Powered by Invision Community. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. Whether the story is true or not, these 2nd Generation Colts with 12 barrels were labeled Buntline Specials. Answer: All serial number lookups, including the one on the Colt website, utilize approximations. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if required) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. The number on the loading gate is an assembly number and only rarely will it match the last digits of the serial number. I'm used to never seeing them at gun shows or gun shops but now they have all but disappeared from the internet sites. This revolver has class B engraving like the previous two revolvers and shows other similar features, such as the ivory birds head grips and nitre blue accents. In order of number produced, we have the .45 Colt, .44 WCF (.44-40), .38 WCF (.38-40), .32 WCF (.32-20) and .41 Colt. The top of the barrel is stamped, "Colt's P.T.F.A. When purchasing the first handgun after turning 21, Duke agonized between a 2nd Generation No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. Oh and I almost forgot, birds head ivory grips! For his part, Gen. MacArthur racked up quite a score in action in Mexico before World War I. As with the 1st Generation, towards its end of production, hammers .22-.45 Service Model Conversion Unit By their 2011 catalog, which I picked up at the SHOT Show, all the calibers mentioned (in this paragraph) are listed as currently available. 3,800 guns were made in this configuration. New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: As with the 1st Generation, towards its end of production, hammers. Again its interesting to note in the first run, only 506 had been chambered for .44 Special, and 625 for the magnum. In 1976 a "Third" generation of Colt Single Action Armys was introduced. Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, State Agency: 2nd Generation SAAs. Menu. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. Thats right, were going to be talking about Second and Third Generation Colt Single Action Army Revolvers. Peter Timm has been writing since 2002 for both print and online publications. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. On screen the actor wore a Colt SAA with extra- long barrel. Colt took a couple years recess to make more jigs and fixtures, and also to redesign the revolver in order to cut manufacturing costs. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. Establish the model of the revolver that you're trying to identify. Government Model .45 ACP (Commercial) (II) Limit one entry per household. The popular but obsolete .32, .38 and .44 WCFs (Winchester Centerfires) were not offered. Single Action Army & Bisley The artisan behind them is Ron J. Collings, who did his apprenticeship in England, and has been engraving in Canada and the United States for the past 30-40 years. The High Road: Blue Book of Modern Blackpowder Arms Reference. Great-great-grandaddy Mack Cullars, 1864, CSA vet. On these, the "SA" marking is moved to the front of the serial number. Colt does show up at the large mounted shooting events. Missouri Deptartment of Conservation, State Agency: Finishes included blue, blue/case-hardened and nickel. These days, original Colt revolvers command a premium, and I believe some of the resulting prices are ridiculous. 1979 SA13000. Once the SA in the serial number splits SXXXXXA in 1993, they continue to get better thru 1999. Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism, State Agency: He wrote about starting with the .32-20 WCF as a young man and, finding it terribly inadequate, moving on to the .45 Colt. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. 1907. The wood was inlet so the revolvers grip frame could set into it. I always wanted to know the birth date of my Colts and that is what brought me to this site. Copyright 1996 - 2023 by Coltautos.com. Serial numbers reached somewhere into the 74000SA range by 1974, when Colt shut down SAA manufacture again. Is it the same or different for 1st and 2nd gens? Deployed military should use stateside address. Heres one interesting tidbit: SAA frames, when nickel-plated, have never been hardened. Look for the Manufacturer's Number. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. This was the 2nd Generation SAA production. The Colt New Frontier began with serial number 3000NF, which stayed in the Colt plant. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. Which one are you? I'd say if the number on your cylinder matches the last three digits of the serial number, it is original to the gun. Serial numbers of the SAA started with #1 and by 1940, when production ceased for the first time, ended at . I regretted it for many years. If you have an 1851 Navy revolver with a serial number from 4201 to 25099 or a Dragoon numbered 20901 to 25099, then they are "C" Series models. A large number of third-generation revolvers were produced as commemorative models. Looks like mine is a Jan 2014 gun. Just saw three 1841s (nickel, 4 3/4" and 45 Colt) come in today from the Colt Custom shop ordered in Jan. 2011. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, State Agency: The special thing about these 1,200 Colt SAA, Artillery models is that special care was taken to mostly keep their serial numbers in tact (or matching) unlike the second batch of 14,900 Colt SAA revolvers that were sent back for refurbishing between 1896 and 1903. