EAA Bounty Hunter and mag loads..... can it?

[Bama76]

Will the EAA handle hot loads in 45 Colt or 357 mag? I know it's made in a 44. Makes me think it possibly could handle hot handloads, especially in .357 with all that extra steel in the cylinder. Anybody know fer' sure?

Mike

[RIFLE MAN]

Bama 76, you pose a good question, and I have seen it asked in various places. The usual recommendation is NOT to use full power loads in ANY of the so-called Colt clones as they are NOT built to digest hot loads. The one single action revolver that is capable of handling hot loads is the Ruger Vaquero! It is an outstanding revolver. My chief complaint about the Vaquero is its weight. I have a double holster rig, and walking with two Ruger Vaqueros is about like walking with barbells on each side of the waist.

Have a great week-end,
Rifle Man

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

I've read on the SASS board that the EAA is as strong as a Ruger.  I would in NO WAY substantiate this claim - that's a heck of a comment to make!  Which could result in a dangerously nasty rumor.

Typically these foreign guns are made by a few different manufacturers overseas.  They are then imported by various importers - like Navy Arms, EMF, LSI and so on.  The guns themselves may be made by the same manufacturer, but imported by different import companies.  Most commonly the "colt clones" are Italian made.

I don't think the EAA is a "colt clone".  It's made in Germany, not Italy.  The EAA has a transfer-bar safety unlike a "colt clone".

Therefore, making the same assumptions about the EAA as you would a "colt clone" would be erroneous.

However, the EAA is not a Ruger.  It's not as well known.  With the many thousands of Rugers out there being "hot-loaded", odds are better that a dangerous defect will show itself with the Ruger.  The EAA bounty hunter isn't as ubiquitous period, and because of it's Cowboy Action application, I would guess the EAA is even less likely to be "hot loaded".