Best SAA Clone?

[dfletcher]

I have a relatively recent Uberti (year or two old) and it does have a type of safety, but it's not transfer bar.

Instead, the firing pin is still in the hammer, but it's somewhat loose until the trigger is pressed. It's really hard to tell unless you know what you're looking for. This makes it safe to carry with hammer down on a live round, but I doubt anyone actually carries SAA these days.

As for four clicks, the third one is very weak. I would still consider it four clicks, but if you're not paying attention, it might sound like just three.

CORRECTION, it's the *first* click that is not all that tactile. Half cock is solid, and there are two more clicks after it...

I bought one in 32-20 and the visual difference is in how far forward the trigger sits when the hammer is at rest. It's a pretty good system, however since the trigger must cam up a long pin to hold the firing pin solidly in place the trigger pull is a bit longer than a conventional SA pull. Nice and smooth, but still - it has some "dwell time" as the SA sear clears the more robust SA sear.

[OCEquestrian]

I have two Uberti's I bought three years ago and the both have the firing pin on the hammer..true replicas of the Colt SSA.

[Python6357]

I have two Uberti's I bought three years ago and the both have the firing pin on the hammer..true replicas of the Colt SSA.

Yeah, from what I've heard they just started to use the transfer bar system this year.
Another question. Everyone says you're supposed to only load 5, and rest the hammer on an empty chamber. Isn't the first click meant to be the safety? That way the firing pin isn't resting on a primer but you still get to load 6. Do people just not realize that is the purpose of the first click, or is there something I'm missing?

[jpl1979]

I think the safety notch (first click) can break off if the hammer hits something hard enough

[Python6357]

I think the safety notch (first click) can break off if the hammer hits something hard enough

I had heard that about the original early colts, I just didn't know if it was because of the design of the action, or just the strength of metal back then. I figured with metals being stronger now, maybe it would be fine.

[jpl1979]

I've always had new model rugers, so I really don't know about the newer ones. I sure carry my 30-30 with the hammer in the safety notch.

[Allhailflintlocks]

I got a Taylor's Smoke Wagon a couple of years ago and am impressed with it. It has the firing pin on the hammer and four click cocking. It also has a safety feature where the cylinder pin can be pushed back slightly through the frame to keep the hammer from dropping completely but I have my doubts of how good of a safety this is.

Last time I checked Uberti revolvers a year or so ago they still had their models split between traditional and transfer bar ones. If you can't find anymore Uberti traditionals then look at the SAA line at Pietta. Taylor's may also have some traditional stock left.

[Python6357]

Yeah, Ive got a Winchester 97 that I keep on the safety notch and I've never had any concerns. But people tend to like to be on the safe side nowadays so who knows how dangerous it really is on a SAA.

[Python6357]

I got a Taylor's Smoke Wagon a couple of years ago and am impressed with it. It has the firing pin on the hammer and four click cocking. It also has a safety feature where the cylinder pin can be pushed back slightly through the frame to keep the hammer from dropping completely but I have my doubts of how good of a safety this is.

Last time I checked Uberti revolvers a year or so ago they still had their models split between traditional and transfer bar ones. If you can't find anymore Uberti traditionals then look at the SAA line at Pietta. Taylor's may also have some traditional stock left.

Seems like everyone likes the Smoke Wagon. I wonder if anyone carries a single action for defense. I found a pretty sweet tooled western shoulder holster on ebay, made right here in San Diego for $140. I know there's more practical options, but I'm all for carrying whatever you're comfortable and proficient with.

[dfletcher]

Yeah, from what I've heard they just started to use the transfer bar system this year.
Another question. Everyone says you're supposed to only load 5, and rest the hammer on an empty chamber. Isn't the first click meant to be the safety? That way the firing pin isn't resting on a primer but you still get to load 6. Do people just not realize that is the purpose of the first click, or is there something I'm missing?

The "purpose" of the first notch and how things tend to happen are sometimes in opposition. True, the "safety notch" keeps the firing pin from resting on a primer. I suppose so long as the gun remains in the holster all is well, but of course that's not what guns are for. A dropped gun from anywhere near about waist level that happens to land on the hammer spur stands a very good chance of shearing the notch, or breaking the trigger's fragile sear, causing the gun to discharge. Likewise an accidental blow on the hammer during handling or even when holstered.

