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45 Kinds of Fun
Brad
Millard
Running 2 Old Convertibles
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by Miles Fortis & A. K. Church
For the Frontier Sixshooter Community
26th August 2004
When people think of single action revolvers, they think of the Colt Single Action Army. Remingtons might have been simpler and entirely contemporary. New Model Rugers are safer and vastly more affordable. It doesn’t matter, really. The Peacemaker is the image of the thumb buster.
They carry with them complications in parts breakage, manual of arms (“load one, skip one, load four…”), and a lower level of ammunition pressure compared to the now omnipresent Rugers.
We sat out to test some popular .45 Colt factory loads suited to the strength level of the old Colt. Be advised, our chronograph first misbehaved and then died, so in the interest of textual accuracy, velocities are not listed. Indicated velocities were in the low 700 fps to mid 800 fps indicated, and we personally trust these numbers as felt recoil and sight regulation are consistent with that speed range.
The Guns
For our test, representatives of the 3 main barrel lengths were chosen. For the 4 ¾ inch barrel, a very clean 1978 gun, from early 3rd Generation production was chosen. 5 ½ inch barrels were tried out in the guise of our one fake, a Uberti Bisley of unknown but presumably 21st Century vintage. 7 ½ inch needs were met with a 1971 manufacture, 2nd Generation New Frontier. All shooting was at 25 yards, ambient temperature was 88 Fahrenheit, and winds were non-existent. Miles was, in all instances, triggerman.
The 4 ¾ gun was tried with the same 5 loads as the other, 4 factory and a classic smokeless handload. It’s a really crisp gun, and some smoothing has been carried out by its gunsmith owner. This one has served as a backup deer hunting gun, won some local CAS events, and gotten owner Fortis through Clint Smith’s Single Action combat course.
Winchester’s JHP Silvertip has, in the past, been a problem child both in point of impact, and accuracy. The Gunfighter length 3rd Gen is no exception, stringing vertically and around the front sight. Accuracy is uninspiring.
Winchester Super-X lead 255 grain has proven a consistent factory load in the past, and Miles has regulated more than one fixed sight revolver to this load. The short Colt, while touching two holes with this one, overall produced accuracy which is only serviceable.
Black Hills produces a 255 grain LSWC. This shot to a little under the sights, producing this interesting star-shaped group. Again, this is serviceable.
Produced primarily for the Cowboy Action crowd, Black Hills produced a 230 Grain “Schofield” load, in the shortened case. Interestingly, this was the most accurate factory ammo tested.
The classic handload for the SAA is perhaps the 250-255 grain LSWC loaded over 8-9 grains Unique. Church knows of a few deer taken with 9 grains. 8 is still a potent field load, and we tested this. Bullet is a commercially cast E&E plain base. The short Colt grouped decently, and just above the sights with this one.
The 5 ½ inch Pride of Italy demonstrates that recent rumors of big advances in Uberti quality control may be true. Really well timed, the finish, where it’s visible, is good. In other places, milling marks are profuse. Trigger pull, action smoothness, and other details are pulled off pretty well, too. The Uberti isn’t as nice as either Colt, but the Colts would fetch $1200-$1600 on the market used. Church is into the Uberti for less than $300 US. Value is obvious.
Silvertip prints big, nebulous groups under the sights on this one. It’s good enough, but no bragging here.
Super X strung vertically like no one’s business. The 2 at the bottom are touching, the 2 in the middle are touching, and the one at the top is out there by the Pole Star. Overall, it’ll work, but not one for your resume.
We come then, to the Uberti’s relationship with Black Hills factory. One called flyer ran well out to 12 o’clock on the black. The others are clustered nicely around target center, 8, 9 and 10 ring. This is good performance, and Church has decided to put back a few hundred of this one for the Uberti, and, as we shall see, his New Frontier.
The Schofield grouped a little looser than with the Black Hills SWC. That said, this stuff wanted to print right around the sights, too. Recoil was predictably light.
The Unique handload printed right around the front sight, mostly a little high. 4 of the five bullets touched. This is good stuff for this gun.
The adjustable sighted long tom New Frontier is a 1971 2nd Generation gun. Purchased by Church from gun writer Rev’d Hal Swiggett, as received it came with spectacular and well fitted stag grips, beautiful and totally uncomfortable. It is temporarily retrofitted with a set of well worn 1st Generation gutta-percha eagle stocks. If you have a set of medallion walnuts priced right, let Church know.
No attempt was made to zero the gun with any of the loads, the sights are left exactly where they were when received from Mister Swiggett. As it worked out, these sights seem to be dialed in pretty well.
Silvertips showed the same penchant for vertical stringing they’ve shown before. They shoot below the sights, they shoot above, but mostly not out to the side at all. Odd, but useable, I suppose.
The Super X did better for this gun than for the other two. It clustered them decently close, right to the sights, and 3 of them cut each other’s holes.
Black Hills is just a little looser than the Super X. Since Church’s Bisley liked it, too, he’s going to set some of this stuff back. Again 2 holes touch to the left, and 2 holes touch to the right.
The Schofield was notably easy shooting in the heavier New Frontier. It shot a little below the sights, but with decent accuracy.
The Unique handload did quite well. Shooting a little low, 3 shots touched at the top, 2 shots touched at the bottom, and overall it was nicely accurate. Popular reputation considers this a load which shoots well in most .45 Colt revolvers.
We make no claims of this being a scientific test. However, the individual ammo preferences of different guns are always interesting to investigate, and these 3 guns, wildly different in age and value, are not exceptions.
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