Colt SAA?

[wbraswell]

There is no pistol more fun to pull the hammer back on than a Colt Single Action Army. Period.

 

[Stan O]

Ranger report

Shot her yesterday. Only ammo I could dig up was a box of 30+ year old "Western" RN. Did a thorough clean Friday night. Took her out yesterday. Walked to the 10 yard line, loaded 5 and to my utter amazement, put all holes touching in the bull! Group was 1/2" left and 1/2 inch high from poa. This is with unknown ammo, primitive sights, terrible trigger and an un-fired gun. Amazement was an understatement.
Fired the rest of the box from 15 yds offhand at falling steel plates. 45 round's. 43 hits. She's a shooter and without a doubt a keeper. Trigger job next.
I'm ecstatic. Have allayed all fears that it might have been a bad 3rd gen Colt.

 

[Art Doc]

I've had Rugers. I've had Italian clones. I've had genuine Colts. Say all you want, the Colts were better. Yes, they have become hideously expensive. But they look better and feel better.

I currently have one genuine SAA and one clone. Wife will sell this one.

 

[LimaCharlie]

My 1959 second generation 5 1/2" Colt SAA in .45 Colt is my most prized handgun. It gets shot occasionally and carried to barbeques.

 

[Thuer]

That has to be a very good Colt SAA. 1959 is my year of birth.

 

[Bohonkie]

Joke, right? If not, uh.... what is your concern?

 

[inspcalahan]

Just did a thorough cleaning and will be shooting the Colt tomorrow. Will report back on how it does. I just got an E-mail from the guy I bought it from that he now has the sister gun for sale. Same year except 7 &1/2" for the same price. I apparently need to borrow some money.

First - buy the second gun your friend is selling.

Second - ask if he's got more to sell and give him my contact info.

Third - have him admitted.

In that order.

 

[383 magnum]

You got a great deal on that!

 

[Hondo44]

Lots of bbl and cylinder switching on the Colts.
The 3rd Gen bbls had a thread pitch change,so they won't interchange with the 1st and 2nd Gens.

The one-piece 3rd Gen cylinder can be fit to a 1st or 2nd Gen gun.
But you also need to replace the hand w/a 3rd Gen hand at the same time. The ratchet teeth being the difference in the two.

Don't know what or if they did anything different again when they went back to the 2 piece cylinder/bushing around 2000,,or what's interchangeable with what anymore.

3rd Gen Colt SAA bbl threads are within an easy lap-in fit to the Ruger SAA. Once in a while one shows up on a custom job. No real reason, sometimes availability,,sometimes just because.

Easy guns to work on and work over. Anything NIB or close to it I'd keep it that way and sell it to someone that feels it's worth a lot of money because of that.
Used/shooter Colts are always easy to locate if that's what you're wanting. Or make the NIB into a used/shooter yourself through simple handling and use.

The 3rd gen cylinders with separate bushing still interchange just the same. Change if you like but no need to replace the hand w/a 3rd Gen hand even though the ratchet teeth look different on either of the two 3rd gen cyls, with or w/o separate bushing to install in a 1st or 2nd gen gun.

In fact any gen Colt cyl also works well in a Ruger mid-frame, new or old model. 3rd gen barrels have same thread as Ruger, 24 TPI, except some of the Ruger Hunter models.

Colt SAA screw threads by generation vs. USFA and Ruger:


1.) 1st gen, 2nd gen and USFA barrel threads are the same at 20 TPI, while 3rd gens* are 24 TPI (the same as Ruger mid-frame and large frame barrels with the exception of the Hunter models).

2.) 1st gens and Post War/Pre War SAAs (which were assembled on 1st gen frames) use the same screw threads including barrels.
Frame: = 8x34 all six the same.
The grips screw: = 6x38
Ejector attachment stud screw: = 6x38
Black powder frame cyl pin screw: = 6x36 tapered (possibly 6x38)
Hammer = .226" x 24 TPI

3.) 2nd and 3rd gen use the same screw threads**. (also USFA & Ruger except as noted below)
Frame: = 8x36 all six the same. (Ruger = 6x40)
The grips screw: = 6x40
Ejector attachment stud/screw: 6x40 (same as early Rugers with stud on the barrel, but same cap size as later Rugers, .220").
USFA = 8x36 & no barrel stud (same as later Rugers w/o stud including same diameter cap).
Black powder frame cyl pin screw: = 6x40 straight thread. USFA = 6x40 tapered with a smooth pilot tip.

NOTES:


*I was told by a gunsmith who had several NF replacement barrels that Colt 3rd Gen NF's had barrels with the same thread pattern as the 2nd Gen NF's. Maybe Colt had enough left over 2nd Gen NF barrels when they started making the 3rd Gen versions.

