Looking for a SSA Reproduction..... Your Thoughts?

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35 Whelen

Very nice! Shoots as good as it looks and at a decent price too!

You did well sir, very well!
 
It's all relative. Large targets at short range aren't much problem with sights that glare. I've even managed pretty good 50-75 yd. accuracy with the shiny sights on my blued SA's. But for consistent accuracy shiny sights are a no-no. Flat black paint, smoke/carbon, matte finishes et al are band-aids.

It got to be enough of a problem for me that I sought a solution and found it in a 50 lpi checkering file.

Before-
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After-
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I've since done this on four of my SA's and the difference is amazing.

35W

Very nice! I imagine that pulls double duty as an elevation guide if you push it out to 100+ yards as well.
 
I fought the 32-20 bug as long as I could. Finally cratered when I found that DiXie has them on sale for $450. Pretty and plenty accurate!

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35W

Real nice.

I was interested in a 1st Gen 32-20 a few weeks ago at auction. I had to fold as I had already spent too much money on some other items. I don't really need a 32-20 1st Gen, but it is such a nice little cartridge.

I'll bet with the little tiny holes in the chambers and barrels that one is pretty heavy.
 
35 Whelen

Very nice! Shoots as good as it looks and at a decent price too!

You did well sir, very well!

Thanks much. It really does shoot well, and I've done nothing to it yet. Normally I install a wire trigger/bolt spring, clean up the forcing cone, and work on the trigger pull a bit.

Very nice! I imagine that pulls double duty as an elevation guide if you push it out to 100+ yards as well.

Thank you. I've shot it as far as 75 yds, but just a little because it's deer season and I try to keep the racket to a minimum. Your average revolver load running 900 fps and sighted to strike POA at 50 yds. only drops about 4" at 75 yds., and less than 3" for 1100 fps loads, so I just hold a little high when shooting my 75 yd. steel. I've regulated the sights of some of my SA's, with their hunting loads, to be a couple of inches high at 50 yds. which pretty much puts them on the money at 75, so there's no need to raise the front sight. On my Uberti Flat Top .44 Special though I did file an elevation mark in it's front sight for shooting out of my shop door at a 21" steel gong hanging 160 yds. distance. I cut the legs off of a plastic lawn chair and shoot out of it from within the shop...even when it's raining! The tiny orange dot in the distance is the gong.

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Real nice.

I was interested in a 1st Gen 32-20 a few weeks ago at auction. I had to fold as I had already spent too much money on some other items. I don't really need a 32-20 1st Gen, but it is such a nice little cartridge.

I'll bet with the little tiny holes in the chambers and barrels that one is pretty heavy.

Originally my intent was to bide my time and buy a 1st Generation Colt in 32-20, but the sights make them very difficult for me to shoot past 25 yds, and that's even stretching it a bit. Then finding these on sale (they're still on sale) sealed the deal.

You are quite correct regarding the weight. My 5 1/2"(Uberti) Cimarron Model P .44 Special-

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...and the 5 1/2" Uberti 32-20-

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Hard to believe there's a full 1/4 lb. difference!

My next hurdle is to resist the urge to buy a 32-20 rifle. I came REALLY close to buying an 1885 Production '73 Winchester, but it would probably have needed the barrel lined, so common sense and self control prevailed (for now).

35W
 
My next hurdle is to resist the urge to buy a 32-20 rifle. I came REALLY close to buying an 1885 Production '73 Winchester, but it would probably have needed the barrel lined, so common sense and self control prevailed (for now).

I made the mistake of walking into a local shop one day a couple of years ago. The owner knows I am a sucker for old Winchesters. He had a big grin on his face when he handed me this Winchester Model 1892, chambered for 32-20. Made in 1911. The octagon barrel and magazine tube had been replaced at some time and the bore is like new. Naturally, I walked out the door with it. That's why I was considering the 32-20 1st Gen Colt.

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35 Whelen

Then finding these on sale (they're still on sale) sealed the deal.

Not any more. Just checked and they're back to $525 ($510 for the .44 Special), at Dixie Gun Works.
 
I made the mistake of walking into a local shop one day a couple of years ago. The owner knows I am a sucker for old Winchesters. He had a big grin on his face when he handed me this Winchester Model 1892, chambered for 32-20. Made in 1911. The octagon barrel and magazine tube had been replaced at some time and the bore is like new. Naturally, I walked out the door with it. That's why I was considering the 32-20 1st Gen Colt.

View attachment 814862

That is a really nice rifle. Two local shops had rifles identically configured to yours and they wanted a little south of $2000, way too high IMHO. If (OK, when) I do get one, I'm leaning towards a '92 since cartridge o.a.l. is not as stringent as it is in the '73's. I'd also like to find a carbine so's I could tote it for spring turkey's.
Occasionally a Colt in 32-20 will sell pretty cheap on Gunbroker. Hope you find one you like.

35W
 
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35 Whelen



Not any more. Just checked and they're back to $525 ($510 for the .44 Special), at Dixie Gun Works.

The black powder frame model is $525, the cross-pin model is still on sale.

DGW stocks a pretty large selection of SA's in every caliber imaginable including .44 Colt and 38-40.

35W
 
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I made the mistake of walking into a local shop one day a couple of years ago. The owner knows I am a sucker for old Winchesters. He had a big grin on his face when he handed me this Winchester Model 1892, chambered for 32-20. Made in 1911. The octagon barrel and magazine tube had been replaced at some time and the bore is like new. Naturally, I walked out the door with it. That's why I was considering the 32-20 1st Gen Colt.

