Scarce Colt Single Action Army SAA 7 1/2″ .44 Special Revolver, 1958 C&R
SOLD FOR: $4,326.97
WOA#: WY240327DC013
Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army, 2nd Generation
Serial Number: 21188SA
Year of Manufacture: 1958 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .44 Special
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 .44 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 “P”. The bottom of the frame and the left of each portion of the trigger guard are each marked “21188SA”. The rear face of the frame and the rear face of the loading gate are each marked with assembly number “993”. The inside of each grip panel has “188” hand-scribed.
Barrel Length: 7 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 colt in oval at the top of each panel. The grips have no notable wear or damage, only light handling marks. There are no chips or cracks. The checkering is well defined. 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 99% of its metal finish. There is no notable wear or damage, only light handling marks. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The consignor has requested that the action not be operated. We have not tested function of the action.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes with a hinge-lid black cardboard Colt box with model-matching label and the serial number hand-written on the bottom. A photocopy of a Colt Archives letter is included indicating that this revolver shipped July 31, 1958 in its current configuration to Jack Roy’s Gun Shop in Hamtramck, Michigan as the only gun of its type in the shipment.
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 one such example from 1958, and it is quite the specimen. The revolver comes with a serial-matching box and is in absolutely Excellent condition. The consignor asserts that the revolver has never been cocked or turned, and there’s nothing we can see to make us doubt this. The gun is chambered for the .44 Special cartridge, a more mild round than the .44 Magnum suitable for target shooting and some small game, also desirable among collectors. The chambering is scarce in 2nd Generation production. According to George Garton’s book on the post-war Single Action Army revolvers, only 763 were produced with a 7 1/2″ barrel and blued finish, such as this one. This would make a great addition to even an advanced Colt collection. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
