Best made Single Action Army clone???

[bigmoose]

Hey rbrbrb6,

Those Bisley hammers are very cool on the USFA revolvers. I have a .45 Pre-War USFA that I ordered with smooth fancy walnut grips. It is still like new after 1500 rounds. Wish I ordered the hammer like yours.

 

[Photog]

I think AWA (American Western Arms) belongs here. They are the company that Colt sued to stop production of the SA they produced.

 

[Chino74]

Taylors and Company by Pietta, how are these SA revolvers?
Have been attending a local small SASS group shoot, and starting to get interested.
A NIB one, 1873Cattleman, .45LC, with 4-3/4" barrel and Stag grips is available for $495.
Something to get my feet wet, and see how I like it.
Of course a holster and belt next, etc.!
Thoughts?

I'd recommend the Cattleman but check if it's a new model or old model...they are incorporating updated safties, I think the new ones have a hammer actuated FP safety...not sure. My Stoeger Uberti is a traditional 4 click NO safety on the hammer, no transfer bar., just like the old Colts. Uberti makes a lotta variations...research what is available from Uberti VS what you're thinking about getting.

 

[GypsmJim]

My favorite was the Hammerli-made Interarms Virginian, not the later Virginian Dragoon that was made in the U.S.. How Interarms talked Hammerli into building a single action revolver is beyond me.

You can spot them by their bright nickel grip frame.

I had one of the Hammerli models and traded it in on a .45 Blackhawk. Over the years i have sold very few guns, but that was one of them. It did not shoot to point of aim, not even close. Just not one of my better purchases.

 

[BARgunner]

I have a few USFA revolvers and one USFPA and some Colts. I like the Colts and shoot them often but the USFA revolvers are better shooters for me. I really want to order a pair of the Standard Manufacturing revolvers but I'm going to have to wait until they are chambered in 38WCF.

A pair of consecutive serial numbered USFA Frontier Six Shooters with Birds Head hammers:

A set of .45Colt revolvers. The front one is a USPFA 4.75" and the other is a USFA 5.5"

 

[Thuer]

These are the least clones to the Colt SAA. The brand is Weihrauch. German made Colt clones. The revolvers have a safetybarr like the Ruger. The compagny has payed Ruger to use this. Ald o the .45 shoots well. They are looking to clunky with to sharp edges. The .44-40 is brand new. Never shot it. That is the one with the brass grip

 

[Birdgun]

I do know that my brace of Uberti SAA I bought from Cimarron aren't the finest clones, but they sure served me well as my main match guns I used in Cowboy Action Shooting. They have had thousands of rounds through them and have only replaced the bolt springs once each. They are still going strong!

Uberti Model P in .45 Colt

Thanks for looking a my cowboy guns.

God bless,
Birdgun

 

[marlincowboy]

I'm not aware of a higher quality SAA copy.

What's the opinion of Standard Manufacturing SAA?
They look much like the USFA

 

[Golphin]

Those USFA clones are pricey. I will have to stick woth my old Rufer 3 screw.

 

[Ed Fowler]

My USFA was beautiful, but would not hold an 8 inch group at 50 yards. I called them and complained they say send it back and they would fix it. I did twice more, then got a call, "just what do you expect?" I said how about a 3 inch group at 50 yards. They re-worked it shortened the barrel again and fit a 45 acp cylinder. It did ok with 5 out of six, I decided that was good enough. I like it, she is beautiful but no target pistol.

 

[sandog]

I've never even seen a USFA or Standard Manufacturing SA.

At one point in my life, I had the money scraped up and bought a 3rd generation Colt .44/40, it turned out to have a bunch of problems.
I left it with Bob James in Phoenix and he fixed some of the issues, but I ended up trading it off in disgust.

I have had a bunch of Ubertis and never had any problems with them.
This last one has been the best, and cost me the princely sum of $350.
The previous owner had put a Bisley hammer on it, I like the feel of it.

 

[Safestuffer]

2nd gen colt

vs USFA

2nd gen colt

Vs USFA

 

[Guevera]

I had USFA duplicate my great-grandfather's Colt, right down to the same serial numbers. His was .44-40, but I had mine chambered in .44Special. Below are some pictures of his gun and mine - which turned out to be as accurate as it is good-looking. If there is a better clone of the originals than this, I haven't seen one. It is a shame they are no longer made.

How this company went from making these wonderful revolvers straight into the hopper with some idiot pistol that seemed to be the guts of a Ruger 10-22 rifle is beyond me, but it should be a textbook example taught in schools of the dangers of corporate rectal / cranial inversion.

 

[Bullet Bob]

I couldn't get this youtube video to play today for some reason, hopefully the link will work. It's a thoughtful and thorough comparison of Colt, Standard Products, and USFA. There's no bad music while the gentleman is talking, and he doesn't shout or try to say that only his point of view is the best. Maybe youtube took it down because it was too mature and informed.

At one point he shows a partially finished loading gate; holy cow does a lot of machining go into making a single-action!

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFN2S5NL15c[/ame]

 

[AJ]

I think AWA (American Western Arms) belongs here. They are the company that Colt sued to stop production of the SA they produced.

I had one of their revolvers at one time. The fit and finish was excellent. The action was superb. Should have kept it. I owned a Colt SAA and it had been through their Custom Shop, the Colt was just a touch better. As the saying goes "I wouldn't have to live on the difference". If I buy another, it would be a toss up on which to buy.

 

[Nick B]

Where are you guys ordering Standards ? Factory direct ?

 

[Luvmine]

Where are you guys ordering Standards ? Factory direct ?

Yes, that's where I got mine. I ordered it last July and received it 4 weeks later. Not sure about the turnaround time now. Go directly to their website. Mine is 5.5 in 45LC

 

[Nick B]

For you guys that are shooting your Standards how good are the front sights regulated for elevation and windage ?

 

[rays44]

I own a US Pat Arms SAA in .45 Colt. Same company as USFA before they went to in house manufacturing. Stunning case hardening (bone & charcoal?) by Turnbull. Fit and finish are excellent. I never owned a Colt SAA, so I can't compare. Cylinder throats are .456. I use .452 cast bullets with gas checks or softer plain base bullets sized .454. Both shoot very well with a minimum of leading. Overall, it's a fine revolver and less expensive than the later USFA models.

 

[smithra_66]

Of other repros, is the Cimarron the best? It seems to be a tweaked Uberti.

Cimarron imports both Uberti and Pietta.

I have a Pietta Cimarron and its pretty good.

Ubertis kind of suck now in my opinion because they have that lame hammer safety and are no longer a 4 click true copy of the SAA.

Pietta is the only Italian maker that is true to form from the old SAA design.