Chiappa .22 SAA

TruthTellers · March 24, 2017, 01:41 PM

I'm interested in the 12 inch Buntline model of this revolver because the barrel length is silly long. This means the velocity will be really good and the sight radius will make it easier to hit targets.

It's available in a .22LR/.22 Mag combo and I'd like to hear from some people who have owned or shot the Chiappa .22 SAA revolvers. What did you think about them? Were they worth the $250 or so?

Also, I'm considering either this Chiappa or a 9 inch Heritage .22 revolver so if anyone has tried both, please post your experiences.

TruthTellers · March 26, 2017, 06:43 PM

Really? Nobody has ever tried a Chiappa .22 Single Action Army?

JBB · March 26, 2017, 08:41 PM

I have a Chiappa SAA. The gun is made entirely of Zamak with steel inserts for the barrel and cylinder. The cylinder binds badly in one spot and is nearly unusable because of it. I hear a lot of good things about the Heritage guns, I would go with them based on my experience. The single six is still the best choice for this type of gun.

Venom1956 · March 26, 2017, 09:02 PM

^ aaaaannnnnd this is why no one buys Chiappa .22 SAA

get a Single six or even a heritage is probably better

TruthTellers · March 26, 2017, 10:29 PM

Hey, that's all I needed to hear. I didn't know the Chiappa was made from Zamak. I know the Heritage's frame is aluminum and the barrel and cylinder are steel. If people are saying that the cheaper Heritage is actually a better gun, then that's information that's good to know.

tallball · March 27, 2017, 05:47 PM

I think there are also Heritage versions with a steel frame.

jackmoser65 · March 28, 2017, 09:26 AM

They're cheap junk. Same POS as the Cimarron Plinker. Yes, even worse than the Heritage. Which is not aluminum but also pot metal.

Cheapshooter · March 28, 2017, 05:01 PM

The Heritage is also Zamak, but they seem to do a better job with it. I have two, a 6 1/2", and a 3 1/2" birdshead. Both shoot fine, and have been trouble free.

TruthTellers · March 28, 2017, 11:45 PM

I just wish Heritage would make the 9 inch model with adjustable sights. Such a long sight radius demands it.

They probably won't do that, since Taurus bought Heritage, they've really kept them from making anything more than the .22's they've been making for years and most of the centerfire revolvers Heritage was making have become scarce.

peggysue · March 29, 2017, 12:17 AM

Heritage is zink too and is owned by Taurus. I got a Chiappa/Puma 1873 Buntline from Buds $174. last year. Very nice feeling SAA eventhough it is zinc.
Here is one for $139 at Buds now. https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...s_id/411556146

sixgunnin · April 1, 2017, 07:50 AM

Quote:

I have a Chiappa SAA. The gun is made entirely of Zamak with steel inserts for the barrel and cylinder. The cylinder binds badly in one spot and is nearly unusable because of it. I hear a lot of good things about the Heritage guns, I would go with them based on my experience. The single six is still the best choice for this type of gun.

Exactly, I have a Heritage Rough Rider that I got new for about $100, totally junk. After a couple thousand action cycles it is not shootable

Gene · May 5, 2019, 09:01 PM

I know this is an old thread but I just ordered a Chiappa 12” bbl. 1873 SAA BUNTLINE. I don’t care what it’s made of, I just hope it shoots okay!

Like sixgunnin, I bought a new Heritage Rough Rider awhile back and it was junk! A lot of folks love them but mine was a waste of money. Terrible pock holed finish and even wouldn’t hit a 12X12” target ANYWHERE at 15 yards!

Hope this Chiappa is better than that terrible Rough Rider.

GarandTd · May 7, 2019, 05:56 PM

I have a Heritage and it's been good to me. The thing about the Chiappa that turns me off is the zamack everything with steel sleeves. The sleeves may be adequate for the internals, but that doesn't address the wear points on the outside of the cylinder. At least the Heritage has a full steel crowned barrel and cylinder. To those of you with bad Heritages, did you persue repairs?

Gene · May 9, 2019, 07:24 PM

My Chiappa Buntline arrived at my FFL today here in California. I have to wait 10 days to take possession of it but I got to carefully check it out.

It really seems quality and I think the internals have been upgraded from the older models. The action is really smooth and the finish is outstanding especially compared to the Rough Rider I had. World’s apart as far as build quality! I like that this Chiappa has fully adjustable sights where the RR didn’t.

