Researching for My First SAA

[custom79]

Hello,

I've logged in here as I have been doing research for my prospective first purchase. I have scoured the internet reading all reviews I could possibly find.

So here is my dilema. It seems that all but one reproduction Colt SAA are produced in Italy. The name that comes up the most is Uberti. Through the research I have done, I have learned that they not only produce their own Cattleman line, but they produce SAA's for a number of other company names. Some of these are Cimarron, Taylor's & Co. and the like.

My question is simple. Are the SAA's that Uberti manufactures and sells under their own Cattleman name a top quality reproduction revolver?

Many thanks in advance.

[Cogburn]

Top quality. I've got one (MIllinium) already and getting ready to order another.

Originally posted by custom79:
Hello,

I've logged in here as I have been doing research for my prospective first purchase. I have scoured the internet reading all reviews I could possibly find.

So here is my dilema. It seems that all but one reproduction Colt SAA are produced in Italy. The name that comes up the most is Uberti. Through the research I have done, I have learned that they not only produce their own Cattleman line, but they produce SAA's for a number of other company names. Some of these are Cimarron, Taylor's & Co. and the like.

My question is simple. Are the SAA's that Uberti manufactures and sells under their own Cattleman name a top quality reproduction revolver?

Many thanks in advance.

[ 09-26-2004, 06:13 PM: Message edited by: Cogburn ]

[crafty32168]

I have a SAA and I really love it. I like the finish and feel. The only trouble I have had is the firing pin appearantly becoming loose and giving me trouble firing. I have it all apart in front of me right now and am looking into it.

[Ole' Sparky]

And I have 2 Cattleman SAA's. Love 'em both. Absolutely no trouble with either and can't see anything in them that is less well done than my Colts.

[Old Boz]

Get the Cattleman. Make sure they don't have all that safety hammer hoopty-do.

Very well built, but you may want a lighter hammer spring.

[buckskin joe]

I have four of them and am completely satisfied. Two of them have 2,000+ rds each through them and only broken part was one hand spring - a $5 part from Cimarron (who has the best prices on parts). I put Wolfe hammer springs in two of them, but there isn't as much difference as I thought there would be.

[Clark]

I have a mid 1970's Cattleman I got a few months back.
It is all beat up on the outside, but locks up tight and shoots great.
I have been shooting 24 gr H110, 250 gr XTP, 1.6" and the revolver still locks up tight.

I buy allot of guns, and I am very impressed with this purchase.

I also just got a new Ruger Blackhawk new model.
I showed the two pistols to my brother, the machinist, and told him I like the Uberti better. He said there is no comparison with the machining, the Uberti is better.

[Nortonics]

Originally posted by crafty32168:
The only trouble I have had is the firing pin appearantly becoming loose and giving me trouble firing. I have it all apart in front of me right now and am looking into it.

Hey crafty -
The firing pin on the hammer is supposed to be loose, that's the way they work.

As for the difficulty in firing, beware that the Uberti OEM cylinder/base pin has two positions it can be locked into - normal firing position or a safety position. The pin sticks out the front of the gun a little further when in the normal position. I too had the issue of intermittent firing until I figured this out. Funny thing is that the safety position never guaranteed the thing would not fire if the hammer was dropped - scary idea if you were to count on the function. And here's something else about that - if this has been your problem then you best remove and check your base pin 'push button'. Mine got pretty chewed up from the numerous times of letting the hammer drop into the head end of the base pin when it was in the safety position, which in turn gouged the round profile of the 'push button' base pin release. Hope that makes sense - if not lemme' know and I'll post a pic of it for ya. Ended up buying a replacement push button, as well as upgrading the base pin to a Belt Mountain base pin which besides being a beautifully made & tight fit product, it doesn't have a second groove notched into it as a safety position like the OEM pin.

As to the original post question - Love the Uberti Cattleman! Gots the 5.5" in case color a number of years ago and aside from the above problem, has been flawless. Fit & finish are flawless. Used the excellent article "Slicking up an Uberti" on the gunblast.com web site, along with one step down lightening springs from Wolff. The action on this thing is SO slick now - it's absolutely beautiful! Bench rested groups of 2" or less at 25 yds. are pretty simple. Constantly get compliments at the range of what a beautiful old "Colt" it is...

This has been such an enjoyable gun that I'm now considering another - the exact same thing, except in the 4-3/4", which is what brought me back to this site to sniff around a little more...

Good luck with 'em boys - shoot often, and take a friend with!

Tom.

P.S. - Here's a pic of the Belt Mountain base pin, with its single notch design:



You can get 'em all over the place - here's their home page:

Belt Mountain base pins

[ 11-18-2004, 07:58 PM: Message edited by: Nortonics ]