Colt single action army

Ucharlie

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Wondering anyone's thoughts on the Colt single action army in .357. What to expect, quality, is worth buying, other options? Thinking about adopting one.
 
Can never go wrong with a Colt SAA of any generation.

Makes me miss the 1889 .38 special I had for a while.
 
Buy it and put it in a climate controlled safe and you have an investment. If you're looking to make it a daily shooter or compete with it, you're better off buying a pair of Ruger Vaqueros. More modern design, same ergonomics and half the price.
 
If you are talking about the REAL Colt made by the Colt factory then I understand that they are very nice indeed. You'll pay a heap of money to have that little horsey dancing on the side of your six gun. But if you have the cash flow so that doesn't bother you then go for it.

But if you're going to get an actual Colt why on earth would you get it in anything other than a proper cowboy/historical chambering? Namely .45Colt or perhaps .44-40. A true Colt in .357 is like buying one of the old Porsche 914's that had the "poor man's" Volkswagon engine in it.

And don't tell me it's because you want to save money on the ammo. If you can afford a real Colt you can afford to set up and reload proper .45Colt so you can shoot it with the sort of cartridges it was designed for or you can pay the silly amount they want to buy the factory ammo.

On the other hand if you simply want an SAA style gun then there's heaps of great options. Uberti and Pietta make a very nice reproduction that is faithful to the original style of "unsafe" action. The "unsafe" referring to the original style spur hammer that meant that if you were a working cowboy that you only loaded 5 rounds and lowered the hammer down onto the empty chamber for carrying.

Or if you truly want to shoot a steady diet of full power .357Mag then I'd suggest the Ruger Blackhawk. The sights on it are ugly but it does allow you to sight in the gun for a variety of loads.
 
Spend your money on Ruger products for more bang for the bucks. I own a .44 Magnum "old style" Ruger Vaquero that fired over 20,000 rds through it before it broke a part (the transfer bar), great quality!
 
But if you're going to get an actual Colt why on earth would you get it in anything other than a proper cowboy/historical chambering? Namely .45Colt or perhaps .44-40.
Or if you truly want to shoot a steady diet of full power .357Mag then I'd suggest the Ruger Blackhawk.

Great advice...there is nothing quite like an original pre 1900 Colt Single Action. The sound of it being cocked has never been reproduced by any of the new crop of single actions. The balance, the weight, the natural feel in the hand, the roll of recoil all imparts a level of confidence in the shooter that can only be equaled in some measure by the Colt M1911 45 ACP.
For full on shooting strength and utility the Ruger Vaquero is unequaled...albeit heavy in smaller calibers. There is no way you will ever wear out a Ruger running 357/38 through it.
 
Great advice...there is nothing quite like an original pre 1900 Colt Single Action. The sound of it being cocked has never been reproduced by any of the new crop of single actions. The balance, the weight, the natural feel in the hand, the roll of recoil all imparts a level of confidence in the shooter that can only be equaled in some measure by the Colt M1911 45 ACP.
For full on shooting strength and utility the Ruger Vaquero is unequaled...albeit heavy in smaller calibers. There is no way you will ever wear out a Ruger running 357/38 through it.

You won't have a heart attack if you drop a Ruger on the ground. ;)

You can ABUSE it plain and simple, its common as a honda civic but if you are set on Colt Quality just keep in mind, YOU OWN A GEM THEN.
 
A Colt SAA is a beautiful firearm and no one could say anything different, I own a couple so maybe I am biased. If you’re buying as a collector I would buy the Colt. New I have seen COLT SAA Nickel finish 4 3/4 in. 357 Magnum for $1795.00. I would go with the Ruger if it’s a shooter as they are cheaper and you won’t feel bad putting a scratch or two in it. Ellwood Epps has the NEW VAQUARO GLOSS STAINLESS (KNV34) .357 MAG 4 5/8" BBL, POLISHED STAINLESS, SYNTHETIC GRIPS, FIXED SIGHTS for 637.78. So you could buy 3 Ruger’s for the price of one Colt.
 
So maybe Rugers the way to go. After looking @ price and durability Rugar might be a better option. I do love to sit and stare @ my guns but shooting them is the best part. Now i got some thinking to do.
 
I have two Uberti 1873 SAA the top one is .44 cal. cap and ball black powder,it has a notch between the chambers that allows the firing pin to rest between the chambers and can safely be carried with 6 shots loaded.
The bottom one is in .45 Colt and an antique finish compared to the original finish on the top gun. Both of these guns are great shooters and re-loading for the .45 Colt costs about 1/10 as much as factory ammo.

Two1873s004.jpg
 
The SAA vs the Vaquaro is kind of like the Python vs the 686.

The Colts are real gems un matched in every way but the Rugers and Smiths will serve you well forever.
 
I have a 2nd gen Colt SAA in .357 Mag with 4 3/4" barrel.

And a spankin' new Pietta SAA in .357 Mag with 4 3/4" barrel.

And an old model Ruger Vaquero in .44 Mag with 5 1/2" barrel.

Love 'em all.

And personally, I could care less that none of them are in traditional cowboy ctgs.

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