SAA Clones?

[AlexanderA]

Cimarron doesn't show a recognized dealer closer than 500 miles.

Cimarron and Taylor's are similar in that they are both importers for Uberti and Pietta. Due to their purchasing power, they may be able to request tighter specs from the manufacturers. They also offer in-house tuning services, for an additional fee.
I recently checked with Taylor's, and they are backordered on the Uberti Cavalry Model for the foreseeable future.
You might want to check other sources for an Uberti, since it's essentially the same product no matter where it's purchased.

 

[35 Whelen]

Dixie Gun Works stocks Uberti's in many different configurations, and in fact the 7 1/2" 45Colt on sale for $450. When I ordered my 32-20 I called them and they were VERY helpful. I noted in the comment box on the order that I wanted a Cattleman and not a Cattleman II, which is exactly what I got.

Regarding the Pietta's, I bought one new earlier this year in 45 Colt. It was a nice looking revolver, but wasn't finished quite as nice as my Uberti's (I own seven), and didn't shoot well at all, so I sold it. Could've just been a single lemon, who knows.

35W

 

[Deanimator]

Actually Bud's does have the 7 1/2" Frontier. Their search function is.. arcane.

 

[AlexanderA]

Actually Bud's does have the 7 1/2" Frontier. Their search function is.. arcane.

Do what 35 Whelen did and request the Cattleman and not the Cattleman II. It will still have the hammer block, but that is not as far from the original Colt as the floating firing pin.

 

[Deanimator]

Do what 35 Whelen did and request the Cattleman and not the Cattleman II. It will still have the hammer block, but that is not as far from the original Colt as the floating firing pin.

I'm going with the Frontier since it actually gives me what I want.

 

[Fiv3r]

Enjoy you SAA. I bought a Great Western II in .357 because I, like you, wanted the traditional action but I dont reload so .38/.357 was cheaper to shoot.

I had had SAA style guns in the past but forgot how much I enjoyed them and how well they hit where I pointed them.

I ended up keeping the GWII for range fun and getting a Blackhawk for trail carry. Still, there isn't anything like slowly thumbing back the hammer with those 4 satisfying clicks "hello".

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

If you look closely at Driftwood's picture, you notice that the head of the retaining screw is marred. That's not anybody's fault this side of the Atlantic. Those screws are often overtorqued at the factory, and they are a bear to remove. That's why I would leave that alone unless the spring is actually broken.

Yeah, except if the spring breaks at a CAS match. Which is exactly what happened with that Colt. Which is exactly why I always bring a pair of Rugers along to every match, in case one of my Colts has a problem. So far, I have needed the Rugers twice over the years.

Then again, I have a bunch of Colts that still have the original split trigger/bolt spring in them, but they don't come to very many matches.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

The revolvers with the "original" trigger and firing pins are easy to tell from the new ones with the retracting firing pin (RFP). With the hammer fully lowered, note the position of the trigger in the trigger guard on this model with the original hammer and trigger-

Yeah, the models with the retractable firing pin need a little bit more trigger travel to move the actuator before the hammer falls. It is the same with New Model Rugers. They all have the trigger set further forward than the old Three Screw models because the trigger has to travel a little bit to push the transfer bar up into position for the hammer to strike it.

Or, you could just look behind the cylinder and see if the firing pin is sticking through or not.

 

[Armored farmer]

....i still think the Uberti El Patron is s good SAA clone.
Smooth too!

 

[Deanimator]

View attachment 813306 ....i still think the Uberti El Patron is s good SAA clone.
Smooth too!

Four click lockwork?

 

[red rick]

Four click lockwork?

Not if made this year .

 

[35 Whelen]

Four click lockwork?

It is not. Notice the hammer is all the way down, and the trigger is not at the back of the trigger guard.

35W

 

[Armored farmer]

Four click lockwork?

No, it is not.

Not if made this year .

It is new.

It is not. Notice the hammer is all the way down, and the trigger is not at the back of the trigger guard.

35W

Well done!

...no it doesnt fit the criteria perfectly, but close.

 

[Deanimator]

...no it doesnt fit the criteria perfectly, but close.

Actually it doesn't fit my most important criterion.

Right now, it looks like the Cimarron Frontier.

I'm going to try to hit a couple of local gun stores tomorrow to see what's floating around.

