Why USFA Revolvers Command High Prices

[jdpress]

This article written by Mike "Duke" Venturino in late 2010 explains why single action enthusiasts are willing to spend so much money for USFA revolvers.   

https://gunsmagazine.com/web-extra-usfa-sixguns/

J.D. Press

[oldtimer]

Any idea on the total number of SAA Revolvers produced by USPFA/USFA during their history of operation, I have three USFAs and wonder how rare they might be.

[Marshal Deadwood]

I'd not sell mine. No place to get other SAA's of near the same quality.

[Oldtrader3]

I only have a USFA Rodeo and a Bisley and I am going to keep them. They are well finished and will last.  That is why I will keep mine.  The design is not complicated and Colt is still in business in Connecticut (thank goodness).

My four SAA Colts and BP revolvers were stolen in a home invasion robbery 7 years ago and I will buy another SAA someday soon.

[petrinal]

they were well made, but MIKE VENTURINO was, at the end, wrong. If you are asking  a high price for a USFA, most people will pay a little more and buy a COLT instead, who are being made with the highest quality in the last years, probably one of the reasons that killed USFAs.

the market for high price SAAs is small, and most people will buy the original,  and not a replica, if same quality, as it is  an investment too.

if I were rich and a Mercedes collector, I would buy the original , and not a copy, if the price difference is not big, even if that copy is the best in the world, or even better than MERCEDES.

I dont think that USFAs were better than modern Colts, by the way.


all the best

[Marshal Deadwood]

I dont think that USFAs were better than modern Colts, by the way.

That would make YOU,,,how would I say this...........wrong.

I've seen quite a few recent production Colts. The quality isn't in the same universe as USFA.

[petrinal]

I have seen many USFA guns too.

the polishing was overdone even rounding some corners, of a tone that I didnt like, being more subtle the COLT  ROYAL BLUE finish, which I would describe as smooth as silk....... as

the casehardening was overdone too in the some of the USFA I saw.., too bright with more strange colours. The Colt casehardening really looked like true marble. It is amazing, in the right tone and shading. I dont know if it is made by Colt or outside, by Turnbull, but the tone is COLT typical, unmistakable..

[Pettifogger]

Let's see how long we can keep this going.  

Nope, you're both wrong.  My Pietta GWII in stainless steel is better than both.  (Kind of a moot point as USFA is definitely gone and Colt hasn't produced any single actions in quite a while.) 

By-the-way, if anyone is interested the local Cabellas (Glendale, Arizona) has three NIB engraved USFA's in the Gun Library.  They have been there a long time so you can probably get a pretty good price on one or all of them.  They are good looking pieces.

[petrinal]

your PIETTA is made with softer steel, the chambers are too tight, and its collector value is zero. Colt is currently making the SAA, probably the best ever...one of the main reasons that killed USFA.

Italian replicas, unlike some belgian, german or spanish, who are collectable,  will never have any collector value at all.

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

Well, gee whiz!  I guess you must be right and everyone else here is wrong.

[petrinal]

well, I just give some data, at least, I reason my answers. I dont let Mike Venturino think for me. In fact, I dont mind what he says, like some people dont mind what I say....

[RickB]

Do not feed the troll. 

[Coffinmaker]

I beg to differ Monseur.  USFA did not fall prey to superior Colt products (They don't make enough product).  USFA fell prey to ....... Wait for it .......USFA.  To further confound your hypothesis, chamber dimensions for Pietta are correct more often than Colt (way large) or the Belgian, Spanish (Ugh), or German (not even good replicas).  There isn't any more reason to declare collector status to USFA (high end Uberti) than there is an actual Uberti.
Oh, and did I mention, Colt hasn't been "making" the SAA for around a year.  RIP???

Coffinmaker

PS:  Gee this is FUN

[Major 2]

Webster's Definition

Reproduction  
re·pro·duc·tion
 [ree-pruh-duhk-shuhn]  

noun  
the act or process of reproducing,  the state of being reproduced,  something made by reproducing an original; copy; duplicate:

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

Replica
rep·li·ca   [rep-li-kuh]  

noun  
a copy or reproduction of a work of art produced by the maker of the original or under his or her supervision.
any close or exact copy or reproduction.

Origin:  
1815–25;  < Italian:  reply, repetition, derivative of replicare  to repeat < Late Latin  replicāre  to reply
Synonyms
2. duplicate, facsimile; imitation.

