New to me - New to shoot

[Dave T]

I tried downsizing a picture of this gun but I'm no smarter about computers (it's a wonder I can even type) than I was before so I don't have a picture for this tale.  Still here it goes.

I am big fan of USFA single actions, particularly the later production models, the sometimes maligned as the 'US made' versions.  In my hand they feel and shoot more like the 1st Gen Colts I once owned and shot in CAS.  My favorites are the black powder frames and I'm lucky enough to have acquired a number of them several years ago before they got to the bat guano crazy prices I see being asked today.  The last one I got was close to two years ago and I just stumbled across it on GunBroker.

It seemed to have slipped under the radar as the price was hundreds less than I had paid for all but one of the USFAs in my safe.  It was a 4-3/4", black powder framed, 45 Colt and although I had one already I couldn't resist and bid on it... and by golly I got it.  When I bought this gun I thought of it as a back up to my favorite USFA, a Pre-War version of the same gun.  The new gun didn't have the beautiful Pre-War bluing, just standard blue-black hot tank bluing like most guns.  It also didn't have a case colored hammer, rather the sides of the hammer were highly polished - a look I have come to loathe.  Otherwise it seemed very nice and in near unfired condition, at least to my less that collector trained eyes.  I was quite pleased, particularly with the price, and as a back-up I tucked it in the back of the safe and forgot about it until this past summer.

I was rearranging stuff in the safe to make room for another long barreled rifle (I added a Rolling Block to keep the Sharps company) and picked up the USFA in question.  Still unhappy with the hammer I went on a search and found a place in Texas who said they would do the job for a set amount.  I boxed it up and insured the (expletive deleted) out of it because...well they ain't makin' them any more.  Off it went to Texas and I started waiting.  They said it would be done in a month so after six weeks I e-mailed to inquire about the status of my hammer.  They said they would get on it the next week.  That dragged into another three weeks but I finally got an e-mail saying it was ready.  Their shipping and handling was more than I thought it could be worth but I needed that hammer back so I held my tongue and paid for it.  When it finally got here the colors were a near perfect match to the CCH on the frame so I was pleased.  Now to go shoot it.

Took a week to get to the range but when I finally made it I put both a paper target up at ~15 yards and a steel plate at ~12 yards.  The first five full power BP loads printed a nice group that centered about 2 inches to the right.  Given my eyesight (I can either focus on the front sight or on the target but not both - I choose the front sight) and not having anything to rest my arms on but the shooting box setting on the bench, I'm well pleased with the results.  I confirmed with the next 25 rounds that the gun was easily capable of shooting "minute of steel plate" which is all I need. 

To make it a little better, while I was waiting for the hammer to get done I also had found a set of nice looking, fake ivory stocks, again in the back of the safe. I'd gotten them on a USFA Gunslinger Model (I hate that name) I had bought and the clean stocks didn't go with the worn look of the Gunslinger (shudder).  I put a set of USFA's black plastic stocks I'd given the "well worn" treatment of sanding down all the areas when my hand contacted the gun as I held it to shoot.  Came out with a 'aged" set of stocks that went better with the gun.  As for the fake ivories, they didn't fit any of my other USFAs until I tried them on the gun in question.  Nearly a perfect fit.

This 4-3/4" BP Frame, 45 Colt may become my primary shooting single action, to be taken along no matter what else I'm shooting that day.  Not going to retire the Pre-War gun, just give it a break for now and let the youngster do the heavy lifting for a while.

Dave

[Buckaroo Lou]

Dave T,

I saw a picture of this very nice looking USFA on another forum. Very nice acquisition.

[Graveyard Jack]

Where's the picture? If you want to send it to me, I can size it down and post it.

[Dave T]

Craig, can I send it to you as an e-mail?  Or if it's easier it's post #1261 on the USFA Pictures section of the Colt Forum.  Either way I'd appreciate the help  with these new fangled machines.  LOL

Dave

[Graveyard Jack]

Probably went the long way but I made it happen. Beautiful sixgun!

[Dave T]

Craig,

It's not quite as nice as the Pre-War I got from you but it isn't bad for a back-up.  And thanks for the help in posting the picture.

Dave

[Graveyard Jack]

Craig,

It's not quite as nice as the Pre-War I got from you but it isn't bad for a back-up.  And thanks for the help in posting the picture.

Dave

No problem but you didn't get one from me.

[Dave T]

Craig you're right - LOL. Major industrial grade brain phart on my part.  Still, thanks for posting the picture for me.

Dave

[Graveyard Jack]

Craig you're right - LOL. Major industrial grade brain phart on my part.  Still, thanks for posting the picture for me.

Dave

You're welcome. Just the thought of selling a USFA gave me heart palpitations.