My friend Blair Hunewill did today’s “guest blog posting”. Thanks Blair!
Ask anybody what kind of gun a real cowboy carries and you’ll be sure to hear two words; “six shooter”. That answer is heavily influenced by the portrayal of cowboys in pop culture. Watch almost any cowboy movie made from the 1940s on and the hero was almost certain to be packing a Colt SAA (Single Action Army). The caliber, almost guaranteed to be 45Colt.
What is a “six shooter”?
Most revolvers have a six round capacity. What makes a six shooter is the six round revolving cylinder combined with a single action and a load gate where rounds are loaded or unloaded. A six shooter also fires metallic cartridges, not a cap and ball black powder revolver. The classic six shooter is the Colt 1873 SAA in 45 Colt. This pistol was designed to replace the Colt 1860 Army Percussion revolver and was adopted by the US military in 1873. Officially dubbed the “New Model Army Metallic Cartridge Revolving Pistol”, the 1873 quickly became known as the SAA. Later, the US military adopted the Colt Model 1892 revolver. This double action revolver featured a swing out cylinder that made loading and unloading much quicker.
What makes the Colt SAA so special?
Anybody that’s ever handled an old “hog leg” pistol can appreciate the way the grip angle of the SAA makes for comfortable shooting. The original black powder 45 Colt load was powerful, yet not uncomfortable to shoot. The SAA in a 4.5” barrel has a classic look that is unmatched among other revolvers. The pistol is also balanced in weight and recoil is manageable, even with full power smokeless powder loads shot from an almost indestructible 1st generation Ruger Vaquero. Like most revolvers, a single action pistol is super reliable even when very dirty. Single action pistols are very safe too. With the hammer down on an unloaded cylinder, the hammer must be cocked and the trigger pulled the pistol can be shot. Revolvers can be chambered for large rounds without being bulky, unlike autos.
What are the downsides to the SAA?
There are a few distinct disadvantages to the SAA. The most important is the operation and reloading of the SAA while on horseback. Sure, we’ve all the movies where six shooters are fired horseback, but have we ever seen them try a reload on a running horse? The six shooter must be loaded and unloaded one cartridge at a time and is difficult to do with one hand. The SAA must be loaded, then turned to the next hole before loading the next round. Unloading spent rounds is achieved by opening the load gate, pushing out the spent cartridge with a finger operated spring plunger. It’s easy to imagine the difficulty of a cavalry officer trying to reload during a skirmish on the Great Plains under fire. Of course, I can’t imagine that shooting a pistol one handed on a galloping horse can be that accurate anyhow, so maybe that wasn’t much of an issue! The SAA also must be carried with the hammer resting on an empty cylinder, limiting its useful limit to 5 shots. If loaded to six rounds, there is a danger that the hammer resting on a loaded round can be hit accidentally causing an accidental discharge. Newer pistols inspired by the Colt SAA have a hammer block safety, meaning the hammer never rests directly on a loaded round but is blocked until the action is cocked. This allows for six rounds to be carried safely.
Can I still buy a genuine six shooter today?
Yes, it’s possible to own a Colt Single Action Army today. First generation pistols in even poor condition sell for incredible prices. Second generation Colts are still pricey and even second and third generation pistols aren’t cheap. The good news is that while even a brand new Colt will set you back over a thousand dollars, there are a couple of competitor’s guns that are much more affordable. USFA makes a genuine reproduction using modern steel and manufacturing techniques. This pistol looks and feels like a first generation SAA, but is affordable and safe to shoot. The downside is that because it’s a genuine reproduction, it is limited to light loads. Ruger makes a couple of single action pistols. The first generation Ruger Vaquero is built like a tank and can handle 45 Colt loads that are near full power 44 Magnum level.
I own one of these pistols that was previously owned by my friend Art Black. He had carved custom grips and put some artwork on it. Unfortunately, instead of removing the grips to do the final finishing work, he left them on and filed until he started removing the finish of the gun! I fired some reloads through it that were marked “Ruger only” and the recoil was stout and powerful. The grip angle and balance of the pistol made the recoil manageable however. With loads replicating the original black powder loading of the 45 colt, recoil is mild.
(The top picture is a Ruger 1st generation Vaquero with Art Black grips and modern smokeless 45 Colt loads)
(And that’s Blair in the next picture)
(Ruger Vaquero with loading gate opened. Unlike the Colt, the Ruger doesn’t require the hammer to be at half cock to load or unload.)
(45 Colt compared to a 9mm Parabellum)