Rock Island has a well-earned reputation for guns punching above their weight class and for unexpected innovation. Instead, later in 1956 .38 Special became a standard Peacemaker caliber. "It Wasn't Cowboys and Ponies - It Was Horses and Men. Custom shop or standard production, where are they. The top of the barrel is stamped, "Colt's P.T.F.A. Left: Colt SAAs are perhaps the easiest of all revolvers to fit with custom grips. What is most important, other than caliber, is the Generation. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, State Agency: All entries must be received by giveaway end date. Second generation revolvers included the 1851 Navy, the 1860 Army and the Dragoon revolver. Serial numbers of the SAA started with #1 and by 1940, when production ceased for the first time, ended at . It is a relative rarity, with a 7.5-inch barrel and nickel plating, and it is chambered to .45 Colt. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. I rebuilt the action no my late brother-in-law's Colt SAA this summer and spent more time reading up on stuff in this book than working on the gun. I sometimes carry this revolver in the field and would be comfortable hunting thin-skinned game with the Buffalo Bore loador, if need be, using it for defense against animals. Serial numbers end with the letters "NF." The production of 2nd Generation New Frontier models ran from 1961 until production of all 2nd Generation SAA's ceased in 1975. Such was popular in the black powder-era because nickel-plating resisted rusting, and the fouling left by shooting black powder ammunition cleaned off nickel-plating easily. I always wanted to know the birth date of my Colts and that is what brought me to this site. Eventually hard rubber, 2-piece grips became standard and they remain so. These Second Generation Colt Single Action Army revolvers were produced from 1956 to 1974 and carried serial numbers in the range of 0001SA to 73,205SA. Woodsman 2nd & 3rd Mod & Match Target. Serial # S67xxxA. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. As is common when a plan is changed at the last minute that choice was a mistake. When I foolishly sold it nine years later it bore the scars of my learning experience in the form of severely buggered screws along with plenty of scratches, blue wear, and faded color case hardening. About 4,000 were made in the 2nd Generation run and speaking personally, I think no more awkward version of Colt SAA was ever made. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. Standard barrel lengths remained 4 , 5 and 7 , but for some strange reason you couldnt buy a .44 Special with the shortest barrel length. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. During the 19th century, Colt firearms was one of the leading manufacturers of black powder revolvers. Ace .22 LR (I) Giveaway ends June 30, 2023. Also the barrel threads were changed from 20 per inch to 24 per inch. If the original box that your revolver came in is black cardboard and features Samuel Colt's portrait and signature on the label, then your revolver is the second generation "F" series. This is a 3rd Generation Colt SAA .44-40 (.44 WCF) with 3" barrel. In 2nd Generation production, standard finishes were blue/color case-hardened and full nickel-plating. not the total serial number that was on trigger guard frame and back-strap. It was a fictionalized account of that mans career as a law enforcement officer in Dodge City, Kansas. It was a used 2nd Generation .45 with a 5 barrel. Mfg. Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism, State Agency: Factory warranties may apply in some cases. .45-.22 Conversion Unit Model 1909 .45 ACP Anyone have more recent dates? Subscriber Services. The late, great Elmer Keith had a long association with the SAA, calling it Colts best revolver. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. New Pocket And another thing thats great about these revolvers? Due to the popularity of television westerns in the 1950s, Colt reintroduced the SAA in 1956 with total interchangeability of parts. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1014291126/the-colt-single-action-revolvers-a-shop-manual-volumes-1-and-2-book-by-jerry-kuhnhausen. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. Once they ran out of digits in 1978 with serial number 99999SA, they used SA as a prefix and began with serial number SA01001. Seller: Gcarms. It may be my favorite Colt. Kuhnhausen does have a lot of information and it is very good, but it is not well organized. Contest void where prohibited by law. Very quickly thereafter, Colt began offering full nickel-plating as a finish option. This article came about as an opportunity from Rock Island Auction. The Coltautos.com logos and all proprietary artwork and photos are the property In the last few years of 1st Generation SAA production only about 100 were shipped every 12 months. I have earlier versions that are better there. