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Kennesaw, here is an EMF Hartford I have. They are a copy of the 1st Generation SAA and supposedly made entirely of interchangeable parts.



The brick in back of it is from the town of Coffeyville, south of us a ways, where my Wife used to live. It's famous for the demise of the Dalton gang when they tried to rob two banks at once.

I guess that depends on when you are talking about and what your definition of "made" is. Lots of people said that Uberti manufactured Colt's SAA's as far back as the seventies. From what I understand, newly manufactured Colt SAA's are assembled and finished here from parts made in Italy. I do not know whether they currently buy the parts from Uberti or Pietta. I have always heard Uberti but am not privy to Colt's business records. Whatever they are doing, they have done a fine job of obfuscating for quite a number of years now or they are the object of some nasty rumors. I don't "know" any of this as I've never personally visited the factory and observed them either being assembled from parts I observed being uncrated from packages marked "Italy" nor seen them forged right there.

Again, not "some" but ALL of their second generation cap and ball Colts were built of parts made by Uberti. Uberti may have actually finished and did final assembly on them too. I don't know.

If your definition of "made by" excludes where the parts are made, then Colt's are made here.

SAA 101

colt=1400.00
uberti =350.00
colt=uberti= uberti is "best deal"

Cole,
At the SHOT show I asked the guy that was manning Colts Custom Guns display about retrofitting a factory birdshead grip to a SAA--he quoted pricing and times to manufacture. You'll be delighted to learn that the rumor about Uberti or anyone else manufacturing Colt SAA's is false. Colt SAA's are assessembled from parts manufactured at their US plant in Hartford. Of course you have no reason to believe me--I'd recommend that you call 800-962-COLT (2658) which is Colt's Customer Service and ask them directly. If you don't believe the factory then, well ...

BTW, where north of Coffeyville are you located?? Parsons, Independence??? I have a bunch of relatives in Edna and shoot sporting clays at Claythorne by Columbus.

I think I already adequately explained where I'm coming from on this. They very well may be made in Hartford. I do not know as I have not been there and seen them being made. Personally, you're right, I don't believe the Colt's guy. I have no desire to call Colt's customer service either. I don't consider them any more trustworthy than the salesman you talked to.

If they are making them here, good for them. I believe there would be more hoopla if Colt was actually making them here but YMMV. Again, I am not saying for certain because I don't know for certain. You talked to some dude at the SHOT show, so maybe you do.

I live up west of Fort Scott in between there and Iola.

Another thing is this, I have talked to a number of customer service reps that were absolutely clueless about things such as where items were made. Those on down the food chain, such as a guy at SHOT, generally know even less. That doesn't mean this guy is clueless or that he is wrong even if he is clueless. Just because I have read about them being made in Italy across a number of years in multiple gun magazines by different authors, doesn't mean I'm right either. I would not bet money on it either way.

The guy at the SHOT show was the manager of the custom shop Cole--hardly "down the food chain." One of the problems with the internet is that rumors spread faster than verification of truth. Just to double check, I called the # and talked with a customer service rep that is "down the food chain"--they acted kind of surprised by the question and said, "no the guns are assembled by parts that we make right here in CT."

This "rumor" existed before the internet. I can remember reading it in at least one article back in the seventies. Again, I can't tell you what I don't know, but were it me, I would not bank on them being completely made here. That doesn't mean they are not good guns. IMO they are and are probably better than older 3rd generation guns. Current thinking is that USFA makes just as good a single action, if not better. I can't comment on the USFA's directly, as I've never owned one, but by all accounts they are sweet pistols. I can comment directly on both Colts and Ubertis, having owned multiple examples of both.

That rumor was because they farmed out their cap & ball BP guns, but that was all they farmed out. Colt's are still made and assembled in the U.S.A.

Finally got my mitts on a new Taylor/Uberti SAA in 38-40.

Tuned version and probably worth the few extra bucks, for the sweet trigger pull? I'm happy. One could buy a new pair of tuned Ubertis, for about what one original Colt SAA fetches in fair condition in these parts.

Have had a Uberti Cattleman in 44 mag for many years, but I shoot 44 Spcl. level loads in it. The Colt SAA design ain't suitable for "whoop ass" 44 mag loads in my opinion and the middle finger on my right hand, agrees. ;O)

Had the chance to buy a fairly new 45 Colt SAA for a few hundred bucks, back in the late 70s. Coworker had bought it new, needed money. Still kicking myself all these years later, but the pair of Ubertis eases the pain.

