Colt 2nd Generation Single Action Army SAA 5 1/2″ .45 Revolver 1974 ATF C&R
SOLD FOR: $3300
LSB#: 230330JS005
Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army, 2nd Generation
Serial Number: 70443SA
Year of Manufacture: 1974 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup), ATF C&R
Caliber: .45 Colt
Action Type: Single Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder
Barrel Length: 5 1/2”
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 colts at their tops and American Eagles at their bottoms. The grips have no notable wear or damage, only a few minor marks. The checkering is sharp and there is good detail in the colts and eagles. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Excellent 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. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 10 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 97% of its current metal finish. There is some turn-wear on the cylinder. Otherwise, there are only light handling marks. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. Lockup produces very little play on all six chambers. The trigger is crisp. 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: This revolver comes in a faux-wood cardboard Colt box with serial-matching label and two-piece styrofoam inserts. The box shows heavy wear with the label-end the only ear remaining.
Our Assessment: Production of Single Action Army revolvers was halted at the outset of World War II to free up machines and manpower for filling wartime orders. After the war, Colt decided not to bring the iconic revolver back into production as it was seen as obsolete. The advent of swing-out cylinder revolvers and reliable semi-automatic pistols, they thought, meant that there was no place in the market for the antiquated single action revolver. 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 from the later years of the 2nd Gen, made in 1974. It has a 5 1/2″ barrel, blue and case color finish, and is chambered for the classic .45 Colt cartridge. The revolver is in Excellent condition, retaining 97% of its metal finish, a great bore and strong mechanics. Its included box appears to have taken the brunt of the years since the revolver was made, doing a good job of preserving the revolver. It would make a prized addition to any Colt collection or to the collection of fans of classic western firearms or television. Should you choose to shoot this revolver, .45 Colt ammunition is also typically commercially available. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
