Tokyo Marui SAA .45 Artillery 5 1/2 inch Review

Recently, Tokyo Marui re-released the Air Revolver Pro SAA.45 Artillery 3 1/2 inch (as of early March when this was written).

It seems to be quite popular, as it's re-released fairly frequently and the variations are increasing.

The SAA.45 model itself has been popular for a long time due to its historical context and frequent appearances in movies, so it's likely that the product is well-made.

As a side note, for my generation, the Western boom that brought us the SAA.45 was over, and we're more strongly associated with the Revolver Ocelot from Metal Gear Solid.

I remembered that I owned one too, so I unfolded it and found it to be very well made, so I'll write a review.

Regarding the Single Action Army .45

This model is so famous that it probably doesn't need much explanation, but I did a little research to organize information for those who are interested and to satisfy my own curiosity.

The official name of the SAA.45 is Single Action Army .45 caliber, and its nickname is the well-known Peacemaker. The way the model name so accurately reflects the product's features is very typical of Western designs (which I personally find appealing).

As a cornerstone of modern revolvers, this model has many notable features, but personally, I think it's the adoption of the powerful .45 Long Colt ammunition and the robust frame designed to handle it (apparently, the ammunition is almost identical to and interchangeable with the famous Winchester M1873 carbine).

Many revolvers prior to the S&W Model No. 3 used a top-break mechanism (where the frame breaks) which was convenient for loading and ejecting spent casings, but was less durable than the SAA .45. Therefore, the representative S&W Model No. 3 revolver uses the shorter .45 Schofield ammunition instead of the .45 Long Colt round.

The film was set in America in 1873-1874, a time of the Gold Rush, massive investment in railroads, and ongoing Indian Wars—a quintessential Western (a period of national reconstruction after the Civil War). Interestingly, Japan was in the midst of modernization in 6, a similar situation.

Against that historical backdrop, the U.S. Army conducted service revolver tests and adopted the Colt SAA .45, which is a legitimate military model. I had always thought it was a civilian-led model because of the image I had of sheriffs and outlaws in movies and such.

The initial distribution target was primarily the cavalry, the most prestigious branch of the U.S. Army (7.5-inch model, Cavalry).

A well-known example would be Colonel Custer's 7th Cavalry Regiment.

The 7th Cavalry Regiment still exists today, and its companions have changed from horses to aluminum M2 Bradley tanks that can carry many men (an elite unit mainly composed of reconnaissance personnel).

At the time, it seems that some were distributed to infantry and artillery units other than cavalry, but they were hardly deployed (only a very small number of units or officers purchased them individually).

It's likely that due to financial constraints, the main weapons for infantry and artillery were rifles and cannons, and they probably couldn't afford to use pistols as a secondary weapon (cavalry mainly used carbines and pistols).

In 1892, the Cavalry officially switched its adopted revolver from the SAA .45 (7.5-inch model, Cavalry) to the Colt M1892 double-action revolver (30 caliber Long Colt), and the SAA .45 was temporarily retired.

It appears that some of the surplus SAA .45s, having completed their service life, were returned to Colt, modified into 5.5-inch models, and deployed to some units (and a considerable number were also distributed to civilians, leading to their widespread adoption).

Six years after his duties ended, around 1898, the United States began the Spanish-American War (Spain) and the Philippine-American War (Philippines).

This is where a famous and legendary event takes place.

During the Philippine-American War, when the United States colonized the southern Philippines, the Muslim population offered considerable resistance.

The people in question were the famous Moro tribe, who displayed incredible physical abilities due to their religious solidarity and the drugs used in their rituals. It seems they were quite difficult to take down with the Colt M1982 double-action revolver (.38 caliber), a service revolver of the time (although from a modern perspective, it's possible the shots simply weren't hitting them).

That's when the Artillery Model, a modified version of the SAA .45 with a 5.5-inch gun, made a surprise comeback.

The SAA.45 Artillery, which made a surprise return to service, played a major role not only in the Battle of the Philippines but also in the Spanish-American War, which was fought around the same time, and it seems to have become a symbol of several legendary battles (such as the Assault on San Juan Hill).

This series of events seems to have made the SAA .45 and the .45 caliber something special to Americans.

The M1911, a model that adapted and fully adopted that special .45 caliber for automatic pistols, marked the beginning of another legend.

Until I researched this, I thought the 7.5-inch Cavalry model and the 5.5-inch Artillery model existed concurrently, so I was surprised to find that their development dates were slightly different.

For Americans, the Cavalry and Artillery are not simply different models in length; the 7.5-inch Cavalry is associated with cavalry and Westerns, while the Artillery evokes the image of a reliable companion in war.

In any case, it seems that the SAA .45 was the starting point of Americans' devotion to the .45 caliber.