 

[35 Whelen]

One Other thing that may or may not matter to you- Uberti SA's are very slightly larger than Pietta's, which as far as I know, are physical duplicates of Colt's. The difference in size is so slight that 99% of people would never know without being told. The difference is in the diameter of the cylinder with the Uberti's measuring ~1.675" vs. the Colt's which run ~1.645". Of course this also means that the Uberti frames slightly "taller".

35W

 

[AlexanderA]

Both the Uberti and Pietta SAA's use coil hand springs. The difference is that Uberti has a small filler screw behind the spring, which holds it in place when the grip is removed. Pietta lacks this small retainer screw, meaning that the hand spring and plunger are apt to fall out and be lost when the grip is removed by someone unaware of this little detail.

 

[EmGeeGeorge]

Cavalry holsters are neat. You carry them on the right side, backwards, and draw the gun with a twisting motion of the wrist.

I’ve got a great western 2 in 45lc that shoots wonderfully.

FWIW I recall the primary arm of the cavalryman was the sword; so the pistol was intended to be used off handed(leftie) and the sword wielded as the main weapon. Hence wearing the holster crossdraw, on the dominant side.

 

[LAH]

FWIW I recall the primary arm of the cavalryman was the sword; so the pistol was intended to be used off handed(leftie) and the sword wielded as the main weapon. Hence wearing the holster crossdraw, on the dominant side.

That's how I understand it.

 

[Deanimator]

FWIW I recall the primary arm of the cavalryman was the sword; so the pistol was intended to be used off handed(leftie) and the sword wielded as the main weapon. Hence wearing the holster crossdraw, on the dominant side.

Actually, at least in the post Civil War era, the carbine was the primary weapon of the cavalry.

Post Civil War cavalry were dragoons (mounted infantry) in everything but name.

 

[Bill Raby]

Standard Manufacturing makes one that is nicer than the Colts. It costs more too.

 

[EmGeeGeorge]

Actually, at least in the post Civil War era, the carbine was the primary weapon of the cavalry.

Post Civil War cavalry were dragoons (mounted infantry) in everything but name.

I prolly should’ve wrote “after the carbine, the saber was...”

 

[EmGeeGeorge]

That's how I understand it.

Not to mention generally if you draw a cross drawn holstered firearm same side, you tend to flag your own guts...

 

[LAH]

Not to mention generally if you draw a cross drawn holstered firearm same side, you tend to flag your own guts...

Yes that's what happens in a twist draw. I've read the pistol was worn on the right hip, butt forward for a left hand draw. The sword was used with the right [strong] hand. Am I mistaken?

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Not to mention generally if you draw a cross drawn holstered firearm same side, you tend to flag your own guts...

Howdy Again

Not exactly sure what you mean when you say 'cross drawn holstered firearm same side'.

To me, cross draw means reaching across your belly to unholster a revolver, so by definition you can't cross draw a pistol on the same side as your hand cross draw style.

If you are referring to the Cavalry Twist, that is a different story. Before drawing the gun, the hand is reversed so the palm side is out. Then as you pull the pistol you rotate your wrist to rotate the pistol around so that when it is completely pulled and pointing down range, everything is normal. Reverse it to reholster. A friend of mine wears both his revolvers butt forward in CAS and always uses the Cavalry twist. He does not have any problems, and does not 'flag' his guts, whatever that means.

Regarding the cavalry and butt forward holsters, yes, when mounted on horseback the sabre was the primary weapon, so it would be drawn by the right hand reaching across the belly. The revolver was a secondary weapon, drawn cross draw across the belly by the left hand. Troops generally dismounted to shoot their carbines.

 

[AlexanderA]

Actually, at least in the post Civil War era, the carbine was the primary weapon of the cavalry.

Post Civil War cavalry were dragoons (mounted infantry) in everything but name.

This is correct. The carbine was always the primary weapon of the U.S. cavalry. The first Regular Army cavalry regiment, the 1st Dragoons, was organized in 1833, with the 2nd Dragoons being added in 1836. The Mounted Rifles were established in 1846, and then two regiments of "Cavalry" were added in 1855. In 1861, all these units, along with an additional cavalry regiment, were redesignated and renumbered as the 1st through 6th Cavalry Regiments. The 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Cavalry Regiments originated in 1866, with the last two being made up of black troopers known as the Buffalo Soldiers.

In Indian fighting, the troopers usually left their sabers in the barracks, but always carried their carbines and revolvers.