Honest Opinions Needed!

Rawhidesmith · January 13, 2013, 12:11:30 PM

Shouls a new Colt SAA take a trip to the gunsmith for an action job?

St. George · January 13, 2013, 12:20:16 PM

Nope.

It 'should' be taken to the range and fired.

After about 500 rounds, you'll likely find that it's a nice, smooth action - well-suited to your hand.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

Forty Rod · January 13, 2013, 12:27:59 PM

I agree.

Lefty Dude · January 13, 2013, 12:43:42 PM

Enjoy, and shoot the piece with pride.

They tend to come from the Factory on the dry side, meaning very little lube.

Pettifogger · January 13, 2013, 02:03:14 PM

Depends on what you are going to do with it. If you are a casual shooter that will only fire a few rounds out of it and try to keep it as pristine as possible it is OK out of the box. If you are going to use it in competition it needs an action job. I've got several and they do function out of the box (most of the time). However, the action compared to a well prepared competition model sucks.

Sagebrush Burns · January 13, 2013, 10:29:13 PM

Only two Colt SAAs that I've ever owned (out of total of more than a dozen over the years) actually needed action work. One had been previously worked over by a hacker. Only one was "rough" from the factory. On the rest all I've ever done is a bit lighter main spring and they've worked fine. I use them regularly for cowboy action shooting as well as in the field.

Fox Creek Kid · January 18, 2013, 03:06:44 PM

The two FSS's I bought in 2008 were timed perfectly and the forcing cones were excellent, no chamfer needed. The latter surprised me.

The only problem I had was the one big issue that most 44-40 revolvers have: undersized chamber mouths. However, I had them professionally opened up and they shoot a ragged hole with real BP at CAS distances. What more could one ask?

Bear in mind that Colt has really upped their QC on SAA's in the past 10 years.

Doc Sunrise · January 20, 2013, 03:26:56 PM

If new means built in the last 10 years, no. Colt's quality has greatly improved over the last 10 or so years. If it is new to you but a gun built in the late 70's through the 80's, I would not hesitate sending it off to a gunsmith. Quality was not a constant during that time frame.

Rawhidesmith · January 20, 2013, 04:51:47 PM

I mean NEW as in made in 2012!

St. George · January 20, 2013, 09:41:35 PM

Answer's still 'no'...

Take it out and shoot it, first.

Then shoot it some more.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

Doc Sunrise · January 21, 2013, 10:30:58 AM

Go out and shoot it, but do it before ammo either dries up or you need a background check to buy it!

Drydock · January 21, 2013, 11:57:24 AM

I/ve got 2, a 7.5" made in 1998, and a 5.5" made in 2006. Both are used regularly in comptition, and neither has an action job. I did put Wolff Springs in them. My local gunsmith has handled both, and advised me not to fool with them. FWIW, but the current ones are very good indeed!

shrapnel · February 01, 2013, 12:08:23 AM

Quote from: Rawhidesmith on January 13, 2013, 12:11:30 PM
Should a new Colt SAA take a trip to the gunsmith for an action job?

If you like the feel of a perfectly timed Colt and a smooth action, do it! It will never wear in like a good action job done by a professional. Tom Sargis of Bozeman Trail Gunsmithing will do just that, and in good time. I have never been sorry for getting an action job done, regardless of the age or use of the gun...

petrinal · March 12, 2013, 10:03:49 AM

the only action job that a brand new COLT SAA may need is a a trigger job, with a weight of around 1,400/1,500 kg, which is perfect for everything. Some polishing and softening of corners in all moving parts will help to soften the action witouth touching the spring, which is stiff in Colts still today, and I am very glad that they still do so, as they have been doing the gun for 140 years now.

lets have in mind that the gun was designed to be cocked slowly and with care, take aim and shoot a mexican lanzer or an indian from a respectable distance, as from a short distance they would kill you without mercy with a spear, and they wanted a stiff reliable spring in the gun. They never thought about cocking and shooting at the speed of light when they designed, and adopted, this great machine, the COLT SAA, which is a mechanical wonder, a beauty of american design, and one of the most efficient guns ever made by man.

In general I dont want single action revolvers with a soft action, ie, a soft hammer cock. I want a fast hammer, and a stiff spring. A soft spring will slow the hammer fall, and that harms top accuracy. so I want just the opposite of todays´s trends. But I use my revolvers as they did in the XIX century, with XIX century mentality.

all the best