Whatever Happened to...?

Capt. John Fitzgerald · February 04, 2021, 06:35:32 PM

No, no, not Randolph Scott! What I am wondering about is Standard Manufacturing and their SAA. When first introduced they were the supposed heir apparent to USFA's reputation for quality. Some even speculated that their SAA's were being manufactured on CNC machinery that was purchased from USFA. Haven't seen or heard much of them of late. Their prices were/are high. They also have invested some of their time and effort into a couple of screw-ball pistol designs (not unlike USFA and the .22 ZIP). So what, I guess, I want to know is has their SAA reached any level of success or acceptance in the world of cowboy action shooting? Just curious.

CJF

Dave T · February 05, 2021, 09:18:22 AM

Capt'n,

As far as I can tell Stardard is still making them and selling them for the original asking price of $1895. Still only one caliber (45 Colt.) and still only 4-3/4", 5-1/2", and 7-1/2" barrels on a cross pin frame. I've seen a couple for sale as used guns but it seems most people who buy them are hanging on to them.

I don't understand how this works but ever since they've appeared for sale the prices of USFA single actions have skyrocketed. It's hard to find one for under $2K and even the obvious Uberti parts guns like the USPFA marked ones seem to have increased in value.

Dave

JOG · February 05, 2021, 12:12:10 PM

If Standard is selling saa for that price why wouldn't I just buy a 3rd gen, new Colt saa? Or a all USA made USFA?

Major 2 · February 05, 2021, 12:36:20 PM

USFA ceased production of SAA revolvers, in 2011,
Resurface as ZiPFactory.com, based on its CRAP USFA ZiP .22 firearm.
The company formally dissolved in January 2017.

Colt assembled few if any SAA since 2018 , concentrating of other products , like 1911's and the new Colt Python.

You are way more likely to find an inflated USFA for sale.

Pettifogger · February 05, 2021, 05:22:55 PM

And what few SAAs Colt has made since 2018 they have had a problem with frames cracking. Sad to say but the SAAs frames and most other parts are outsourced. Crap they might as well be USFAs.

Dave T · February 05, 2021, 09:30:11 PM

Quote from: Pettifogger on February 05, 2021, 05:22:55 PM
And what few SAAs Colt has made since 2018 they have had a problem with frames cracking. Sad to say but the SAAs frames and most other parts are outsourced. Crap they might as well be USFAs.

Colt can only wish their SAAs were the quality of the late production USFAs. I haven't personally handled or examined a Standard Mfg gun but the all US sourced USFA guns I own are built as well if not better than 1st Generation Colts.

Dave

OD#3 · February 05, 2021, 11:48:14 PM

Because I made a Youtube video about my early Standard (serial #54), which was also one of the first Youtube videos about the Standard SA, quite a few folks who were inspired by said video into purchasing their own have reached out to me. With one exception, all have been very pleased with theirs and said that the quality was on par with what I demonstrated in my video. The one exception, which he backed up with pictures, showed very lousy checkering on the hammer. He communicated his displeasure to Standard, and they made it right. I also had another fella who told me that Standard had stopped making the hammer cam as a separate part and was just machining it into the hammer. That is a minor disappointment, but it is the same way even USFA did theirs. However, they have corrected the early problem with the firing pins, and new ones no longer show any post-production re-working of the firing pins. Perhaps they completely revamped how they made their hammers, and this included not making a separate hammer cam. Who knows?

Anyway, if I had the cash, I'd order another one in a heartbeat.

Coffinmaker · February 06, 2021, 09:02:50 AM

Odie Numba Three

Great to hear from ya!! Thought there you had gone to Alaska Salmon Fishing and wound up onna Crab Boat

Thanks to your tutelage, I am and will continue to be your loudest and most consistent supporter and champion of Annealing. Almost like being an Athletic Supporter

Been Keeping Yourself Well I Hope!!

Stay Safe out There

Pettifogger · February 06, 2021, 09:59:48 AM

The only thing I do not like about the Standard is trivial and petty but it is enough to turn me off of them. The name. Who the heck wants to pay $1,900.00 for a STANDARD revolver. Sounds like the name on some of the old $1.50 revolvers they sold in hardware stores all over the county at the turn of the 20th Century. Whoever does their marketing should have held a contest to come up with a more appealing name.

LonesomePigeon · February 06, 2021, 01:33:50 PM

It appears the new Colt's with bad frames were in a certain range, S85127A-S85399A. About 250 guns. There was/is a recall. Here is a thread about it. I didn't read the thread and I don't know if those numbers are correct. I'm just posting a link to help others do their own research.
FWIW I think the new Colt SAA's are looking really good. Not over-polished, nice well defined flutes, good fit with the hammer and backstrap. Some of the case colors are strange and some are really good.

https://www.coltforum.com/threads/saa-recall-serial-range-s85127a-s85399a.359461/

OD#3 · February 06, 2021, 05:47:03 PM

Quote from: Coffinmaker on February 06, 2021, 09:02:50 AM
Odie Numba Three

Great to hear from ya!! Thought there you had gone to Alaska Salmon Fishing and wound up onna Crab Boat

Thanks to your tutelage, I am and will continue to be your loudest and most consistent supporter and champion of Annealing. Almost like being an Athletic Supporter

Been Keeping Yourself Well I Hope!!