Congrats on the Ubertis and let us know how they work out. SAA's were available new, wholesale, for around $300 in the mid-seventies. By the mid-eighties though, it was hard to find one for much less than $1000, new or used.

Isn't the Cattleman you're speaking of, built on a heavier frame than the SAA clones? I've owned one or two of them, but didn't shoot them extensively. I'm sure if I shot them at all (which I'm not sure I did) I shot them with .44 Mags and not Specials. Don't shoot it with the longer round on my sayso though-I'm truly asking whether they are beefier guns.

The 38 WCF is a great round.

Will get the dial caliper out sometime and see how much difference (if any) there is, between frame/cylinder specs on my old Cattleman in 44 Mag and the new Taylor/Uberti in 38 WCF. Just eyeballing doesn't give much of an impression.

Fired one or two of my 200gr XTP 44 Mag hunting loads (M629 use) in the Uberti years ago and quickly decided that sucker was gonna get nothing but reduced loads. Recoil is fierce enough, that the trigger "guard" loop literally crushes the middle finger on my hand.

No such issues when shooting loads closer to 44 Spcl. levels in the Uberti.

Have a mess of WW 180gr jacketed factory loads for the 38 WCF, so will be shooting them until I get around to developing a load for both the pistol and my Win. M92.

In my opinion, the Uberti handles differently from the Colt SAA. I was, for a short while, fond of the Uberti 4 3/4" with black powder 45 Colt loads. I think Uberti guns are putting more effort into the finish, and less where it matters-inside. Of course, this is my personal experience, and yours might differ. I would not ever suggest using more than factory standard pressure loads in any Uberti-ever.
USFA makes some great replicas, but their cylinder window and cylinder are larger than the SAA. For a stickler like myself, I find this makes USFA feel different from the Colt. It was USFA, not Colt, that began with the fitting of Uberti parts. Those who have these guns think they are fine, but again, cannot be subject to +P loads.
Today USFA makes it all in house, in the USA. There are many who think their SAA's are the best. I would say that they make very good guns, but I hesitate to elevate them to "the best".
The Colt will spoil you for anything else. I wish I had the 4 3/4 44 WCF I used to have fun with. Using handloads-and even Winchester jacketed offerings, that gun would consistently make bottles dance at 60 yards. Visually it was nothing out of the ordinary, colour case/blue with the poly grips, but the balance, feel and real world accuracy were outstanding.
Colt has always made their SAA right here in the USA. This hasn't changed, and by God, I hope it never does.

lol Not to flame anybody but some of y'all are gettin' kindly humorous. I have always went to extremes to buy stuff made here in the USA. For instance, today I looked at a bunch of new toilets at Lowe's. No joke. Seriously. They have a huge selection. None made here. I've got a Kohler that was and am thinking seriously about working it all over again, just because I can't get excited about buying even a product that looks superior and is obviously well-made, but made elsewhere. I will typically drive 80 miles just to buy a $20 tool that I could get here for the same price or less, just to buy USA. I have done this for years. Daddy said buy USA and I have.

All that said and done, many companies will shine you on about where their product is made. Colt has went through different managements and ownerships many times. If I journeyed to their plant and saw them being made there, I would be satisfied that they were. I have no plans to arrange that trip. If the new Colt's say, "Made in USA" and that is good enough for y'all, that's good enough for me too. But bear in mind that if you really hunt for stuff that is made here, as I have for the approximate thirty years of my adulthood and even prior to that, you will be let down and astounded many times. If something says "Made in USA" I take it at face-value unless I have other info. I feel that this is doing my duty as an American. If I have that "other info" then my duty maybe changes. This is where I am coming from and I mean no offense to Colt, its employees or its supporters.

I OWN Colts. Have since I was a kid. That includes a number of SAA's in all generations. They are a great gun. If USFA makes a better gun, then the margin is slim. The margin is slim on an Uberti too, for that matter. As much as I like American-made stuff, I have a definite soft spot for this Italian company. They have produced replicas that American companies flat refused to and have almost single-handedly brought the sport of CAS to where it is today. I will continue to support them, where I can.

As to USFA vs. Colt, great points and great info. IMO, the problem with your post is that the jumping off point seems to be in your definition of "the best". If you define the best as how closely it trues up with the original, in this case, the Colt SAA, then there will never be anything "better" than the original. If OTOH, your definition of quality includes smoothness, wood-to-metal fit, trigger pull, accuracy, etc., then it becomes something else entirely. To my lights, the latter is what we were discussing here. You simply can't make something more realistic than what it is attempting to copy. lol

I haven't shot or even handled a current Colt. I'm sure they are great. There are NONE of them as a rule, that I wouldn't be interested in buying. The only way they'd be ruled out would be condition or if one was blatantly bad from the factory and I've never seen that on a SAA. I'd love to have a new USFA too though. A new Uberti would be fine as well.

