Well, my El Patron Comp has been quite a fine, accurate revolver. This Cattleman based S.A. is supposed to be a "factory tuned" version but, needed some help so . . . . I helped it!! These revolvers are hugely mass produced and the "tuned " ones are so called because they have "after market" springs in them. The reason they are affordable is the "mass" aspect and installing wire springs is easy (but I don't like wires!!)
Anyway, I've not had any problems at all and just because a revolver makes it out the factory door, doesn't mean it shouldn't be gone through (especially if it's from Italy!!)! Even a Colt S.A.A. should be gone through (at the very least, inspected, just so that you know!)
Today's "gunsmiths" are more "parts changers" than "parts fitters". S.A.s are from a different era and one needs to be a little more knowledgeable about how the action works.
I'm just saying, give the Italian offerings a fair shot and not throw in the towel, especially if you don't even know what may be wrong. Any of them can be made to feel unbelievable!!
The best part is, they're inexpensive enough to actually work on them or have them worked on.
For instance, mine has a hammer draw of 3 lbs.(rather than 6,7 or 8)! A crisp trigger pull of 2.5 lbs.! Cycles like a dream, gets fanned daily (at least 50 times just as an endurance test for me!)
The latest upgrade was to change all the flat springs to coils (as in a Ruger 3 screw)! Yap, the handspring is a frame mounted coil and " pushrod " (and is of my own design), the bolt spring is a torsion spring and the trigger return spring is by a trigger guard mounted spring and plunger behind the trigger. The only flat left is the mainspring but reduced to give a 3 lb. hammer draw, it will be around a loooooooooooong time!! This was done just for the proven reliability aspect that the S.A. Ruger has a history of. After all, my El Patron is my carry gun and one of my home defense weapons.
Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks
Happy Cattleman/ El Patron owner!!