ROA vs Colt Copy

[gunboat57]

I've been shooting cap n ball revolvers for four decades, off and on. I've owned Colt types including 1860, 1861, "1851" 44, and a Remington 44 NMA.

Today I only have an "1851" 44 with 5" barrel and one other: I recently traded into a Ruger Old Army. The ROA is supposed to be the epitome of cap n ball revolvers. It is big, rugged, well made, has adjustable sights. What more could you want, right?

So am I crazy for wanting to sell the ROA and buy another Colt replica? It just seems like the Colts are so much more handy, balance better, point more naturally, and appear to be much better proportioned. Has anyone else used a ROA and then ended up preferring Colt replicas?

 

[bax504]

I have a 1851 with a 3" barrel, a 1860 with a 7 1/2 barrel. Also I have 2 ROA, 1 5 1/2 and 1 71/2. The Colts do feel nice, but i love my ROA's. If you want to get rid of the Ruger, let me know.

 

[Foto Joe]

Too bad you're not in love with the ROA, from what I hear most folks who feed them once can't put them down.

You'll find that we here on THR are a very sympathetic bunch (or maybe the word was pathetic). I'm sure someone here will feel sorry enough for your situation to take it off your hands if you really have to have a Colt's pattern gun.

Shoot what makes you comfortable and you'll shoot well.

 

[arcticap]

So am I crazy for wanting to sell the ROA and buy another Colt replica? It just seems like the Colts are so much more handy, balance better, point more naturally, and appear to be much better proportioned. Has anyone else used a ROA and then ended up preferring Colt replicas?

Folks generally agree that many Ruger guns tend to be over-built.
Ruger even downsized the newer version of the Vaquaro to make it more comfortable and pointable for many people.
About the downsized grip of the new Vaquaro, a Gunblast article states:

...Ruger has returned to the much adored shape and size of the original XR3 grip, which was first used on the 1851 Colt Navy revolver....
...In the photos, I laid the grip panel from the New Vaquero over both an original XR3 grip panel and also over one from a Colt SAA. The shape is the same. The new grip frame is the first XR3 to be made of steel, and the New Vaquero is a delight to handle. Just like the old Colts, it points like the finger of God. The slim grip panels on this sixgun are made of checkered hard rubber...

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger-NewVaquero.htm

There's also Pachmayr Presentation grips for the ROA that do provide more support behind the trigger guard and on the back strap, and which helps to improve the feel and increase the amount of comfort. Trying these grips wouldn't solve all of your problems with the ROA but sometimes a little improvement can make a big difference in how the gun points and balances.

http://www.google.com/products/cata...=4MpGTubuGqXr0QHn2vjJDg&sqi=2&ved=0CCUQ8wIwAw

 

[J-Bar]

Shoot for groups over a rest at 25 yards with both guns and let us know which you prefer after that.

 

[rdstrain49]

Colt

 

[ClemBert]

Different strokes for different folks...as they say. The solution to your dilemma is to own at least one of everything.

Opinions will vary as these firearms are not "one size fits all". I'm 6' 3" and have big hands. If I was 5' 3" with little hands I'd probably have a different opinion of what fits me best.

 

[Jaymo]

The solution to your problem is to sell your ROA to me and buy yourself another Colt copy, since it feels right in your hand.
Though I've always preferred the look of the 51 Navy over the 60 army, I must admit that the 60 army feels better in the hand than any other revolver I've ever picked up.

 

[CraigC]

I own a passle of Ruger cartridge guns but the Old Army just does nothing for me. When I wanna shoot a blackpowder pistol, I don't want a modernized Ruger. I want a topless Colt or replica.

What more could you want, right?

Authenticity?

 

[arcticap]

So am I crazy for wanting to sell the ROA and buy another Colt replica?

Certainly not.
There wouldn't be so many for sale if every ROA owner really loved theirs.
But there doesn't seem to be any shortage of buyers for them either.
If there's a surplus of them now then just wait a few years and see if the demand for them goes up or down.
From the live auctions that I've watched, ROA's seem to garner bids up to their maximum market price fairly quickly. More so than many of the other more common current production models anyway.
If you do end up selling it, those willing to buy it aren't going to lose any sleep over the fact that you decided to sell it, that's for sure!

 

[gunboat57]

Well, ClemBert's suggestion made good sense to me: just own one of everything! So I'm keeping the ROA.

In fact, I ordered a conversion cylinder for it too! I'll be able to muzzle load it or shoot my black powder 45 Colt loads.

I'll just have to save up for the 1851 Navy that I've had in mind for a while.

 

[BCRider]

There's no doubt at all that the ROA is a fine shootin' iron. But like you and a few of the other posters in this thread for me it's all about the authenticity of the design and how faithful a copy of the originals that I can get. So I'll just pass on the ROA and the Vaquero options and their new fangled ways.....

If I were carrying out in the bush or some other hunting or defensive use and I was nuts about SA firearms for this I'd be all over them.... Actually I DO have a Ruger Super Blackhawk but just becuase it's a superb launcher for .44Mag.... which they didn't have way back when.