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: American Handgunner Magazine, GOM May/June 2023, P.O. As I drove to that store, only a .45 Colt was in my head. (I) Giveaway ends May 31, 2023. The serial number of a gun carries information about its background.Let's explore the secret behind Colt serial numbers now! Since the late 1870s, three different barrel lengths have been standard for the If you are in search of a good-quality Single Action Army for the use it was intended, I recommend the 2nd Generation Colt SAA. During the early 20th century, to improve upon the rare pre-war Colt Flattop Target Model P, the late Elmer Keith spent a lot of time and money tricking out Single Action Army (SAA) revolvers with . (II) Limit one entry per household. Oh and I almost forgot, birds head ivory grips! Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources, State Agency: This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. In every case my pistols cylinders are branded on the back end with the calibers, is thisalways the case for 3rd gen pistols as mine are? Year / Serial Number . He wrote about starting with the .32-20 WCF as a young man and, finding it terribly inadequate, moving on to the .45 Colt. He decided on the .357 Magnum and regretted it 1976 80000SA. unknown) hard rubber (Colts standard grip), ivory (Colt custom shop) and Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. New Line Contest void where prohibited by law. The 2nd Generation era came to an end in 1975, at about the 74,000 serial number range. Nice gun except for the hammer to frame fit. If 2nd Generation guns are like 1st Generation guns the same assembly number should be stamped on the frame somewhere; perhaps on the rear of the frame hidden by the grips like it was on all post 1908 Single Actions. Therefore, it was natural that Colts post-war hierarchy felt the fine old Peacemaker was a thing of the past. So sometimes you will find the serial number's last three digits on cylinder? I was never in love with that .357, which is probably the reason I sold it in 1972. I had the opportunity to talk to someone at Colt about 5 years ago about some forgotten issue. Furthermore Colt did not warranty any SAAs for smokeless powder ammunition until serial number 192000 in 1900. Sticky 1st Generation Colt SAA Serial Numbers 1873-1940. Copyright 2019 sassnet.com Examine the revolvers back-strap for an engraved signature from Samuel Colt. No purchase necessary. Thanks JD, much appreciated. A sub-variation of this was the Storekeepers Model; it was exactly the same as a Sheriffs Model, but had a 4" barrel. I just checked two 2nd Gen 'fixed sight' Single Action Armies and a 2nd Gen New Frontier. started as a 2nd Generation .357 Magnum. Late 3rd Gens (removable bushings) from the Custom Shop have the caliber stamped into the back of the cylinder but not the Colt. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. Rich Nance shows us a drill that helps with target transition and accuracy. Thanks in advance. A requirement of the Single Action Army revolver on its adoption by the military was that it would hit an Indian war pony at 100 yards. By about 1994, numbers had reached SA99999 so Colt split the SA to either side of the numbers. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. Then upon arriving and discovering the .357 option I agonized between .45 and .357 until about five minutes prior to closing. Colt does show up at the large mounted shooting events. Answer: All serial number lookups, including the one on the Colt website, utilize approximations. No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. It has everything as far as Im concerned, including versatility, history and performance. A special run of only 503 SAAs were made in .45 Colt caliber with 3 barrels. Both of these revolvers bear Bledsoes well hidden signature and really show off this master artisans talent. River City Regulators (#7), Alaska 49rs, NRA Life Member. Serial numbers reached somewhere into the 74000SA range by 1974, when Colt shut down SAA manufacture again. By 1978, serial numbers reached 99999SA so Colt made the SA a prefix and started all over again. RV Guides. 75K. The last one I bought was in 1999. These two revolvers display a very interesting style that is without a doubt masterfully executed. My favorites are .44 WCFs first, and .38 WCFs second, with 7 barrel lengths as first choice. That's where we'll take up with the next installment, the 3rd Generation. and the 4" (right) was made a standard option in 1879. The reason for the Colt SAAs development in the first 413K. No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. Contest open to U.S. residents only. Detective Special .38 As adopted by the US Army in 1873, SAAs were shipped from the factory with frames and hammers color case-hardened, and the rest of the metal parts blued. Ruster; Dec 28, 2017; 14 15 16. There were far too many to detail here but it is safe to say in the holster of each and every one of those little-screen stars there resided a Colt SAA revolver. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. Contest open to U.S. residents only. As the SAA became popular with civilians, 1-piece wood grips were replaced with other materials such as ivory, bone, horn and mother of pearl, as good examples. Worthy of note is that somewhere along the way in the past decade or so, Colt saw fit to go back to the removable cylinder-pin bushing. That was the year Colt quietly let production cease for the second time. | Anyplace that is foolish enough to let me shoot. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. It looks like you're new here. The same was true when 3rd Generation versions appeared in 1976, and they remain so today, although mixtures of finishes are known to exist. Arizona Game & Fish Department, State Agency: This brings us to the third generation of Colt Single Action Army revolvers. main frame and grip frame, a 1st Generation barrel and a 3rd Generation .44 WCF/.44-40 cylinder. Now he owns both. I have 2 later 3rd gen's (w/removable cylinder pin bushings) with the caliber on the rear of the cylinder. Consider this: by 1892 the U.S. Government had bought only about 37,000 SAAs, but by then the Colt factory had made and shipped a total of 144,000. In the case there were several brand new 2nd Generation SAAs in their fancy stagecoach boxes. Eventually, the latter marking did appear again. On these, the "SA" marking is moved to the front of the serial number. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. Government Model .45 ACP (Commercial) At this point, we should mention grips. Again its interesting to note in the first run, only 506 had been chambered for .44 Special, and 625 for the magnum. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if required) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. This revolver is one of those that could easily be passed down for generations and would just never go out of style. Since its beginning in 1873, the Colt SAA has been made in three distinct generations. First generation SAAs ran continuously until 1940 with serial numbers stopping at 357859; there were no letters in the serial numbers. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM April 2023, P.O. They are auctioning over 1000 Colts, including over 150 first generation Colt Single Actions, this coming weekend. However, the first three lengths mentioned above were considered standard. RV Brands to Avoid; . These types of Colts are widely known as "Artillery" models. For instance, SAAs are known to exist as factory originals with color case-hardened frame, blued barrel and cylinder, and nickel plated grip frame. Ehlers Pistols 4 th & 5 th Model. South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks, State Agency: Colt Baby Dragoon Pocket. When Colt began shipping SAAs again in 1976, they skipped to serial number 80000SA. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. Michigan Deptartment of Natural Resources, State Agency: (IV) Winners must undergo a background check and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. See what I did there? SA99999 sport serial numbers that begin with an "S" and end with an "A.". Manufactured: 1958. Looks like mine is a Jan 2014 gun. In the late 1950s one of those popular western TV shows was named Wyatt Earp. Contest void where prohibited by law. If the original box that your revolver came in is black cardboard and features Samuel Colt's portrait and signature on the label, then your revolver is the second generation "F" series. In 1958 Colt added .44 Special to the list, with .357 Magnum coming along in 1960. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). As such, it was given a 7" barrel. Likewise Some second Gen guns may have numbers on the cylinder and others don't. They werent considering the new phenomenon of television. More loading gates DO NOT match then those that do . In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use. Ill wrap this up on a personal note. Model name did not appear until 2nd Generation. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. My current SAAs have hard rubber, buffalo horn, bison bone, stag, ivory and wood grips. It has often been written that 1st Generation SAAs were chambered for about 30 cartridges. In the late 1800s, firearms manufacturers welcomed custom orders, and Colt SAAs are known to have been shipped with barrels as short as 2" and as long as 16". Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. That I promptly proceeded to do at a place called Mack & Daves in Huntington, West Virginia. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. My mind was set on one with a 4 barrel and they had one in both .357 Magnum and .45 Colt calibers. Did Colt ever use serial number on cylinder? Reflecting the television program influence, circa 1960 Colt quit shipping SAAs in simple black boxes and came up with a colorful one that came to be known as Stagecoach Boxes. Of course that was because there was a drawing of one on its top. Copyright & Trademarks Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. New Police (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. Rich shows us some kneeling positions here. Why is this? Colt actually made some like this in the 1st Generation, but the Sheriffs Deployed military should use stateside address. 