*I used the Japanese and English Wikipedia as sources, but it seems Americans have a much stronger attachment to the SAA, as the English version was more than three times longer than the Japanese version.

Opened

Let's start by looking at the outer box, as usual.

The outer box has a very luxurious design. When you think about it, it's a handgun for ages 10 and up that costs over 10,000 yen, so it really is a high-end product.

Let's open it.

The interior is lined with a black cloth-like material, giving it a luxurious feel. Incidentally, I saw the actual product being unboxed, and I thought the interior had a similar atmosphere. However, the actual product comes in a wooden box.

Let's take out the contents and check them.

As is typical of Tokyo Marui, the included accessories are all meticulously prepared.

Let's open the dummy cart box.

The bullets are marbled and an unusual type, but they appear to be 0.12g plastic bullets.

Let's take a look at the booklet.

The back of the instruction manual has a brief explanation of the SAA.45, which is quite interesting, so I think anyone who owns one would enjoy reading it.

appearance

Now let's take a look at the exterior.

Other side

The exterior is basically made of resin, but the level of detail is quite high, and I think it looks pretty good (the only metal parts visible from the outside are the trigger and screws).

The surface has a black painted finish. Tokyo Marui's painting technology has improved considerably in recent years, resulting in a beautiful finish, but the texture differs from the real thing, as the real thing is made of steel with rust-preventive treatments such as blackening (this is unavoidable).

The overall rigidity is very high, and there is none of the creaky feeling often associated with plastic products.

Above

The thick frame at the top of the cylinder is a major characteristic of the robust frame of the SAA.45.

Also, since it was a large .45 caliber for its time, the cylinder bulge is quite large and impressive. Recent revolvers, even excluding the .50 caliber, mainly use .357 Magnum (approx. 9mm) or .38 Special (approx. 9mm), and rarely exceed .44 caliber, so the cylinder is not particularly impressive.

Aside from the bulge in the cylinder, it's quite slim in size.

荳

The distinctive large ejector rod is a noticeable feature. The role of the ejector rod will be explained later.

Front

As expected of a .45 caliber, the muzzle diameter and cylinder bore are large and impressive. You can also clearly see that the ejector rod is mounted at an angle to the barrel.

The girl

The grip is quite slim, as is typical for a revolver. There's a distinctive loading gate on the right side of the cylinder.

These are the overall dimensions.

The 5.5-inch model has a barrel length of approximately 140mm, which I think is a well-balanced size in terms of design.

The grip has a maximum thickness of 40mm and a minimum thickness of 30mm, making it a relatively slim grip.

This is the weight without the dummy cart.

It weighs 389g, which isn't heavy, but it doesn't feel cheap either.

Dummy Cart

Now let's take a look at the dummy carts.

The shape and color are very accurately reproduced from the real thing. Although it's made of resin, the paint job is excellent and it doesn't feel cheap at all.

Looking at the dummy cartridges again, they're quite large, which is impressive considering they were powerful bullets for their time. They seem to be the kind of bullets fired from a lever-action rifle, and I think they're about the same size as, or even larger than, modern magnum rounds.

Let's take a look at the front and back of the dummy cart.

It's quite intricately made.

Next, let's compare it to its successor, the .45 caliber ACP round (dummy cartridge).

When you put them side by side, it's clear that even though they're both .45 caliber, the SAA .45 uses Long Colt ammunition and is significantly longer. The reason they have almost the same performance despite such a difference in length is because of the evolution from black powder to smokeless powder.

It's the weight.

As expected, since they're made of resin, each one is very light at 1g.

The weight of the gun will be measured with six dummy cartridges loaded.

Exterior details

From here, we'll take a detailed look at the exterior section by section.

The sections will be divided as follows:

1. Barrel section

This is the muzzle and front sight area.

As expected for a .45 caliber, it has a considerably large muzzle diameter. The muzzle even has molded rifling patterns, showing attention to detail.

The front sight is quite large and tall, making it very easy to see (front sight only).

Next is the barrel.

Top of barrel

As it's an artillery model, the barrel length is 5.5 inches (5 1/2 inches), which I think is a well-balanced size considering portability and ease of use.

The barrel has "COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY" engraved on the side, and "COLT'S PT.FA" and "MFG. Co. HATFORD CT. USA" (Colt's company information) engraved on the top.

The realism of the markings is hard to describe, and since the SAA.45 has been produced in a wide variety of models over a long period, they vary considerably depending on the time period and model, making it very difficult to say what the "correct" marking is.

My research suggests that early military models from around 1873 appear to have no markings other than serial numbers (civilian models have a wide variety of markings).

This is an ejector rod.

One of the key features of this model is the ejector rod. This rod is used to forcibly eject spent cartridge cases after firing.

When actually operated, a rod extends from the cylinder and pushes the cart forward.