 

[MCgunner]

Shoot for groups over a rest at 25 yards with both guns and let us know which you prefer after that.

Plus one and yes, you're crazy for selling that ROA, but btw, how much?

I have the 5" Navy, a 5.5" Remmy (both Pietta), a .31 Remmy (ASM), a NAA super companion, and the ROA. Of 'em all, the ROA is my favorite due to one thing...ACCURACY. Colts, well, if 5" at 25 yards holding at the bottom of the target frame is good enough for ya. I have fun with mine, but accuracy just ain't its thing. The Remmy, OTOH, is nearly as good as the ROA. I filed the notch out a bit on the Navy's impersonation of a rear sight and use a bit of a modified sight picture and can hit paper at 25 with it...depending on the size of the paper.

My ROA shoots high, too, but not as high as the Colts all seem to do. It's such that I can correct for it with sight picture. I have the sight adjusted to the bottom. This is common with ROAs, though. And, if Colts are all sighted for 75 yards, I don't really consider 15" groups that useful at 75 yards. The Colts have authenticity and they do handle nicely, too bad they can't hit the side of a barn from inside the barn. The ROA perfected accuracy and cap and ball in general. You might not like the balance, but that's an individual preference, after all, right? I'd like to have a 5.5" ROA in stainless. I ain't rich, though. Those are kinda rare and when you find one, they ain't givin' it away. My Remmy satisfies me, though. It's an accurate gun that shoots to POA. I really like that Remmy as a compact alternative to the ROA. It don't quite point as natural as a Navy, but makes up for that with usable minute of pop can accuracy and POA sight in.

Side note, I can cut an inch off the Navy's 25 yard groups with the 7.5" barrel I got for it. I was going to cut that barrel down to snubby size, but can't convince myself it'd be any fun after doing that at all, and for what? The 5" is short enough.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Glad you're keeping the ROA. Unless you have more than one ROA, I wouldn't trade them for a Colt replica.

 

[gunboat57]

Got a package today: Howell conversion cylinder for 45 Colt for my ROA. Yep, I think it's a keeper for sure now.

Here's how she looks with new cylinder in place:



I've heard some people dispense with using the regular cylinder latch pin and just use the rammer lever to retain the cylinder pin. I wonder if that allows too much fore and aft play in the cylinder pin, especially due to recoil.

 

[arcticap]

The Belt Mountain replacement base pin for the ROA is installed alone and independent of the loading lever. It's precision made and designed to make it easier to remove the conversion cylinder for reloading.
There isn't any extra cylinder play when it's installed, and as long as the base pin locks in place then it should be fine.

http://www.beltmountain.com/ruger.htm

 

[gunboat57]

The Belt Mt pin looks good but I think I'll keep the loading lever in place. The loading lever latch stud just looks too lonely out there at the end of the barrel. It also hangs up a bit in my holster. Maybe I'll get another loading lever and trim off the web underneath so it looks kinda like this:



I'd probably keep using the base pin latch anyway.

 

[J-Bar]

I don't see any need to mutilate the lever. Put it and the rammer in a drawer. The base pin retaining pin will hold the factory base pin in place.

 

[ClemBert]

I don't see any need to mutilate the lever. Put it and the rammer in a drawer. The base pin retaining pin will hold the factory base pin in place.

I think he was thinking about how to get around the use of the base pin retaining pin since it usually requires a tool to twist it and that make use of the conversion cylinder less fun. His plan to use the retaining pin in the "open" position along with the base pin and loading lever should be fine. There are other who do that. Personally, I like the Belt Mountain base pin and using my ClemBert pin in place of the standard base pin retaining pin.

 

[gunboat57]

Yeah, the idea of trimming an extra lever (keeping the original in a drawer with the rammer) was just for appearance sake.

First order of business is to shoot this thing. Problem is the snow on the ground and more coming down. What is it, Winter or something?

 

[J-Bar]

I have 6 ROAs, and I can turn the retaining pin with my thumbnail on each one.

And I have thin thumbnails.

And if you don't want to risk a thumbnail, a dime works fine.

Tool? Really?

 

[arcticap]

Maybe I'll get another loading lever and trim off the web underneath so it looks kinda like this:

It may be difficult to find one for sale since some of these replacement parts do not seem to be available through normal channels.

 

[ClemBert]

I have 6 ROAs, and I can turn the retaining pin with my thumbnail on each one.

And I have thin thumbnails.

And if you don't want to risk a thumbnail, a dime works fine.

Tool? Really?

That's odd, seems like most of the rest of us are unable to do what you are able to do with your 6 ROAs. I see you have trained them well.

A coin or a slotted screwdriver or knife would be the tool I speak of.

 

[gunboat57]

J-Bar, your thumbnails are made of tougher stuff than mine are! So I carry an old wheat penny in my pocket just in case.

 

[J-Bar]

J-Bar, your thumbnails are made of tougher stuff than mine are! So I carry an old wheat penny in my pocket just in case.

Remarkable! I figured they were all like mine.

In any case, parts for these are hard to find. Please don't do anything irreversible.