New to Me Early 3rd Gen SAA...!

[mtmarfield]

      Greetings, All!

   A second-hand SAA just came home with me: an early 3rd gen SAA, B/CC, 7.5" bbl, .44Spl. The price was acceptable, and the action is wonderful.
Very light holster wear to the edges. The one piece wooden grips are nice, but I'm looking for "hard-rubber" grips, and I see that Midway has them.
   My intention is to handload either the Ideal / Lyman #429421 or RCBS #44-250KT into the 850fps threshold for small-game / varmints, and informal
target. I'm rather excited to be handloading for this cartridge; not sure if it will knock the .38WCF from my "No.1 Favorite SAA Cartridge", but...
We'll see!

                      M.T.Marfield

[Black River Smith]

First congratulation of a nice find.  That would be a treasure for me, also.  But may I ask why, you posted about a 3rd Gen presumed Colt in the Clone section rather than the Colt section?

[mtmarfield]

    Greetings!

   I was bouncing around, and thought that I was on Colt, and couldn't delete it...!

                   M.T.Marfield

[Major 2]

Get your Mod  to move it

Hoof Harted or RRio could do it 

[Abilene]

Well, cool!  You got the one I'm still missing.  My two .44 Spcls are 4 3/4" and 5 1/2" so of course I "need" a 7 1/2"    I know Colt made lots of dual .44 Sheriff models or shopkeepers, but I have the short barrel covered with my 3 1/2" Thunderer.  Mine were both made in '78, one is near to the last of the SA suffix s/n and the other is one of the first SA prefix.  Bought both at the same gunshow one year apart.  Both with hard rubber grips.  Good luck finding some.  A year or so ago some folks were selling off parts liquidated by Colt and I bought a set of rubber grips (horsey but no eagle) that were labelled as 2nd Gen.  (I have one 2nd gen, an NRA Centennial .45).  Those grips were far from fitting 1st, 2nd, or 3rd gen.  They came closest to fitting a Cimarron Uberti!

Some folks have badmouthed early 3rd gens.  I always loved mine and find little fault, but when I saw a video from OD#3 pointing out some of the differences between the generations plus the Italians, I could see some of the little things he was talking about, like the hammer checkering for instance.  But if I didn't know to look for those things I'd never have given them a second thought.  And the fixed cylinder bushing has never caused a problem shooting BP.  I have 4600 problem-free rounds through one and 3100 through the other.   I definitely love 44 Spcl (even got the '66) over 38wcf (because I don't have one of those, haha!)

[mtmarfield]

      Greetings, Abilene!

   My interest in the .38WCF began when I'd discovered that GDad carried one; I subsequently acquired an EMF Bisley
and a late production New Service in the same chambering, the NS proving to me that great accuracy could be had from
that cartridge. The mid 1990's Colt's SAA B/CC, 5.5" .38WCF did NOT disappoint in that respect, or any other!
   I had the fixed bushing pointed out to me; but, besides a couple of boogered screws, the action feels beautiful. I suppose
that the cylinder could be reworked for regular bushings, but I see no need for it now.
   It appears that both Midway and Triple K have "2nd/3rd Gen SAA Eagle Grips" catalogued. I don't necessarily have issues
with wood grips, I just like the Eagle Grips! Affordable, too.
   I was positive that I had an Ideal #429421 and an RCBS #44-250KT in my "Mould Catalogue", but all that I could find
in that weight is a Lyman #429383 round nose... Oh, well; it will do for now. That, and three sized & primed boxes of
StarLine .44Russian brass...
   The Saga Continues!

                 M.T.Marfield

[mtmarfield]

      Greetings!

             A week ago...

                      M.T.Marfield