This device forcibly removes cartridge cases that have become stuck to the cylinder due to expansion caused by combustion pressure during firing. While modern revolvers also have a mechanism for the same purpose, the SAA .45's mechanism is unique to models where the cylinder does not swing out, making it a distinctive feature.

Personally, I think it looks cooler when the ejector rod is mounted diagonally downwards rather than directly below the barrel.

2. Cylinder and frame section

Let's start by looking at the rear sight.

The rear sight is positioned using a groove on the top of the frame. This overly simple method feels dated.

To be honest, it's difficult to aim with, but thanks to the height of the front sight, it's not as bad as I expected.

Site View

I don't really understand how to determine the height, regardless of left or right. I seriously doubt whether people back then were able to aim accurately.

It's a cylinder.

The cylinder is quite impressive in size, as you would expect from a 45 caliber.

The real thing allows you to remove the cylinder by manipulating the pin shown in the photo below, but this product does not have this function (Tanaka's SAA.45 can).

This is the cylinder loading gate.

The loading gate is another distinctive feature of the SAA .45; since the cylinder does not swing out, it serves as a gate for loading bullets.

The loading gate can be opened and closed with your thumb, and simply opening and closing it repeatedly is somehow enjoyable.

This is the engraving on the frame.

On the left side, it is stamped with "PAT.SEPT.19.1871 JULY 2.72 JAN.19.75" (indicating a patent application) and "TOKYOMARUI JAPAN ASGK".

It's a hammer.

The hammer is made of resin. It's a very hard resin, and in my experience, it has a texture I haven't encountered much before, so I couldn't determine the exact material (it was too hard to be nylon).

The part where the hammer strikes the primer is foldable, and the intricate design makes it look very realistic.

3. Trigger and grip section

Let's take a look at the triggers.

The trigger is quite simple and has only the bare minimum of features. There are no grooves for finger grip, which are commonly found on modern triggers.

The trigger guard is narrow, making it quite difficult to use while wearing gloves (though it's perfectly fine with bare hands).

This is the grip.

Personally, I think this grip is very well made, with fairly realistic markings, knurling that's not painful but still functional, and a good thickness—not too thick, not too thin.

This is what it feels like to actually hold it.

The grip shape seems to be slightly thicker at the base due to the airsoft gun's mechanism, but I'm not really sure (I've never held a real one).

Since it's an old revolver, the grip is remarkably simple, clearly not designed for two-handed use.

Operation system, functions

Now, let's actually move the movable parts and see how each function and how to use it works.

First, let's check the hammer position.

There are four positions: hammer down, half-cock (cylinder free), mysterious cock (cylinder locked), and full cock.

Unfortunately, the hammer position mechanism is different from the real thing. This is probably unavoidable because, unlike the real thing, the airsoft gun's firing mechanism had to be incorporated into the grip and frame.

In reality, there are four positions: hammer down, safety cock (cylinder locked, trigger locked), half cock (cylinder free), and full cock (ready to fire).

In reality, the safety cock is the hammer position where the hammer is not touching the bullet and the trigger is locked, allowing for safe carrying of the bullet (according to the U.S. Army Ordnance Bureau's carrying instructions).

At the time, safety technology was underdeveloped, and it seems that even with ammunition loaded and the hammer down (rest position), there was a possibility of the ammunition firing if the gun was dropped or if the hammer was pushed too hard.

After World War II, it seems that removing one round of ammunition from a gun became a popular practice for increased safety while carrying it (apparently, a certain author recommended it).

Modern revolvers are significantly safer because they incorporate a transfer bar and hammer block that physically separate the hammer and ammunition when the trigger is not being operated.

Let's get back to the topic and look at how the main body moves depending on the state of the hammer.

When the valve is half-cocked, the cylinder moves freely. It doesn't serve much purpose, but the cylinder rotates fairly well, so it spins due to inertia as shown in the picture below (which feels good).

With the cylinder free, open the loading gate and insert the dummy cartridge (it feels pretty good).

We'll now examine the cylinder from the front and side with six rounds loaded.

The dummy cartridges are well-made, making it look even cooler (no bullets loaded).

From this position, fully cocking the hammer will prepare it for firing.

Once firing is complete, open the loading gate and pull the ejection rod to eject the dummy cartridge.

The cylinder hole and the dummy cartridge diameter are perfectly sized, so even without using the ejection rod, the dummy cartridge will fall out by its own weight if you turn the main body upside down. However, since the ejection rod is available, let's make good use of it.

This completes the series of actions.

Tokyo Marui's unique feature is a safety mechanism that allows the hammer to only operate when it is fully cocked.

The positions of each control panel, hammer, and loading gate are such that they can be operated while holding the grip. However, I am 175 cm tall, so it might be a little far for shorter people or women.

