Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army, 2nd Generation
Serial Number: 1258SA
Year of Manufacture: 1956 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .38 Special
Action Type: 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 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 right panel has "1258" hand-scribed on the inside, the left has "1549". The grips have no notable wear or damage, only light handling marks. The checkering is well defined. There is good detail in the rampant colts. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Excellent condition as partially not original to the gun.
Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color
Finish Originality: Original
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 9 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 96% of its metal finish. There is a little finish wear at the muzzle on each side. The flat at the hammer slot in the top of the backstrap is in the white. The finish is thinning lightly at some edges. The action shows light operational wear including a thin turn-line on the cylinder. There is a patch of pinprick erosion outside one of the cylinder flutes. The frame retains strong case color. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are generally clear, the backstrap serial marking is lightly struck and incomplete. Overall, this revolver is in Fine condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. Lockup produces barely perceptible 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, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The expiration of Smith & Wesson's patent on the bored-through cylinder in 1869 led Colt to design the revolutionary M-1873 Single Action Army, which soon earned the moniker the "Peacemaker", "Equalizer", and "gun that won the West". Carried by soldiers, cowboys, lawmen and outlaws alike, the Colt SAA quickly became synonymous with the untamed wilds of the American West. Manufactured from 1873-1941, the Single Action Army was discontinued by Colt as it tooled up to provide for the war effort in WW2. Colt also believed that the design was obsolete, as swing-out cylinder revolvers had been around for half a century, and autoloaders were gaining in popularity. The SAA most likely would have never been made again if not for the “cowboy craze” of the 1950s. Demand for Colt SAAs skyrocketed, and led Colt to reintroduce this American classic in 1956, birthing the 2nd Generation Colt Single Action Army.
This Rare, First Year Colt 2nd Gen SAA was made in 1956 and is in Fine condition, with a low serial number, 5 ½” barrel, strong bore, and great mechanics. The serial numbers for 2nd Gen SAAs began at 1001SA, thus making this the 257th 2nd Generation Single Action Army made. Most notably, it retains about 96% of its original finish, with lustrous bluing throughout, and gorgeous iridescent color case hardening on the frame. The gun is chambered for the common .38 Special cartridge, so if you choose to shoot it, ammunition should be easy to find in a variety of loads. This is a stunning example of a 2nd Gen SAA, and would make a wonderful addition to a Colt collection as one of the earliest of the second generation SAA revolvers produced.
Pistol