A Colt SA addiction, first look

north country gal

I could get carried away and write a book on this one, so I'll just post a pic or two and hope that a pic really is worth a thousand words. Trust me when I say, though, that this may well be the best built and fitted gun I have ever owned. It's a USFA Rodeo, 45 Colt, 4 3/4" barrel, actually made in the original Hartford, Ct., Colt factory, each and every part made in house, right down to the screws, with the single exception of the grip panels. Finish is a matte blue, by the way, not some painted or coated stuff.

If you've never heard of USFA, I don't blame you. The company is now out of business and only survived for a short time, running though the mid 90s till they closed the doors in 2008, but even diehard Colt purists have conceded that these guns competed with Colt labeled Colts. More on that, later, though. For now, here's a taste of true blue, traditional Colt single action 45 Colt excellence. Love my Rugers, but this is in a whole different league of single actions. I now better understand what a Colt sixgun addiction is all about. More, later.

bearcatter

Nice! That matte blue gives it a lot of class. Good shooting too, but we expect that from you, no surprise.....

Here's a short history of USFA from Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._F...turing_Company

RidgeRunner

They are bringing top dollar.
Nice gun, and nice shooting.

north country gal

The gun is actually one of a pair with consecutive serial numbers, both on consignment at one of our local shops. The owner had recently died and had apparently ordered the set for cowboy action shooting. The guns could be bought with a list of options over the base model, as was standard with most USFAs. This one received an action and trigger job, jeweled hammer and so on. Trigger is the best I have ever owned on a single action and breaks right about two pounds.

Am almost embarrassed to say, but we bought both guns for the price of what one is now selling for on the net and neither gun had been fired. Basically paid the last price with these options before the company went under. Ironically, the one negative Colt purists used to list on USFAs is that these would not hold their value like a "real" Colt. Well, they've actually doubled in price, now. That's the gun biz for you. Just couldn't pass them up at such a price, even if it meant having to dip a bit into savings. Already made money with them when we walked out the door, so to speak.

This one I will continue to shoot. The other will stay in the safe, unfired, for now. Other than the serial number, by the way, there is absolutely no way to tell one gun from the other. They are that good.

tx gun runner

I only seen a few in the CAS / SASS world . The people why had them loved them .

north country gal

Not surprised. Never a lot of them out there because they were almost as expensive as the Colt. Pretty much the might as well buy a Colt price point. The Italian guns and Rugers were definitely the better values. In fact, USFA bit the dust because they made the guns too good and didn't charge enough to make a profit. Spent way too much time per gun, especially with the custom options they offered with each model. Pretty much a small outfit that was building guns more for the love of building them than making a profit. That, and according to rumors, management wasn't always the best.

Given the price of actual Colts, this is probably as close as I will come to owning one, but plenty close enough. The gun is pure joy in the hand. I now understand the Colt addiction. Also, the gun is pure Colt in its pedigree, so will always be able to get parts and service, plus I still have one in the safe as a backup. Lucky cowgirl me.

north country gal

One more.

Have discovered, to my delight, that I can operate and shot a Colt clone with one hand quite a bit easier than with a Ruger. Might be something in the grip design or proportions with the hammer or whatever. That need to use two hands to effectively work a single action with any degree of speed used to concern me. Not with this gun. Go figure.

moakes58

Nice report & shooting NCG.

Is that ammo pictured a 200 grain RNFP bullet or is it 250 grain?

tx gun runner

I found the 7/8 size Uberti SA fit me perfect for 1 hand operation . Remember Uberti / Cimarron redesign the spring in SA Colt gun break most often . I don't know if USA did your guns with the new springs designed . You can get the upgrade springs at Midway USA and only the bottom pic needs special hole for the Ruger pawl and spring if it is not drilled . .

north country gal

Moakes, those are standard 250s.

Yup, TGR, they upgraded the springs on the Rodeo as part of the cowboy package.

bearcatter

In studying Bill Ruger's using the Remington New Police as a model for the Bearcat, I picked up some comparison between Colt and Remington SAs.

Remingtons had a top strap, better barrel attachment, and managed with two pivots for the action instead of Colt's three. The rear sight was a notch in the top strap, where Colt used a notch in the hammer nose that was useless once you cocked it.

It would seem Remington was the better design, but somehow Colt reigned supreme.

north country gal

Yes, I know a lot of black powder cap and ball shooters who prefer the Remington to the Colt and a lot of Remingtons were converted to cartridge guns. The Colt Single Action Army changed history, though, in 1873 when the army adopted it as their sidearm. When we are talking Colt clones, as with the Rodeo, we're talking about clones of the Colt 1873 Single Action Army which actually has seen only minor changes in the almost 150 years it's been in production. Amazing that you can still buy basically the same gun, today, from Colt. My Rodeo would have been instantly recognizable at any time in the late 1800s and could have been put to instant use by anyone who was familiar with a Colt. Not that it did them any good, but Custer's men carried basically the same gun at Little Bighorn, albeit with the 7 1/2" Calvary model length. The 5 1/2" version was known as the Artillery model and my 4 3/4" was known as the Civilian model.

Just as an aside, the guns used in 3:10 to Yuma were USFAs.

tx gun runner

These are great shooter . They are muzzle loader not cartridge guns and can't be convert for cartridge . You need the loading tool on left to load them . I sold them many moons ago .



The Remy BP pistols are the most accurate of the revolvers made . They hold all the world records .



This a fun gun

north country gal

Once again, TGR, you amaze with those beautiful single actions. Have always much preferred the look of the Remingtons with that top strap to the Colts without.

Machinist

The notch on the Colt's hammer nose is useless UNTIL you cock it. Then you can line it up with the front sight. When the hammer is down or forward you can't see the notch from behind as the spur blocks it. When cocked the spur is below the line of sight.

bearcatter

Quite right, sir. I mis-remembered what I'd read, and I haven't handled a SAA for a long while.

Turned out later that Colt adopted a top strap, including the notch rear sight; and Remington's barrel mounting. Remington continued on with their basic design, which was then often accused of copying Colt...????....The only major differences at the end were the one piece frame, two pivots instead of three, and Remington's ejector rod button was always on the right side.

north country gal

Speaking of the Colt addiction, here's one we just picked up over the weekend. Will do a range report when I get a chance to shoot it. It's a very lightly used Cimarron Frontier Colt clone in 357 mag. It's actually a later Cimarron built by Pietta, not Uberti, but it appears to be a very nicely done Colt clone and we got it at a very good price, about a third of what it costs for another USFA and half the price of a new Ruger Vaquero.


Speaking of Vaqueros, this is basically the Colt clone version of my recently purchased 4 5/8" 357 New Vaquero. Bought it because I specifically wanted that Colt feel in the hand and that delicious four click, C-O-L-T action and sound and this one delivers. My Ruger will see more use and plenty of heavy 357 loads, but will be shooting mostly 38s in the Cimarron. Let's me go Colt with the cheaper to shoot 38s when I'm in the mood. Besides, a cowgirl can't have too many single actions.

SPsix

Wow, a few really nice SA revolver, sweet !

Yes, there is something special about shooting the SA revolvers.

44s Rock

I have a Liberty 45LC by Pietta I got many years ago, looks just like your Cimarron except for the grip panels. They even copied the Colt emblem on the grips but added an Eagle. The gunsmith that I bought it from said all parts were interchangeable with Colt. It also is finished much nicer than my Vaqueros!

north country gal

Finish is nice on this one, too. Looking forward to shooting it, but the weather does not look promising for the next week. May just go shooting, anyway.