Uberti 1873 Cattleman El Patron .45 Colt
Model: 345174
Uberti 1873 Cattleman El Patron .45 Colt
Model: 345174
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The "El Patron" name on this Uberti 1873 Cattleman signifies a tuned-grade configuration aimed at competitive cowboy action shooters. Uberti's factory in Italy installs a smoother, lighter action than the standard Cattleman, fits checkered walnut grips for better hand retention during fast cocking strings, and switches to enlarged "easy-view" front and rear sight profiles that pick up faster than the traditional tiny blade-and-V-notch sights on a stock SAA clone. The 4.75" "Civilian" barrel length and 36.8 oz weight match the dimensions of a standard 4.75" SAA closely.
The El Patron is what a competitive cowboy shooter wants out of the box. The action work that owners of standard Cimarron Model P revolvers typically send out for a custom action job is already done here at Uberti's factory. The easy-view sights are the practical advantage during timed stages — they acquire faster than fixed V-notch sights and let competitors transition between targets without "hunting" for the front blade. The trade-off versus the Pietta-built standard clones is that the El Patron is a more premium configuration designed for shooters who already know they want tuned hardware.
The El Patron product line dates back to Uberti's competitive-shooting partnerships in the 2000s — the company recognized that experienced SAA competitors were ordering action jobs and sight upgrades on every clone they bought, and built a factory-tuned product to serve that demand directly. Cimarron imports El Patron variants under that name; other distributors carry the same gun under slightly different SKU designations. The configuration is the same: tuned action, easy-view sights, checkered walnut, traditional CCH frame and blued barrel.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- Factory-tuned action and easy-view sights deliver the upgrades competitive cowboy shooters typically pay aftermarket gunsmiths to perform on standard SAA clones
- Checkered walnut grips improve hand retention during fast cocking strings — particularly noticeable during summer matches with sweaty palms
- The enlarged easy-view sights are not period-authentic; strict reenactors and collectors focused on 1873 visual fidelity want a standard SAA clone instead
- Half-cock notch only, with the same load-five-leave-one practice as every other Colt-pattern clone — the premium grade of the rest of the gun doesn't change that constraint
Category Rankings
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Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly does Uberti do at the factory for the El Patron action tuning?
Uberti's El Patron treatment includes hand-polishing the internals (hammer, sear engagement surfaces, hand and pawl), lighter mainspring and trigger return springs, and additional QC inspection on lockup and timing. The result is a lighter, smoother cocking stroke and a crisper trigger break compared to a standard Cattleman. The work is comparable to what a U.S. cowboy-action gunsmith would charge for after-purchase, with the advantage that it's done by Uberti as part of original production.
How long does the El Patron's factory action tuning hold up under heavy use?
Owners on cowboy-action forums report the tuned springs and polished surfaces hold their feel for several thousand rounds of standard cowboy loads before any noticeable degradation. Heavier mainsprings can be reinstalled if light primer strikes start occurring (more common with hard military-style primers than typical cowboy reloads). Replacement spring kits from Wolff are inexpensive and install with a single screwdriver. The factory polish on the engagement surfaces is the part that lasts longest — most owners never need to revisit it.
Are the easy-view sights regulated for a specific load?
Uberti regulates the easy-view sights at the factory for standard cowboy-action loads (typically 200-250 grain lead at 700-900 fps). Switching to substantially heavier bullets or different velocities shifts point of impact like any fixed-sight revolver. Files and a steady hand can adjust the front blade for elevation; windage requires drift adjustment of the rear notch. For competition shooters running a consistent load recipe, the factory regulation is generally close enough that hold-off handles small deviations.
