Is USFA Firearms still in business?

DUKE DEADEYE NUKEM · February 07, 2013, 10:38:33 AM

Is USFA Firearms still in business?
Their phone doesn't work and they have no contact other than email on their website.

mtone · February 07, 2013, 10:42:50 AM

Was told they're moving to a smaller building. With no machines, they could probably operate out of a dining room.

Coffinmaker · February 07, 2013, 04:46:30 PM

Yes. No. Maybe

. USFA has no machinery for new production of Single Action, semi auto (1910 - 1911). No visible staff. They are marketing a rather flaky .22 semi auto pistol, no clue where it's being manufactured nor for how long. RIP USFA.

Coffinmaker

DUKE DEADEYE NUKEM · February 07, 2013, 04:49:39 PM

Looks like I'm stuck with my Rugers and Uberi's then.

Coffinmaker · February 07, 2013, 11:28:27 PM

Well .... Some USFAs are showing up on some of the gun sites, but the folks that are selling are asking stupid money for them. They are after all, just well made SA handguns with no historical significance. There is no real reason for them to sell for anything over MSRP of new.
You always have the choice of Colt but I consider them a mite overpriced too.
If your really looking for a nice pair of SAs, that are good value for money, look real hard at Pietta (GW II)

Coffinmaker

Mean Bob Mean · February 09, 2013, 09:14:06 PM

Quote from: DUKE DEADEYE NUKEM on February 07, 2013, 04:49:39 PM
Looks like I'm stuck with my Rugers and Uberi's then.

You can find unfired pieces if you are willing to spend the money. You could also take a set of Rugers, tune them, and send them to Turnbull to have them case hardened and charcoal blued and have a very, very nice set of revolvers for the same as a set of standard USFAs, or maybe even for less. For what USFAs went and are going for, I'd definitely contact Turnbull and see what he is turning out now.

Ten Wolves Fiveshooter · March 03, 2013, 11:46:39 AM

Quote from: Coffinmaker on February 07, 2013, 11:28:27 PM
Well .... Some USFAs are showing up on some of the gun sites, but the folks that are selling are asking stupid money for them. They are after all, just well made SA handguns with no historical significance. There is no real reason for them to sell for anything over MSRP of new.
You always have the choice of Colt but I consider them a mite overpriced too.
If your really looking for a nice pair of SAs, that are good value for money, look real hard at Pietta (GW II)

Coffinmaker

+1, the Great Western ll is hard to beat for price and it is well made.

tEN wOLVES

The Eastwood Kid · March 03, 2013, 08:15:01 PM

Anyone notice that they removed the phone number from the USFA website? Also, when you click on "customer service", nothing happens other than getting a link to warrantee registration. No way to contact them-------Elvis has left the building!

St. George · March 04, 2013, 10:53:09 AM

Elvis left that building a long time ago.

Good to know that little girl answering the phone finally got a better job.

Scouts Out!

Graveyard Jack · March 24, 2013, 12:19:11 PM

Quote from: Coffinmaker on February 07, 2013, 11:28:27 PMThere is no real reason for them to sell for anything over MSRP of new.

Sure there is, they're no longer made and will probably never be made again. That's all the reason necessary.

I don't see how a 3rd generation Colt, bearing little resemblance to the original, made by a company surviving off government sales of M4's has any more historical significance. At least USFA put forth the effort to produce a sixgun as close to the originals as possible and were better made guns than anything with that stupid horse. As with most things, perception is everything.

RRio · April 05, 2013, 04:18:38 AM

This from the former moderator of this board who was loyal to the brand for a very long time. Then I got tired of seeing the
"gimmick" guns put forward from USFA, and the SAA customers take a back seat:

Third gen Colts aren't so bad. They are something that a USFA will never be... ...a Colt.

#28 Rawhide Rio

St. George · April 05, 2013, 08:20:35 AM

So true...

'Real Cowboys Shoot Colts' - and anything else - especially high-dollar Uberti clones - pays homage, and is a pale comparison.

Today's Colt SAA is as good as or better in quality, fit and finish as any of the much-vaunted 2d Generation revolvers.

Like anything of relatively limited production and now, company extinction - a clean USFA will attract a collector - but only Time will tell if it will rise in value.

Old-time Great Westerns did, and they bring good money today.

Scouts Out!

