New Colts

[guzzijohn]

Has anyone had to a chance to handle/shoot one of the New Frontiers? From the reviews I have read so far I am starting to think that I would have been disappointed if I had spent nearly $1,400+ for one. It sounds like overall the fit and finish is very nice but still does not have as smooth and well timed an action as I would expect nor does it sound like the trigger is as good as it should be IMHO. I really thought I would want one but instead bought an Uberti El Patron when I couldn't locate a Colt. In this months issue of Handloader they have a fairly extensive review of a New Frontier. Accuracy ranges from 2-5 inches at 25 yards, trigger was over four pounds and the action could probably use further work. Would like to know a "common man's" opinion other than a magazine writers.
GuzziJohn

[gcrank1]

GJ, as you well know, every gun is a cat in a bag until it proves itself to you. I could have got a fine one and yours would be...........
If I cant handle one and check it over close, or get one proven by a friend, I wont buy it. For my money it would likely be a Freedom Arms that would get the nod if the money was close.

[Rutin2tin]

Hey Guzzijohn,

I realize that I'm months late to the party....but here goes:

Recently, I bought a brand new, old stock, Colt New Frontier (circa 1981) in the box, complete with all papers, tag etc, from a 50 year Colt Dealer, whom I've personally known for close to 40 of those years. Caliber is 44-40, barrel length is 4-3/4", and not even a turn line on the cylinder.

Nice looking gun.......fit & finish were of top quality, but the action?
Gritty as gritty can be, heavy as heavy could be.

Since I had a collection of ceramic stones, files, and other implements of drudgery, I decided to disassemble the revolver.
First, a call to Wolff springs was in order, and with those arrived, I proceeded with My mission: a Colt which felt like a Colt, rather than a toy store cap gun.

The tunnel where the hand is housed is the real kulprit here.
Colt Mfg contracts with a vendor company, who uses EDM machining to cut that tunnel through the frame, which leaves the surface resembling a "rough cast" type surface.
The frames are hardened, after all machining has been performed, followed by assembly of the revolver.

That rough tunnel coupled with an un-smoothed, or un-polished hand and other rather rough parts, does not do the revolver any justice.
Anyhoo, to make a short story long, smoothing the internals of a Colt New Frontier SAA, then adding the Wolff spring kit, as well as a dab of Gunslick grease here and there, netted a super smooth action, with a 2-1/4 pound trigger weight of pull.

Hope this helps to answer Your question.

See the attached images:

[gcrank1]

Iffn ya hada pay a 'smith to do that how much ya figir itd cost? (and/or how much time).

[guzzijohn]

I hope the ones off the lines more recently are better finished inside. At their price point they should be as nice on the inside as on the outside. So far I am happy with my Uberti El Patron. It looks good, has a nice light trigger, smooth action with no drag marks so far shoots great groups to point of aim. Doesn't get much better than that. It may be better to find a cheaper Colt beater somewhere and have Turnbull do his magic on it.
GuzziJohn

[Rutin2tin]

Iffn ya hada pay a 'smith to do that how much ya figir itd cost? (and/or how much time).

I'd wager it would cost at least $150 for a job that involved.
Good gunsmiths are getting hard to find, actually, gunsmiths as a whole are becoming scarce.

[Rutin2tin]

I hope the ones off the lines more recently are better finished inside. At their price point they should be as nice on the inside as on the outside. So far I am happy with my Uberti El Patron. It looks good, has a nice light trigger, smooth action with no drag marks so far shoots great groups to point of aim. Doesn't get much better than that. It may be better to find a cheaper Colt beater somewhere and have Turnbull do his magic on it.
GuzziJohn

Let's hope so!

[Rutin2tin]

One item that I forgot to mention........
The older Colts were built under the Colt Blue Dome in Hartford Conn.....which now houses the US Firearms company.
Colts built today are built in a different factory location, plus the current hammers and triggers (I've heard) are supplied by Uberti.

[guzzijohn]

It was my understanding that when Colt moved they bought all new machine equipment,  etc. Quality was suppose to be their priority. Not that there is anything wrong with Uberti, but I would be disappointed if they were making the hammers and triggers.
GuzziJohn

[Rutin2tin]

FWIW:

Colt SAA & New Frontier SAA frames are significantly machined by other vendors, outside of the current Colt plant.
In particular, the tunnel, or channel, where the hand fits & functions within, is EDM cut by an outside vendor.
That piece of info was received directly from a Colt Company employee.
Info regarding the trigger and hammer came from an acquaintance, who is very knowledgeable about the subject of Colt revolvers, among others.

[gcrank1]

Remember the Colt's Blackpowder Series, the reintro of the C&B models quite some years ago now?
Yep, you guess it,
Made by Uberti.
Not that Ubertis were/are bad, and those 'Colt's' were very nice, but I PAID FOR A COLT'S. When I found out I traded off that NIB 1860 Army model asap.

[Rutin2tin]

To back up my previous post, here's a quote regarding SAA revolvers, exactly as stated by a production manager at Colt Firearms:

"The frames are forged not cast.  We buy the metal, send to a forge to be forged with our dies then they get sent here.  We do send out for one cut on the frames and it is EDM cut."

It took me a while to find it, hence, the delay in posting. 

[guzzijohn]

Rutin2tin,
Thanks for the information.
GuzziJohn

[SHOOTALL]

I had 2 of the new SAA not the NF and will never waste my $$$$ on another.

[Keith L]

When I was buying cap and ball revolvers I was not happy with the way Colts worked.  I was told then that they were made in Italy by Uberti and assembled in America by Colt's workers.  The Uberti's made in Italy worked better, so I bought them.  Resale is better on the Colts but I bought all of mine to shoot.

[gcrank1]

Im inclined to think Id look seriously at the USFA products.

[gcrank1]

I recently found and read that article previously mentioned in Handloader magazine. I was particularly interested in the new model and 'hoped' that Colt's had wised up on the chamber throats.
NO, THEY DID NOT! Still WAY oversize!
Ain't NO WAY I would buy one of those.
"Its to keep pressures down" (Bogus).
If you are going to charge a 'wold class price' you better build a 'world class gun'.