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
replica  


Thesaurus »
Related Words for : replica, replication, reproduction

Collins World English Dictionary

replica  (ˈrɛplɪkə)
 — n  
an exact copy or reproduction, esp on a smaller scale  
  from Italian, literally: a reply, from replicare  to repeat, from Latin: to bend back,

I point this out....

As you may recall  
Colt ceased production of the Single Action Army revolver in 1941.


Colt resumed manufacture in 1956 with the Second Generation line of Single Action Army revolvers
Second Generation Colt Single Action Army revolvers were produced from 1956–1974
The Third Generation began in 1976, characterized by a change in barrel thread pitch and a solid cylinder bushing replacing the removable/replaceable part from the first and second generations.

I would submit then Colt 2nd & 3rd. Generations are REPRODUCTIONS   Replica's if you will ....
and if Coffinmaker is correct , they have ceased reproduction yet again  

certainly USFA ( USPFA ) has ceased their Replica.....

[petrinal]

sorry to differ from you, Monseiur. The Colt SAA is alive and well, in fact, we have ordered and paid 2, last week, thou

you should know that the COLT factory works on a "batch" podruction system. In other words, they use all the avaiable machinery to manufacture one model for some months, then they resort all their manufacturing capabilities to other model in their catalog, and on and on.

they have plenty of orders for their SAAs and as a matter of fact, they are making a lot of money with them: around 5000 or more a year.

sorry, USFA fans.

[petrinal]

I beg to differ Monseur.  USFA did not fall prey to superior Colt products (They don't make enough product).  USFA fell prey to ....... Wait for it .......USFA.  To further confound your hypothesis, chamber dimensions for Pietta are correct more often than Colt (way large) or the Belgian, Spanish (Ugh), or German (not even good replicas).  There isn't any more reason to declare collector status to USFA (high end Uberti) than there is an actual Uberti.
Oh, and did I mention, Colt hasn't been "making" the SAA for around a year.  RIP???

Coffinmaker

PS:  Gee this is FUN

no spanish replica has been made in the last 100 years of the COLT SAA. German replicas are far more better manufactured than most UBERTIs and PIETTAS. They at least make excellent barrels, german quality typical.
thanks.

[petrinal]

Webster's Definition

Reproduction  
re·pro·duc·tion
 [ree-pruh-duhk-shuhn]  

noun  
the act or process of reproducing,  the state of being reproduced,  something made by reproducing an original; copy; duplicate:

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

Replica
rep·li·ca   [rep-li-kuh]  

noun  
a copy or reproduction of a work of art produced by the maker of the original or under his or her supervision.
any close or exact copy or reproduction.

Origin:  
1815–25;  < Italian:  reply, repetition, derivative of replicare  to repeat < Late Latin  replicāre  to reply
Synonyms
2. duplicate, facsimile; imitation.

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
replica  


Thesaurus »
Related Words for : replica, replication, reproduction

Collins World English Dictionary

replica  (ˈrɛplɪkə)
 — n  
an exact copy or reproduction, esp on a smaller scale  
  from Italian, literally: a reply, from replicare  to repeat, from Latin: to bend back,

I point this out....

As you may recall  
Colt ceased production of the Single Action Army revolver in 1941.


Colt resumed manufacture in 1956 with the Second Generation line of Single Action Army revolvers
Second Generation Colt Single Action Army revolvers were produced from 1956–1974
The Third Generation began in 1976, characterized by a change in barrel thread pitch and a solid cylinder bushing replacing the removable/replaceable part from the first and second generations.

I would submit then Colt 2nd & 3rd. Generations are REPRODUCTIONS   Replica's if you will ....
and if Coffinmaker is correct , they have ceased reproduction yet again  

certainly USFA ( USPFA ) has ceased their Replica.....

not true, first of all, they are suppling the SAA as a I said, but have too many orders, in other words, more demand than they can supply.

second, well, I suppos that  a COLT SERIES 70 would qualify as a REPLICA?

if the COLT PYTHON is made again...it will be a replica?

if they start making the COLT KING COBRA again is it a replica?

if they start making the COLT COLTEER 22 carbine again, would it be a replica?

so we should  think  that they have "copied themselves"....with the intention of doing a replica...of their own revolver.... with has been made with practically no changes, but the bushing,  and a barrel thread, since 1872 (not 73).....interesting....

so..the RUGER BEARCATS are replicas....after all, they ceased production of them, but decided to resume it again many years ago...

how can you explain, that "despite being a replica", collectors can pay you  more for a COLT SAA made in 1965, with box and good condition, than for a 1910 revolver original, in less than perfect condition and probably with mixed parts?

