Thinking about a Single Action.

[JamesD]

Hey guys, I've been kinda caught up with family stuff over the last few weeks and haven't had much time to post on this board.

Anyway, I want another pistol. But, honestly.... my Springfield .45 does everything I could want. From personal protection, open and concealed carry, target shooting, and pretty much anything up to around 50yrds (like I'll ever have to actually make that shot in serious situation). I don't really think I can get a better deal on the kind of performance I have out of my XD.

With that being said... I've lost some sleep over my decision on on a single action shooter. I can't reasonably say I need one for any particular reason. I just want one. I'm open to all kinds of suggestions other than rimfire. SO far, I've found ruger's, colt's, uberti's and some other things. I've done "shopping" both online, and at my local gunshops.

I'm asking for your insight and advise from much more experienced shooters and gun owners than I am. I'm thinking somewhere between .357 Mag, .45LC, & .44Mag. So far, I've learned that just about any .44 is going to be a 5 shot piece and everything else is a six shooter.

As that nutnfancy dude would say... my Philosophy of Use is just going to be as a shooter in general. Range shooting, fun shooting out on the "back 40", and something to have with me when I go horse back riding with my lady.

I honestly can't make up my mind, all kinds of things are affecting my decision such as velocity, capacity, ammunition availability, shoot-ability and price. I don't think that shoot-ability will really affect anything as I've been shooting .45acp for a while, and have dippled in .357 and .44 without any issues.

Just so you know, I'm looking in the $300 (seems to be the used going rate for blackhawks) and $550 (seems about average for everything else). I'm more interested in a satin stainless finish than a blued finish and will continue to be unless someone gives me a logical reason to take interest in blued finishes.

So, please, come one, come all... give me your opinions here. They're all taken with respect and gratitude.

[terraformer]

357 mag is cheap to shoot and has similar ballistics and feel to the 45lc. I have one in that. Otherwise I would do .45 LC for authenticity. Otherwise everything else is an abomination. :wink:

[JamesD]

What do you mean when you say authenticity?

I'm not a cowboy... I'm just a gun nut. I can't really imagine going anywhere with a leather gun belt that holds 20-30 rounds in little loops. I'd probably end up carrying in a shoulder rig (think cheap like Uncle Mike's) and probably just a good nylon holster for waist carry.

I still haven't decided on length. I see the 4 5/8" is very popular, so is the 7.5", what about 5.5" and 6"?

I found some Taurus Gaucho's online for around 300-400 tonight.. A few were used, and two were NIB. Most were .357, and one of the NIB's was .45LC.

[terraformer]

What do you mean when you say authenticity?

I'm not a cowboy... I'm just a gun nut. I can't really imagine going anywhere with a leather gun belt that holds 20-30 rounds in little loops. I'd probably end up carrying in a shoulder rig (think cheap like Uncle Mike's) and probably just a good nylon holster for waist carry.

I still haven't decided on length. I see the 4 5/8" is very popular, so is the 7.5", what about 5.5" and 6"?

I found some Taurus Gaucho's online for around 300-400 tonight.. A few were used, and two were NIB. Most were .357, and one of the NIB's was .45LC.

The original caliber of the SAA was .45 LC. I wasn't talking authenticity with regards to carrying it. As for that, I don't know about the taurus but the Colt is a direct hammer pin (no blocking bar and the firing pin is on the hammer). You can, but shouldn't, carry that with the hammer riding a live round. The Ruger version of the SAA has a blocking bar internal safety as does the Beretta versions as well. The Uberti's also lack the internal transfer bar.

ETA: The calvary model was 7.5 inches for the barrel. I prefer at least 5.5 inches.

[JamesD]

I understand now, my appologies for not getting it :bigsmile:

I'm aware that colt and uberti both have pinned hammers... I also stand corrected on my price of Colt's single actions... they're upwards of a grand, not happening there.

The Taurus caught my attention because they're discontinued and cheap, and as you mentioned have the transfer bar. That makes me feel a lot safer when handling the pistol in general.

I too prefer the 5 1/2" barrels myself, easier to handle and holster. The seven inch just seems too much to be able to use readily.

I'm not so much worried about the authenticity in respects to the original single action army, I just like the idea of having a large caliber single action for some reason, not sure why lol.

[Fang]

Ruger single-actions are truly modernized single-actions with safety features that make it possible to carry a full cylinder of ammo instead of leaving the chamber under the hammer empty. Aside from Linebaugh or Magnum Research, they're the only real "modern" single-action.

I used to own a Super Blackhawk in .44 Magnum, which I sold simply because its 5.5" barrel wouldn't fit into a Safepacker and I wanted to minimize the number of actions I had to learn. Don't rule out .44 Magnum in a single-action, as it's a very versatile round--in some ways, even more so than .45 Colt.

[JamesD]

This all started with me looking through Guns America one day and then saying "Oooh... I want that Ruger Super Black Hawk .44..." And the rest has become my obsession. That is still the gun I want most. But I'm opening my perception to other things too. No sense in limiting myself, ya know?

[Fang]

This all started with me looking through Guns America one day and then saying "Oooh... I want that Ruger Super Black Hawk .44..." And the rest has become my obsession. That is still the gun I want most. But I'm opening my perception to other things too. No sense in limiting myself, ya know?

Of course. Just wanted to put my $0.02 in.

[Danube]

OP what did you decide on?

[JamesD]

Haven't decided anything, no money to purchase with and no time to play with other people's stuff.

[Miso Beno]

Bill Ruger's ghost calls to youuuuuu~

[JamesD]

Hah! I really do think I'm gonna go with a 5.5" .44 Mag in satin stainless.

I'm pretty decided on that, I may pick up another .45LC some time down the line.

What kind of ammo would you recommend for the .44Mag?

[scmopar]

I own a blakhawk convertable 45 acp/45 longcolt and thanks to corbon ammo I'd put it up against any 44mag with standard ammo but thats me.

[JamesD]

Sadly, this never happened...

But I have since then found Uberti makes a .44 Mag 6.5" SA that sells for 300 & change... I'll probably pick one up along with a Mossberg 930SPX around tax time. Hoping it's a good shooter!