Description
The Pietta Deluxe Californian 45LC Walnut is the most traditional of the Deluxe Californians: a .45 Colt Great Western II with a 4 3/4-inch barrel, a case-hardened frame and checkered walnut grips.
Pietta Deluxe Californian 45LC Walnut Overview
The Deluxe Californian is the Great Western II Californian upgraded with grips that EMF previously reserved for its Custom Series guns. EMF catalogs this one as HF45CHS434NMCW. 45 Colt is the cartridge the 1873 Single Action Army was born with, and the 4 3/4-inch barrel is the short Civilian length many shooters consider the best-balanced. S. company, imports and backs it. 45 Colt Californian, Athlon Outdoors reported the gun printed to point of aim with common 200 and 255 grain loads. 357 Magnum version, identical apart from the caliber marking.
The Original Cartridge
The .45 Colt pushes a big, slow bullet with a heavy but rolling recoil that suits the plow-handle grip of a single action. Standard 250 to 255 grain lead loads are accurate and effective, and the cartridge is popular in cowboy action shooting. Ammunition costs more than .38 Special, so reloading is common among regular shooters.
Load Choice Matters
Use standard-pressure .45 Colt only. Heavy loads sold for Ruger Blackhawks and other large-frame revolvers are not for Colt-pattern guns like this one. Never fire .45 ACP in this cylinder. Because the sights are fixed, settle on one load and learn where it hits at your usual distances.
Checkered Walnut
Checkered walnut gives a secure, classic grip that stays put in recoil, especially with the heavier .45 Colt. EMF previously offered these grips only on its Custom Series guns. Walnut darkens and gains character with handling and a little oil.
Built on the Great Western II
Pietta uses a forged frame finished on CNC machines, a hammer-forged barrel, a four-click Colt-style hammer and a floating firing pin in the frame. The front blade is a little taller and the rear notch a little wider than on many originals, which helps older eyes.
Holster Fit and Care
Any holster for a 4 3/4-inch Colt SAA fits. Wipe the case colors and bluing with light oil after handling and avoid ammonia-based solvents. Clean promptly after shooting lead bullets to keep the forcing cone and chambers free of leading.
State Laws and Ownership
Single-action revolvers are legal in every state, but handgun purchase rules vary widely. Permit-to-purchase or licensing systems apply in states such as New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Connecticut, Hawaii and Maryland. California and Massachusetts keep handgun rosters, and some single-action revolvers qualify for exemptions while others do not. Your receiving dealer can confirm whether this model can be transferred where you live.
Specifications
- Maker: F.LLI Pietta, Italy; imported by EMF
- Model: Great Western II Deluxe Californian (EMF HF45CHS434NMCW)
- Caliber: .45 Colt (.45 LC)
- Capacity: 6
- Action: single action, 1873 pattern
- Barrel: 4 3/4 in., blued
- Frame: color case-hardened
- Grips: checkered walnut
- Sights: fixed
- UPC: 641996211836
Before You Buy
Federal law requires that this handgun ship to a licensed FFL dealer, where you complete ATF Form 4473 and a background check before pickup. Buyers must be 21 or older to buy a handgun from a dealer. Traditional practice with any 1873-pattern single action is to load five rounds and rest the hammer on the empty chamber; do so even though the Great Western II uses a floating firing pin.
Who It Is For
The Pietta Deluxe Californian 45LC Walnut is a great fit for traditionalists who want the original .45 Colt chambering, cowboy action shooters, and collectors who appreciate a checkered-wood single action.
Buy the Pietta Deluxe Californian 45LC Walnut at MAG5 Firearms
MAG5 Firearms is a family-owned FFL in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. Order the Pietta Deluxe Californian 45LC Walnut online and ship it to your local FFL dealer, or browse our full selection of firearms for more revolvers. For factory details, visit EMF Company (Pietta).
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