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SAA--Colt or Clone recommendations?

Ramtinxxl
I've just arrived at a decision to pursue the purchase of a SAA--just because I don't have one and I want one. Don't plan to do "Cowboy Action Shooting" or display it for show piece. Just want a good shooter at a reasonable price. Prefer 45 LC caliber, but could be persuaded to consider other.

I know that Taurus has just entered the field and there are other clones out there. Any recommendations? What should I avoid? I don't have a POT of cash to spend but will consider up to a grand (would much like to spend LESS) on a decent gun that will hold its value (more or less).

Will greatly appreciate input from experienced owners/former-owners or smiths.


Edited to add: Thanks for all the great input and suggestions. This is why I keep coming back to the forum. SALUTE!
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • perry shooter
    Hello IMHO saa type pistols are just like the houseing boom. The nae sayers will try to tell you that there will be a crash. However if you look at past history it would be hard to beat a COLT 2nd generation Saa. great to good condition ones with or without the box have done better in price increase then the COMM. models and NIB is only new one time so buy the better but not NIB condition ones and shoot and enjoy. keep all boxes and paper work If you want or sell the box on web sites Good 2nd gen boxes sell for what I paid for guns with boxes 10 to 15 years ago. the colts hold up to use . Remember this is just my opinion your mileage may vary.
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  • shooter93
    I have and shoot Colts. They always go up in price, all generations. They are expensive though. If you want a gun of EQUAL or possibly better quality to just keep as a shooter then you want a USFA gun. They also have a model that I think is called the Rodeo. A matt finished gun but the same high quality fit and action work that is a virtual steal. A friend of mine bought one for 500 with the intent to later have it gloss blued and case=cplored. That will cost arond 200. All said and done about half the cost of a Colt. They are great buys and as I said, wonderful quality.
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  • Fourth Horseman
    I personally don't like the Taurus. Its not exactly an accurate physical representation of the real Colt SAA. The grip shape is subtly different, as is the hammer shape, etc. And, the Tauruses aren't really all that cheap. IMHO, if you can't afford a real Colt, the next best thing is either a Ruger New Model Vaquero or an Uberti of Italy made reproduction Colt SAA. The Rugers are nice because they're American made and they have some nice features like a reverse indexing pall that allows you to turn the cylinder either way when loading or unloading. Opening the loading gate releases the cylinder catch so you don't have to half cock it to load and unload. And it has a hammer block so that the firing pin is not engaged through to the chamber when the hammer is down, which is safer and allows you to safely carry it with all six chambers loaded. As far as reasonably priced reproduction SAA, Uberti of Italy wins hands down for their quality and trueness to the real deal. There's an American company called USFA which actually manufactures their's in the original Colt factory and these are also fantastic quality, but they're almost as expensive as real Colts. The Uberti of Italy repros are very nice and very reasonably priced. I own 6 Ubertis and they are all great! They say Uberti SAA parts will interchange with real Colts. I've never tried it, so I don't know if that's really true. But they work just like the real thing. You have to half cock to load and unload, there's no hammer block (except on the version they make for Beretta which is called the Stampede) and Uberti makes what they call pre-war model black powder frame models which exactly duplicates the original first gen. black powder Colts. They also are available in a beautiful "Charcoal Blue" and bone color case hardening which is supposed to be more like the very early first gen. Colts. Personnaly, I find Uberti's charcoal blue to be considerably brighter than Colt's original blue finish but still, it is rather beautiful. Stoeger imports the Ubertis as does Cimarron and a few others. Stoeger's seem to be priced the best. Do a search for Uberti on Gunbroker.com auctions. There are many offered right now. Also, here's some links to various options:

    http://www.uberti.com/firearms/1873-sa-cattleman.tpl

    http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/revolvers.htm

    http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAProdResults?function=famid&famid=57

    http://www.berettausa.com/product/product_pistols_main.htm

    http://www.usfirearms.com/









    The only real guns are wheel guns!
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  • Throckmorton
    having 2 Italian clones,both of which show way more wear on the inards than my 30 year old ruger,I'd have to say go with a new model Vaquero.I could not say,and don't care,how close they come to cloneing a real Colt,but I know I like the way they feel in my hands.:)
    My second choice,and it's a close race here,would be a Cimarron-imported clone.The different importers specify the fit and finish they are after,and it shows.
    Now,If I was spending someone elses money,it would be a real Colt.! :)

