Colt 1st Gen Single Action Army SAA .38 Spl 7 1/2″ Revolver & Letter C&R
SOLD FOR: $4,901.00
LSB#: LSB251109CB002.1
Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army, 1st Generation
Serial Number: 354157
Year of Manufacture: 1931 / C&R
Caliber: .38 Special
Action Type: Single Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder
Barrel Length: 7 1/2″
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a v-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 the top of each panel. The grips have light handling wear with only a few scattered light marks. The checkering is well defined with good detail in the colts. There are no cracks. The bottom edge of the left panel has a few small chunks removed. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued & Case Color
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no notable erosion. In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates a 9.5 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges and intermittently down the length of the barrel. The frame retains strong case color with some areas lightly muted and scattered minor oxidation. There are some tiny nicks on the loading gate. The cylinder has turn-wear and infrequent minor oxidation. There are some scattered minor nicks and scratches. 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. Lockup produces light play on all six chambers. The trigger is crisp. The cylinder has a removable bushing. 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 with a Colt Factory Letter confirming a Shipment date of April 14, 1931 for Las Alamos Ranch, Denver, Colorado, with Blue finish and a 7 1/2″ barrel in .38.
Our Assessment: Colt’s Single Action Army is, perhaps more than any other, an iconic American pistol. It was the U.S. issue sidearm for the last two decades of the 19th century, used by pioneers, outlaws and lawmen across the expanding nation, and captivated audiences on the silver screen and television (and still does, today). Produced for nearly a century and a half, they are still being made, today! The 1st Generation Single Action Army was produced from 1873 to 1941, though sales did fall off toward the end of the 1st Generation. While more than 344,000 of the revolvers were made from 1873 to 1922, in the last 18 years of production there were only about 13,000 made.
This is one of the later 1st Generation, made in 1931 during the Great Depression. This example is in quite good condition, appearing to have seen some use over the last 90+ years. Chambered for .38 Special, it would be a very soft-shooting gun. Any 1st Generation SAA would make a great addition to a Colt collection, and this late example should be no exception.