In House Shipping:
Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army, 1st Generation
Serial Number: 257813
Year of Manufacture: 1904 (
https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .38 Long 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.”, and the left is marked “38 COLT”. The left of the frame is marked “PAT SEPT 19 1871. / JULY 2 72 JAN. 19. 75.” with a rampant colt logo. The bottom of the frame is marked “257813”. The rear of the loading gate has assembly number “4709”. . The left of the trigger guard is marked “5”. The inside of each grip panel is hand-scribed “AAA”.
Barrel Length: 5 1/2”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a “V”-notch at the rear of a groove in the top strap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered black hard rubber with the rampant colt in an oval at the top of each panel. The grips have heavy handling wear with some scattered scuffs and scratches. The left panel has a loss near the top arch, but it has been repaired. The right panel shows a loss and repair near the bottom corner toe. The checkering ranges from well-defined to smooth. There are no external cracks, but the left panel has a crack at the screw escutcheon bolster on the interior. Overall, the grips are in good condition.
Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright with sharp rifling. There are some scattered spots of light erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates about 7 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 20% of its original metal finish. The observable case color is muted but original. The small parts in blue were refinished and have held up well since the work was done, leaving behind about 65%. The finish is thinning at some edges including the muzzle, the ejector rod, and the cylinder face. The case color is mostly muted with some good color in protected areas. There is finish wear along the ejector housing and left of the barrel. There is scattered wear on the cylinder with some pits still existing even though blued over. There are scattered light nicks and scratches. There is some minor surface oxidation. The action shows moderate-heavy operational wear, most on the side faces of the hammer. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with usable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. Lockup produces barely perceptible play on all six chambers. The trigger is crisp. The cylinder has a removable bushing. 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: Comes with a leather holster and belt rig
Our Assessment: Colt’s Single Action Army is, perhaps more than any other, an iconic American pistol. It was the U.S. issue sidearm for the last two decades of the 19th century, used by pioneers, outlaws, and lawmen across the expanding nation, and captivated audiences on the silver screen and television (and still does today). Produced for nearly a century and a half, they are still being made, today! This example is a 1st Generation Single Action Army made in 1921. It shows its age, retaining 20% original metal finish, but still has a good bore and strong mechanics. In all, this revolver looks like one that was put to its intended use over the last century but has been generally well-maintained. Any 1st Generation SAA would make a great addition to a Colt collection, and this early 20th Century example should be no exception.