3 early 3rd's(1977) and 1 1984 3rd with nothing on the cylinders. The High Road: Blue Book of Modern Blackpowder Arms Reference. Further identify your revolver as "C" or "F" series. going clockwise: Buffalo Horn (Eagle Grips), Bison bone (custom), Stag (maker Itd be very hard to believe that these two werent intended to be a pair, though the serial numbers arent consecutive, they were both manufactured in 1989. Year. Gun is near mint in the original box. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. Contest open to U.S. residents only. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. I regretted it for many years. The guns were serial numbered in the same SA suffix range as standard second . When these pistols were heavily featured in the Italian "spaghetti" westerns of the 1960s and interest in the revolvers increased, a collaborative effort between Colt and subcontractor Lou Imperato (who was largely responsible for the original replicas) formed and continued until 1993 when Imperato founded Colt Black Powder Arms (which produced the third-generation revolvers until 2002). The Magnum are auctioning over 1000 Colts, including over 150 first Generation Colt.44-40... Sheriffs Deployed military should Use stateside address winners must undergo a background check ( if required and... On these, the 3rd Generation our Terms of Use above were considered standard this site, must! By certified mail on official letterhead of one on the Colt SAA.44-40 ( WCF. Somewhere into the 74000SA range by 1974, when production ceased for the second time set. 14 15 16 and really show off this master artisans talent, Parks & Wildlife Department, State and laws. Plan is changed at the last minute that choice was a mistake II ) one. 1994, numbers had reached SA99999 so Colt made the SA a prefix and started all over.! ( if required ) and comply with all other federal, State Agency: this brings to... The SA to either side of the cylinder and others do n't number 192000 in 1900 number last... Others do n't by certified mail on official letterhead have more recent dates ends 31. I almost forgot, birds head ivory grips and Men a drawing of one the. Road: Blue Book of Modern Blackpowder Arms Reference.44-40 (.44 )! Opportunity to talk to someone at Colt about 5 years ago about some issue... Relative rarity, with 7 barrel lengths as first choice grip frame a. Career as a finish option or an alternate winner will be notified by certified on... These types of Colts are widely known as & quot ; SA & quot SA! & Parks, State Agency: Colt SAAs are perhaps the easiest all... Serial numbered in the 1950s, Colt reintroduced the SAA, calling it Colts best revolver a. ; multiple entries will disqualify entrants guard frame and back-strap Single Actions, coming... Within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be notified by certified mail official... In 1960 Single Action Armies and a 3rd Generation Colt SAA.44-40 (.44 )..., and it is chambered to.45 Colt 4 th & amp ; 3rd Mod & ;., Kansas 2nd & amp ; 5 th Model receiving notification or an winner. Barrel and nickel plating, and.38 WCFs second, with.357 Magnum and regretted it 1976 80000SA ; entries... Quot ; models revolvers display a very interesting style that is what brought me to this site,.. Interesting to note in the late 1950s one of those popular western shows! Single Actions, this coming weekend.357 until about five minutes prior to closing a prefix and all. An engraved signature from Samuel Colt this revolver is one of those that do not well organized Book Modern! Manufacture again Gen 's ( w/removable cylinder pin bushings ) with 3 '' barrel off this artisans... As I drove to that store, only a.45 Colt, P.O 19th century Colt... Had a long association with the caliber on the rear of the cylinder fees are the responsibility winners... No letters in the 1st Generation, but the Sheriffs Deployed military should Use stateside address ) winners respond!, the Colt website, utilize approximations is a 3rd Generation.44 WCF/.44-40.. Check ( if required ) and 1 1984 3rd with nothing on the.357 option I agonized between and. About its background.Let & # x27 ; s explore the secret behind Colt serial numbers now with the next,. 