does colt still make the saa?
- Thread starter OARNGESI
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cub8556
Member
They still make them but they can be a little hard to find new. Bought one new a few months ago from GAT guns outside Chicago. Bought the last one they had in stock, but I noticed they got a few more in last week. When I was looking a few individuals gave me some shops to contact in other states, but I was being lazy and wanted to buy locally.
bannockburn
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I thought I read somewhere that SAA production was being done by Colt's Custom Shop. Don't know how true or accurate that information is.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Word from the custom shop manager is that they are producing about 200 SAA's a month.
Trad Archer
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If you want something other than a 357 or 45, like a 44-40 or 38-40 or 32-20, you have to pay extra for the custom shop to make it. I know, as I called Colt. I would have to pay for engraving or odd barrel length or ivory grips etc. or else they won't make it.
Wait time I was told was 2-3 years; money upfront through a dealer.
:banghead:
Wait time I was told was 2-3 years; money upfront through a dealer.
:banghead:
ArchAngelCD
Member.
I would never give a dealer money for a gun they tell me won't be available for 2 to 3 years. I would find a different source.
You obviously don't understand the custom gun world. 
My one & only engraved custom gun, a Ruger Redhawk, took two full years, start to finish.
Colt's Custom Shop is a small division, there's only so much they can put out.
You want a custom gun, you figure on it taking some time. With them, or anybody else.
The CS doesn't build a number of non-standard guns to stockpile while waiting for a buyer to order one off the shelf. They build to order, to customer desires, and once they've got your own package specified by you, they put you in line.
Special order work beyond the normal production configuration is going to involve a wait & it'll cost you.
If you can't accept those concepts, then you won't be owning a true custom gun.
Denis
My one & only engraved custom gun, a Ruger Redhawk, took two full years, start to finish.
Colt's Custom Shop is a small division, there's only so much they can put out.
You want a custom gun, you figure on it taking some time. With them, or anybody else.
The CS doesn't build a number of non-standard guns to stockpile while waiting for a buyer to order one off the shelf. They build to order, to customer desires, and once they've got your own package specified by you, they put you in line.
Special order work beyond the normal production configuration is going to involve a wait & it'll cost you.
If you can't accept those concepts, then you won't be owning a true custom gun.
Denis
BobWright
Member
Used Colt SAAs are fairly plentiful around here and on GunBroker. Prices are outrageous, though.
Bob Wright
Bob Wright
Surculus
Member
Doesn't USFA? USAA? make the single-actions that Colt used to do before they closed down the full-production line & moved everything into their custom shop? Toward the end [series 3?] Colt was buying in most of the parts from abroad & only finishing & assembling them in-house, so unless you're specifically out for the Colt name, the USFA product is the same product under a different name, as I understood it. Maybe I got the story wrong, it's been at least a decade since I remember reading about it in the gun rags...
BCRider
Member
I understand from other threads discussing this same topic that for a while Colt was importing parts from Italy and made a few runs this way. That was quite a few years ago now though.
And sadly Denis is right about your thinking on USFA. The flake that runs the outfit decided one day that making superb SAA style guns wasn't worth doing any more and decided to put all their eggs into a POS called the Zip gun. I'll leave it for you to google this and see the craptastic product they put out in place of their SAA's.
And sadly Denis is right about your thinking on USFA. The flake that runs the outfit decided one day that making superb SAA style guns wasn't worth doing any more and decided to put all their eggs into a POS called the Zip gun. I'll leave it for you to google this and see the craptastic product they put out in place of their SAA's.
Colt never imported parts from Italy for the Peacemaker.
There were some Uberti-sourced PERCUSSION guns done in-house & later outside Colt under license.
Colt has outsourced & does still outsource some parts & operations on the Peacemaker, but never from abroad & has never had any connection with USFA.
Denis
There were some Uberti-sourced PERCUSSION guns done in-house & later outside Colt under license.
Colt has outsourced & does still outsource some parts & operations on the Peacemaker, but never from abroad & has never had any connection with USFA.
Denis
Panzerschwein
member
USFA no longer makes Colt SAA style guns... they now make staplers that happen to use .22LR cartridges.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Yep, you got all of it wrong.
DPris spoke the truth.
ApacheCoTodd
member
Curious...
If a fella were fortunate enough to get one of these new Custom Shop Colt's SAAs - does it come with the original hammer configuration or a transfer bar arrangement? I couldn't tell from their site.
Todd.
If a fella were fortunate enough to get one of these new Custom Shop Colt's SAAs - does it come with the original hammer configuration or a transfer bar arrangement? I couldn't tell from their site.
Todd.
I just got one in August, fresh from Colt's. Yes, it still has the traditional,action. Best to load one, skip one and load four.
It's my favorite of my revolvers, possibly of all my handguns. I ignored the admonishments on page 1 of the owner's manual about not handling it much, much less shooting it. I shoot mine, and yes sometimes carry it.
