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Are You Thinking SAA Clone?

6K views 31 replies 20 participants last post by  Browning 
#1 ·
I took a brand new Uberti Patron to the range today. I am disappointed to say the least.First of all it's not a Colt! It has a funky hammer safety which is part of the cylinder pin. Pin all the way in safe, out one notch out is fire. The problem is after several reloads the pin starts backing out and I'll reset it, it's nice and tight, then it starts doing it all over. Maybe since I just picked it up, it was lubed too much at the factory. The cylinder and barrel were cleaned. It shoots low left at 15yds. I do have 3rd Gen SAA so I do have something to compare it to. BTW new gun 45LC. Should have waited for a Colt, you get what you pay for.
 
#3 ·
I wouldn't sell all the "clones" short. This from my Stoeger/Uberti Flat Top .45 Colt:



And from my Cimarron Model P/Uberti .44 Special:



The Cimarron is especially nicely finished with a very good action out of the box. Its not a Ruger nor even a Colt, but the target doesn't know any better.

Bob Wright
 
#4 · (Edited)
Funny. I've owned an Armi San Marcos SAA in .44-40 for about fifteen years. Had two. Sold one. Played with different loads and couldn't get the gun to shoot much better than minute of torso at 7 yards, shoots very low left too. Decided to keep it around for an example of what a SAA shouldn't be. At the time, I had a conversation with Bob Munden who suggested this might be a good place to start, I didn't think I could afford a Colt and I recall he said he had built up several very good guns using ASM frames and the price was right, think I got the two for around $500. I might send it off to someone someday to get "tweaked" a bit, but I hate to sell someone a gun that just doesn't shoot straight. The overall fit and finish is remarkable (except the case ejector housing retaining screw is cross-threaded into the stud on the barrel), it's just a very pretty, but not functional model. Turned me off to SAA guns for a while. The one I sold new in box is someone else's problem. For all I know it's the winner of the two and someone got a really good deal.

Fast forward and I've bought a handful of Colt SAAs over the past two years, the last one I had some work done on recently. So I took my "new" Colt 3d gen gun to the range today and with a load I had last used in the ASM gun I was easily whacking 6" plates at 10 yards (our club steel range has that as a minimum since someone shot some steel up close - like three feet - a few years ago and had to go to a local ER to have some lead taken out of his leg). This is a .44-40 load with a 200 grain RNFP slug over 5.5 grains of unique powder, starline cases, CCI LP primers. I wasn't expecting anywhere near the performance I got. Compared to the ASM this is a totally different gun and with a Bob James action job it's the best of the bunch.

Now I'm on a waiting list to have a 1957 2d gen worked over by Eddie Janis - original grips, action job, forcing cone, close up cylinder gap - a .45 Colt, it's an amazing shooter too.

I might get addicted to these guns.
 
#11 ·
Funny. I've owned an Armi San Marcos SAA in .44-40 for about fifteen years. Had two. Sold one. Played with different loads and couldn't get the gun to shoot much better than minute of torso at 7 yards, shoots very low left too. Decided to keep it around for an example of what a SAA shouldn't be...

That's usually due to undersized chamber mouths on 44-40 revolvers, Colt included. I have had my two Colt FSS's reamed out to 0.4315" and shoot 0.430" soft lead bullets over real BP and they tear a ragged hole. The reason your shot off to one side could be your load, your aim or you need the barrel turned. Very common.

The first thing to do on any 44-40 revolver is to slug the chamber mouths and the barrel. I've seen chambers run 0.425" and barrels up to 0.432" which is a recipe for awful accuracy.
 
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#5 ·
I like to buy and collect, but I'm not much more than a novice in regards to target shooting with 45LC single actions.. but you'll have to try different loads to see which load gives a correct point of aim for you at 15 yds. or maybe its set for 20 yds. I don't know what Uberti El Patron might be set for, but there's bound to be some shooter's of El Patron who know. I confess readily that I enjoy shooting an Old West (antiqued finish with walnut stained grips) Uberti . The Uberti's are at least readily available. The Colts are the gems, and like gems, it takes some work to find them, especially at a reasonable price sometimes, let alone a bargain.
If Uberti would produce a line of single actions with some real case hardening (sure the price would go up though) I think they would sell.
 
