"Best" SAA mfg?

[tubeshooter]

Gunsamerica has a converted birds head with case coloring, but it is steep ($1,095).

Still, not too bad a price to complete your life!!


Now on Gunbroker, they have a 4 5/8" just like you want, and it's just $480! Only thing is... it's stainless. Don't know if that's a deal breaker for you. If not, that's downright cheap for life completion! Better get a move-on! The bids will only go higher.

 

[35 Whelen]

Actually I have three .44 Specials right now, so a Vaquero would have to be a pretty good buy. I don't really care for stainless. I do however have a deficit in the area of 45 Colts. To that end, I'm looking for a NM Vaquero in 45 Colt. There are quite a few out there, but I'm biding my time for a good buy.

35W

 

[tubeshooter]

Oh, okay. Sounds good. I just got the impression that it was a grail gun of sorts and thought I'd mention what I found.


Hope you find your desired deal sooner rather than later!

 

[35 Whelen]

I appreciate it and it is a sort of grail gun, but it'll have to wait a bit!

 

[Jim Watson]

Not really SAAs, but in a bygone day before Ruger realized they could leave off the adjustable sights and charge more, there was a cottage industry in "Coltized" Blackhawks.

Quite the nicest looking single actions I saw were a pair of Ruger .44s that had been remodeled to look like Colts. The only giveaway was the trigger plunger and the lack of horsie. They were nickel plated, probably because there had been so much welding and machining done that a blue or case hardened finish would have come out uneven. Ivory linen Micarta grips and a fancy rig completed the outfit. They were said to have been built for the president of the Ruger collectors' association. No doubt the collectors now bemoan the loss of two flattops.

There was a gunsmith shop that turned out such guns in some number. They deleted the adjustable rear sight, welded up the cuts, and machined the topstrap to SAA contour with hogwallow sight. The front ramp sight was replaced with a plain blade. Most had some coarse engraving and gaudy finishes in combinations of blue, nickel, and gold.

Nowadays, you can just buy a Vaquero or NV and have the same outcome.

 

[Dframe]

I'm not really a ruger fan but own one Montado. Nice gun with it's 3 3/4 inch barrel and it's highly polished stainless. When Ruger went to the Vaquero styling to make their guns more "Colt Like", they also solved the annoying cylinder that always went too far past the loading gate before it clicked. Generally I dislike stainless guns that always look "in the white" to me, but the Rugers highly polished finish looks great. A friend has a birdshead vaquero and while I can't say I like the looks of it, there's no denying it handles and shoots well.

 

[CraigC]

Nowadays, you can just buy a Vaquero or NV and have the same outcome.

Maybe by appearance but lots of folks would still prefer the Old Model action.

 

[Jim Watson]

I understand that, but the ones I saw, converted from Old Model Blackhawks, were priced at 4X a new Ruger.

 

[royal barnes]

CraigC, "I am not a Colt hater". Methinks thou dost protest a bit too much.

P.S. Day to day, year to year Colt is still the best and will be as long as one gun is in existence.

 

[CraigC]

I'm not a Colt hater, I just judge them by the quality of their product, not because so starry-eyed that I believe anything the rampant pony is stamped on is wonderful. Some people will worship Colt no matter how bad their product is. No matter how many times it has changed hands. People still act as if Samuel Colt VIII is running the company in the spirit of his forefathers. Doesn't matter that "Colt" is just the name of a corporation run by a group of board members with absolutely no connection to Samuel Colt.

Day to day, year to year Colt is still the best and will be as long as one gun is in existence.

Wishful thinking with no basis in reality. If Colt was really the best, I wouldn't own any USFA's.

 

[peacemaker45]

Wishful thinking with no basis in reality. If Colt was really the best, I wouldn't own any USFA's.

I think that was the "year to year," bit. Colt was there before USFA, and is still there now, when the only USFAs to be had are those silly Zip guns.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

 

[CraigC]

The current condition of the company that made them has no bearing on the quality of what they made. If it weren't for military contracts for weapons that have nothing to do with revolvers, Colt would've folded up a long time ago.