I have to admit, I didn’t contact Heritage after receiving my crap RR as a gent I knew when seeing it, asked if I wanted to trade it for a shotgun as he just wanted it for display and I agreed.

Heritage RR’s quality are all over the place. Some are good and some are terrible. I hope this Chiappa shoots better than the terrible RR I had!

GarandTd · May 10, 2019, 05:17 AM

I hope your Chiappa works out for you. When I bought my Heritage, I was able to compare it side by side with the Chiappa and had an opposite experience to yours. The Heritage was head and shoulders nicer. I suppose with these low cost plinkers, either company could put out good and bad examples. Luck of the draw, no pun intended. I also didn't remember adjustable sights on the Puma I looked at.

**Aguila Blanca** · May 10, 2019, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peggysue

Heritage is zink too and is owned by Taurus. I got a Chiappa/Puma 1873 Buntline from Buds $174. last year. Very nice feeling SAA eventhough it is zinc.
Here is one for $139 at Buds now. https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...s_id/411556146

Hmmm ...

I have an Italian (Kimar brand, I think) blank-firing cowboy-style revolver that I use as a class prop in teaching the NRA Basic Pistol class. It's rather, ummm ... "crude." And those grips look identical.

Look familiar? http://www.collectorsarmoury.com/pro...?number=38-201

The Kimar brand is owned by Chiappa, so I don't think it's an accident. The one I have isn't "front firing" and it didn't cost anywhere near the $170 that Collector's Armoury wants for this one. The trigger pull feels like about twenty pounds, and I ask students not to dry fire it more than one time each, because I don't have any level of confidence that the thing will survive much use.

Gene · May 12, 2019, 08:22 PM

GarandTd,
Thanks. I hope my experience with this Chiappa is the exact opposite of your experience! Again, I’m not condemning ALL Heritage revolvers, it’s just that the one I received was the most inaccurate revolver I have ever purchased!

Gene · May 20, 2019, 07:41 PM

Just picked up my Buntline today. My FFL and I are still struck by how nice the finish is and how smooth the action is. I know that’s not what counts but how it shoots. I’ll wring it out soon and report back.

With the 12” barrel, I hope it will hit a barn door at 15 feet that my Heritage RR wouldn’t!

Again, all these inexpensive revolvers are hit and miss and I hope this is a hit!

March 24, 2017, 01:41 PM	#1
TruthTellers Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2016 Posts: 3,888	Chiappa .22 SAA I'm interested in the 12 inch Buntline model of this revolver because the barrel length is silly long. This means the velocity will be really good and the sight radius will make it easier to hit targets. It's available in a .22LR/.22 Mag combo and I'd like to hear from some people who have owned or shot the Chiappa .22 SAA revolvers. What did you think about them? Were they worth the $250 or so? Also, I'm considering either this Chiappa or a 9 inch Heritage .22 revolver so if anyone has tried both, please post your experiences.

March 26, 2017, 08:41 PM	#3
JBB Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: SW Florida Posts: 105	Chiappa .22 I have a Chiappa SAA. The gun is made entirely of Zamak with steel inserts for the barrel and cylinder. The cylinder binds badly in one spot and is nearly unusable because of it. I hear a lot of good things about the Heritage guns, I would go with them based on my experience. The single six is still the best choice for this type of gun.

March 26, 2017, 09:02 PM	#4
Venom1956 Senior Member Join Date: October 4, 2008 Location: WI Posts: 3,656	^ aaaaannnnnd this is why no one buys Chiappa .22 SAA get a Single six or even a heritage is probably better __________________ E-Shock rounds are engineered to expend maximum energy into soft targets, turning the density mass into an expanding rotational cone of NyTrilium matrix particles, causing neurological collapse to the central nervous system.- Yeah I can do that. I guarantee you will know it if a bicyclist hits your house going 1000 mph. -Smaug

March 28, 2017, 05:01 PM	#8
Cheapshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 8,306	The Heritage is also Zamak, but they seem to do a better job with it. I have two, a 6 1/2", and a 3 1/2" birdshead. Both shoot fine, and have been trouble free. __________________ Cheapshooter's rules of gun ownership #1: NEVER SELL OR TRADE ANYTHING!

May 7, 2019, 05:56 PM	#13
GarandTd Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2016 Location: Rural PA Posts: 1,639	I have a Heritage and it's been good to me. The thing about the Chiappa that turns me off is the zamack everything with steel sleeves. The sleeves may be adequate for the internals, but that doesn't address the wear points on the outside of the cylinder. At least the Heritage has a full steel crowned barrel and cylinder. To those of you with bad Heritages, did you persue repairs? __________________ 22lr, 20 gauge, 8mm Mauser, 35 Remington, 30-06, 5.56x45/223, 9mm, 380acp

March 26, 2017, 06:43 PM	#2
TruthTellers Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2016 Posts: 3,888	Really? Nobody has ever tried a Chiappa .22 Single Action Army?

