Nickel 3rd Gens

[yahoody]

Purty pair of Colt's

[Sagebrush Burns]

Very nice.  Are they yours?  How do they shoot?

[yahoody]

How do they shoot?

Good enough to cut playing cards with 

[Frank V]

Yahoody

You just like to make a feller drool!

[Texas John Ringo]

Mine. An early 3rd .45 Colt and a current 3rd .357

[yahoody]

Nice pair of guns Ringo!  Have to admit I am partial to nickel SAAs.  Harder to shoot well outdoors than a blued gun for sure.  But mighty purty, easy to take care of and if you were likely to need a gun after dark or in a dimly lit, smoke filled room nothing better for the time they were used.  Not much better now truth be told ;-).

[Frank V]

You guys are making me like Nickle!

[yahoody]

You guys are making me like Nickle!

Nickel was a gunman's choice back in the day if they had some money and could choose.  Easier to clean up the BP.  But the vast majority of guns that I have seen documented in use in the wild and wooley days were all blued and cased 7.5" guns.  "I'll shoot dang as far as my rifle (45-90 1886 carbine)."  Texas Ranger..1898/1904

If  forced to choose ust one SAA it would be a nickel 4 3/4" 45 or 44 Special.  Ok, that is 2 so I'd go 45.  Some smooth ivory or black rubber Eagles.  Either grips would be good.  And then stoke it with BP and 255g bullets  :-)  Yeeha!  That ought to make the sheep nervous!

Frank fwiw you can usually find a nickeled Colt with wood grips cheap on gunbroker.  5.5" and 7.5" seem to be easy in almost any caliber.  4 3/4 in any thing but 45.   

[yahoody]

Hey Ringo what is that nice looking pig sticker you got there?

[Frank V]

Yahoody
I wish there were a "like" button we could use on someones posts.

Someday I'd like a nice nickle SAA, SS is close, but not the real thing. I'm not real fond of SS, but it is useful.
For a Colt SAA though, nickle really looks sharp & with Ivory well just makes your mouth water!

I think the 7-1/2" bbl was used way more when people traveled by horseback than now. When people were in a town they traveled on foot or if going on a trip by horse & I think the 7-1/2" didn't get in the way.
I think it's also simply a case of handieness, I've proven to myself, that the 7-1/2" will poke the P/U seat & ride up a 4-3/4" won't. I think it's that simple, might be wrong, but for myself when on foot  a 7-1/2" is fine, when riding in a vehicle the 4-3/4" really shines!

[yahoody]

Yep, fully agree with ya Frank.  4 3/4 was a city gun.  The Texas Ranger I quoted was working horse back.  Guns changed as the times did.  Masterson's 4 3/4" guns are a great example.  "Town" guns for sure (or traveling on the train) and easier to conceal.  Gentlemen of the day might well be armed but they didn't brag about the fact either.  Good tactics :-)     

I use a lot and like matte chrome on 1911s.  Frames for sure or full guns as well.   Thought it might be good on a SAA till I actually saw one.  Stainless has the same effect.  Me know like :-)

I really like the yellow cast of the nickel by comparison.  Although nickel is not the best finish.  Hard chrome will out wear it by miles.  I have a pair of the matte nickel Rodeos which are passable mostly.  They are good shooters.  So it makes me over look the matte finish.  Kinda like a damn crow,m I like shiny things I guess ;-)

But the shiny stainless guns/clones just remind me of the cap guns we had as kids.  No can do.

[Texas John Ringo]

Hey Ringo what is that nice looking pig sticker you got there?

Something I made a lonnng time ago.
Here's an old picture

[yahoody]

Nice!  Saw those grind lines and first thought Ranfdal #2.  Then looked closer and wondered who's work?  Beautiful blade and clean grind work there! Daggers are tough to do well.   Nice pair with that 7.5 with the ivory all around.

[Frank V]

Yahoody
I've found the 4-3/4" are pretty easy to conceal. Several years ago my Wife got me a IWB holster from EPS. I use it a lot & under a vest it's easy to conceal. Not that my CCW gun is always a SAA, but when I'm going to the hills but am going to be in town I use the IWB from EPS. It's a comfortable rig.
I really like the holsters Bob Mernickle make too, they retain the gun really well but are fast to use.

Now a Sheriff's model might fit in the pocket, but carrying a gun without an extractor    isn't real comforting go me.

[yahoody]

Yep. have the same concerns myself.  But if the problem can't be solved I 5 or 6 rounds from a SAA I'd want an MP5 or M4.  Or better yet the majority of time in a civilian environment a '92 or'73 to get the job done.  Modern ain't always better if you know how to run them.

[Frank V]

Yep. have the same concerns myself.  But if the problem can't be solved I 5 or 6 rounds from a SAA I'd want an MP5 or M4.  Or better yet the majority of time in a civilian environment a '92 or'73 to get the job done.  Modern ain't always better if you know how to run them.

Yup the SA is still able to keep your hide in one piece if you do your part.
When I'm in a big city where predators tend to run in packs I usually carry something with a bit more ammo on board.
Still SAs are my first love.