#6 ·
I took someone's advice on this forum and cut about 1/8" off the back of the cylinder pin and rounded off the cut end under the hammer. This eliminated that safety feature of the pin but worked much better and improved its looks by letting the pin move to its correct location. I also modified the pin removal screw to look like an original first gen screw.
 
#7 ·
If Uberti would produce a line of single actions with some real case hardening (sure the price would go up though) I think they would sell.
Not too sure, but I think Doug Turnbull is doing the Cimarron Model P. Side by side with my New Frontier, hard to see any difference.


Incidentally, I think many shooters are using 200 gr. cast bullets in their .45 Colt guns. Most guns are regulated for the factory loads using 250~255 gr. bullets, at aroun 870 fps.

Bob Wright
 
#14 ·
was never a big fan of ubertis. A better and better finished revolver is the EMF ,Pietta Great Western. I had several clones over the years, the best were custom case hardened ,and high polished blue ASM. I fitted them with 2 nd gen colt barrels and used a matched pr in 357 for Cowboy Action shooting for yrs. Shot 3rd gen Colts as well and really no difference in accuracy. All had either Janis springs or Wolff. I just refit a 45 colt cylinder and a 1st-2nd gen 45 Colt barrel to one and have a pr of 5 1/2 inch 45s now and one 357 Very nice . I shoot these and some colts and cannot really tell the difference in accuracy. If anyone is interested , I have the 2 nd gen 20tpi 5 1/2 inch barrel, 357 , in excellent shape. The best of the bunch when they were in business were the USFA, especially when they wer around $850 . When the price rose to that of a Colt is was game over. If it wer me ,would sell the Uberti and get a Great Western . The other option is to get a New Ruger Vaquero ,and have it fit with a Power hammer and trigger kit,to give it half cock hammer, I have a New FlaT Top 45 and it is nice. Have an old 3 screw that I had Turnbull case harden and it looks like a New Frontier. Have a 357 4 5/8 stainless on order ,andwill replace the ruger grips with replica horse and eagle Colt style grips ,use it as a woods gun and plinker. So there are some options
 
#16 ·
Years ago, maybe 10 or so, I picked up a Mitchell Arms LNIB convertible 2 cylinder .45 Colt/.45 ACP from a LGS for $275 and noticed it was a Uberti. Back then I knew little of the Uberti brand name but the price was good for a SAA shooter. Mitchell (Santa Ana, ,CA) was belly up or soon to be as I recall. The firearm had a nice fit and finish and was a good shooter but somebody wanted it more than I did so I sold it about 6 or so month back to make some more room in the safe for...well....other guns ;) . Now I have 2 Colt SAAs and as they say on Looney Tunes...Th..Th...Th...That's All Folks!!!!!! :)
 
#18 ·
Browning
I've shot a Cimarron (made by Uberti) a good bit & it's a great gun. Two suggestions have been made about your base pin, cutting it off or replacing it. Both will work. I've never had that problem, but the fix istn't too hard. I did put a Belt Mountain base pin in a Ruger SA once & it worked great.
As to powders, the late Bob Mundin suggested Hodgdon's Titegroup to me, I have used it a lot & it's fantastic powder. I also use Unique, Herco (one of my favorites) HS6 which is also WW540, HP38 which is also WW231, Trailboss (you won't get a double charge with Trailboss, it'll overflow or come right to the top of the case mouth, before it double charges) and one that is really traditional, powerful, & a lot of fun, 3FG black powder!
Good luck with your .45, let us know as you get the wrinkles worked out. Don't give up on it too quickly.
 