    Throckmorton SASS #23149
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  • music_madness
    RUGER VACARO...OLDER, STRONGER, SERIOUS 45LC WEELGUN! baretta stampede...young, pretty, graceful, faithful reproduction of an american classic. stampede on the right, vacaro on the left; BANG, BANG...i like 'em both ;)
    PEACE
    tom

    "...we're from Pickens; we don't know no better..."
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  • 65triton
    fourth horseman..uberti hammer would not work in my early 3rd gen colts..but even some colt parts sellers seperate early and later 3rd gen...2nd gen hammer worked ok....also have and like the uberti's...but their value doesn't seem to rise like the colt....
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  • CHGOTHNDER
    When I hit this time in life and needed one I was standing at the counter buying the Vacaro. The salesman asked if there was anything else I wanted to look at and I said let me see the colt. I bought the Colt, after handling them both at the same time I came to the conclusion that.......THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR QUALITY. I also own the ruger and 4 of the cabelas uberti mellinium edition .45's consecutively numbered (purely an acident)

    PJ

    editorialcolor.bmp
    If nobody seen you do it, how could you have done it. NRA BENEFACTOR-LIFE Member, AF&AM, Shriner Life Member, A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois "Chicago Chapter" Founding Member & Board Member
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  • rhmc24
    Fourth Horse did a good job above. I have several old Colt SAs that I don't shoot much, had a Ruger Vaquero .44 Mag that I liked a lot. Now have two new Ubertis. One is the color case blue version, the other stainless, both 5 1/2". The blue one has the Uberti device built into the hammer that makes it safe to carry with 6 rounds and hammer on the first notch. The stainless one has the normal Colt type hammer with the center pin push-pull safety. Both have a coil spring for the hand rather than the Colt type flat spring. I'm very pleased with the Ubertis. Don't like the Taurus. The shape of the hammer when cocked reminds me of a dog's. The Colt cheapie, called the Cowboy I think, finish looks like it spent a few weeks in a stove pipe, sooty black, and the fit is the poorest I have seen on any SA, clone or otherwise. Fit and finish excellent on the Uberti and the Taurus. I do give the Uberti a bit of a downcheck on the treatment-fit at the base of the hammer where it and the grip back strap meet the frame.
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  • rldowns3
    If you want resale value, go colt, otherwise just about any of the other knockoffs are as good as the others. Beretta's Stampede is nice. Cimarron Arms are nice, cimarron also has repro's of the richards/mason conversions as well and a host of other "old west" repro's including sharps, henry and spencer rifles.

    gclooters.gif
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  • v35
    I have a first gen 4 3/4 in 44Spl w/extra 44-40 cylinder and a 2nd gen 5 1/2 45LC bought new.. In the past I shot both extensively with lots of heavy loads. Weaknesses are occasional breakage of the trigger and cylinder bolt spring and the cylinder bolt. Eventual burring of both cylinder catch and cylinder pin happens to the extent that the cylinder pin jumps forward in recoil.
    The cylinder bushing gets hammered from a lot of shooting and end play develops. Some gunsmithing will improve breakages and light cowboy loads will reduce hammering and burring. Fast cocking isn't the greatest thing for cylinder notches.
    I'd say the Colt may not be the best idea for extensive cowboy shooting.
    The new Ruger is the spitting image of the SAA Colt except for the bump in back of the trigger and the frame mounted firing pin.
    It should have the same feel as the SAA but stand up to cowboy shooting better and get better support from Ruger.
    US Patent Firearms makes a beautiful, nicer than Colt SAA at a much lower price. I don't know anything about how they stand up.
    If you want to fall in love, handle the $1500 Freedom Arms Model 97.
    It feels better than the SAA.
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  • knightrider
    One name. Ruger. Enough said. Not only are that a great gun but they hold value forever. The Ruger may cost more than the others but it is quallity that you are paying for.
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