Single Action Army Questions

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Jim Watson said:
When I was active in SASS, there was some discussion that the wire bolt springs were too weak and would allow the cylinder to "over throw" if cocked hard.
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Howdy Again

This Colt has a wire trigger/bolt spring in it. It has been in there for quite a few years now, does not give any trouble. It is easy to tune one of these springs to deliver how much spring force you want just by bending it a bit with a pliers. This one has enough force that the cylinder never throws by when cocked briskly, this Colt and the other one I have shown are my two Main Match CAS pistols, and they get shot a lot. I recall when I was sitting with my favorite gunsmith and he was tuning this revolver a little bit, we first put a standard 'flat' trigger/bolt spring in. We did not like the trigger pull, so we substituted this wire spring instead. Trigger pull with this spring is right where I like it, about 2 1/2 pounds.

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Jim Watson said:
A friend has Taylors with "Rugerized" hands; coil and plunger instead of leaf. Not authentic, but more durable.
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This Uberti Cattleman came with a coil spring for the hand. It fits in the hollow base of one of the grip screw. Yup, no worries about that spring breaking.

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There is a wire trigger/bolt spring in this pistol too.

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I started shooting CAS back about 1983 or '84 with a Uberti from Cimarron Arms and a Cattleman from another Italian maker. I think I broke almost every spring in those two guns. Came away with the idea that the Italians hadn't yet mastered tempering springs. I understand they do better these days.

Whet into a local gun shop back then to see if the replacement springs I'd ordered for the Cattleman had come in. While there I spotted a Colt on the lower self of the used revolver cabinet. Turned out to be a re-built 1st Gen SAA, with a 7-1/2" 2nd Gen barrel and cylinder added, both 45 caliber. I immediately traded the Italian gun that was waiting for springs for the Colt (OK, it was just a down payment). I knew enough about the black powder era Colts to not want to abuse that old frame, 1881 if I remember correctly. That started me on my journey into shooting black powder cartridges. By 1985 I had another Colt, an original 73 Winchester in 44 WCF and the first hammer shotgun I ever owned. I was shooting two or three CAS matches every month, plus practicing when I didn't go to a match. I ended up with five 1st Generation Colts that I shot nothing but black powder in and continued that for 10 more years.

In all that time and for all those rounds I never had a trigger/bolt spring break, and they were the springs that came in the used Colts I bought back then. Had to give up all that for a while (life happens) but now I have USFA single actions which also come with leaf trigger/bolt springs. Haven't broken one of those either, so I'm with Craig. I don't think these things break nearly as often as the internet would have us believe.

Dave
 
Howdy Again

I was pretty sure I had one of these laying around somewhere. As I recall, a CAS friend gave it to me. No idea where he got it, I will have to ask him. I have never tried to take a SAA apart with it, next time I do I will have to see if it fits all of the screws. I'm pretty sure though that I will continue to use my Magna-Tip screwdrivers for SAA disassembly/assembly.

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