ApacheCoTodd
member
HexHead, if you don't mind me asking...
I won't as as to the cost but how long did it take from order to delivery?
Todd.
I won't as as to the cost but how long did it take from order to delivery?
Todd.
urbaneruralite
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- Oct 28, 2007
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I do not ever intend to purchase one, but I'd like to hear more about the manual suggesting you never shoot and seldom handle.
I happened to be at my LGS when one came in. The next day I brought one of my Detective Specials in to trade towards it. I guess they'd ordered it a couple of years earlier for stock.
Pic is worth 1000 words. Here's page one...
They make it sound like you're handling a grenade.
ApacheCoTodd
member
I'd shoot the bejeepers outa it!
Just like I did with a museum grade, early one until a couple years ago... Still more than doubled my money and it went to a fella who would also not be afraid to shoot it.
Regardless of "... immediate extreme loss of collector's value."
Hell with the "next guy".... I'ma have some fun before I'm room temperature!
Thanks for jumpstarting the thread HexHead.
Todd.
Just like I did with a museum grade, early one until a couple years ago... Still more than doubled my money and it went to a fella who would also not be afraid to shoot it.
Regardless of "... immediate extreme loss of collector's value."
Hell with the "next guy".... I'ma have some fun before I'm room temperature!
Thanks for jumpstarting the thread HexHead.
Todd.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Lead time on a new SAA is over a year on a basic model.
The manual is pretty funny. A run of the mill 3rd generation doesn't have any collector value, although that doesn't keep people from buying them as investments. Even so, shooting and handling them affects them no differently from any other new firearm. An SAA that's been fired 100 times is not worth drastically less than one still unfired. Maybe $200, just because it's been used. IMHO, if you're going to buy a 3rd generation SAA, buy a newer one. They are vastly superior to earlier 3rd generation guns, which can vary from terrible to decent. Here's one from the mid `90's that was actually put together pretty well. Only reason I bought it instead of a newer model is because it was polished properly, had nearly $500 worth of action work and stocks fitted but was only $1200. I plan on having it engraved and refinished.
This one, not so much. It's from the early `80's and has the telltale signs of overpolishing and the horrendous .457" chamber throats. It took many hours of judicious stoning to get the action smooth.
The manual is pretty funny. A run of the mill 3rd generation doesn't have any collector value, although that doesn't keep people from buying them as investments. Even so, shooting and handling them affects them no differently from any other new firearm. An SAA that's been fired 100 times is not worth drastically less than one still unfired. Maybe $200, just because it's been used. IMHO, if you're going to buy a 3rd generation SAA, buy a newer one. They are vastly superior to earlier 3rd generation guns, which can vary from terrible to decent. Here's one from the mid `90's that was actually put together pretty well. Only reason I bought it instead of a newer model is because it was polished properly, had nearly $500 worth of action work and stocks fitted but was only $1200. I plan on having it engraved and refinished.
This one, not so much. It's from the early `80's and has the telltale signs of overpolishing and the horrendous .457" chamber throats. It took many hours of judicious stoning to get the action smooth.
Armybrat
Member
What Craig said is very correct - the knowledgeable collectors on the Colt forum have said the same thing.
I want to buy a new production 3rd Generation SAA, as they say they are about as well built & finished as the best of the older versions. If good fortune puts one in my hands for a decent price, I & my sons plan to shoot it plenty.
What kind of prices are you guys paying for new ones these days? I bought a NIB Colt .45 with a 7.5" barrel in 1980 for my Dad's 70th birthday. Seem to remember the price was $350 then. My brother wound up with it.
I already have a Texas Sesquicentennial .45 cased model that just gets looked at once in a while, so a newshooter/plinker would be fun.
Craig, would love to see the pics after you get that one engraved. What style are you considering?
I want to buy a new production 3rd Generation SAA, as they say they are about as well built & finished as the best of the older versions. If good fortune puts one in my hands for a decent price, I & my sons plan to shoot it plenty.
What kind of prices are you guys paying for new ones these days? I bought a NIB Colt .45 with a 7.5" barrel in 1980 for my Dad's 70th birthday. Seem to remember the price was $350 then. My brother wound up with it.
I already have a Texas Sesquicentennial .45 cased model that just gets looked at once in a while, so a newshooter/plinker would be fun.
Craig, would love to see the pics after you get that one engraved. What style are you considering?
ApacheCoTodd
member
I hadn't heard of a "terrible" period of (from Colt's) SAA.
Can anyone expound upon that and are they in any way readily identifiable without a serial number search.
Guess what I'm asking is how do I know one sitting on any given fella's table at a show?
Todd.
Can anyone expound upon that and are they in any way readily identifiable without a serial number search.
Guess what I'm asking is how do I know one sitting on any given fella's table at a show?
Todd.
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