March 26, 2017, 10:29 PM	#5
TruthTellers Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2016 Posts: 3,888	Hey, that's all I needed to hear. I didn't know the Chiappa was made from Zamak. I know the Heritage's frame is aluminum and the barrel and cylinder are steel. If people are saying that the cheaper Heritage is actually a better gun, then that's information that's good to know.

March 27, 2017, 05:47 PM	#6
tallball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2014 Posts: 2,444	I think there are also Heritage versions with a steel frame.

March 28, 2017, 09:26 AM	#7
jackmoser65 Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Posts: 754	They're cheap junk. Same POS as the Cimarron Plinker. Yes, even worse than the Heritage. Which is not aluminum but also pot metal.

March 28, 2017, 11:45 PM	#9
TruthTellers Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2016 Posts: 3,888	I just wish Heritage would make the 9 inch model with adjustable sights. Such a long sight radius demands it. They probably won't do that, since Taurus bought Heritage, they've really kept them from making anything more than the .22's they've been making for years and most of the centerfire revolvers Heritage was making have become scarce.

March 29, 2017, 12:17 AM	#10
peggysue Junior member Join Date: May 20, 2014 Posts: 1,835	Heritage is zink too and is owned by Taurus. I got a Chiappa/Puma 1873 Buntline from Buds $174. last year. Very nice feeling SAA eventhough it is zinc. Here is one for $139 at Buds now. https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...s_id/411556146

May 5, 2019, 09:01 PM	#12
Gene Member Join Date: June 1, 1999 Posts: 42	I know this is an old thread but I just ordered a Chiappa 12” bbl. 1873 SAA BUNTLINE. I don’t care what it’s made of, I just hope it shoots okay! Like sixgunnin, I bought a new Heritage Rough Rider awhile back and it was junk! A lot of folks love them but mine was a waste of money. Terrible pock holed finish and even wouldn’t hit a 12X12” target ANYWHERE at 15 yards! Hope this Chiappa is better than that terrible Rough Rider.

May 9, 2019, 07:24 PM	#14
Gene Member Join Date: June 1, 1999 Posts: 42	My Chiappa Buntline arrived at my FFL today here in California. I have to wait 10 days to take possession of it but I got to carefully check it out. It really seems quality and I think the internals have been upgraded from the older models. The action is really smooth and the finish is outstanding especially compared to the Rough Rider I had. World’s apart as far as build quality! I like that this Chiappa has fully adjustable sights where the RR didn’t. I have to admit, I didn’t contact Heritage after receiving my crap RR as a gent I knew when seeing it, asked if I wanted to trade it for a shotgun as he just wanted it for display and I agreed. Heritage RR’s quality are all over the place. Some are good and some are terrible. I hope this Chiappa shoots better than the terrible RR I had!

May 10, 2019, 05:17 AM	#15
GarandTd Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2016 Location: Rural PA Posts: 1,639	I hope your Chiappa works out for you. When I bought my Heritage, I was able to compare it side by side with the Chiappa and had an opposite experience to yours. The Heritage was head and shoulders nicer. I suppose with these low cost plinkers, either company could put out good and bad examples. Luck of the draw, no pun intended. I also didn't remember adjustable sights on the Puma I looked at. __________________ 22lr, 20 gauge, 8mm Mauser, 35 Remington, 30-06, 5.56x45/223, 9mm, 380acp

May 12, 2019, 08:22 PM	#17
Gene Member Join Date: June 1, 1999 Posts: 42	GarandTd, Thanks. I hope my experience with this Chiappa is the exact opposite of your experience! Again, I’m not condemning ALL Heritage revolvers, it’s just that the one I received was the most inaccurate revolver I have ever purchased!

May 20, 2019, 07:41 PM	#18
Gene Member Join Date: June 1, 1999 Posts: 42	Just picked up my Buntline today. My FFL and I are still struck by how nice the finish is and how smooth the action is. I know that’s not what counts but how it shoots. I’ll wring it out soon and report back. With the 12” barrel, I hope it will hit a barn door at 15 feet that my Heritage RR wouldn’t! Again, all these inexpensive revolvers are hit and miss and I hope this is a hit!