Would you buy your SAA again or a different make, caliber, model?

[spiroxlii]

foghorn, my Uberti is a "Bird's Head" model, and I love it, BUT... I kinda wish I had gotten the standard grips. Don't get me wrong, the birdshead grips are beautiful and pretty comfortable, but at least with my big hands, I get the feeling that I could operate the gun faster and more naturally with the regular grips.

I've also heard that while Colt DID produce a revolver with birdshead grips starting in the late 1800s, that revolver was a DA model, and it is historically inaccurate to have a SAA with birdshead grips.

 

[MCMXI]

If you end up not liking the modern black-gun look of the Rodeo, the disassembled gun can be put in a container of white vinegar, and five-minutes later (NOT overnight, for fear of etching bore/chambers) you'll have a grey gun that will slowly turn plum with handling/shooting, just keep it oiled like usual....

Hmmm ... mtngunr, any photos to go along with that intriguing description .... ? You got me thinking about the Gunslinger from USFA (shown below) and I have to admit, I like the look of the gunslinger patina more than the flat black of the Rodeo (also shown below) based on the photos on the USFA website.

 

[mtngunr]

No pics, but it looks better than their version (wink)....seriously, if you want something along those lines, just DIY....some browning solution, some cold blue, a little steel wool....

But, I just wanted to let mine age naturally, and do nothing which might blunt edges or marks....the Rodeo looks VERY good under the black.

If you wanted it to look like an older gun, but not a rusty gun, you could keep in mind that case colors are always the first to go, being nothing but stained metal in-the-white and protected by a clear finish which wears relatively quickly...

Which would lead to you doing a cold-blue to all parts save hammer and frame, age the cold blue with steel wool or alcohol, leave the hammer and frame grey, and you have an instant old gun.....

PS....to give you a good visual image as to what the newly stripped Rodeo looks like, it very much looks like one of the Ruger stainless revolvers or rifles in their "target grey" finish....with handling/shooting, it will slowly stain/brown, most noticeable where handled most.

 

[Rexster]

I would buy a Colt again, if allowed to inspect it very carefully. There are quite a few bad Colts, as QC has varied so much over the years. Recent guns have been quite nice, but I have no doubt there are "NOS" sixguns built during the bad times.

USFA tends to make excellent stuff, and I would consider buying a new one sight unseen. Pre-owned sixguns may have been abused, so I would prefer inspection first.

I have no experience with STI at this point.

 

[MCMXI]

I was able to handle a USFA Rodeo today and to my surprise, the butt is kind of small. My little finger was out to pasture so either I was holding the revolver incorrectly, or the butt IS kind of small or I've got large hands which I don't think I have ... hmmm ... looks like I'll be needing something bigger down there!!

mtngunr, I like the idea of natural aging too, which I assume follows the vinegar bath. This is something that I'll be considering once I've shot a few rounds.

 

[mtngunr]

The USFA grip is very Coltish....I DO have small hands and even my pinky only rides half on the bottom corner of my USFAs and Colts....it's a non-problem, folk with bigger hands supporting the butt with the curled pinky under the grip since 1873.....once you look inside your Rodeos, you'll be patting yourself on the back.

Truly have heard very good things about Colt for the last couple of years, and if their SAA is anything like their 1911-line, they would be worth having in spades....but no experience with them, my Colts being 1st and 2nd Gen guns.