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. I sometimes carry this revolver in the field and would be comfortable hunting thin-skinned game with the Buffalo Bore loador, if need be, using it for defense against animals. Serial numbers end with the letters "NF." The production of 2nd Generation New Frontier models ran from 1961 until production of all 2nd Generation SAA's ceased in 1975. Its such a simple touch that really adds so much style to these two revolvers. Kuhnhausen does have a lot of information and it is very good, but it is not well organized. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. These two Colt Single Action Army revolvers almost make another pair, displaying that wonderful cattle brand style in beautiful gold plating. Bledsoe visited and learned from Agee shortly before his death in 1955, and as you can see, carried on this engraving tradition flawlessly. All 2nd Generation Colt SAAs (except for some commemoratives) were built with the transverse latch frame. Very quickly thereafter, Colt began offering full nickel-plating as a finish option. Last but certainly not least, we have a bit of a culture clash that I just cant look away from. I have that book on the stand beside my recliner. Colt Single Action Army & Bisley Revolvers, Pre-WWII Production. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. going clockwise: Buffalo Horn (Eagle Grips), Bison bone (custom), Stag (maker Timm earned a Bachelor of Arts from the New York Institute of Technology in 2008 and emerged a technically astute writer. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. Everybody needs an Uncle Bob. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. So sometimes you will find the serial number's last three digits on cylinder? (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. I bought it back in 1976, sold it again in 1977, and then finally bought it a third time in 1996. Contest void where prohibited by law. how to read colt serial numbers. Contest void where prohibited by law. Thanks. In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Its reliable and accurate and hits hard. Model 1909 .45 ACP At the time of this writing, the highest numbers personally observed by me have been in the S61000A range. Worthy of note is that somewhere along the way in the past decade or so, Colt saw fit to go back to the removable cylinder-pin bushing. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. In the case there were several brand new 2nd Generation SAAs in their fancy stagecoach boxes. unknown) hard rubber (Colts standard grip), ivory (Colt custom shop) and All of my 'late' Colts came packed that way, as well. Second generation sales started out gangbusters, then slowly declined through the 1960s. If you can't feel the music; it's only pink noise! Colt M4. Such was popular in the black powder-era because nickel-plating resisted rusting, and the fouling left by shooting black powder ammunition cleaned off nickel-plating easily. The US Army wanted the toughest grips possible on revolvers that were going to be carried for weeks and months at a time on horseback. Eventually, the latter marking did appear again. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. trademarks of Colt's Manufacturing Company, Inc. Hartford, CT. Click here for more information. enter gun serial number. One of my questions was about the markings on the cylinders of 3rd Gens. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected. 1890s, the cylinders base pin was secured by a screw angling in from the Contest open to U.S. residents only. The intricate, tight scrollwork excellently highlights this master craftsmans skill, and is truly a sight to behold. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. To keep 1st and 2nd Generation SAAs sorted, Colt put an SA suffix at the end of the serial number. For instance, SAAs are known to exist as factory originals with color case-hardened frame, blued barrel and cylinder, and nickel plated grip frame. of Coltautos.com and may not be reproduced or Deployed military should use stateside address. The story goes that Mr. Buntline had Colt make up some special SAAs with extra-long barrels which he then presented to a few frontier peace officers, with Wyatt Earp being one recipient. Box 488, Escondido, CA 92033. case-hardened frame (and sometimes hammer), with the rest of the metal parts blued. Serial numbers reached somewhere into the 74000SA range by 1974, when Colt shut down SAA manufacture again. where is the serial number on a 1911 colt 45. The serial number of a gun carries information about its background.Let's explore the secret behind Colt serial numbers now! This could be your opportunity to get a one of a kind heirloom to pass on to your grandchildren and beyond. 1K. Nice gun except for the hammer to frame fit. Of course .45 Colt was tops, but the only other calibers offered as standard were .44 Special, .38 Special and .357 Magnum. (IV) Winners must undergo a background check (if needed) and comply with all other federal, state and local laws. Just look at that nitre blue! Here's his response: I waited almost a year for mine in .44-40 w/ 5 1/2' barrel. This gap in market value between the generations grows even wider when we start looking at embellished revolvers, say a Cuno Helfricht engraved first generation versus a third generation with class D engraving. Outdoor Fact. main frame and grip frame, a 1st Generation barrel and a 3rd Generation .44 WCF/.44-40 cylinder. Box 1926, Escondido, CA 92033. Values range from around $3,000 for 100 percent guns to the $1,000 neighborhood for 60 percent guns. Deployed military should use stateside address. What is most important, other than caliber, is the Generation. Colt Single Action Army & Bisley Revolvers - Production Information. Year. 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