DeaconKC Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 My LGS has an unfired Colt Cowboy in stock. .45 Colt 5 1/2" CC/Blue finish. Not too familiar with how they hold up to use. If I get it, it would be to use. How well do they perform? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN Mongo, SASS #61450 Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 They received poor reviews when they first hit the market. If I recall, Colt came out with this model to compete with the lower price point of the original Ruger Vaquero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 I have come to the conclusion that while I am not actively looking for one, if I happened to see a Colt Cowboy at a LGS, I would likely purchase it. Of course, since I live in Massachusetts, the chance of that happening is exactly 0%, but let that go. Well all is said and done, the reason I'd buy one if I could is because it would make an interesting addition to my Colt collection. As far as their quality goes, I have no idea one way or the other. They were Colt's attempt to make an inexpensive single action revolver. I think a lot of people had a bad reaction to it because even though it was a Colt, it was at the same time not an SAA. A lot of people couldn't see what the point of it was. At the time, it didn't make any sense to me either. But now, it has become a rather strange and unique part of the Colt family, and that's why I'd like to have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 Leave it! OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 I understand replacement parts are nearly impossible to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hashknife Cowboy Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 Gary Reeder in Flagstaff AZ recently added new life to a battered Colt Cowboy, I think the picture says it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mild Bill #2326 Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 They were not quality pieces. I had one, but not for long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 I had one for $500. They now run almost as much as a real SAA because of the un-informed thinking they are the same as a real SAA. I saw one for $2K recently. Unless it's cheap I would leave it for someone else. They have a transfer-bar safety, which in itself is fine but don't expect it to be the same quality of a real Colt SAA. If this madness ever ends, prices should drop again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeaconKC Posted June 2, 2021 Author Share Posted June 2, 2021 Thank you all! At the price I will leave it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 I saw a new one once at a gunshow that had grips so poorly fitted that you could see daylight through the grip frame. I think one reason some are going for more bucks now is due to Colt collectors who like to have one of everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Spur Jake SASS #7728 Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 They were not "color case hardened" like a Colt SAA. They were "case colored" like a Ruger. I won one at 2004 EOT. It was different because it was all high polish blue and had 1 piece "Ivory Like" polymer" grips. I called Colt, because I had never seen one like this, and gave them the serial number and asked about it. Their answer was, "Uh, don't know anything about it being different than a standard Colt Cowboy." Oh well, sold it to a friend. Wish I hadn't with today's Colt market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 1 hour ago, Lone Spur Jake SASS #7728 said: They were not "color case hardened" like a Colt SAA. They were "case colored" like a Ruger. I won one at 2004 EOT. It was different because it was all high polish blue and had 1 piece "Ivory Like" polymer" grips. I called Colt, because I had never seen one like this, and gave them the serial number and asked about it. Their answer was, "Uh, don't know anything about it being different than a standard Colt Cowboy." Oh well, sold it to a friend. Wish I hadn't with today's Colt market. Well I'll be. I have one that I also won at EOT that is exactly as you describe. It is still new in the box in the safe. Looked for a second for a long time to make a pair and have never seen another like it. Gave up looking about ten years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 50 minutes ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said: Well I'll be. I have one that I also won at EOT that is exactly as you describe. It is still new in the box in the safe. Looked for a second for a long time to make a pair and have never seen another like it. Gave up looking about ten years ago. And here it's mate was just a hundred miles away all that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Just out of curiosity, I took a look on Guns International and Gunbroker to see what these are going for, or at least what people are asking. I was expecting to see a price of $500 to $750. I was shocked to see that the least expensive one I saw was $1800, and some were well over 2 grand! In other words, going for the same price as, and in some cases if you do a lot of searching, MORE than a "real" Colt SAA. I do not believe these pistols are worth that much money. Reading the descriptions, I think it's possible that the sellers think they are standard SAA's, but I can't say for sure. If that truly is the going rate for a Cowboy, I will not be adding one to my collection any time soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grass Range Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 I have 2 I bought when they first came out. No problems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom, SASS #54973 Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 2 hours ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said: Just out of curiosity, I took a look on Guns International and Gunbroker to see what these are going for, or at least what people are asking. I was expecting to see a price of $500 to $750. I was shocked to see that the least expensive one I saw was $1800, and some were well over 2 grand! In other words, going for the same price as, and in some cases if you do a lot of searching, MORE than a "real" Colt SAA. I do not believe these pistols are worth that much money. Reading the descriptions, I think it's possible that the sellers think they are standard SAA's, but I can't say for sure. If that truly is the going rate for a Cowboy, I will not be adding one to my collection any time soon. First, asking price is completely useless information. Secondly, when a model is no longer manufactured and had a short lifespan, it becomes collectable...a couple examples are the H&K VP70 and the Colt 2000... And there's a lot more. If you're a true collector you'd understand these basic facts. Phantom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 I bought a pair for shooting when they first came out. I shot em a few times didn’t like them at all. I sold them within a couple months. I should have kept them but I’m not a collector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 I put this thing in the safe probably 15 years ago and forgot about it. A few months ago I noticed a white box on the bottom of the safe took it out and opened it and remembered how I got it. I was told it was from the "Custom Shop" and the label does say Custom Cowboy. I took it out of the bag for this photo. The main complaint I heard when these first came out was that the cylinder throats were oversize and that contributed to a lot of blowby and leading. Colt eventually fixed this but by then it was too late and they ceased production. At the very first SASS Convention in Las Vegas Colt had a display set up and had a prototype in .357. As far as I know they never actually sold any .357s so everything you find these days is in .45. The box says Blue/Color Case but this gun is all blue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Wow. That's the first last and only one I've ever seen with something other than a 5.5" barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 looks real nice , not being a colt collector i know nothing of them , but its interesting to see what everyone has , i cant say i would turn one down in a correct price range but id not buy thinking either collector or SASS revolver given what has been said , i do like the look tho - ive always found a pretty face desirable tho and ive got two ex's to prove that , but yet neither of those look as nice as that revolver today - so there is that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howlin Mad Murdock SASS #4037 Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 At the time, most Colt smiths refused to work on them because the quality was so poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waxahachie Kid #17017 L Posted June 5, 2021 Share Posted June 5, 2021 I remember very well when they first came out. The gun writers' reviews were not kind. Before the pandemic buying feeding frenzy, I would see one on one of the on-line sites going for $500 - $600 with no takers. Their reputations preceded them, I suppose. Now, as was stated, they are offered close to the price of a single action army. Perhaps those that bid up on them, have not researched them, and think they may be one thing, when in fact, they are something quite different. I collect, and shoot my Colts. I have no desire for one, but that is just me. If I want a revolver with a transfer bar, I have an older early Ruger (without the warning on the barrel), that I can shoot. If I want a Colt single action revolver, I want the original design, or as close to it as I can get. Again...that is just me. They were made by Colt, and discontinued, thus they can be considered a collectors item. Nothing wrong with buying one, or more. Like anything else, if you buy one, you may get one without problems, or you may inherit a revolver from hell. Spend your dollar, and take your chances...just remember...they were discontinued!!! Must have been a reason(s). W.K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironrider Posted June 25, 2021 Share Posted June 25, 2021 They fit squarely in the Colt's Bad Move Collection along with the Colt 2000 and Colt Double Eagle. I'd rather have an old EMF Dakota. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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