Colt 2nd Gen Single Action Army SAA 5 1/2″ .38 Special Revolver, 1960 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,502.00
LSB#: WY240810MZ018
Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army, 2nd Generation
Serial Number: 30685SA
Year of Manufacture: 1960 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .38 Special (the cylinder is chambered for .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 .38 SPECIAL”. 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 “P” at the rear, the right of the trigger guard is marked “S”. The bottom of the frame is marked “30685SA”, found again on the left of each portion of the grip frame. The rear face of the cylinder is marked with a rampant colt logo. The front face of the cylinder is marked “M685”, 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 “502”. The inside of each grip panel is hand-scribed “685”.
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 in ovals at their tops. The grips have minor handling wear with some light nicks and scuffs, mostly on the bottom faces. The checkering is well defined and there is good detail in the rampant colts. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good-Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color
Finish Originality: Original to the parts. The cylinder’s “M” marking indicates a .357 Magnum cylinder. It is not clear if the barrel was replaced or if the cylinder was later fit to the revolver.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore, but there is scattered stubborn fouling. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates about 8 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 87% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. There is light handling wear in the grip areas. The cylinder has scattered turn-wear. There are some scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. There is infrequent light surface oxidation, most notable on the side faces of the hammer. The action shows operational wear. There are tool marks around most screw heads. The screws range from sharp to lightly disfigured with usable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good condition as not parts-original.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. Lockup produces minor 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: 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 comes from 1960, just a few years into the reintroduced production. The revolver is in Very Good condition with a good bore and strong mechanics. Its 5 1/2″ barrel is marked .38 Special, but the serial-matching cylinder has the “M” marking applied to cylinders chambered for .357 Magnum, indicating that either the barrel is a replacement or the cylinder was fit to the revolver some time after production. In any case, this is a neat example of the 2nd Gen SAA that should make for an interesting addition to a collection or a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
