2nd Gen Colt Single Action Army SAA 5 1/2″ .357 Magnum Revolver, 1970 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,875.00
LSB#: WY240810MZ019
Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army, 2nd Generation
Serial Number: 53754SA
Year of Manufacture: 1970 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .357 Magnum
Action Type: Single Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY .357 MAGNUM”. The top of the barrel is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. Co. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.”. The left side of the frame is marked “PAT. SEPT. 19, 1871 / JULY 2, 72 JAN. 19, 75” and with the “Rampant Colt” logo. The underside of the frame at the grip frame is marked “53754SA”. The left side of each portion of the grip frame is marked “53754SA” under the grip. The left front of the trigger guard is marked with a “VP” in a triangle and the left rear with “V”, the right of the trigger guard is marked “P”. The front face of the cylinder is marked “M754” and the rear with a rampant colt. The rear of the loading gate and right-rear of the frame are each marked with assembly number “104”. The inside of each factory grip panel is hand-scribed “754”, the inside of the left panel is also scribed “Dave / Bevvy”.
Barrel Length: 5 1/2”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade fixed to the front of the barrel, the top has been filed down some. The rear sight is a square notch at the rear of a groove in the top strap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered black hard rubber with rampant colt in oval at their top and American Eagle at their bottom. The grips have some light nicks and scuffing on their bottom faces. There are a few other minor marks. The checkering is well defined with good detail in the colts and eagle. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good-plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore, but there is a little stubborn fouling . In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates about 9 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 90% of its metal finish. The finish is lightly thinning at some edges. The frame’s case color has some muting with scattered minor oxidation, mostly on the topstrap. There is minor erosion on each side of the hammer spur. There are some minor nicks and scratches. The action shows light operational wear including turn-wear on the cylinder. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The mainspring has been ground down, resulting in a light, smooth hammer pull. Lockup produces very little play on all six chambers. The trigger is crisp. The cylinder’s bushing is separate from the cylinder. We did not fire this revolver. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The Colt Single Action Army is perhaps the quintessential old west handgun, produced for more than a century, serving the U.S. Army as its sidearm from 1873 into the first world war and captivating audiences on the silver screen. The SAA was discontinued by Colt as it tooled up to provide for the WWII war effort, and it was thought by Colt that the design was obsolete, swing-out cylinder revolvers had been around for half a century and autoloaders were gaining in popularity. Then, with the advent of television and western programs such as Hopalong Cassidy, The Lone Ranger, The Cisco Kid, and The Gene Autry Show, American interest in the guns that won the west was reborn. In 1956, Colt reintroduced the Single Action Army, this new production run now referred to as the 2nd Generation SAA’s.
This example is a .357 Magnum chambered 5 1/2″ barrel model made in 1970. The gun is in Very Good, showing signs of use, retaining the majority of its original metal finish with a strong bore with serial-matching parts including its grips. This would make a neat addition to a Colt collection as one of the .357 Magnum second generation revolvers and should still be a fun shooter as previous owners have found. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