#20 ·
I tell the sales guy at Gander I don't want his new El Patron floor demo model and I'd rather have it NIB, no problem he says he'll order one from the warehouse in ND...he places the order and I get an update saying the item info has been received in NC.? hmmm.. I go online and find Ganders distribution center is in IN.? Then the GM item # is GM43853 UBERTI 1873 NEW MODEL CATTLEMAN HANDGUN..not a mention of El Patron although the description is similar.. I'm confused now.

So the part I'd like to know is how to discern whether or not this special order is NIB or just a different showroom demo? and being new to this what should I be looking at when I go to pick it up?
 
#25 ·
I tell the sales guy at Gander I don't want his new El Patron floor demo model and I'd rather have it NIB, no problem he says he'll order one from the warehouse in ND...he places the order and I get an update saying the item info has been received in NC.? hmmm.. I go online and find Ganders distribution center is in IN.? Then the GM item # is GM43853 UBERTI 1873 NEW MODEL CATTLEMAN HANDGUN..not a mention of El Patron although the description is similar.. I'm confused now. So the part I'd like to know is how to discern whether or not this special order is NIB or just a different showroom demo? and being new to this what should I be looking at when I go to pick it up?
Well, start with looking for the things that made you not want the floor demo. The only other thing I can think of is to see how bad the drag line is. Guns are fired at the factory, so they will all probably have some slight dragging, but if its been a floor demo and people have been cocking it, the line will be more visible.
 
#21 ·
Agree with those that like the imports. I was looking for a shooter, and looked at the Colt Cowboy first. The pistol was really finished badly, and the triggerguard assembly didn't even line up with the frame. The dealer had a Cimmaron for less than $300 with box of shells, tax and all, so I bought it. Of course the casehardening isn't real, but the other fit and finish is excellent. I too find Unique to be the best powder loading the .45 Colt which I load to about 750 fps.

The dealer dates the boxes as to when he receives them, and this one was 11-99, so I bought it late in 1999 or early 2000.

 
#24 ·
did a lot of web work before purchase

Did not want to wait for Colt. One should see what's coming out of the USFA factory now, it doesn't resemble anything I've seen. Wanted a Rodeo. I wanted an STI Texican, no soap. Freedom Arms is interesting and $$$$. I don't believe they have a SAA knockoff. So now I have an El Patron and a Cimmaron Evil Roy due in this week. What I'm reading THE ITALIAN JOBS aren't case hardened,how do they make it look as they are? Just a thought do you know if JMB and Sam Colt ever met?
 
#26 ·
if you order one from Cimarron or taylors ,they have optional USA finishes ,that are done by Turnbull. That makes for a pretty decent looking clone alot nicer than the basic mud grey finish that most ubertis I ave seen have. As stated the Pietta made revolvers form EMF are IMHO .a lot nicer than the Ubertis
 
#30 · (Edited)
The Vaquero is a very fine revolver. There are two versions you might see, the original is a Blaclhawk sized frame (with fixed sights) and color case hardened or stainless steel. The current manufactured one is smaller framed, about the size of a Colt frame, with the Colt sized grip. Both are good guns, the older one better for heavy loads, the new one for factory velocity loads only.

The new model is all blue or stainless.

Depending on what your intended use is, the Vaquero is one fine revovler, built like a Sherman tank.


Here is mine, an early .45 Colt. Less than 5,000 rounds put through it, it is my workshop gun, and has lived in a cigar box in my shop the last few years.




BUT it does have the transfer bar mechanism, whether that's O.K. with you is your choice.

Bob Wright
 
#32 ·
Picked up and went to the range with Cim. Evil Roy. It is an improvement over the El Patron. I took some cleaning supplies to the range and cleaned it up before shooting. I suppose I should have done that with the Uberti, just swabbed the barrel. It's still not a Colt SAA but it's closer to what I wanted.
I don't go apesh*t when it comes to buying guns. I feel as though I need 2 guns in a given caliber to hand load for.
 
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