Colt SAA Clone to ride w/ Levergun... (Holster added)

[Old No7]

Well, my BIL passed away a year ago tomorrow -- way too young at only age 50..................

As he'd just started to get into shooting with his young son, I've picked up the reins and have been taking the young man out to the range numerous times over the last year. So far, he hasn't given in to the dreaded "BRD" (black rifle disease) that afflicts so many at his age (21), but he did just get a modern SIG P320 9mm to go along with the Ruger MkIII 22 pistol he started with and the S&W 38 revolver that he'd gotten. We've spent many hours on safety, responsibility, storage and mindset, and I've also signed him up for the NRA for 3 years -- which I hope he'll continue when it's time to renew.

Anyway, now he wants to shoot my Marlin Cowboy the next time we go to the range (in 38/357 Mag), but he asked me "Why I didn't have a 'Cowboy 6-shooter' to go along with the rifle?"-- very good question!

What a smart young man! So of course I had to fill the hole...

1873 SAA 357 01 (Medium).jpg

Turns out a local gun shop had a Pietta 1873 4.5" SAA in 357 Mag (a "Demo Gun") for a price hundreds below a new Ruger Vaquero. I'd also considered a Uberti 'El Patron', which comes factory-tuned and has great reviews. I know there are better SAA clones on the market, but for what I "need" it for, the low price of this Pietta was attractive for sure.

Turns out I think this "demo gun" was worked on by someone who knew what they were doing, as I'm told it was "Unshot and only handled" and for sure, I can't see any evidence of shooting wear anywhere on it. I bought it with the expectation that I'd have to strip it down and smooth it up some, but after putting some snap caps into it, I really can't find much fault with it! The action is very smooth and the trigger pull is 2.5" with just a hint of creep, and it's better than any out-of-the-box Pietta I've ever handled. Once you get past the fact that it has a transfer bar and only "3 clicks" (not 4 as in C-O-L-T) and there's no firing pin on the hammer, it isn't bad at all for the price.

I'm sure we'll have some fun plinking with this one!

And while shooting with my nephew won't bring his Dad back... It's sure to lighten my wallet......

But honestly, I can't wait to hear what my nephew asks me for next!!!

Old No7

[Old Savage]

I have a couple Piettas. They are both very smooth and tighter than the Colts I have and the one Uberti which is labeled Iver Johnson. One my Piettas is the transfer bar model which I consider a better system.

Yours looks great, enjoy it and how does it shoot?

[.45colt]

Awesome!!! .

[gamekeeper]

What leather you got Darryl........

[Pitchy]

Good on you buddy and grats on the new gun.

[Old No7]

What leather you got Darryl........

Nothing yet John -- will wait to see how she shoots before I decide on a $25, $50 or $75 holster.

Old No7

[M. M. Wright]

My eldest son has a Pietta 357 that is a 7 1/2" with a nickel finish and he loves it. Very smooth and plenty accurate. We'll have to wait and see how it lasts but he's had it a couple of years and shoots it quite a bit.

[AJMD429]

"...I've picked up the reins and have been taking the young man out to the range numerous times over the last year...."

THAT means you are doing more than most gun owners do to preserve and protect:

a) our hobby and passion - aka the shooting 'sports', and more importantly,
b) the Second Amendment, and therefore,
c) the safety of our streets, and most importantly
d) the stability of our nation.

We ALL need to take extra time to educate and enlighten the younger generation....!

[gamekeeper]

Hear here Doc.

[piller]

Slight drift. Have him go to Sig's website and get the 2 free factory 21 round magazines that Sig is offering. The offer ends June 30th. The P320 21 round magazines are supposed to be military only, but Sig is giving them to civilian purchasers who go to the website and show proof of purchase.

[piller]

By the way, nice revolver.

[Plottman]

Very nice.and great job with nephew.

[marlinman93]

The idea of a rifle and pistol in the same caliber has always been one of those things some guys love. In reality it's almost always a compromise for one of the two guns. Either the pistol cartridge is pushed too hot, or the rifle cartridge is underpowered. Or simply choose a compromise load that works "OK" for both guns.
Then there's always the question of the barrels on both guns, and how well groove diameters match. If one groove is a couple thousandths larger, you size for that, and the other gets oversized bullets shot in it. Or vice versa and one gets undersized bullets fed in it.
I just never cared that much for matching calibers in rifles and pistols, and preferred picking the best rifle/cartridge, and the best pistol/cartridge when hunting, and carrying both.

[Old Savage]

In that vein I like the .45 Colt or .44 Spl in the pistol and the 357 in a rifle. But the .44 Mag in both seem to be a good match.

[Old No7]

What leather you got Darryl........

G'day John:

I still haven't shot the piece yet, but I recently picked up this unlined holster as I liked the colors and design, and I didn't want something that was just "plain" brown leather. For only $36 with free shipping (brand new, from ebay), I think I got a pretty decent leather holster to use with this hogleg.

Old No7

1873 SAA 357 02 (Medium).jpg

[gamekeeper]

What leather you got Darryl........

G'day John:

I still haven't shot the piece yet, but I recently picked up this unlined holster as I liked the colors and design, and I didn't want something that was just "plain" brown leather. For only $36 with free shipping (brand new, from ebay), I think I got a pretty decent leather holster to use with this hogleg.

Old No7


1873 SAA 357 02 (Medium).jpg

Howdy Darryl, I like your choice, at $36.00 it's a steal, I would have bought it too even though I haven't got a Hogleg.......

[fordwannabe]

GK that’s how the madness begins buy a holster for a gun you don’t own and then you NEED a hog leg because you got a great deal on a holster. I have seen this before. I was given 2 full boxes of 45 Colt once and ...... yup. I did.

[Old Savage]

Fifty bucks for this "Big Ed". Fits the old style Vaquero perfectly.

[gamekeeper]

GK that’s how the madness begins buy a holster for a gun you don’t own and then you NEED a hog leg because you got a great deal on a holster. I have seen this before. I was given 2 full boxes of 45 Colt once and ...... yup. I did.

Yup, I once bought a boxed 20 gauge cleaning kit just because it was cheap, of course the 20 gauge shotgun I had to buy to use the cleaning kit on wasn't..

[Pitchy]

Looks great Darryl