Thursday, July 03, 2008

U.S Firearms (USFA) Single Actions Come Home

Today I picked up my two USFA Single-Actions. While my photos can never do justice to these fine guns, here they are, each on their own. The USFA guns are copies, in both every dimension and quality, of the Colt Single-Action revolver.

The first, a 4-3/4" color-case and dome blue .45 Colt with auxiliary .45 ACP cylinder was purchased to take advantage of the USFA "in stock" sale. Of course I came to the sale 2-weeks late (after I'd heard of it) and they were out of stock of the 4-3/4" guns but since it was still advertised, they honored my order and here it is (click on the photo to see some more photos/a slideshow).





I am really impressed with this gun.  From the vivid color-case (and I absolutely love color-case), to the fit and blue finish.  Wow!  For example, the front sight is brazed to the barrel.  The braze line is there but it is perfectly even and finished and the sight is on straight and true.  I've yet to find a flaw in stock-to-metal fit or metal-to-metal fit but that the right side of the hammer slightly, ever so slightly, rubs the frame.  Maybe that was me.  The fit is so good that I had a time getting the base pin out to clean the cylinder and barrel prior to firing. 

When I finally got it out to shoot I only had time for two cylindersful (10 rounds).  I'm glad to report that the 8 gr./250 gr. Keith load is minute of head at 25 yards.  Got some frogs legs for dinner but one guy on the bank just got stunned and blown back into the water by the substantial mud volcano he found himself resting on.  He got away! 

The second gun was unintentional as a friend had one he needed to move for the cash. An involved deal of multiple trades enabled me to give him the cash and get me the gun. Interestingly, these trades had started many months prior to the owner putting the gun on the market and only culminated just in time for the deal.  Fate?  I tend to think so. 

This second gun is a 7-1/2" barreled .45 Colt gun with wood stocks and of course it comes to me used. Fortunately, Mike saved the box and papers so it comes complete just like my new gun.  Fit is as good as the new gun but this is a used gun and there are some wear marks.  That's fine with me.  It is a good honest gun and I'm happy. 

One of the holsters under consideration for this long barreled gun is Ted Blocker's CC1 holster.  Another might be a Keith style (Lawrence 120) Tom Threepersons' angled for and worn crossdraw (or maybe something similar). 

That's all for now but I'll add more as time and experience permit.

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