Colt 2nd Gen Single Action Army SAA 4 3/4″ .357 Magnum Revolver, 1970 C&R

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Sold for $2676.17

Make: Colt

Model: Single Action Army, 2nd Generation

Serial Number: 55308SA

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 top of the barrel is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.”, the left is marked “COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY .357 MAGNUM”. The left of the frame is marked “PAT. SEPT 19. 1871 / JULY 2, 72 JAN. 19, 75” and with a rampant colt logo. The left of the trigger guard is marked “VP” in triangle at the front and “U” at the rear, the right of the trigger guard is marked “P”. The bottom of the frame and the left of each portion of the trigger guard are each marked “55308SA”. The rear face of the cylinder is marked with a rampant colt logo. The front face of the cylinder is marked “M” and “308”. The rear face of the frame (under the right grip panel) and the rear face of the loading gate are each marked with assembly number “448”. The inside of each grip panel has “308” hand-scribed.

Barrel Length: 4 3/4”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a quarter-round blade fixed to the front of the barrel. 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 tops and American eagles at their bottoms. The grips have minor handling wear with some light nicks, mostly at the bottom of the right panel. The checkering is well defined. There is fairly good detail in the colts and eagles. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Fine condition.

Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore.

Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 85% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is finish wear in the backstrap, on the rear of the trigger guard, around the outside of the cylinder and at the muzzle. The frame’s case colore hast musted slightly but the figuring is generally strong. There are scattered minor nicks and scratches, most notable along the ejector housing and on the bottom of the barrel. The cylinder has turn-wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly 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 lightened, resulting in a smooth, light hammer pull. Lockup produces little play 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 4 3/4″ barrel model made in 1970. The revolver is in Very Good condition with a great bore, strong mechanics and wear consistent with use over the past 50+ years. This would make a neat addition to a Colt collection as one of the .357 Magnum second generation revolvers but would also make for a great shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!