Blued, CCH China Camp

[Goody]

Just curious. On another website a gentleman is offering for sale (now sold) a China Camp model in 38sp. From what I gather these were all shipped with the no finish, high polish. However this one is beautifully blued and color cased, the box touts that fact. I asked him for the serial number and it matches up as CC16*. Would this be a special order gun or perhaps a special run? He also states that all internal parts were replaced with US made.

http://sassnet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=238882&hl=usfa

[yahoody]

CC guns are pretty nice.  Certainly one of my favorite USFA guns even with no finish on them.

None of mine came with a labeled box.  But I would wonder more about who did that case color.
Could just be the photo quality but I've not seen a USFA gun from the factory/Turnbull have the colors look that way.
Either way for the money asked, I'd have bought it as a shooter.

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

All internal parts may be US made but, from the looks of that box label and the flutes on the cylinder, all external parts, frame, cylinder, barrel and grip frame, would be Italian (Uberti).  Yet... like Yahoody, I too would not have hesitated to buy it as a "shooter."

USFA referred to the China Camp's polished steel finish as their " 'Patented' Silver Steel (™) Competition Finish"  (and I have the early, black "window" catalog right here in front of me).  Calibers offered were .45 Colt, .44 WCF, .41 Colt, .38 WCF, .44 & .38 S&W Special and .32 WCF.  .45 Colt was listed as the standard chambering with the other calibers optional.

Back in the day...  USFA was a bit vague about the properties of their "Silver Steel" finish.  I remember calling and inquiring about the China Camp back in the late '90's, hoping that the properties were similar to stainless steel.  I got a lot of "looks like, feels like" answers but no real admission that their "patented & trademarked" Silver Steel finish was nothing more than highly polished carbon steel.  Had it been made of a more rust resistant steel I probably would have bought one.  Too bad!  Instead I opted for  a nickel plated model that was factory regulated to point of aim.

Why stainless steel?  I live here in the Northwest, along with Yahoody, on the shores of Puget Sound.  Also, like Yahoody, I tend to put my guns to practical use.  I would love to have a traditional style SAA in stainless that I could carry while in close proximity to salt water (I like to wander through the San Juan Islands), to say nothing of our winter rain (and trips to the Olympic Peninsula).  A stainless steel SAA with ivory grips would be the ideal gun for me.  About two years ago Colt listed a stainless SAA on their web site.  Boy, was I excited!  it never came to be.

[yahoody]

Curious if anyone else finds the case colors odd for USFA?

Gary?  Would USFA have case colored a CC gun on request after or prior to purchase?

[Coffinmaker]

Ah common guys, I realize this board is primarily a board for the adulation of USFA,  but .........

Since USFA is dead and buried, lamenting the lack of a Stainless USFA is kind of Oxy.

After all, the remaining manufacturers of Colt Copies both make a rather nice Stainless SA.  They take no more work than  a USFA did to be VERY serviceable and can even be ordered with white polymer grips.  Absolutely perfect for thrashing around in the Pacific Northwest.

No point pining for a "never be" USFA when "others" are very available.  Oh, at about a third the current price 

Coffinmaker

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

Coffinmaker,
Again (as I thanked you on another post), what would your choice be from among the Italian manufacturers?
CJF

[Coffinmaker]

Capt John,
I spent a lot of years building up CAS competition guns.  When I started, there was essentially Uberti.  Those earlier guns were atrocious.
For all practical purposes, so poorly assembled, it was dump the internals and start over.  They were a lot of work.  Then Pietta started getting into the business and Uberti started to improve.  A lot.  But .........
Boyd Davis needed a new Great Western.  He put out his desires, and he put out his requirements.  His requirement was, bring a half dozen or dozen guns.  Take em apart and throw the parts in a box.  Pull parts without looking and reassemble all the guns.  They all had to work.  Uberti walked away.  Pietta brought him a dozen guns.  They all worked after the box test. 
I felt, before I retired from 'smithing, the best value for dollar, in an SA was and still is Pietta.  The guns are well made.  The best bolt in the market, the best Trigger/Bolt Spring, Spring and Plunger Hand.  Their Main Spring sucks.  Uberti's Main Spring belongs under a truck.
Long way of getting to your answer.  Pietta.  Well made guns, you can even get your Bisley style hammer on an SA frame.  Thunderer Gripframes available, Barrels from 3 1/2 inches.  Then, if your somewhat "hamfisted" there is the Alcimista.  Army pattern Gripframe, checkered grips, wide trigger.  There isn't much not to like.
Sure, I think they still need a little TLC but ALL the SAA copies need a little TLC.  Late production Colts on the other hand, heeded a LOT of TLC to get really user friendly.
Back to your question.  A Stainless Pietta.  A little rubbin n buffin, Change out the Main Spring and you have a really user friendly gun that will last.

Coffinmaker

[yahoody]

"Back in the day...  USFA was a bit vague about the properties of their "Silver Steel" finish.  I remember calling and inquiring about the China Camp back in the late '90's, hoping that the properties were similar to stainless steel.  I got a lot of "looks like, feels like" answers but no real admission that their "patented & trademarked" Silver Steel finish was nothing more than highly polished carbon steel."

Interesting observation today.  Add to that comment the money I have spent buying USFA guns recently makes it funny.  And not in a good way.

I was really turned off by USFA's marketing.  Blue Dome, obvious Uberti guns at double the prices, "silver steel" and a few other things.   More I know the more  I am disgusted frankly.  Like Coffinmaker I spent 30 years building hand guns for a living.  Not SAA however.  Not much into horse shit..and I saw a lot of it shoveled at USFA early on.  Things did eventually get better with the USA guns.  But it never got rid of that bad taste in my mouth....even today.

And I prize the USFA guns I do own.  But I don't forgive or forget the original antics.

I eventually bought a few of the later USA made guns and love them.  Never in a million years would have bought a China Camp from USFA because of what I thought was deception on USFA's part.    We do own China Camp guns now because of caliber (32-20) that my wife has shot for years.  And her guns REALLY did shoot well out of the box.  No where close to POA but they shot well and were right on for windage.  Half the battle at least.  That is credit I will give USFA.    But any good SAA smith that is capable of sighting a SAA in can make almost any SAA shoot.

Wouldn't own a stainless SAA but  am partial to the more traditional nickel or even an engraved gun in the white or a gun that has "lost" its finish.  Polished steel in the white?  From a professional point of view,  that is just an unfinished gun.

Coffinmaker, I do appreciate the suggestion of the Piettas.

[John Barleycorn]

This is the one I have on Gunbroker!

[yahoody]

Another plug for this gun.   I got a chance to look over the details pretty closely. There is a paper work trail from beginning to end on this one.  Gun was doen right.  Only the frame case colors are not USFA/Turnbull.  The rest of the gun was rebuilt and refinished.  And most importantly the price is right.