Colt gunsmiths can rethread a 3rd gen 24 tpi barrel to 20 tpi to work in 1st and 2nd gen guns, but not the reverse.

I don't have any trigger/cyl bolt screws out of guns right now, but will check next time I do.

**There are no 3rd gen metric Colt SAAs. That myth was started back in 1976 by several erroneous gun rag articles when the 3rd gen SAAs were introduced. It just occurred to me that possibly the Metric 3rd gen myth was also based partly on the fact that the barrel thread changed.

 

[383 magnum]

I did some Cowboy Action Shooting in the late 90s and still have two Colt SAAs, a blued four inch made in the early 90s and a nickel-plated five-inch made in the late 90s. They are great shooters and for my small hands, the grip is more comfortable than the Ruger, yet is still large enough to help absorb the recoil. My blued four-inch I bought as NOS in 1999, and after shooting it a few times, the cylinder pin would come loose. I sent it back to Colt and they repaired it FOC.

 

[Hondo44]

I too prefer the Colt size grip frame on my Rugers, except the Large frame magnums.

The New Vaquero and NM Flat top were introduced in c.2005 with a steel 7/16" thick copy of the 1st old model Ruger grip frame, the XR3 which is aluminum and a very close copy of the Colt SAA except for being one piece.
Whichever Model Ruger you have, the new steel or stainless steel XR3 size (Colt copy) can be installed, old or new model. I sure like them on my single six and mid-frame Rugers and you might too.

 

[Watchdog]

I have the opportunity to purchase a NIB, Colt SAA, .44spl. 5&1/2".
This firearm was purchased by the original owner in 1982 for $479.00
The action has never been turned. As said, New in the original Colt box with all paperwork and so on. Having always wanted a real Colt single action, the owner is willing to sell for $900 shipped. My problems are two-fold.
I would have to put my original, 1959 Ruger 3 screw .44 mag on the block to afford the new Colt. I also understand that the early 80's were hit or miss QC.
Any opinions or suggestions would be welcomed and very much appreciated.

What are you going to do with the Colt? If the action's unturned, you just gonna stick in a safe and never shoot it?

Do you shoot your '59 Ruger? Just curious. I know I would.

The Colt's a great gun at a good price, but I can't imagine having a gun and not shooting it. Especially at my age. I wouldn't live long enough to see a safe queen significantly appreciate in value to make it worth my while. Plus, I just wouldn't have the will power to resist turning the action, even if I didn't fire the thing.

I'd keep the Ruger, myself. A 55-year-old gun? No contest for me. There are Colt SAAs everywhere, though maybe not for $900.

NOTE: Disregard everything I said. I didn't realize you'd already bought it. Oh, well.

 

[stevehenry1]

Colt SAA an Cowboy shooting

I on't know if you are aware or not, but Colt I make a special model for Cowboy Action Shooting. It didn't have the Colt original firing mechanism, but rather a form of a transfer bar safety similar to the modern Rugers. It sold new for under $500. It did not have the fit and finish of the standard models. It did not sell well, and I don't think it was around very long. I even heard a rumor that Uberti made it for Colt. I hope you have one of the standard models.

 

[Hondo44]

Colt made the Colt Cowboy. The frames were cast for Colt by Ruger. Then they were finished and assembled by Colt or in conjunction with a Colt contractor here in the states, then inspected and shipped from Colt.

 

[Stan O]

Colt SAA

Joke, right? If not, uh.... what is your concern?

The concern was with all the negative's I've read and heard about early 3rd gens. I was fully expecting to have it not shoot anywhere near poi and possibly other hiccups. My concern's were put to rest after examining and shooting it.

 

[Stan O]

My 1959 second generation 5 1/2" Colt SAA in .45 Colt is my most prized handgun. It gets shot occasionally and carried to barbeques.

She's a beaut.

 

[Hondo44]

Cylinder ring

Hi Stan,

I don't mind the cyl ring that develops on SAAs but I do mind an excessively rough cyl stop bolt that gouges a groove into the cyl
(many are rough on new guns right from the box.)

So I simply polish the bolt on all revolvers when I first get them. Takes Two minutes with a Dremel tool and goes a long way towards mitigating the ring. After that, I never think about the ring again.

However, recognize w/o conscientious handling of revolvers, an unnecessary 'full' ring can develop.

One can cause a ring if the hammer is manually lowered w/o cocking all the way back first (a SA no-no!) The next time the hammer is cocked or cyl turned into place to lock it, a ring is scribed from wherever the lock bolt is touching the cyl to the next notch.

That's the reason that the line goes all the way around the cylinder. Because with proper technique, the cyl bolt only scribes a line in normal cocking and firing, starting 1/2 way between the notches. The rest of the line is caused as stated above.