Although it's an older model, it's ergonomically quite good (though there's absolutely no consideration for left-handed users). I suspect it was designed with considerable thought to make it easy for cavalrymen to use on horseback.

The ejection rod is operated with the index finger of the left hand.

This is the trigger position relative to the hammer position.

When the hammer is fully cocked, the trigger extends by -mm. There is virtually no trigger play when firing.

The hop-up adjustment mechanism is located in the position shown in the photo below and can be adjusted using the included tool.

Even if you lose the included tool, the hop dial isn't that stiff, so you can turn it with a flathead screwdriver or a thin rod.

Variable hop-up systems are quite rare on revolvers, and the fact that Tokyo Marui has gone to the trouble of incorporating one shows their pride as the originator of variable hop-up systems.

Dummy Cartridge Gimmick

The dummy cartridges are equipped with quite elaborate mechanisms to improve accuracy.

Pressing the rear of the dummy cartridge will cause the projectile to move forward.

This drastically reduces air loss in airsoft revolvers (though I don't think it eliminates hop-up issues).

The dummy cartridges are a bit pricey, costing around 2500 yen in the market, but I think they're a worthwhile gimmick (I'd like to buy another set).

Live-fire performance verification

We will now check the actual firing performance.

We will measure the muzzle velocity using 0.12g and 0.2g bio BBs.

First, we'll measure with the hop-up set to minimum and using 0.12g bio BBs.

For ages 10 and up, it was exactly 0.1J compared to the self-imposed limit of 0.135J.

I'll add the hops to the maximum and check.

The bullet velocity didn't drop much.

Next, we'll check it with 0,2g bio BBs and the hop-up set to minimum.

I'll test it with 0.2g bio BBs with the hop-up set to maximum.

Looking at the firing energy for 012g and 0.2g BBs, the 0.2g BB has slightly less energy than the 0.12g BB, so I think the optimal BB weight for this model would be either 0.12g or 0.15g.

Tokyo Marui has a well-established reputation for accuracy, so there shouldn't be any problems.

I took a video of the dry firing process.

Tokyo Marui SAA.45 Artillery dry firing video

The sound is a little muffled, but not too loud.

While testing the live-fire performance, I remembered that with cartridge-type revolvers, it's faster to load bullets from the front of the cylinder with the cartridges already in it than to remove the cartridges and load the bullets separately.

This method allows for faster reloading, but it ruins the romantic appeal.

Tokyo Marui 0.15g Bio BBs
For 0.12g BBs, I think Tokyo Marui's bio-BBs are the best. Plastic BBs are also good because they're cheap and accurate, but it's a hassle to switch between them indoors and outdoors, so I prefer bio-BBs.

Eagle Model 0.15g Bio BBs
Based on initial velocity measurements, I believe the 0.15g BB will produce the longest flight distance.

Summary

While not a perfect replica of the real thing, this Colt SAA .45 was excellent, boasting a high degree of accuracy and good shooting performance.

In terms of accuracy, it replicates the hammer position of the real thing, and while the cylinder removal feature is omitted, the basic operation of the SAA is reproduced, making it a very enjoyable model to handle.

Regarding the appearance, some of the shapes have been stylized for airsoft guns, but overall I think it's a good reproduction (the texture is unavoidable due to the different materials).

I think the quality of the dummy carts, in particular, is quite high.

Regarding actual shooting performance, I haven't been able to confirm the trajectory, but the muzzle velocity is quite stable, the hop-up works well, and since it's a well-regarded Tokyo Marui product, it should be quite good (it should fly cleanly with a trajectory commensurate with the muzzle velocity).

Also, since the firing mechanism is air-cocking, you don't need anything other than ammunition, which makes it very convenient and quite good.

The only thing that might be a concern is that the movement of each part is a little stiff (which is unavoidable with mass production, even for Tokyo Marui).

At a market price of around 1 yen, it might seem expensive considering it's for ages 10 and up, but considering the features, I think it's a reasonable price. Moreover, it's the only air-cocking, cartridge-type SAA .45 available, so I highly recommend it.

That concludes my review of the Tokyo Marui SAA.45 Artillery.

Next time, we'll take it apart and examine its mechanism and areas for improvement.

Tokyo Marui SAA.45 Artillery　5.5 inches
This is the model I reviewed. You can also choose silver at the link provided.

Tokyo Marui SAA.45 Cartridge
I think adding an extra set beyond what's included will make reloading even more fun.

Tokyo Marui SAA .45 Cavalry 7.5-inch Custom
The 7.5-inch Cavalry model is a custom edition and is a bit more expensive.

Tokyo Marui SAA .45 Civilian 4.75 inch
The 4.75-inch civilian model is available in black and silver. The grip has a wood grain finish.

I've also written other airsoft gun reviews, so please feel free to check them out if you're interested.