Colt SAA and "heavy" .357 magnum ammo?

[BluRidgDav]

Everyone recommends caution about shooting hot loads in the Colt SAA.
But, these cautions always seem to deal with the .45 long Colt models with their thin cylinder walls. What about the .357 magnum SAA's? With thicker chambers and barrel, can the SAA handle heavy .357 magnum ammo, like the loads offered by Buffalo Bore and CorBon? Thanx in advance!

 

[WIL TERRY]

The Colt Saa 357mag Sixgun's Cylinders Will Handle 357mag Pressures.

The problem arises from the ignition system of the Colt, the hammer mounted firing pin. Since the firing pin passes through the entire standing breech to fire the cartridge it has to have a tiny bit of room to do so. Depending on a bunch of variables in tolerances there is room for primer flow from the high pressures used in 357MAG loadings and that primer flow around the firing pin and into the firing pin oriface can tie up the pistol so tight you'll swear it's been welded shut. These problems will vary with individual SAA sixguns and you don't know for sure until you do some testing.
My personal first month second generation Colt SAA 38SPL will do this with 38/44 loads and some loads not approaching 38/44 levels if the primers are a bit soft.