 

[royal barnes]

Colt was not the same company when the SAA was designed and introduced. Sam had been dead for awhile. The company has had many ups and downs over the years but is still around unlike USFA which is not, except for the zip gun. Are you as down on Marlin, Smith and Wesson, Remington, etc. They're not the companies they used to be. I have owned, worked on, and shot Colt's, USFA's, USPFA's, Rugers and Ubertis as a Cas shooter for the last 18 years. The USFA's were close to Colt's quality but certainly not better. Why would I pay as much for a USFA as I would for a real Colt? Colt did have a problem with finish in the early 90's. I have several from that era and the internals are just fine. They haven't had a problem with anything for a long time except they cannot make them fast enough. Ten years ago I went all Colts for CAS and personal defense and have not looked back. Now, we can just agree to disagree.

 

[savit260]

My Great Grandfather worked for Colt. I personally love and cherish the few old Colts that I have. (although I don't own a SAA I have handled quite a few)


I can honestly say that the USFA's I've handled, and the one I had the opportunity to shoot were superior guns. Top notch in every way.

Still love my Colts, but man, those USFA's sure were something special.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

When Ruger went to the Vaquero styling to make their guns more "Colt Like", they also solved the annoying cylinder that always went too far past the loading gate before it clicked.

Howdy

Not quite correct. The first (OK, I always call them) 'original model' Vaqueros had the exact same lockwork as a Blackhawk and the exact same annoying tendency for the cylinder to go a little bit too far. I have three of them and I put in Power Custom Half Cock hammers and triggers so the cylinders would line up with the loading gate at the half cock position, just like a Colt (or a Three Screw Ruger).

When Ruger brought out the New Vaquero they installed a spring loaded plunger in the frame to line up the chambers with the loading gate.

 

[CraigC]

The company has had many ups and downs over the years but is still around unlike USFA which is not, except for the zip gun.

That doesn't change the fact that USFA's are still better guns and when they were produced, cost less.

The USFA's were close to Colt's quality but certainly not better.

This puts you in the extreme minority. I know of no credible authority on the subject who would agree with you, including two of the finest pistolsmiths in the business. Hamilton Bowen could've built his $15,000 replica of Keith's #5 off a Colt New Frontier but he didn't. He built them off USFA Flat-Top Target models because they were better base guns and required little to no fixing.

Are you as down on Marlin, Smith and Wesson, Remington, etc.

Those companies aren't banking on their famous historical name like Colt has.

Why would I pay as much for a USFA as I would for a real Colt?

Because a comparable USFA was $750 and still a better gun. The USFA Pre-war was ten times the gun with authentic finishes and cost the same. Which makes it a no-brainer unless you put the name stamped on the side above quality.

Colt did have a problem with finish in the early 90's. I have several from that era and the internals are just fine. They haven't had a problem with anything for a long time

Most 3rd generation guns are in dire need of an action job. Much of them were over-polished and it extends way past the early `90's in both directions. Like the ham-handed polishing job on the one I pictured in post #40.


Are $1200 Colt's finished like this???

 

[BWB]

I toss this out as pure speculation for comment. USFA stops SAA production in the same approximate time frame that Colt once again reintroduces it.
Does anyone else wonder if the "new" Colt product is actually coming from the USFA shop that really had this project perfected? They both apparently used Turnbull. It would be a natural enough business deal, and natural enough to keep quiet about it.
Anybody been in either building far enough to know, or hear rumors?

 

[MCMXI]

A few years back I thought I wanted to get into the CASS game so I began to do some research on revolvers, rifles and shotguns that would be suitable. All of my revolver research pointed to one company and that was USFA, so I ended buying a pair of consecutively numbered Rodeos through Longhunter for $595 each. In those days he'd do a few upgrades on them such as replace the flat spring with a coil spring, open up the rear sight notch and thin the hammer. When I received the revolvers, the first thing that struck me was how incredibly well made they were for $595, heck at even twice that price! It's a real pity that USFA is no longer making SAA revolvers but I feel very lucky to have a pair of Rodeos. I never did get into CASS since I opted for F-Class and USPSA instead, so now those USFAs sit in the safe with less than 20 rounds shot through each but they sure are nice revolvers.

 

[CraigC]

USFA stops SAA production in the same approximate time frame that Colt once again reintroduces it.

The Colt has been in constant production throughout USFA's history. The newer guns of the past few years are vastly improved but do not resemble a USFA.

 

[Black Butte]

Wow! That SAA in post 66 is really nice looking.

 

[Black Butte]

I'm curious, they likely didn’t have polymers in 1873, so what were the most commonly used grip materials back in the day?

 

[CraigC]

Thank you!

Hard rubber, aka gutta percha or one-piece black walnut. Of course they also did ivory, mother of pearl and stag for those that wanted it.