Warden Callaway Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 I bought this made in 71 second generation Colt as a shooter. It had been fired but otherwise looked new. I've shot it about 50 times. This morning I broke it down for the first time. I got to say that I was underwhelmed. While the insides showed only the slightest wear, I was not impressed with the parts inside. Rough machining, wire edges, and no evidence of polishing. I've seen as good or better from the insides of Uberti Cattleman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Hombre Sin Nombre Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 The 70's were right near the end of the 2nd gen builds, and from what I have read, the machinery was pretty worn out by then. I have a 2nd gen made in 1960 and it's by far the best hand fitted work I have seen on any of my Colts of any generations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 Oh boy .. Oh boy .. Oh boy. The Coltistas are gonna start sharpening their knives. I spent 20 years working on CAS guns. Lots and lots of em. I always refused to buy ANY of the "High End" guns. Colt, USFA, Etc., because after spending 3 to 4 times the cost of the "lesser" guns, the shooter still needed me or someone like me to make the guns user friendly and CAS ready. Colt guns had/have just as many problems that require attention as any other, except you pay premium money for those problems. Colt are not the "holy grail." Were I to recommend, Strictly from a user friendly and affordable standpoint, a really nice CAS gun, it would be a Great Western II. Preferably stainless. And perhaps some others. Colt wouldn't make the short list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted January 29, 2019 Author Share Posted January 29, 2019 I can do the same clean up and install light springs and be real happy with this gun. And I think the parts (screws) are harder. But I expected it to look as nice inside as outside. One reason I took it apart was that the hammer screw sticks out of the right side .055". I thought the washer was missing but it wasn't. The thin washer would have only made a couple thousands differance anyway. If the screw was blue, I could just trim it back and reblue it. But being nickel, there is not much I can do. I made a washer out of one coil of spring. It pulled the thread in enough that it's not so noticeable. The head side is a little proud now. But it looks better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 The internal finish of that SAA is about the same as other Colt handguns I've seen of the era. OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrel Cody Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 If you're really that unhappy with it I can make a home for it here in Tennessee Wonder if you could get a stainless rod and make a new one screw; would the stainless match the nickle closer? Or could you file the screw down just below the surface and then apply silver solder to the end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 Or ...... why should you have to do any of that on a gun at that price point ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lead Friend, SASS #53635 Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 It don’t need to be pretty, just make it run. We ain’t museum conservators, we’re cowboys. My favorite Colt is my ugliest. It tells a story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Sheridan Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 Colt started having some real QC issues starting in the late 1960s and it only got worse through the 1970s. I've seen many 1911s from this era with odd-shaped triggerguards, uneven machining of the flats and tooling marks inside deep enough to catch a fingernail. The aging machinery was only part of the problem. A good number of their veteran workforce was either laid off or chose early retirement not long after Coltec Industries bought Colt in 1964 and the new, younger employees just didn't have the skills of the old guard. Normally the remaining veterans were the ones who touched the top-of-the-line guns, but I'm sure a lot of the newer people were training on them as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 I have an another Colt SAA made in 62. It's pretty ragged out many years ago so I really didn't have a "good" example to compair. I don't know if I'll ever have an opertunity to buy another Colt but I think it'll be a smokeless first generation or early second. I thought 71 would not have quality problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Coles SASS 1188 Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 There was a period where colts were assembled by members of the United Auto Workers, and looked like it. I bought a brand new Colt with ivory grips in the 80s and when I cocked the hammer it stuck back and would not fall. A real mess. None the less, a Colt will always be worth more than a clone and every Colt I have ever owned has gone up in value. I have only sold a few of the Colts I have owned and have regretted the loss of evey one. Don’t get me wrong, I think the Italians make very good guns at a good price and I own a number of them. But, they are not the same as a Colt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 