Coffinmaker · April 05, 2013, 12:21:25 PM

I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression. I have and do like USFAs guns. Very well made and after 15+ years of working on "CAS" guns, USFA guns were as well made as anything out there. In many respects much better. I personally have owned quite a few. Now the caveat. NO current manufacture SAA from Colt, nor reproduction fro USFA has any historical significance. Simply put, not worth the money being asked. Expensive to manufacture?? Absolutely. Well made?? You betcha, but to be user friendly for the primary customer "CAS" both Colt and USFA needed as much action work as anything else. Fr the money being paid, the customer shouldn't need additional work done. Once properly set up, a Uberti or Pietta will last just as long as any other manufacturer's product. And the primary customer can have a "set" of two, for the price of one.

Coffinmaker

North Bender · April 06, 2013, 11:33:08 AM

QuoteThird gen Colts aren't so bad. They are something that a USFA will never be... ...a Colt.

Hello Rawhide Rio - long time. Being a former moderator of this forum you know that argument has been made many times and there are many of us who don't lust after a Colt that "isn't so bad"; we bought USFA as they were the finest SAAs being made.

QuoteI don't see how a 3rd generation Colt, bearing little resemblance to the original, made by a company surviving off government sales of M4's has any more historical significance.

Thank you CraigC, that's what I'm talking about. But there will always be people who think only Harley Davidson can make a motorcyscle, Gibson a guitar, Winchester a rifle ... it's as sour an argument as can be made, especially on the USFA forum.

Collectible? - you bet they will be but the market for SAAs is hard to predict.

Pettifogger · April 06, 2013, 04:58:35 PM

Quote from: CraigC on March 24, 2013, 12:19:11 PM
Sure there is, they're no longer made and will probably never be made again. That's all the reason necessary.

I don't see how a 3rd generation Colt, bearing little resemblance to the original, made by a company surviving off government sales of M4's has any more historical significance. At least USFA put forth the effort to produce a sixgun as close to the originals as possible and were better made guns than anything with that stupid horse. As with most things, perception is everything.

You mean sort of like the last USFA Single Actions bear no resemblance to the Uberti parts guns they started with? I really liked the safety in the hammer feature of the original USFA genuine copy of the Colt SAA. And, I guess USFA putting all its eggs in the ZIP basket and hoping for a government contract is different than Colt making M4s? Let's end the BS. Both companies made great revolvers. I say "made" because it doesn't even look like Colt is making the SAA anymore. They haven't delivered any in more than a year. Looks like we will all have to love the Uberti and Pietta SAAs.

Coffinmaker · April 06, 2013, 06:46:14 PM

Yup.

Coffinmaker

Oldtrader3 · April 16, 2013, 09:16:25 PM

I agree with the USFA, no historical significance. The prices will eventually settle out. I have two SAA-USFA's (Rodeo and a Bisley)and wish the I had bought a Nettleton but it is gone and will never be again. The guy that owned USFA was a rich guy with a hobby and changed his mind when it became a business. Too bad, so sad!

Graveyard Jack · April 25, 2013, 10:28:49 AM

Quote from: Pettifogger on April 06, 2013, 04:58:35 PMBoth companies made great revolvers.

When? Most 3rd generation Colt's aren't worth half their asking price. How long, up until the recent improvements, has Colt had their guns polished by a pissed off 800lb gorilla?

Yes, you can make condescending comments about "high end Uberti's" all you want. Bottom line is that they were better guns than Colt ever produced, at any time. So what if they used Uberti blueprints. It made for stronger guns and they were brilliantly executed. I have four USFA's and I have never opened one up that needed as much work as a Uberti or Colt. I've never done more than a spring swap to get a slick action and 2lb trigger. Colt's and Uberti's needed much judicious stoning to get them smooth.

cal44walker · April 30, 2013, 01:23:54 PM

So what if they used Ubertis blueprints?

So.... Colt got hold of the blueprints from Uberti for a Colt Model P and using said identical blueprints proceded to make a better identical revolver.

OK.

Buck Stinson · May 10, 2013, 12:49:13 PM

It has been said here, that "Real cowboys Shoot Colts" Sooo, how many on this forum consider themselves "real" range riding cowboys? Being a Cowboy Action Shooter doesn't make you a real cowboy. We all buy what we like, what we can shoot and what we can afford. I have a bunch of early Colt revolvers, but I wouldn't trade any of my USFA for a new Colt. Just my opinion.