"Best" SAA mfg?

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It's not 100% authentic because of the transfer bar, but I love my Ruger New Vaquero. One trip to Cowboy Gun Works and he restored the half-cock free spin, multiple clicks, got a smooth action job, etc. Love that gun now.
 
I'm having a hard time understanding why there's even argument about this. For a traditional action, there are Colts, and there are pasta pistols. Rugers and Freedom Arms are modern SAs. Pasta pistols can be made into nice enough, functional guns with the attentions of a good cowboy smith, but they're not, no way, no how, Colts.
 
If it doesn't have a Pony, it's a phony.
Click to expand...
Cute but unfortunately catch-phrases and little stamped horses don't necessarily denote a good sixgun. Colt is banking on such foolishness and it's allowed them to stay in the SAA business, despite making an inferior product at an inflated price. It takes a lot more than a name to make a proper SAA but some folks are satisfied with less gun, as long as it has the mystical name. Hamilton Bowen says in his book that most 3rd generation Colt's aren't salvageable, being polished into oblivion seemingly by an angry 800lb gorilla. Some folks just can't accept that and I just don't get it.

I need to break them down and do a side by side comparison between my 3rd generation Colt and one of my USFA's. The differences are obvious to those who aren't blinded by a little pony. I'll also explain how much work was involved getting that Colt to be acceptably smooth, whereas the USFA's needed only new springs.
 
aparently, it takes too much to make a good sixgun. drove usfa right out of business.

murf
 
USFA was not "driven out of business". It was run by a flaky rich boy who decided he wanted to do something else. People make generalizations about USFA without knowing any details.
 
Ruger Vaqueros are usually pretty nice. My buddy's is quite smooth and has a nice trigger on it too. He has the "new" model in 45, so it's a little smaller than my "old" model in 44 mag. Never had any trouble with them, and plenty of miles on mine. The newer one does have a nicer trigger.

Also, we have a Uberti in the house (pasta pistol - ha!). It's about a year old, and has a better trigger than I expected. Accuracy with black powder ammo is also quite good.

So there are options for a new production pistol. Or you can go to the used market. Lots of choices there for single action army style guns that look great and are good shooters.
 
Howdy Again

Took another look at that 44 caliber Open Top with the miserable action. Cimarron. So much for them tuning the actions before they sell them.

As I have said on other posts, the Italian clones can be made into pretty good guns. Generally speaking, they have poorly finished insides and overly strong springs to overcome the extra friction generated when poorly finished parts rub against each other. This goes for their rifles too. I have an Uberti 1873 and an Uberti 1860 Henry. Both needed work to make them smooth shooters.

Rugers are really great guns for the money. Usually pretty good out of the box, but they can stand a little bit of tuning too. But don't confuse a Ruger with a SAA replica. Completely different on the inside. More than just the presence of the transfer bar.
 
Cimarron and Uberti

I purchased a Cimarron and a Uberti Cattleman back in 2005. I shot them for a couple of years in cowboy action. Both are quite good, but the Cimarron definitely had a better trigger. They both hit where they aimed (at least at cowboy action distances) and neither needed an action job to perform to my abilities. I have never been disappointed in either, but if I had to part with one, I would keep the Cimarron.
 
I have 2 Uberti made 1st mod Dragoons that have had extensive work done on them besides having Kirst Konversions . They are 2 of the finest working/ shooting guns I've ever owned. Also have a Pietta made 1860 that is Konverted as well and has had a lot of work done as well. These were bought new and as far as having these avail. to the masses, the Italians do a great job filling a need. No, they don't come with the best actions, but they can be tuned to a point that one would be hard pressed to tell the diff in that of a new Colt. That statement is my guess since I have never handled a new Colt Dragoon or a New 1860 Army (they don't make them anymore, but the Italians do). I did have for many years an ASM made 1873 style in 45 Colt that was very accu. and had a much better action than most Colts (new) I've ever handled. There again, I had done a lot of work to my ASM. Tuning is the secrete to all of them. Parts are what they are as well. Excellent parts in an inexpensive gun feel awesome! Cheap parts in an expensive gun feel cheap! If you have the ability and patience, you can have A class guns on a lesser budget.

