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My First SAA

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Dobe

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I am the proud owner of a Colt SAA in .45 LC. I have been looking at these for some time. It is one of those that someone had bought, never shot, decided to get into sailing, so sold it and the Winchester they had bought for cowboy action shooting.

I didn't get the Winchester, but I did get the Colt. It sports a 5 1/2" barrel.

Is there anything special I need to know about these guns? Is there anything that is especially fragile? Will it hold up to a lot of shooting? Will it hold up to a lot of dry firing (with or without snap caps). This will not be a safe queen.

How will it handle dry firing, or should I only use snap caps?

Dobe
 
It will hold up to a lot of shooting, but loads should be kept within reason. If you want a .44 Magnum, buy one, don't try to make one out of a .45 Colt.

I tune mine to reduce the wear of the cylinder bolt on the cylinder and get the gun working smoothly and in time, but they are OK from the factory if one is not picky. I do recommend snap caps, as once in a while I see broken firing pins.

(Before you ask, I no longer have a license, so work only on my own guns.)

Jim
 
Dobie,
Congratulations on your Colt. I have a few and they are all shooters. My favorite is the 44 special.

Unique powder is a old favorite for the 45 LC., and 8gr is a good accurate load.
Try different bullet weights with that powder charge, see what hits to your point of aim. Lead bullets from 200 to 250gr fill the bill.
Do not file on the front sight. Seek advice 1st.

Look at the cylinder to see if your getting a ring from the bolt stop dragging. They are unsightly and you should have the timing adjusted.
 
Thanks Harve for the advice. I have been dry firing until my fingers ache. I just haven't been able to make it to the range. I went yesterday, but they didn't have a lane available.

Look at the cylinder to see if your getting a ring from the bolt stop dragging. They are unsightly and you should have the timing adjusted.
Click to expand...

I have noticed the ring, since I have been dry firing it. How much will it cost to have the timing adjusted? Can the average smith perform this?

Dobe
 
There are two factors involved in that ring. The first is that the cylinder bolt (cylinder stop) spring is entirely too strong and can actually dig into the cylinder when it comes up. The other is that the bolt should not hit the cylinder outside the leade (the triangular cut leading up to the notch). The second is a timing problem; the former is simply a matter of reducing spring tension.

In all honesty, I don't know anyone who can properly set up and time a Single Action any more, although a lot of folks try (and mostly screw up - I have seen the results). You might see if there is a Cowboy Action group or club in your area; those folks usually know the smiths who can work on the old type guns.

Jim
 
Congratulations. You have a gem, and you deserve to be proud of it.

I think a lot of avid shooters miss a great deal by never owning and shooting perhaps the most famous handgun of them all, the Colt SAA. Talk about history; it's essentially the same gun that was made in 1873, and by the same company.

I have several, as well as many other guns, but these Colt SAAs are by far my favorites. If you really want to step back into history, you can follow my lead and load only black powder.

I shoot a couple of mine every week, and even though the black powder cartridges dirty them up pretty much, I enjoy shooting and cleaning them.

gk
 
Those of you who have had a SAA for some time, do you detail strip and clean periodically? If so, is it much of a problem? I do emphasize periodically as in sparatically.

Also, how do you keep those screws from backing out. I am constantly retightening them. I am thinking of clear fingernail polish on the threads.

Dobe
 
I rarely do a detail strip anymore. I use a little blue locktite on most screws, after my ejector tube fell off at the range one day.

Congrats on the SAA. If you reload, you may notice that bullets sized to .454 are more accurate than the usual .452.
 
Congrats on the SAA. If you reload, you may notice that bullets sized to .454 are more accurate than the usual .452.
Click to expand...

That was my next question. What bullet mold and sizer do most of you use for an accurate fun shooting load?

Dobe
 
Quality of new SAAs?

I too have begun to feel a yen for an SAA -- specifically, a .45 Colt with a 7.5" barrel.

That's a *lot* of bread, though. One hears differing things about the quality of new Colt production. If I put down $1200 for a revolver, I think I'm entitled to expect a superbly finished, sweet-functioning gun straight out of the box.

What are the odds that I'd get that?

(I have a similar yen for a Python Elite, and the same questions about Colt's quality, but this is an SAA thread, so I'll let it pass.)
 
Bill,
That is a nice link. I didn't see a link to a website, just a telephone number.

Plainsman,
I wish I could by a new SAA for 1200 in my area.

Dobe
 
Dobie,
I didn't see your question till just now. One other listed in Jerry Kuhnhausen's book Colt shop manual is :
Jim Martin , PO box 1624, Cave Creek , Az. 85327- 1624

also Bob James of James Guns in Phoenix Az area.

and Oglesby and Oglesby back east.

Bob Munden of Montana.

Wes Flowers of Tombstone, Az

Talk to more then one before you make a decision.
The more you use it the worse the ring will get and then need reblued.

For the loose screws I always use the BLUE medium Lok-Tite. Then you don't have to over tighten the screws, just turn them till they stop.
Always use a screw driver that fits the slot perfectly. If your handy grind a few screw drivers to fit.
 
Thanks all.

I have broken a pawl spring already by dry firing it. I have no problems with this. I have broken several trigger rebound springs on a Ruger Security Six. I realize that dry firing is not really the best thing for a firearm, but the benefits far out weigh the cost.

I have yet to shoot this fine hand gun, as it is in the shop now. The spring that is broken is a $7 part. I will order additional springs, and learn to replace them myself.

Thanks again for the infromation.

Dobe
 
Howdy Dobe,
Get the "Colt Single Action Revolvers, A Shop Manualvol 1&2", by Jerry Kuhnhausen. It's really a one volume book.
Heritage VSP Gun Books, Box 887, McCall, Id. 83638
Brownell has it and parts to. Once properly set up it shouldn't break or go out of time for decades.
If you are dry firing alot I would at least put empties in it so the firing pin can hit the old primer.
If the firing pin is striking the bushing/recoil plate hole slightly off center, somethings gotta give eventually, the hole will become elongated or the pin will break.
 
Wealth of information

Harve,
Thanks again, and I have been dry firing with snap caps. I will order the book you recommended very soon.

Dobe
 
Update

I just got my SAA back from the gunsmith. No charge, and he even smoothed the action. It feels great, and I will be taking it shooting this weekend. ;)

Dobe
 
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