It was -7°F this morning. Not nearly as bad as first predicted and not nearly as cold as people north of us are suffering. But just the same, I wasn't going out unless I just had to. So I took the Colt apart and did some stoning inside the frame and where parts rub. The channel where the hand goes up and down was particularly rough. I polished the pins and holes they go through. I didn't change any geometry as I feel it was timing and locking up nicely. I had one more Wolff reduced power hammer springs and installed it. I had to enlarge the hole just a bit to get the Colt screw to pass. While I didn't have a Uberti or Pietta open on the operating table at the same time, the Colt parts seemed to be much harder. It's suppose to warm up into the 50s by the weekend. I'll get it out and see if the lighter hammer spring will reliably set off primers. I'm confident it will. I have them in all our other handguns and they work fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
45 Dragoon Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 If the lighter main spring "doesn't work", it's probably a culmination of other " things" that is at fault. Mainsprings are often blamed but are truly not the problem. Stout handsprings, tall cams, thick bolt arms can be "the" problem or a culmination of all. Your trigger will be lighter after installing the reduced main as well. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 7 minutes ago, 45 Dragoon said: If the lighter main spring "doesn't work", it's probably a culmination of other " things" that is at fault. Mainsprings are often blamed but are truly not the problem. Stout handsprings, tall cams, thick bolt arms can be "the" problem or a culmination of all. Your trigger will be lighter after installing the reduced main as well. Mike You left out poorly loaded ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
45 Dragoon Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 2 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said: You left out poorly loaded ammo. Ha!!! You are exactly right!! Lol! I can remove all the "other" obstacles but I can't load um for ya!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Payne 13115 Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 My first Colt SAA was a 2nd Gen 1973 MFG. I bought it in 1976 in NYC!! $312.00 new in the Stagecoach box!! If I knew then what I know now!! I carried it for many a year hunting in a Bianchi John Wayne Commemorative rig. I still do but it is more my BBQ gun now. If a gun had a rough action I changed out the bolt/trigger spring and the main spring with Wolf springs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted February 1, 2019 Author Share Posted February 1, 2019 46°, sun and no wind! So I took the Colt out and popped off 50 rounds. Everything went off just fine. My light polishing of internals and Wolff Springs really didn't make a big difference - just a little difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Sheridan Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 Like Doc said, if you tire of it you can always turn around and sell it for what you have in it, if not more. As long as it runs good I wouldn't worry about it. I assume you bought it as a shooter, not an investment or a safe queen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted February 2, 2019 Author Share Posted February 2, 2019 I'm happy with the gun. It's beautiful and shoots well. The fact that it's a second generation Colt SAA is simply a luxury and pride of ownership thing. Maybe some way of investment. Is it wort it or necessary for CAS or any thing else that needs shot? No. It won't do anything that a garden variety Uberti, Pietta or take your pick will do. I do feel the parts are harder and better made. I have and have owned some really nice quality guns including Colt Python and older Smith and Wesson the quality of the gun, inside and out, were marvelous. Probably the best example in my safe is the Parker 12 gauge. Every part and inside of that gun is like a Swiss watch. I don't know how they did it back in 1896. After I shot it yesterday, I rolled the cylinder out to wipe down the face and inside of frame, etc. The cylinder fit in all respects are tight. It locks up tight. There is no endshake. The bolt drops into each notch tight. The cylinder does not wobble around on the base pin. But the base pin is difficult to pull and replace. So while I had it out, I took out the cylinder latch and checked the pin in the frame. Looked like most of the drag was going through the front of the frame. So I took my drill rod stock that I use to make base pins and scuffed up about 3" on one end. I coated it with fine valve grinding compound and lapped the base pin hole in the front of the frame. I took some used 1200 grit emery cloth and polished the base pin a little. I'm sure that I improved the situation but it's still far tighter than it needs to be. I may end up making my version of a Keith base pin that is far more practical. But maybe not. I have multiple pairs of Uberti and Pietta guns set up for CAS. I probably won't use this one often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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