Colt 2nd Gen Single Action Army SAA 5.5″ Blue CCH .38 Spl Revolver 1959 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,980.00
LSB #: LSB260412XX100
Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army 2nd Generation
Serial Number: 26021SA
Year of Manufacture: 1959
Caliber: .38 Special
Action Type: 6-Shot 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 groove in the top strap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered black rubber panels with rampant colt in oval at their tops. The inside of the right panel has “344960” hand-scribed, the serial marking inside the left grip is not legible. The grips have fairly even handling wear, a little more notable on the right panel. The left panel has a small loss at the bottom edge toward the front. There are a few other more minor marks. The checkering is generally well defined. There are no cracks. Overall, the grips are in Good-plus condition as not original to the gun.
Type of Finish: Blue and Case Color
Finish Originality: Original, numbers match.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore, but there is a little stubborn fouling. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates about 9/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at most edges. There is handling wear in the grip areas. There are some scattered light nicks and small scratches. There is infrequent minor surface oxidation. The action shows operational wear including scattered turn-wear on the cylinder. The screw heads range from sharp to slightly disfigured with usable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this revolver. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
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 SAAs, and this example comes from 1959, fairly early in 2nd Gen production.
The revolver is in Very Good condition with a great bore, strong mechanics and signs of responsible use over the past 67 years. The revolver retains the majority of its original finish and all matching numbered parts, though the grips have been replaced with a set of 1st Generation panels. This would make a neat addition to a Colt collection as an example of the second generation, but should also still prove to be a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
-Bud/MA