAA 44spl, it's the one I take everywhere, every day. I have a new one ordered from Colt now.

1. Would there be anything wrong with using jacketed bullets in a U.S. Firearms .45 Colt or .44 Special sixgun? I envision a Rodeo or one of their beautiful Pre-War models in one of these calibers. jacketed is OK

2. How stout would you be willing to go with ammo in such a gun? At the top of the spectrum, I might like to be able to shoot Buffalo Bore's Keith-style cast SWC .44 Special load -- a 255 gr Keith bullet rated at about 1000 fps. Caution?
With 255gr that might be push in the envelope.
1000-1100 fps is doable with 180gr - 200gr lead/jacketed bullets in the 44spl.That's what I do and haven't found a need for the heavier slugs

3. Between the .44 Special and .45 Colt versions, would one chambering have an advantage over the other?
44spl, the size of the cartridge sits the SAA. Unless you want the 45lc for other reasons then you listed.

4. How well does USFA sight in its .44 Special single actions for POA/POI?
I don't know

 

[Standing Wolf]

I believe the .44 special cartridge is inherently slightly more accurate than the .45 long Colt.

I've been thinking about a USFA revolver myself: rather a curious thing to do, since I'm a bullseye shooter who's never owned a single action and has no interest in playing cowboy. I've looked at a couple Colts with sloppy fit and finish and appallingly bad triggers. USFA seems to be trying quite a bit harder.

 

[BluesBear]

If you're going to handload I'd go with the .44 Special.
Speer Gold Dot, Winchester Silvertip and Federal Lead HP are all good factory loads for .44 Special. Miwall also loads a nice 240gr JHP in .44 Special.

USFA makes some dang fine revolvers.


Of course you could get the .45 Colt and have them fit a .45acp cylinder for you. They'd make the throats the correct size.



And then just for the uniqueness of it there's their .30 carbine model...

 

[StrikeEagle]

Reading between the lines, I'm guessing that your head tells you .44 Spl, but your heart tells you .45 Colt.

SAA's are guns of the heart... for sure. Get the .45 Colt even if it 'doesn't make as much sense'. You get the .44 and you'll spend a lot of time telling yourself and others how it's 'as good as/better than' .45 Colt. Get the .45 and no such justification will be needed.

BTW... I have a .44 and a .45, both in Colt Second Gen SAA's, 5.5 inch. My .45 is a bit more accurate, I think. The Golden Load is 6.0 grains of Red Dot with a 250ish lead bullet.

Finally, let me just say that USFA makes The Finest SAA's of anyone today. Please let us know what you decide?

StrikeEagle

 

[tex_n_cal]

I have read the USFA cylinder is slightly (.015" or so) larger than the Colt, to give a bit more safety. I still wouldn't shoot Ruger loads in it, but If you handload up to 900-1000 fps in the .45, it should not be a problem. The originals worked fine with steels that were inferior to today's metals.

I'd probably go with the .44 Special, given you already have a load picked out for it.

 

[bow4828]

I love my USFA 5.5" .45 Colt.Buttery action(after a small amount of work,and timed to near perfection.Olny reason I would get rid of it would be for a 4 3/4

 

[Gunsnrovers]

I bought a USFA Rodeo in .45Colt a few years back. I was already shooting .45Colt in a New Service so I justified it to myself that way. It's a wonderful pistol. Everything I could ask for. The matte blue/black finish ages very nicely.

All the same, I'm having a Blackhawk converted to .44spl. I'm already shooting a S&W M24 so it's not like I'm adding a new caliber to the line up.

My wife is finding faults with my reasoning, but I don't see any...

In your case, you just may need to buy one of each and be done with it.