Colt 2nd Generation 5 1/2″ .45 Single Action Army Revolver & Box, 1957 C&R
SOLD FOR: $3280
LSB#: 230112JK008
Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army, 2nd Generation
Serial Number: 10698SA
Year of Manufacture: 1957 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .45 Colt
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 45”. The left of the frame is marked “PAT. SEPT 19. 1871 / JULY 2, 7 JAN. 19, 75” and with a rampant colt logo. The left of the trigger guard is marked “VP” in triangle at the front and “J” at the rear, the right of the trigger guard is marked “5”. The bottom of the frame is marked “10698SA”, the left of each portion of the trigger guard is marked “15090SA”. The rear face of the cylinder is marked with a rampant colt logo. The front face of the cylinder, 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 “625”. The inside of each grip panel is hand-scribed “10698”.
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 panels with rampant colt in oval at the top. The grips have minor handling wear with only a few scattered small marks. The checkering is well defined, mostly sharp, and there is good detail on the rampant colts. There are no chips or cracks. The panels are pretty well fit to the frame, but the serial marking on their interior doesn’t appear original, and we believe the grips were added when the revolver was restored. Overall, the grips are in about Fine-Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color
Finish Originality: Professionally Restored
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. There is some minor, but stubborn fouling.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 96% of its metal finish. The balance is mostly in muting and minor wear on the left recoil shield of the frame. Otherwise, the finish is generally strong throughout. There are a few tiny marks and infrequent tiny spots of erosion under the finish. The hammer has a crack in the left side at the firing pin. There is faint operational wear on the side faces of the hammer. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in about Very Good condition as restored and would easily rate Fine-Excellent but for the crack in the hammer.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly, however there is a crack in the left of the hammer at the firing pin. Lockup produces almost no play on 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: This revolver comes in a two-piece black cardboard Colt box with remaining portions of the label matching the revolver’s configuration, the serial number hand-written on the bottom of the box does not appear to match.
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 is a fairly early example made in 1957 which has been quite skillfully restored. The revolver was likely in fairly good shape when the restoration was performed as the markings have been well preserved and the bore is still quite nice. The mechanics are strong and the revolver looks outstanding, though there is a thin crack in the left of the hammer and you may wish to replace the hammer should you wish to shoot this revolver. The gun is chambered for the original .45 Colt cartridge, ammunition should be somewhat easy to come by in a variety of loads. Whether you’re looking for a shooter or collector, this is a nice 2nd Gen Colt to add to any safe in America. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