45 Dragoon
 
thanks

Thanks for all your replies. It sounds like I'm faced with a gen-u-ine Colt or an Italian copy, which is what I thought was the lay of the land. I've owned a fair number of Italian copies before in both SAA and percussion persuasions, so I think I know what I'm getting there (or I've been lucky!). I've owned a couple of "regular" Colts too, an Anaconda that was okay and a 1911 that I've been real happy with.
Back in the day, the Rugers left me cold because of the transfer bar and their God-awful faux case-hardening - it appears they no longer do that, if the web site is any indicator, so I may look at those again.

Thanks again, & keep your powder dry.
V
 
....don't confuse a Ruger with a SAA replica. Completely different on the inside. More than just the presence of the transfer bar.
Click to expand...

What are the other differences?
 
Colts do in fact depreciate but not nearly so much as other brands. In spite of what the Colt haters say, they are a quality product at an admittedly high price. Colt like EVERY manufacturer has had it's share of problems in the past. Each gun should be inspected and bought based on whether or not you believe the build is up to your standards.
 
For the record, I am NOT a Colt hater. I just seem to have the ability to look at them more objectively than their fanboys do. That a great many 3rd generation SAA's are over-polished on the outside and under-finished on the inside is not a statement of hate or opinion, it is quantifiable fact. That USFA's do not suffer from the same maladies, are properly finished on the outside and just as well-finished on the inside is not hate or opinion, it is quantifiable fact. My own New Frontier, which I paid a pretty penny for, suffers from all the issues typical of 3rd generation SAA's. It is over-polished, the bolt notches, screw holes and lettering are all dished out. It took several hours of stoning to get the action smooth. It also has terribly oversized chambers and chamber mouths, .457" if I remember right. The fact that I love it does not make all those things go away. Nor should it. I really don't care whose name is on the guns I buy, I just want the best SAA available and unfortunately for Colt, they don't make it. USFA's are just better guns and there's no getting around that. It's not hate or bias, it's just the truth.

New%20Frontier%2045x7_.jpg
 
valnar said:
What are the other differences?
Click to expand...
Rugers have coil main and hand springs, and a wire bolt spring. SAAs and replicas have flat springs. SAAs and replicas load with the hammer at half cock. Modern Rugers no longer have a half cock, and load with the hammer down. Colts and clones are put together with screws, Rugers with drift pins. There are probably other differences, but those are all I'm thinking of.
 
Good read 35.
I agree with his thoughts on tuning. I do re contour the springs of Colt style sa's though. I've had them last as long if not longer than the wire replacements ( of course it depends on the quality of the parts/springs supplied in your gun). You don't have to change the shape much to make a big diff.( thus not hurting the makeup and durability of the spring). Springs just need to work enough to do their specific task and no more.

45 Dragoon
 
Single actions

A Old Cowboy Action Shooter's Preferences

Cartridge: Ruger New Model Vaqueros in 45 Colt
Cap & Ball: Pietta 58 Remingtons

Two Different Worlds of Making White Smoke

My 2 Cents
 
I thought it a good read as well. My favorite part was his description of Vaquero's and the only ways to tear then up:

1. Let someone work on it that is not a qualified gunsmith.

2. 3oz of C4.

I've been looking for a NM vaquero in 45 Colt. If Ruger would only make them in .44 Special 4 5/8", life would eb complete....

35W
 
I have both a Colt and a USFA. The only thing I've ever found wrong with the USFA is the reason I bought the Colt, the USFA doesn't have Colt stamped on it.

The Colt has a number of things wrong; it had excessive end play, one of the cylinders was preened over into the cylinder when the cylinder number was stamped, and there were several other minor things wrong. Alex Hamilton was able to set things right except for the cylinder which has .457 throats.

The USFA which was entirely made in the US is one of the finest guns I've ever owned and I'm really sorry they quit making them.
 
I was not impressed by the Cimarron pistols I have seen. I would have to consider a Heritage if Cimarron is a top SA. Cimarron has a nice finish and that is where the nice ends.

Best made would have to go to Ruger. I will be the first to admit Ruger triggers need work but a trigger job on a Ruger is inexpensive and Wolff makes a spring that will suit your needs. The stainless steel Ruger is one handsome gun.
 
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