Midsize 45 Colt

[Frank V]

Well I'm going to be a stick in the mud, you won't be able to use Ruger only loads nor even kind of hot loads. I would go for a real Colt SAA .45 Colt, 4-3/2"bbl, blue case hardened, & for the custom touch real Ivory stocks.
My reason is you said you already have guns for Ruger only loads. I've carried the Colt SAA .45, 4-3/4" a lot & it is lighter than a lot of six-guns chambered for the .45 Colt, It carrys very well in the hills with a good holster, & is still one of the classiest SAs on the market.
I think you'd like one.

[Joe S.]

The midsize Ruger will handle plenty hot loads. 20k PSI. Not the hottest loads. But plenty hotter than "cowboy" loads. I'd bet the FA will handle at least that.

[Fowler]

Dec 18, 2016 22:25:01 GMT -5 Frank V said:

Well I'm going to be a stick in the mud, you won't be able to use Ruger only loads nor even kind of hot loads. I would go for a real Colt SAA .45 Colt, 4-3/2"bbl, blue case hardened, & for the custom touch real Ivory stocks.
My reason is you said you already have guns for Ruger only loads. I've carried the Colt SAA .45, 4-3/4" a lot & it is lighter than a lot of six-guns chambered for the .45 Colt, It carrys very well in the hills with a good holster, & is still one of the classiest SAs on the market.
I think you'd like one.

Minor issue for Snyd is he lives in Fairbanks Alaska and it has a way of tweaking requirements of a side arm in Grizzly country. Yes a mid frame Flat Top is no slouch for power, and going to a 5 shot conversion brings the gun to the edge of controllability in a mid framed sized gun. I can't answer the purpose of the gun beyond want and desire, because it plinking/gong ringing is the push then a Colt SAA would be marvelous, I sure enjoy my USFA clones.

[Snyd]

Thanks guys. Much to digest here.

[Rimfire69]

I have to agree with Frank V, if you already have the other power house's, a SAA in 4 3/4" is pure pleasure to carry, or even a 5.5".

[rabbit9146]

Dec 18, 2016 20:09:29 GMT -5 bushog said:

Here's mine......Ivories by Mr. Fishpaw..








That sir is still my dream gun. that image has been etched in my brain since the moment I first saw it

[Encore64]

Dec 18, 2016 22:59:08 GMT -5 Joe S. said:

The midsize Ruger will handle plenty hot loads. 20k PSI. Not the hottest loads. But plenty hotter than "cowboy" loads. I'd bet the FA will handle at least that.

The FA97 easily handles the Ruger 32,000 psi loads meant for the full size Rugers. That info is direct from Bob Baker.

Recoil, however, gets unpleasant rather quickly.

[alukban]

Dec 18, 2016 22:25:01 GMT -5 Frank V said:

Well I'm going to be a stick in the mud, you won't be able to use Ruger only loads nor even kind of hot loads. I would go for a real Colt SAA .45 Colt, 4-3/2"bbl, blue case hardened, & for the custom touch real Ivory stocks.
My reason is you said you already have guns for Ruger only loads. I've carried the Colt SAA .45, 4-3/4" a lot & it is lighter than a lot of six-guns chambered for the .45 Colt, It carrys very well in the hills with a good holster, & is still one of the classiest SAs on the market.
I think you'd like one.

I totally concur

I also already have Rugers for hotter loads and a Colt SAA (clone) does everything I need because there is nothing bigger than whitetail deer to hunt legally by me - no bear or moose season, yet...

The closest I will ever get is my USFA and it is plenty close for me. It weighs 38.6 oz empty.

It's diet will primarily be 255gr SWC's over 9gr of Unique or 200gr RN's over 5.2gr in Cowboy 45 Special Cases (doing only 620 fps).

[Joe S.]

S&W rear sight. Nice.

[Frank V]

If you want a Colt SAA that will have the fellows attention when they ask what caliber you could get one in .44-40. The good old .44-40 is pretty effective, I've taken coyote & badger with it. Loaded properly is very accurate.

[bulasteve]

Nothing in 45 here so I'll not address frame/cylinder/loads thoughts. You seem to live the life many of us here only live during hunting season, or a few weeks a year at best. So I'll comment on barrel length only. You spend your time where you can wear your gun outside your pants for all the honest world to see(Pancho n Lefty)  places you can open carry. So I'd stick with 5 1/2" barrels.  Luck.

[rWt]

This thread may be of some interest.

singleactions.proboards.com/thread/18457/why-weight

My Ruger OM 45 Colt Blackhawk with 4.6" barrel is hard to beat as is for an adjustable sighted revolver. A Colt SAA or clone (USFA) makes for a very nice change of pace. Buffalo Bore standard pressure loads are nothing to sneeze at, nor are 270SAA bullets at 1,000fps, which is a standard pressure loading also.

[lscg]

Dec 18, 2016 21:16:10 GMT -5 Joe S. said:

I love my new model flat top 45.

I don't think you're getting your 5 cents back for that can Joe.

[Joe S.]

Funny thing about that can... No one in my family drinks. Yet I found that can on my property while I was out there working one day. Since no one in my family are drinkers, I concluded that the beer can had to be trespassing. We have signs up on the property that say "No Trespassing. Violators Will Be Shot. Survivors Will Be Shot Again." Since we have the signs up, I shot it. I left it laying in the gully where I found it as a warning to all cans who think it is ok to trespass on Joe S's land. No sir, I don't think I will get my 5 cents back, but that is the best 5 cents I will ever spend if it keeps the cans off my property...

[JM]

You might consider impaling the can on a stick & posting it next to the entrance as a warning to all.