Let's talk barrel lengths/dates...

[FiremanBrad]

When dating the SAA's, I'm assuming the originals in '73 were all 7 1/2" barrels?  When did the shorter versions come around, as from Colt, not a hacksaw???

[The Trinity Kid]

Fairly certain that they came in Cavalry (7 1/2), Artillery (5 1/2), and Civilian (4 3/4), right from the get-go.    I think for the first five (check me on that number) years the only chambering was .45.  In '78/'79, they came out with the 44WCF, and several other chamberings.  I reserve the right to be wrong, of course.

--TK

[The Elderly Kid]

Also I, have read that, while the familiar date is '73, there were only a few hundred made that year, and almost all of them went to the Army, and most of the '74 manufacture also went to fulfilling the Army contract, and therefore were 7 1/2".  So it only began showing up on the civilian market in numbers in 1875, with the various barrel lengths.

[FiremanBrad]

Great info, y'all!!  I'm hoping to fight out the 150th of the Civil War, and push my persona into the early to mid 70's as a CW veteran turned Buffler Hunter, looking for his next gig! 
I've saved enough Cabelas points to order meself a matched pair of 45's!!!

[The Trinity Kid]

Congrats on that!       Just remember, post lots of pictures!

--TK

[FiremanBrad]

Pics for sure! 

Now, decide on barrel length!!!???  I'll only get to do this once!!  Taylor's says they can do the Deluxe tuning on any of the 7.5" models, and they have the cattleman in stock for a shorter wait time!!!

[The Trinity Kid]

It would seem that the Cavalry model would best fit the character you are trying to portray.  I think that a buff hunter would likely have a longer barrel, because the longer sight picture makes aiming at farther targets easier.  Also, the longer barrel just looks right for a buffalo hunter.  Long rifle, long knife, long hair/beard, why break the trend with a little pistol? 

--TK

[FiremanBrad]

Great minds think alike, Trinity!!! 

[The Trinity Kid]

 

--TK

[St. George]

The truth of the matter is that most of your money would have gone into your rifle or rifles - and the equipment to stay in the field a long while.

A hide hunter/buffalo hunter had little use for a handgun - doing his killing from a stand, and not with a revolver, so a percussion or conversion revolver would have suited.

His knife would have been a skinner - something to actually put to use when skinning out his daily kill - a large knife would've been of little use to him.

There are numerous good references on this subject - and a separate forum - 'BROW' - that addresses the rifles and a lot of the other issues as well, that you'll find to be most interesting.

Hide hunting/buffalo hunting was a backbreaking, stinking, miserable, filthy job - most men who took up that trade didn't last long at it.

Scouts Out!

[Delmonico]

Even more likely a buff runner would carry 2 knives a skinner and ripper as well as a steel in one large sheath or seperate ones as in this set I made. 

Yes they all are made from the same piece of walnut.

[Mogorilla]

THat is a great set Del.   Love the look of the Walnut.   Are those steel or brass pins?   

[Delmonico]

THat is a great set Del.   Love the look of the Walnut.   Are those steel or brass pins?   

Steel, I make them out of annealed 10p nails, the up-set nice and the rasp forms them.  They are also sealed with epoxy to the hafts to keep blood out.  Wood is finished with Canola oil, ain't fit for cooking but makes a great wood finish.  Skinned a few deer with them.

[FiremanBrad]

The truth of the matter is that most of your money would have gone into your rifle or rifles - and the equipment to stay in the field a long while.

A hide hunter/buffalo hunter had little use for a handgun - doing his killing from a stand, and not with a revolver, so a percussion or conversion revolver would have suited.

His knife would have been a skinner - something to actually put to use when skinning out his daily kill - a large knife would've been of little use to him.

There are numerous good references on this subject - and a separate forum - 'BROW' - that addresses the rifles and a lot of the other issues as well, that you'll find to be most interesting.

Hide hunting/buffalo hunting was a backbreaking, stinking, miserable, filthy job - most men who took up that trade didn't last long at it.

Scouts Out!

I definitely agree with your assessment, especially the part about how tough the job was, as I've helped break down a pair of bulls on the Pine Ridge Res., back in 07!  Gutted, skinned and quartered 2-2 yr old bulls that my father in law and I shot!

But I would believe that at least a few that ventured into Indian Territory in search of the herds, carried a brace of pistols for protection!

[St. George]

Research always pays off.

Scouts Out!

[Delmonico]

Research always pays off.

Scouts Out!

I've noticed that too.

[The Elderly Kid]

I definitely agree with your assessment, especially the part about how tough the job was, as I've helped break down a pair of bulls on the Pine Ridge Res., back in 07!  Gutted, skinned and quartered 2-2 yr old bulls that my father in law and I shot!

But I would believe that at least a few that ventured into Indian Territory in search of the herds, carried a brace of pistols for protection!

The hunters mostly considered themselves aristocrats above the lowly job of skinning. Usually, they did the shooting, leaving the dirty work to a hired team of Mexicans ("greasers" in the politically incorrect lingo of the time). These teams were extremely efficient in relieving the carcass of its hide. In the same fashion, Indian men performed the fun and exciting (and sometimes deadly) sport of killing buffalo from horseback, leaving the skinning and butchering job to the women.

[Blair]

I would add one more thing to your research Elderly Kid... the shooters did not kill more buff than their skinners could deal with in a day of shooting.
The hides would spoil or go green on them.
Hide hunters would often cut out the tong and preserve this, the hump would be also be removed and preserved also.
Meat hunters would try to get all the meat back to those that needed and wanted it.
These could both be very different types of operations.
Blair

[ChuckBurrows]

Colt SAA barrel lengths - date of the first factory models made in the following lengths:

1873 = 7 1/2"

1875 = 5 1/2' first introduced

1879 = 4 3/4" first introduced

[The Trinity Kid]

I really need to get a new reference book......

--TK