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Which "replica" SAA pistols are good and which ones do I avoid?
- Thread starter sgt.rock
- Start date
I've been involved in CAS since the days of the WCFSS (Western Canadian Frontier Shootist Society) where my I had #22 on my badge. Then it was one gun, usually a .44 or .45. If you shot a .38/.357 you were regarded as 'light in your Lamas'. My first CAS revolver was a Ruger Vaquero in .44 Mag as that was all I could find. Bought it from Alan Lever. My SASS membership is #9854. Back then the Rule Book was small enough to fit into a shirt pocket, by design. Now it's a small book.
Under "Equipment Eligibility" it once said - "If John Wayne would use it - it's OK." That sure went by the board a long time ago with short stroke kits in both rifle and pistol in common use. John rolled over in his grave a long time ago.
Over the years, I added a 2nd Vaquero in .44 mag and I've added Uberti .45s and .38 Open Tops to the list. I also went into cap & ball, owning all the Colt models models up to and including the '47 Walker. Many were Colt 2nd gen models and the rest were Italian repros. I've sold all the Colt "wedgies" and currently own several '58 Remington .44s which I regard as much better arms than the Colts.
I don't think I've ever owned a Uberti, Armi San Marco, Pietta, Taylors or other make that didn't require some work right out of the box. They all needed help in timing, smoothing, trigger pull, etc. The only guns that didn't were the Vaqueros which were bomb proof and indestructible right from the get go, mushy trigger pulls and transfer bars notwithstanding.
Piettas once had a bad rep but they seem to have really improved of late. The latest models of all makes come with the tuning you once had to get done after market, but you pay for it.
My wife started out with a pair of .38 Uberti 3/4 size "Stallions" and then acquired a pair of Ruger New Model Blackhawks in .44 Spl. More recently she bought a pair of 7.5" Uberti SAAs in 44-40, older models in 'as new' condition. I think they'll prove to be too much gun for her, so I'll likely be shooting them. She already had a pretty commemorative Uberti SAA in 44-40 which will only chamber bullets .427, so it's a PITA as all my other .44s shoot .429s.
Bottom line - regardless of make or model, you'll be making friends with the suppliers of spare parts for your revolvers if you shoot them much at all. CAS shooters work their guns hard. You'll get good at tearing them down and putting them back together again or develop a close relationship with your gunsmith. All the 'Colt' models enjoy shooting their screws loose and the 'wedgies' - what can you say about a gun that holds the barrel to the frame with a steel wedge?
It took years after Sam's death in '62 for Colt to see the light and offer a solid top strap in '73. They also had to wait for the S&W patent on rear loading cylinders to expire. Remington did it right with their solid top strap .44s a long time prior.
I did have a pair of Taylor's Rem 44-40 conversions, but they were larger in frame and cylinder size to the '58 cap & ball guns. If I was to do that again, I'd get conversion cylinders for my current cap & ball guns.
Under "Equipment Eligibility" it once said - "If John Wayne would use it - it's OK." That sure went by the board a long time ago with short stroke kits in both rifle and pistol in common use. John rolled over in his grave a long time ago.
Over the years, I added a 2nd Vaquero in .44 mag and I've added Uberti .45s and .38 Open Tops to the list. I also went into cap & ball, owning all the Colt models models up to and including the '47 Walker. Many were Colt 2nd gen models and the rest were Italian repros. I've sold all the Colt "wedgies" and currently own several '58 Remington .44s which I regard as much better arms than the Colts.
I don't think I've ever owned a Uberti, Armi San Marco, Pietta, Taylors or other make that didn't require some work right out of the box. They all needed help in timing, smoothing, trigger pull, etc. The only guns that didn't were the Vaqueros which were bomb proof and indestructible right from the get go, mushy trigger pulls and transfer bars notwithstanding.
Piettas once had a bad rep but they seem to have really improved of late. The latest models of all makes come with the tuning you once had to get done after market, but you pay for it.
My wife started out with a pair of .38 Uberti 3/4 size "Stallions" and then acquired a pair of Ruger New Model Blackhawks in .44 Spl. More recently she bought a pair of 7.5" Uberti SAAs in 44-40, older models in 'as new' condition. I think they'll prove to be too much gun for her, so I'll likely be shooting them. She already had a pretty commemorative Uberti SAA in 44-40 which will only chamber bullets .427, so it's a PITA as all my other .44s shoot .429s.
Bottom line - regardless of make or model, you'll be making friends with the suppliers of spare parts for your revolvers if you shoot them much at all. CAS shooters work their guns hard. You'll get good at tearing them down and putting them back together again or develop a close relationship with your gunsmith. All the 'Colt' models enjoy shooting their screws loose and the 'wedgies' - what can you say about a gun that holds the barrel to the frame with a steel wedge?
It took years after Sam's death in '62 for Colt to see the light and offer a solid top strap in '73. They also had to wait for the S&W patent on rear loading cylinders to expire. Remington did it right with their solid top strap .44s a long time prior.
I did have a pair of Taylor's Rem 44-40 conversions, but they were larger in frame and cylinder size to the '58 cap & ball guns. If I was to do that again, I'd get conversion cylinders for my current cap & ball guns.
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