Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Italian SAA clones

I'm looking at SAA clone. They are more expensive than I imagined. Original Colts are crazy. Replicas worth it?

Totally worth it. I have had a number of Uberti’s over the years...even managed to wear one out. Great revolvers and a great value. And of course, Ruger Vaquero’s are a great analog.

To me they are. My son has an1873 clone by Pietta and I have an 1871 Colt Open Top by Uberti. Both are reliable, accurate and priced fairly.

Ive never had any issues with any of the several Uberti revolvers ive had over the years. As others alluded to they are of reasonable price and quality. More important to me is I will actually shoot them....if i had an original colt that thing would be remanded to safe duty!.

The Uberti Cattleman is a very well made copy of the SAA. I have two. You can have one for one third the price of the real thing. The difference is mainly in fine detail aspects, which show more hands on work in the Colts.

It depends on the price. Here are a couple of used ones up for bid:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/844752541

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/839688445

New will cost you some more. You didn't say what finish, barrel length or caliber you wanted. These are both 7 1/2" barrels with case hardened/blued finishes and in 44-40 and 45 Colt, the two most popular calibers of the 1st generation Colt's. IOW, very representative of the old west.

I've scored used examples at gunshows for $300 or less in the not-so-distant past. Enough so that I think I could do it again possibly, but I've not attended a gunshow in a couple of years.

Many of the guns advertised on Gunbroker did seem relatively high-dollar, but not so much that one should forego the joy of owning and shooting a Colt-type due to actual Colt's being higher.

The Vaquero was mentioned. The original Vaquero's aren't very close to the Colt's in looks. The New Vaquero is but I'd prefer an Uberti which is a Colt clone. Neither the Vaquero nor the New Vaquero is a clone of the SAA.

7 1/2" 45 Colt



5 1/2" 45 Colt



Ruger New Vaquero, 7 1/2" 45 Colt

I have a Virginia Dragoon in 45 Colt. Not really a SAA though. I'd like either 45 Colt or 357.

Bought two Cattleman SAs at a large store near here about a year ago... They were both unfired factory demo guns, one in .357 and the other in .22 LR. $365 and $250. Both had full factory warranties...

Sent the .357 down to Jack Huntington for reboring to .41 Special...got the gun back a couple of months ago and it is dead nutz accurate.

Had him add a dovetail front sight and bought two more to have one installed locally... That is now all done and the guns regulated...


Before the work...




New sight on the .41 before regulating...








.41 Speial...




Very well worth the money...

Bob

I like the conversion, but that front sight is funky looking.

Why can't I find them that cheap?

Hit a gunshow and keep an eye peeled.

Can't argue with you on that point...but the finished product is nicer....just no pics yet.. But regardless it gives a much better sight picture than stock...

I would imagine so.

A Colt replica is like a Timex Watch with a Rolex name stamped on it, a Shelby on a VW frame, cheep whiskey poured into a Canadian Club bottle, they work, they look good and after a few drinks you really don't notice the difference, When you're done shooting and having fun with that Italian clone, you just throw it away, because that's all that it's worth. It did what you wanted it to do, so you're really not out anything, whereas if it was a Colt SAA, when you're done having fun with it, you pass it along to your grand kids who they can pass it along to their grand kids and it will be more valuable than when you bought it.
Top one is a Colt, bottom one is a Uberti, they sure do look the same, and some even shoot the same, but they ain't the same !!

That little pony makes all the difference between an investment that's also a great gun and just a great gun.