My first generation Colt SAA is serial number 325891. The barrel is marked "Colt Single Action Army 45". Is this the correct marking for a 45 Colt in this serial number range?
Colt SAA Question.
- Thread starter Cyrano
- Start date
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Should be just 45 COLT on the left side just in front of the frame.
#325,000 is generally considered the start of 1913.
Lots of changes in the 1913 to early 1920's Colts as far as markings. But one thing stayed the same as the 1900-1912 guns and that was the caliber marking(s) style.
FWIW,,the the 1913-early 20's production included the SA's that got fitted with the converted Model 1878 DA Model cylinders,,,the so called 'Long Flute Cylinder' Colt SAA's.
Yours is probably a bit early in the production for it to be one (thought to be around 1915), but you never know.
Easily recognizable as the cylinder flute cut extends behind/to the rear of the locking bolt cut. On a standard cylinder, the flute cut is just about even with the front edge of the bolt cut.
Also the Long Flute cylinder has a shorter than normal cylinder bushing,,about 3/4 the OAL of the cylinder itself.
#325,000 is generally considered the start of 1913.
Lots of changes in the 1913 to early 1920's Colts as far as markings. But one thing stayed the same as the 1900-1912 guns and that was the caliber marking(s) style.
FWIW,,the the 1913-early 20's production included the SA's that got fitted with the converted Model 1878 DA Model cylinders,,,the so called 'Long Flute Cylinder' Colt SAA's.
Yours is probably a bit early in the production for it to be one (thought to be around 1915), but you never know.
Easily recognizable as the cylinder flute cut extends behind/to the rear of the locking bolt cut. On a standard cylinder, the flute cut is just about even with the front edge of the bolt cut.
Also the Long Flute cylinder has a shorter than normal cylinder bushing,,about 3/4 the OAL of the cylinder itself.
OP
Thanks, 2152hq; looks like it's been rebarrelled. It's been messed with otherwise, too: every screw is peened in place by two indents, at 180º from each other. It doesn't seem to have a detachable cylinder bushing eiher, unless it's been glued in place by dried grease, although the cylinder is blued but the bushing is in the white.
Attachments
A newer,later style hammer too.
The bbl is what they call a Post War (WW2) 'Colt Repair Dept. Bbl'.
The Colt address is rolled on the right hand side instead of on the top.
That's the style address that was on the bbls sold by Colt as replacements thru the Repair/Service Dept. and also the type used by the Colt Repair dept if you sent your gun in for service and it needed a new bbl or or you requested a new one for what ever reason.
Might be a 3rd Gen cyl w/the bushing made as part of the cylinder.
They will fit the earlier guns but you also need to replace the existing hand w/a 3rd generation style hand to make it work as the ratchet teeth were changed on the 3rd gen from the 1st & 2nd.
You can see the bushing from the back of the cylinder on the 1st and 2nd gen.
The 3rds show no outline of one around the cylinder pin hole at the ratchet.
Might just be one that's tightly pressed together too. Some people don't fit them,,they hammer it into place. Could be Locktite'd or even soft soldered in place too to secure one that was a bit loose and/or holding an endshake shim right behind the head of it to tighten up the cylinder.
You run into all kinds of gunsmithing done to older Colt SAA's.
The bbl is what they call a Post War (WW2) 'Colt Repair Dept. Bbl'.
The Colt address is rolled on the right hand side instead of on the top.
That's the style address that was on the bbls sold by Colt as replacements thru the Repair/Service Dept. and also the type used by the Colt Repair dept if you sent your gun in for service and it needed a new bbl or or you requested a new one for what ever reason.
Might be a 3rd Gen cyl w/the bushing made as part of the cylinder.
They will fit the earlier guns but you also need to replace the existing hand w/a 3rd generation style hand to make it work as the ratchet teeth were changed on the 3rd gen from the 1st & 2nd.
You can see the bushing from the back of the cylinder on the 1st and 2nd gen.
The 3rds show no outline of one around the cylinder pin hole at the ratchet.
Might just be one that's tightly pressed together too. Some people don't fit them,,they hammer it into place. Could be Locktite'd or even soft soldered in place too to secure one that was a bit loose and/or holding an endshake shim right behind the head of it to tighten up the cylinder.
You run into all kinds of gunsmithing done to older Colt SAA's.
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OP
Thanks, guys. No cylinder bushing is visible on the back of the cylinder, so i's probably a 3d generation cylinder. It's probably a 'Colt repair department' barrel, too. Amazing the information that's available on the forum.
Cyrano,
That's still a pretty nice, original finish looking gun. I have never seen the screws center punched like that. It's a shame. Yes the cyl base pin is a replacement but not a Colt. They are not expensive and a genuine Colt pin would spiff up your gun.
Does it have a "drawer" number stamped anywhere; under the ER housing, grips, etc.? If Colt did the barrel/cyl change, a drawer number is stamped on every major part of a Colt returned to the factory for Rework/Repair. And usually but not always, an ampersand (&) on the right rear trigger guard bow.
If the bushing is in the white but the cyl is blue, they almost must be separate parts.
The cylinder sure looks like a 1st generation. It clearly has the '1/2" radius' flutes of the prewar guns. If you compare them to any 2nd or 3rd gen guns, you'll notice how much more slender their cyl flutes are and pointier on the back end of the flute. Good photos of post war Colts here in this thread to compare:
Colt SAA?
That's still a pretty nice, original finish looking gun. I have never seen the screws center punched like that. It's a shame. Yes the cyl base pin is a replacement but not a Colt. They are not expensive and a genuine Colt pin would spiff up your gun.
Does it have a "drawer" number stamped anywhere; under the ER housing, grips, etc.? If Colt did the barrel/cyl change, a drawer number is stamped on every major part of a Colt returned to the factory for Rework/Repair. And usually but not always, an ampersand (&) on the right rear trigger guard bow.
If the bushing is in the white but the cyl is blue, they almost must be separate parts.
The cylinder sure looks like a 1st generation. It clearly has the '1/2" radius' flutes of the prewar guns. If you compare them to any 2nd or 3rd gen guns, you'll notice how much more slender their cyl flutes are and pointier on the back end of the flute. Good photos of post war Colts here in this thread to compare:
Colt SAA?
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