View attachment 814862

Driftwood, we are kindred spirits. Mine is a model 94 in 30-30 with an octagonal barrel dated to 1901. It’s one I’ll never get rid of.
 
Howdy Again

I went through my receipts and found I paid $1200 for it. Considering modern reproductions are going for around $1300 or $1400 I think I didn't do too bad.

The stock has been refinished, and there is one big chip on the fore end.

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It's tough for my old eyes to center the front sight in the little tiny V groove at the bottom of the Semi-Buckhorn sight.............

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But it's a real tack driver with its like-new bore.
 
Howdy Again

I went through my receipts and found I paid $1200 for it. Considering modern reproductions are going for around $1300 or $1400 I think I didn't do too bad.

The stock has been refinished, and there is one big chip on the fore end.

It's tough for my old eyes to center the front sight in the little tiny V groove at the bottom of the Semi-Buckhorn sight.............

But it's a real tack driver with its like-new bore.

That is a really, really nice rifle and I think you got it at a very fair price.
 
I guess my point is that if someone is looking for an authentic, historically correct SAA, then one might be best served with the real deal, a Colt. Sure, you can get a replica (I have one that I thoroughly enjoy because I simply really enjoy shooting a single action revolver) that functions identical to a Colt, but it’s still not a Colt. If you have the itch for an authentic SAA, I think maybe you owe it to yourself to get a Colt. Just my thought.

Well I have both, Colts and Cimarron. The Cimarrons are more authentic and historically accurate to a 19th century SAA Colt than any of the colts are now. Plus the Colts have horrible actions and even though they all can use some work the Cimarrons are much better functioning out of the box than a Colt. I custom order the Cimarrons with real bone and charcoal case color hardening and some other options and still almost buy three for the price of a Colt and have a better shooting gun.
 
A lot of people, myself included, don't have $2,000+ for a range toy that's going to see occasional use.

I like nice 9×19mm pistols. That doesn't mean that I need to buy a SIG P210 instead of a CZ75SA.

For me, it's going to be a Pietta/Cimarron or NOTHING.

And your chances of having a better shooter than the Colt are pretty good too for a forth of the cost.
 
Colt is no longer what it once was.

Colt is no longer anything when it comes to the SAA. They are done and parts have been sold off. Really stupid when others are making good revenue off of their original design and in today's CNC world there is no reason they can't be producing one of better quality but for a little more but still a reasonable enough price that people would gladly pay it compared to the Italian guns. But no Colt had to try to get four times the price for them and not sell enough to warrant building them. Stupid management and Colt deserves to go out of business.
 
I only have two or three cents worth to contribute to this. Personally I prefer Ruger SA pistols for whatever that's worth. Probably about one cent. I see nothing wrong with the imports and even own one. It's your money, spend it on what YOU want.

I live in the land of bright sunshine. I have a SS Ruger BlackHawk. With it's blued target sights it's no problem to shoot in the sunshine. I have both the Colt SSA and Remington SA in the CO2 guns just to play with. Both have a nickle (or chrome, I don't know which) finish and it is impossible to see the sights out in direct sunlight. It's just a big, bright spot on top of the guns even wearing sunshades. My solution was to tape off the top strap and top third of the barrel and spray them with Rustoleum rust reformer paint. It looks funny but I can see the sights.
 
Seems a little stupid for Colt to stop selling them, even if, like Winchester, they had someone else make them. Just having Colt logos on them would command a higher price.

It wouldn't be the first time they had done something like that anyway, i.e., the Butler single shot derringers with Colt's name on them.
 
I only have two or three cents worth to contribute to this. Personally I prefer Ruger SA pistols for whatever that's worth. Probably about one cent. I see nothing wrong with the imports and even own one. It's your money, spend it on what YOU want.

I live in the land of bright sunshine. I have a SS Ruger BlackHawk. With it's blued target sights it's no problem to shoot in the sunshine. I have both the Colt SSA and Remington SA in the CO2 guns just to play with. Both have a nickle (or chrome, I don't know which) finish and it is impossible to see the sights out in direct sunlight. It's just a big, bright spot on top of the guns even wearing sunshades. My solution was to tape off the top strap and top third of the barrel and spray them with Rustoleum rust reformer paint. It looks funny but I can see the sights.

I have done the same thing with flat black spray paint as well as flat black modeling paint. The problem I had however was once the revolver had slid in and out of a leather holster a few times, the flat paint began to develop a bit of a shine. I have a couple of old revolvers with fixed sights that while being great shooters, aren't much to look at. I'm thinking I may take the checkering file to them and see if I can eliminate the glare from the rear sight. I think carefully and tastefully done, it might not look too bad.

Seems a little stupid for Colt to stop selling them, even if, like Winchester, they had someone else make them. Just having Colt logos on them would command a higher price.

It wouldn't be the first time they had done something like that anyway, i.e., the Butler single shot derringers with Colt's name on them.

I'm afraid it's pretty much game over for Colt and their SA's. Even on the Colt forum many Colt owners now openly acknowledge that there's little reason to spend the extra $1200 - $1500 on a Colt instead of a Uberti, or even a Pietta, since the latter two have upped theirgame significantly, especially in the last few years. But on the other hand, there will always be a few who think having a horse stamped on the frame somehow makes a firearm better.

35W
 
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