Stay Safe out There

Hey there yourself! Yeah, I haven't spoken up much lately, but I have been visiting often and have been tickled pink whenever the occasional .45 Colt blow-by thread receives a response from you about annealing. I count it among my greatest achievements that I got the curmudgeonly Coffinmaker to--not only try annealing--but be one of its strongest advocates. What a coup!

I remain grateful and a bit humbled by yours and others' interest in my well-being and apologize for my lack of engagement lately.

Major 2 · February 06, 2021, 07:06:27 PM

Hey, I was concerned about you toooooo

No seriously, enjoy your videos ....

Coffinmaker · February 07, 2021, 08:39:34 AM

Odie Numba Three

It is such a bummer . .. . something as mundane and trivial as "earning a living" and "paying for groceries" should interfere with FUN!! Wadda CROCK!!

Take care of Yourself.
Stay Safe
Stay Away from People (Oh ... Sure)

Buckaroo Lou · February 08, 2021, 09:05:55 PM

I was one that watched OD#3's videos and decided to spring for a Standard and glad I did. I like the firearm a lot but I do not think it is better than the all USA premium USFA's. I would still like to have a nice US made 7 1/2" single action in 45 Colt but will wait for either a used USFA or Standard. I missed a nice all USA parts Rodeo with a 7 1/2" that had a reasonable price. Hopefully sooner or later there will be others.

OD#3 · February 13, 2021, 08:04:10 PM

Hey Major, thanks for the sentiment; you were one of the others I was talking about.

Buckaroo, I can understand your preference for the all-USA USFA's. That fine BP-framed 7.5 incher I was lucky enough to buy off of a forum member here in the classifieds section edges out the Standard (ever-so-slightly) in quality. I paid $1,500 for that USFA and was very happy to do so. But it was used, and the advert had a typo that probably threw a lot of folks off. I wouldn't sell it now for anything less than $2,000, and the Standard's build quality is so very, very close. So I think they're priced about right. I just hope they stay in business long enough for me to make a second purchase down the road.

yahoody · February 14, 2021, 06:03:03 PM

https://www.coltforum.com/threads/why-no-love-here-for-standard-mfg.383177/

Rex Mahan · February 14, 2021, 11:46:40 PM

I had a 3-month long experience with Standard Firearms. First I watched the video reviews and decided to go for it. I was looking for another USFA but decided Standard would fit what I wanted. A USA made gun with all USA parts made of high quality. I ordered a 4 ¾ normal gun with no enhancements. I even talked a Gun Shop into buying some to resale.
When mine came in it had two issues. One I immediately noticed was that the Case Coloring was not uniform in Brightness. To get the issues remedied I called Standard and was advised to email my concerns with pictures. The girls that answer the phones are really nice; however, they don't have much authority and have to forward emails to the "shop". I emailed with pictures. At first, they claimed to not see what I was concerned about. Eventually they sent a call tag: once they received the gun, they saw the problem. As it turns out, the gun was missing some clear coat on a section of the frame and loading gate. They did fix that, and it looks good.
Now, at the same time I noticed a dark spot inside the barrel on the muzzle end. I asked Standard to examine that as well as the Case Coloring. First, they said they didn't see anything and emailed me pictures of the barrel saying it wasn't there; however, it was clearly visible in the pictures they sent. I pushed the issue further and was then told that the area was from their bluing process and that sometimes blue will get into that part of the barrel. To fix this they decided to clean the barrel/ re-polish it. They resent the gun back to me and at first glance it looked nice; however, that didn't last long.
I took the gun to my gunsmith and had the bore measured. As it turns out the bore measured .443 on the muzzle end for about ½" deep where it was dark. The rest of the barrel measured .441. To add to the misery, the grips where now chipped, probably from being removed. So, I contacted the Standard and again. They re-sent a call tag which I do appreciate. This time they replaced the barrel and refinished the grips. They sent it back to me.
After receiving the gun back, the metal looks good. However, now the grips are not Proud and even low in a couple of areas. So, I've been back in contact with them. I've been told to contact to owner who is not responding from 3 Emails I've sent.
Ive spoken with other Standard owners who have had issues and poor response from them. Beware if you purchase from them. Id use a Credit Card so you have some leverage. Sometimes,the management will deny anything is wrong with the gun but fix it and send it back

LonesomePigeon · February 17, 2021, 12:47:55 PM

Rex, that sounds like a terrible ordeal.

DutchNichols · February 18, 2021, 05:42:12 PM

They had a bunch of 45's and 357's on Gunbroker. The ad said they had a bunch of each in stock, I emailed and asked if I bought a pair could I get consecutives. They then said 8 week wait. I called and chatted. They then told me that it didn't matter whether I bough consecutives or not there would be an 8 week wait. I said you ad says 8 in stock. Then they said they weren't in stock but were doing a run of 8 and I could get on a wait list. Went back to the ad and read company reviews. Seems they sell a lot of "in stock" guns then after purchase pull the 6-8 week nonsense. A lot of unhappy buyers.

yahoody · February 18, 2021, 06:02:41 PM

I tried to buy models they supposedly had in stock a couple of times over the phone, credit card in hand. After being told several different stories, and deliver times continued to increase over night, I finally gave up trying to deal with their customer service. I ended up buying a used Standard gun. There were good reasons IMO my gun was sold on secondary market for a good bit less than Standard's retail.

I'll not buy another. If you have a decent Colt, almost any USFA or even a good Uberti I wouldn't bother.