I would expect that when folks were actively engaged in shooting to save one's life they loaded all six, but for casual carry 5 was advised.

The transfer bar and other various "safety systems" such as an extra long base pin were designed to correct the "carry 5" protocol.

[IVC]

Yeah, from what I've heard they just started to use the transfer bar system this year.

It's quite recent I was bummed that mine was a new model. I got it online and it didn't even occur to me to check since it had firing pin on the hammer and I wasn't aware of this new system.

Another question. Everyone says you're supposed to only load 5, and rest the hammer on an empty chamber. Isn't the first click meant to be the safety? That way the firing pin isn't resting on a primer but you still get to load 6. Do people just not realize that is the purpose of the first click, or is there something I'm missing?

Original "safeties" were anything but, as others have pointed out, so it wasn't quite safe. Even today people debate whether, e.g., appendix carry is safe or not, particularly if one carries a striker fired pistol with some level of pre-tension on the striker.

Uberti also has an additional safety, where the "base pin" (here is the manual) can be pushed further in, blocking the hammer. I'm pretty sure nobody would use it for carry, but could be useful for transport of loaded gun.

Finally, there are two tricks that will tell you whether a person knows how to handle an SSA. One is loading of "load, skip, load, load, load, load," the other is knowing that from half-cock the hammer always goes all the way back (to complete the cycle as if it was cocked from rest), never straight down.

[Allhailflintlocks]

Seems like everyone likes the Smoke Wagon. I wonder if anyone carries a single action for defense. I found a pretty sweet tooled western shoulder holster on ebay, made right here in San Diego for $140. I know there's more practical options, but I'm all for carrying whatever you're comfortable and proficient with.

The Smoke Wagon is just so very nicely done. Even the checkered grips, which seems strange on a SAA, work well.

A SAA is robust, about as simple mechanical design there is, and comes in proven man stopper calibers so you'd think it would be a shoo-in for self defense. And it would be, except an opponent could potentially be armed with a more modern DA revolver or semi auto pistol. If you are very quick and accurate with a SAA then yes it may make an acceptable defensive handgun but most people would be better served with the faster firing and quicker to reload modern handguns. Though I do remember reading a story, possibly here on Calguns, of two friends who were accosted by a couple of teenage muggers. One friend had a loaded black powder revolver with the first two chambers loaded only with powder. He pulled the BP revolver on the kids and shot off the blanks. He didn't need to shoot for real because the kids were off and running by then. Whatever works.

[rmnc3r]

EMF's Great Western II single action revolvers are manufactured by FAP F.LLI Pietta. Our Great Western II (GWII) line is period correct with the floating firing pin in the hammer, not a transfer bar.

https://www.emf-company.com/store/pc/1873-Great-Western-II-Revolvers-c64.htm

[oddjob]

Seems like everyone likes the Smoke Wagon. I wonder if anyone carries a single action for defense. I found a pretty sweet tooled western shoulder holster on ebay, made right here in San Diego for $140. I know there's more practical options, but I'm all for carrying whatever you're comfortable and proficient with.

I met one older gentleman who carried a Colt 4 3/4" 45 LC. He carried it in a pancake type holster as his CCW. Nice guy. He told me he just knew point of aim-point of impact with his Colt SAA.

[Python6357]

EMF's Great Western II single action revolvers are manufactured by FAP F.LLI Pietta. Our Great Western II (GWII) line is period correct with the floating firing pin in the hammer, not a transfer bar.

https://www.emf-company.com/store/pc...olvers-c64.htm

Thanks for the link. That is looking like a good option, really liking the Liberty model. It appears EMF is the only one still making the traditional 4 click action. The Smoke Wagon switched to the 3 click this year as well. I figured if I couldn't find a 4 click, I'd get a Vaquero as well, but I'm hoping for as close to an exact clone of a colt as I can. Anyone know how the color case hardening is on Pietta's guns?