Hell, Hawes used to make interesting guns. So did Great Western. Can't we all just get along? hehehhe

No offense to anybody either.

The "best" SAA is in my book is not merely the one with the crispest fit and finish, it is the internal quality of craftsmanship, the balance and feel of the weapon, and its ability to execute decisive marksmanship.
Those who look primarily for "game" guns may have different qualifications.
Urbertis have A+ fit and finish, but in my experience they are rough on the inside, and their parts are of lower quality than American manufacturers.
Uberti makes good guns for the money, and they fill an important niche, but they always will be a step behind the Colt and the USFA.
For that matter, Ruger single actions are competitive price wise with Uberti, and are stronger. Finally, the New Vaquero will line up the chamber with the ejector, something that has been a real weak point with the Ruger design since 1973, and also finally, the New Vaquero is a close approximation to the Colt, with all six chambers safe to fill.
In my opinion, and from my experience, the Colt will always be the Gold standard. USFA now has largely eclipsed Colt in price, and this should mean that they do something better than Colt does. Honestly, I'm not sure they do.
USFA's new offering-the Double Eagle looks very interesting. They are starting to move into their own interpretation of the single action, through playing with options and features like the enlarged trigger guard.
I think that there is room in this world for many versions on the Colt theme. Regarding the Uberti, it looks a lot like the Colt, works a lot like the Colt, and this alone will keep 'em moving off the shelves.
Not looking to flame either, just thought I might have a little something to contribute here.

Well said, Mak

I've owned quite a few of both brands, Uberti and Colt. I both agree some and disagree some. I think the lower-end Ubertis are indeed grittier than most Colts. Colts vary as to the era in which they were made too though. It was pretty much accepted that 70's and 80's SAA's weren't quite as smooth as some. All moot to me, as I think most Colts are acceptable, as are most Ubertis. Ubertis will never fetch the prices Colts will, so one shouldn't expect quite as much, but they are pretty close.

Ruger makes a fine gun and in the looks department, the New Vaquero is head and shoulders above the old model. One has to look closely to tell the difference. It was at the sacrifice of strength though. I would not shoot anything in a New Vaquero that I wouldn't shoot in a SAA. That isn't true about the previous version, which was as strong as a Blackhawk.

Yep, the old Vaquero was on Ruger's 44 mag. frame, which is pretty darn beefy. Of course, few of us, if we are honest, really need a gun capable of launching 300 grain bullets at 1200 fps.
I've been around long enough to know that few people can hit anything but sky with loads like these.
So, while it is true that the New Vaquero sacrificed strength, it can still handle loads that will most certainly take care of any threat short of a tank. From a reputable source, I've heard the N.V. can safely launch a 270 SAA cast out of a 4 3/4" barrel at 900+ feet per second.
Rugers have always been sturdy, and this new Ruger is cut from the same mold.
Like I said, if I were a greenhorn, looking to get into Single Actions, and I couldn't trim enough out of the budget to afford the Colt, I would get a New Vaquero.
I should mention, just to make it clear that I am not down on Ubertis, that I really like the Cimarron Lightning. I don't have any fat to trim in my current budget, but if I did, the hard part would be to choose between the 38 and the 41 calibers.

I shoot Colts. Have owned and shot Rugers and USFA's. Colts have a unique feel that is hard to explain. Colt is just Colt. They're expensive, but are the best investment of them all. USFA is a very well made American pistol and handles great. They're almost as costly as Colt and won't hold their value nearly as well. Rugers are like bank vaults, tough as nails, but not quite as refined. I have a pair of New Vaqueros that were highly modified to "run like a Colt", and they do.

These are my current match guns in .38 Spec. They're Gen 3, bought new by a CAS pard in TX. He had them engraved by a retired Weatherby master engraver now living in South Texas. After getting them from the Texas pard, I sent them to Nutmeg Sports to be fitted with dead elephant grips and deep dish medallions. I sent along another Colt with one piece rosewood grips I had custom shaped, and they duplicated those grips in ivory. These pistols already had nice action jobs when I got them. All I've done is shoot them.

DF

Sweet lookin shootin irons there Dirtfarmer.

Gunner