Care and feeding of 1894 SAA 38 40

[krat]

I recently found my grandfather's Single Action Army 38 40. I don't know much about firearms of this era or cowboy action shooting, so I did a little research and figured out that it's a black powder model, manufactured in 1894 according to Colt's serial number database. All I know of its history is that my grandfather had it by the time he was roughnecking oil fields in West Texas before WWII, where he said he often used it to win bets by driving nails into trees at a distance I wish I could remember. In my lifetime its been used only occasionally by my grandfather and then my father. To the best of my knowledge, they always used modern smokeless-powder ammunition in it. Despite signs of considerable use, like wear on the grips and a groove around the cylinder where it rides on the bolt, it seems to be in great shape. The trigger is crisp and there's only a little play in the cylinder.

So here are my questions. Should I get rid of the 100 or so rounds of old ammo I found in a closet (possibly from the 1980s) and wait to shoot until I have the time and money to hand-load black powder rounds? That'll be a while, since I have no equipment or experience. Should I plan not to shoot it at all, but just keep it as a sentimental keepsake? I don't plan to sell it in any case, but I'm still curious what it might be worth.

[Niederlander]

I have a .44-40 from 1894, and I shoot mine regularly with Red Dot loads, but with a 3rd Generation cylinder.  You could shoot it with Trail Boss loads as is.  Nice revolver!

[Coffinmaker]

Atz a really nice "Old Colt."  Black Powder frame.  It was made to be shot.  It should be shot.  I wouldn't personally shoot it with Modern Smokeless ammunition.  I'd be inclined to shoot it with BP only.  To shoot it with Smokeless, I'd suggest sourcing a second or third generation cylinder (much stronger).

[Dave T]

I second Coffin Maker's advice. Shoot black powder only in that revolver. You have no idea what might have bee fired through it, including factory smokeless ammunition loaded with 180g jacketed soft points. And just because someone got away with it, doesn't mean the next time you fire a smokeless powder load, with it's high peaking pressure spike, something will let go.

Get it inspected by a competent gunsmith, familiar with 19th Century firearms, and if it is pronounced sound, shoot some black powder, cast bullet rounds through it. Despite all the naysayers who fear having to clean black powder fouling, you might just find you injoy shooting this fine old, family revolver, just the way you grand-dad might have shot it in his younger days.

YMMV,
Dave

[LonesomePigeon]

  I say black powder only. Here is a rather long thread on the subject:

https://www.coltforum.com/threads/black-powder-or-smokeless-where-to-draw-the-line-on-a-older-colt-saa.379378/

[LonesomePigeon]

Forgot to say, that is a really nice old Colt. I see traces of case colors and it looks like it was never buffed. You definitely will want to look into how to properly care for such a nice gun. Over cleaning, buffing, polishing, ect. can really damage the value.

Neat too that you have history on the gun, that is a cool story.