I would choose the 1965 revolver for sure...as I am a collector.

the COLT SAA is in production again, they sell all the guns manufactured, but they supply as they are being made, because as I said, the COLT factory is busy working in Batches.

mine, that I paid recently, wont be ready until next year, and they come from the COLT CUSTOM SHOP.

[petrinal]

I beg to differ Monseur.  USFA did not fall prey to superior Colt products (They don't make enough product).  USFA fell prey to ....... Wait for it .......USFA.  To further confound your hypothesis, chamber dimensions for Pietta are correct more often than Colt (way large) or the Belgian, Spanish (Ugh), or German (not even good replicas).  There isn't any more reason to declare collector status to USFA (high end Uberti) than there is an actual Uberti.
Oh, and did I mention, Colt hasn't been "making" the SAA for around a year.  RIP???

Coffinmaker

PS:  Gee this is FUN

chamber dimensions too large in COLTS?

Let´s see:

the barrel is slugged at around 452", while chambers measure around 456", which is almost perfect, with perfectly round chambers, uniform drilled, with translates in great accuracy at 25 meters.

my uberti is slugged at around 451", while the chambers are huge, and differ in size, and are not perfectly round...the measurements go from 456, to 458, to more than 462" in one chamber.....the accuracy is a disaster, and sooner or later, I will have to replace the cilinder with a Colt.

Piettas chambers should be a bit more generous. My bullets save lead there, and  my sizer  gives 452" (11, 450 mm which is the standard barrel for a 45 colt).

Some Belgian or Spanish replicas are becoming collectable, like 1860 ARMY belgian Centaures, just plain excellent, and capable in the accuracy aspect of defying a 1858 Remington,  or 1858 Remington Santa Barbaras revolvers, which were made in the same factory and with the same steel than the current nato MG3 (MG 42) machine guns. They won several world and european accuracy championships because of their excellent barrel and steel, unlike UBERTI or Pietta Replicas or that time, that were  true trash.

now the Italians have improved their far west replicas, but they will never ever have any collector value at all.

[Major 2]

I re-submit

Webster's Definition

Reproduction  
re·pro·duc·tion
 [ree-pruh-duhk-shuhn]  

noun  
the act or process of reproducing,  the state of being reproduced,  something made by reproducing an original; copy; duplicate:

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

Replica
rep·li·ca   [rep-li-kuh]  

noun  
a copy or reproduction of a work of art produced by the maker of the original or under his or her supervision.
any close or exact copy or reproduction.

"if they start making the COLT KING COBRA again is it a replica?

if they start making the COLT COLTEER 22 carbine again, would it be a replica?"

YES !....they are REPRODUCTIONS, that's not a dirty word....

"so..the RUGER BEARCATS are replicas"   YEP !  according to Webster, Collins & Random House.

[petrinal]

I re-submit

Webster's Definition

Reproduction  
re·pro·duc·tion
 [ree-pruh-duhk-shuhn]  

noun  
the act or process of reproducing,  the state of being reproduced,  something made by reproducing an original; copy; duplicate:

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

Replica
rep·li·ca   [rep-li-kuh]  

noun  
a copy or reproduction of a work of art produced by the maker of the original or under his or her supervision.
any close or exact copy or reproduction.

"if they start making the COLT KING COBRA again is it a replica?

if they start making the COLT COLTEER 22 carbine again, would it be a replica?"

YES !....they are REPRODUCTIONS, that's not a dirty word....

the problem is that one thing is the dictionary, and one thing are us, COLT COLLECTORS.

once again I insist, a COLT GOVERMENT SERIES 70 is a reproduction or replica?

you want to call them reproductions? ok, but the maker is the original, who has been making the gun with minimum changes since 1872, because even in WW2, they still kept doing the gun from previously manufactured parts, on an order basis.

sorry, but USFA will never have the collector interest or appeal than a COLT has. In fact, as I said, their finish was a bit overdone.

and the SAA market is limited...the hight budget market is even more limited. Beretta tried to sell their replicas in the high end market but they failed.