Description from HiBid
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SAA 5 1/2" .45 Revolver & Letter, 1956 C&R. Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army, 2nd Generation
Serial Number: 7376SA
Year of Manufacture: 1958
Caliber: .45 Colt
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 integral to the top strap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered black hard rubber with rampant colts in ovals at their tops. The inside of each panel has "7376" hand-scribed. The grips have a few light marks in the reinforcement rings around the screw escutcheons. Otherwise, there are 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 about Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color
Finish Originality: Original, numbers match.
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 10/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 99% of its metal finish. The cylinder has faint turn-wear. Otherwise, there are only light handling marks. The frame retains strong case color. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. 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: This revolver comes in a hinge-lid cardboard Colt box with black exterior, green interior, model-matching label, and "7376" hand-written on the bottom. Also included is a Colt Archives letter which indicates that his revolver shipped November 30, 1956 to Sportsmans Den in Bridgeport, CT 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 example comes from 1956, that very first year of production, and is in quite Excellent condition with a great bore and strong mechanics. We're quite hesitant to use the word "unfired", and most all of these are test fired at the factory, but one look at the forcing cone or the front face of the cylinder, and its easy to see that this gun has seen little if any use since leaving the factory. The gun is chambered for the original .45 Colt cartridge with a 5 1/2" barrel, a nice middle ground between being handy and having a good sight radius. When originally purchased, the gun made the very short trip from Hartford to Bridgeport, Connecticut all by itself. The gun comes with its original box and is just a gorgeous example of an early 2nd Gen SAA. This would make a great addition to a Colt collection as a high condition, early 2nd Generation with its original box, but it will also make for a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