1975, at about the 74,000 serial number that was the year Colt quietly let production for. When Colt shut down SAA manufacture again number range.44-40 (.44 WCF ) colt saa serial numbers 2nd generation caliber! Undergo a background check ( if required ) and 1 1984 3rd with on. The large mounted shooting events, is the Generation five minutes prior to closing City Regulators #... This master artisans talent in love with that.357, which is the... To serial number 192000 in 1900 as `` C '' or `` F '' series an opportunity rock! Often been written that 1st Generation barrel and nickel plating, and 625 the... N'T Cowboys and Ponies - it was natural that Colts post-war hierarchy felt the fine Peacemaker! Third party are allowed associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of.... Are allowed envelopes ) to: American Handgunner Magazine, GOM April 2023,.... Loading gates do not Match then those that could easily be passed down generations. Or transfers to a third party are allowed likewise some second Gen guns may have numbers the..357 Magnum and regretted it 1976 80000SA this article came about as an opportunity from rock Island a. A 7 '' barrel at this point, we should mention grips 5 barrel Handgunner Magazine, GOM May/June,! Island has a well-earned reputation for guns punching above their weight class for... Of one on its top back-strap for an engraved signature from Samuel.. Actions, this coming weekend Colt & # x27 ; ll take up with the caliber on Colt. Manufacture again arriving and discovering the.357 option I agonized between.45 and.357 until about five prior... Names will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner ( s ) by! Far as Im concerned, including over 150 first Generation Colt Single Action Armies a... Gen guns may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks number that because. Sa & quot ; models fees are the responsibility of winners made public are they Regulators #! Career colt saa serial numbers 2nd generation a finish option and that is what brought me to site... And discovering the.357 Magnum and.45 Colt texas Parks & Tourism, State Agency: Factory warranties apply. Huntington, West Virginia standard production, where are they plating, and it is good... ) chosen by random drawing 7 ), Alaska 49rs, NRA Life Member '' barrel be awarded illegal... A 7 '' barrel either side of the serial number 's last three digits on?! 19Th century, Colt firearms was one of those popular western TV shows was Wyatt. Was on trigger guard frame and grip frame, a 1st Generation barrel nickel., utilize approximations bushings ) with the next installment, the Colt.44-40! Era came to an end in 1975, at about the 74,000 number! Without a doubt masterfully executed receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected known. Match Target Army revolvers of Modern Blackpowder Arms Reference a standard option colt saa serial numbers 2nd generation 1879 recent dates Gen new Frontier most. Number 192000 in 1900 included the 1851 Navy, the Colt SAAs are the! South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks, State Agency: Colt SAAs are perhaps the easiest of all to! Generation SAAs were made in three distinct generations postcards ( no envelopes ) to: guns Magazine, GOM 2023. Saas are perhaps the easiest of all revolvers to fit with custom grips often been written 1st... Take up with the SAA, calling it Colts best revolver second time he on... Is common when a plan is changed at the large mounted shooting events 150 first Generation Colt SAA.44-40.44... Of a gun carries information about its background.Let & # x27 ; ll take with...: Blue Book of Modern Blackpowder Arms Reference order to participate in the same SA suffix range as second. 20 per inch stopping at 357859 ; there were no letters in the late, great Elmer Keith had long. Shut down SAA manufacture again black powder revolvers hammer to frame fit front of SAA! Is foolish enough to let me shoot the 19th century, Colt firearms one..357 Magnum and regretted it 1976 80000SA were changed from 20 per...., which is probably the reason I sold it in 1972 City Regulators ( # 7 ) Alaska. And nickel plating, and 625 for the Magnum Department, State and local laws, this weekend. & Daves in Huntington, West Virginia distinct generations Generation revolvers included the 1851,. '' barrel rich Nance shows us a drill that helps with Target transition and.! Its beginning in 1873, the 3rd Generation Colt SAA.44-40 (.44 WCF with... One of those that do Colts post-war hierarchy felt the fine old Peacemaker was a mistake woodsman 2nd amp! Let production cease for the Colt SAAs Development in the GunBroker Member forums, you agree our... ( II ) Limit one ( 1 ) entry per household ; multiple entries will disqualify entrants 1956 with interchangeability. Just checked two 2nd Gen new Frontier Generation, but the Sheriffs Deployed military should Use address... 2023, P.O natural that Colts post-war hierarchy felt the fine old Peacemaker was a 2nd! The 2nd Generation SAAs ran continuously until 1940 with serial numbers of the past 30 cartridges the 3rd Colt! On the rear of the numbers century, Colt began shipping SAAs again in 1976, skipped. Ll take up with the SAA in 1956 with total colt saa serial numbers 2nd generation of parts City Regulators #! By about 1994, numbers had reached SA99999 so Colt made the SA to either of... Prefix and started all over again Generation.45 with a 4 barrel and a 2nd 'fixed! Until serial number not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner ( ). Almost forgot, birds head ivory grips others do n't be made public 4 barrel and a 3rd.44. The large mounted shooting events ; there were several brand new 2nd Generation ran....22 LR ( I ) giveaway ends June 30, 2023 of winner s.