Posted: 8/2/2016 1:28:39 AM EDT
| I am wanting to get a SAA clone, but I don't really know where to start. I can't really tell the difference between the USFA Rodeo, Uberti Cattleman, Ruger Vaquero, and the other clones, yet there is a huge price disparity between them. I would like to know which is the best gun and why, and which is the best value. Obviously a colt is the best but there is no way I'm shelling out that kind of money (by that I mean my wife would kill me if I shelled out that kind of money)... I want a .357/.38, 4 3/4in, blued barrel, if that matters. Thanks in advance for the information. |
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If you can find a USFA it will be at a price near (or above) a new Colt. Some say the USFA is better fitted than a Colt.
A Uberti will have the same style parts as the Colt, but at nowhere approaching the Colt. Like the USFA & Colt, there should not be a round under the hammer as there is no safety. Effectively they are five shot revolvers. The Vaquero is slightly larger than the Colt and can be fired with heavy "Ruger only" reloads, and it has an internal safety where you can safely load six rounds. The New Vaquero is pretty much the came size of the Colt, and "Ruger only" reloads should not be used in the New model. I have a couple of Uberti and a couple Pietta (they have frame mounted "floating" firing pins). I also have a couple of Colt SSA (I traded four Yugoslavian folding stock AKs. They were out of my price range too!) Other than the USFA... nothing is even close to Colt. I would recommend the Ruger New Vaquero over any other clone in that price range. ...but that is me! |
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Quoted:
I am wanting to get a SAA clone, but I don't really know where to start. I can't really tell the difference between the USFA Rodeo, Uberti Cattleman, Ruger Vaquero, and the other clones, yet there is a huge price disparity between them. I would like to know which is the best gun and why, and which is the best value. Obviously a colt is the best but there is no way I'm shelling out that kind of money (by that I mean my wife would kill me if I shelled out that kind of money)... I want a .357/.38, 4 3/4in, blued barrel, if that matters. Thanks in advance for the information. S Read John Taffin's article on Cimarron Firearms in the current AMERICAN HANDGUNNER if I wanted an authentic Single Action Army I'd look no further. If authenticity isn't important to you, get a stainless Vaquero. |
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Quoted:
If you can find a USFA it will be at a price near (or above) a new Colt. Some say the USFA is better fitted than a Colt. A Uberti will have the same style parts as the Colt, but at nowhere approaching the Colt. Like the USFA & Colt, there should not be a round under the hammer as there is no safety. Effectively they are five shot revolvers. Not exactly correct. From a purely functional standpoint there's no significant difference in a Colt and a Uberti. Actually there are safties on the Ubertis. It is in the form of a hammer block that when the hammer is pulled back to the first click, the block pivots upward and prevents the hammer from forward movement. The older Ubertis have the standard "safety notch" and while some may think it lacking, there are rigid requirements for the safeties for imported firearms. I carry a Uberti SA almost daily and always load six, utilizing the safety notch. (Google: ATF Form 4590) FWIW, Colts and USFA's are not held to these standards because they're not imported. The Vaquero is slightly larger than the Colt and can be fired with heavy "Ruger only" reloads, and it has an internal safety where you can safely load six rounds. The New Vaquero is pretty much the came size of the Colt, and "Ruger only" reloads should not be used in the New model. It can however be loaded to the 22-23,000 psi range. It is fairly close in size, but my 4 3/4" New Vaquero 45 Colt was a full 3 oz. heavier than my 4 3/4" Uberti Cattleman 45 Colt. I have a couple of Uberti and a couple Pietta (they have frame mounted "floating" firing pins). I also have a couple of Colt SSA (I traded four Yugoslavian folding stock AKs. They were out of my price range too!) Other than the USFA... nothing is even close to Colt. I would recommend the Ruger New Vaquero over any other clone in that price range. ...but that is me! So far, I've owned a New Vaquero, a 3rd Generation Colt, a 100% American USFA, and close to a dozen Uberti's/Cimarrons. The Colt had a gritty action and a heavy mainspring so I sold it for the price of about three or four new Uberti's. Same with the USFA. It was a beautiful, well made revolver but did nothing that my Uberti's couldn't do (except shoot WAY to high at 25 yds.). The Vaquero was a compete pain in the ass. Like most of these it had the restriction in the barrel where it screwed in the frame, which had to be lapped out, the cylinder throats were far undersized and had to be opened to correct dimensions so it'd shoot cast bullets acceptably, the front sight was too thin for all but informal plinking, and the hammer spur was too tall. I sunk money and time into it and tried to love it, but in the end, away it went. So as you've probably figured out by now, my nod goes to Uberti. |
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The Cimarron Model P is a replica of the original Colt black powder frame. It has a thumb screw that retains the cylinder base pin, and also has the tapered front sight and the llittle V groove rear sight.
I have one in 5 1/2" 44 Special. I had the rear sight opened to a 1/8" groove and installed a .10" front sight blade. It's a crazy accurate revolver. Inertia? |
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You probably have seen dozens of images already around, but it never hurts to see more. In fact, I fundamentally am a plinker and don't use SAAs for anything else than holding them while I watch westerns (yes, that I do, unloaded - pew, pew!) and plink at the range. Done. This being said, I have had several Ubertis (have two now) and a Colt. Love them all. I couldn't tell you any difference between the Colt and the Ubertis but not because they aren't there; just because I am far from an expert. Whatever you end up choosing, enjoy.  Single Actions by SoloDallas, on Flickr |
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Quoted:
Ahh...yes they are basically the same thing. Unless something has changed recently Uberti makes revolvers for Cimarron, to their specifications. ^^^^ What he said. There can be a big difference in fit and finish between a Cimarron Uberti and a base model matte finish Uberti. |
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Check out some of the Cimarron offerings. I've had a Uberti for years and it's a nice gun. I wish I would have gotten in on the USFA guns before the owner went Full Retard.
http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/ |
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Quoted: I am wanting to get a SAA clone, but I don't really know where to start. I can't really tell the difference between the USFA Rodeo, Uberti Cattleman, Ruger Vaquero, and the other clones, yet there is a huge price disparity between them. I would like to know which is the best gun and why, and which is the best value. Obviously a colt is the best but there is no way I'm shelling out that kind of money (by that I mean my wife would kill me if I shelled out that kind of money)... I want a .357/.38, 4 3/4in, blued barrel, if that matters. Thanks in advance for the information. |
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Quoted:
I am wanting to get a SAA clone, but I don't really know where to start. I can't really tell the difference between the USFA Rodeo, Uberti Cattleman, Ruger Vaquero, and the other clones, yet there is a huge price disparity between them. Speaking of the Italian Colt Clones only: There is a base price line up: starting about $500 Brass hand frame $550 for steel hand frame you will pay $30 for checkered grips you will pay $130 for an action tune job you will pay $30 for a lowered hammer you will pay $60 for a short stroke action And from here you can pretty much mix and match parts. But you will have to do the research. Taylors and company have all the above combinations, Uberti and Cimarron have 1/3 of the combinations |
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