Colts SAA
How do I get a quick understanding of Colts SAAs? Ive been hearing of 1st , 2nd, and 3rd Generations and that some Colts use Uberti parts and that 3rd generations are not very good. Can yall answer some of this or tell where I can go to get the info?
Thanks
Rex
Thanks
Rex
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First Generation Made 1873-WW II with a few made from parts after WW II up to 1947 and later.Serial numbers for the most part on more the one place # places two of which may be on the grip frame hidden by the grips after 1921 serial numbers all numbers many changes on details small parts and markings. Second Gen 1956 through 1975 serial numbers 0001SA - 75000SA only on the frame. both first & second gen have removable cylinder bushing third gen will have serial numbers 80000SA -90500SA and then changed to SA01001-SA5XXXX.serial on one place the frame.Cylinder and bushing one piece Then serial was SxxxxxA and many changes to old style and new style parts. But to know all the different changes from 1873 to current you will need MANY books of information. 0 -
what perry said.
as far as the 3rd gen guns being inferior, i think that may have been true early on. but the quality is very good now, at least on the guns I've bought recently. just bought a new nickel 45 that looks and shoots as good as a similar second gen i have. i'm a casual collector, i'm sure perry and others can give you better info.
tom0 -
A fews years back there was a real good web page that explained the differences between Colt SAA generations; however, it is no longer active. Only an archived version of the page exists without pictures to show what he is referring to. There is still good information contained in the text.
revised October 2006
by Bill Hockett
The subject of Colt Single Action Army (SAA) "generations" comes up often among collectors and shooters of the old thumb-buster. Officially there are three generations of the SAA according to Colt. First generation production began in 1873 and officially ceased in 1940. It is well documented that some guns were completed after that date and a few "pre war-post war" SAAs were made as late as 1972 from parts left over from first generation production. 1 In their book A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver, Graham, Kopec and Moore state that some revolvers were made in 1941. It is obvious that even with access to the factory records, historians cannot agree on the last year of first generation guns. There were many small production changes to these guns during this time period and the collector is advised to seek out books (some titles listed here) and other advanced collectors for more information.
Photo # 1 shows an 1884 vintage SAA in .44 Winchester Central Fire or .44 W.C.F. (known today as a .44-40). It has an attractive etched panel on the left side of the barrel that says COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER. This gun has typical early features such as the beveled cylinder on the front face near the flutes, small front sight and a screw that comes through the bottom of the frame to retain the cylinder base pin. Collectors today refer to this feature as a black powder frame. It also has the 4 3/4 inch barrel that became popular in the 1880s.
Colt Frontier Six Shooter Photo 1
Photo # 2 shows the left side barrel marking on this gun. Only guns in .44 W.C.F. had this marking. The etched panel was replaced with a die stamped marking in 1889. That lasted until the early 1937 when it was finally replaced with a COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY and caliber marking.
Colt Frontier Six Shooter Photo 2
Photo # 3 shows an 1870s or early 1880s rejected military contract gun that was later offered for civilian sale by Colt. It has varnished walnut grips. This feature was stopped on civilian guns in 1882 and replaced with the black hard rubber Eagle grips. Some of these rejected military contract guns had minor flaws in fit or finish. They sold easily in the civilian market. This one is .45 Colt and has a 7 1/2 inch barrel which was standard on early guns and the only length available for several years.
Photo # 4 shows a "pre-war" SAA in .38 W.C.F. (today known as a .38-40). In 1895, Colt started putting in a transverse frame screw with spring to retain the cylinder base pin. This became standard in 1896. It allows removal of the cylinder pin by pushing in on the screw from the left side of the frame and does not require any tools. Otherwise, there is no improvement over the older frame screw. This gun was made in 1902 and also has a rounded triggerguard that was used from 1895 to 1917. After that Colt went back to the flat triggerguard and continues with it to this day. The caliber marking on the left side of the barrel simply says 38 W.C.F. SAA's made after 1900 were proofed for smokeless powder but collectors generally refer to any SAA with the transverse frame screw as a "smokeless powder" gun.
Photo # 5 shows a late pre-war SAA made in 1938. By this time more minor changes had taken place including removing the bevels on the front of the cylinder, making the front sight larger and thicker, changing the barrel caliber markings, and making the rear sight channel into a square U shape rather than the narrow V that was used until 1931. The caliber markings on the left side of the barrel read COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY .38 SPECIAL. This was changed in 1937.
Second generation production began in 1956 with 0001SA and ceased in 1975 at approximate serial number 73319SA. Second generation guns were essentially identical to late first generation guns and may have even used some left over pre-war parts on early guns. Note the much larger front sight than was used on most of the first generation guns. Collector and historian Don Wilkerson wrote that Colt actually made 10 second generation SAAs in November 1955. 2 Colt skipped the serial numbers after the end of second generation production up until 80,000SA. 3 Photo # 6 shows a second generation SAA.
Third generation production resumed in 1976 at serial number 80,000SA. Some changes were made to third generation guns including a new hand, cylinder ratchet, barrel threads, and pressed in cylinder bushing. When serial number 99,999SA was reached, they changed the format to add an SA prefix. Serial numbering started over at SA0001. That was continued up until SA99,999 was reached in 1993. Then they started over again with S00001A where it continues to this day. During this period the Colt factory also moved to a different location and some manufacturing methods might have changed, but the physical third generation guns are the same. The quality of third generation guns has improved over the years. Colt had some quality problems in the 1980s, but the current guns are very well made. Again, according to Colt (it's their gun) there are NO fourth generation SAAs. 4 Recently, Colt reintroduced the full length removable cylinder base pin bushing to the third generation. The new bushing appeared in March 2003 with serial number S3439xA. Photo # 7 shows a current production third generation SAA.
Some people mistakenly believe that any SAA with an SA suffix (xxxxSA) is a second generation, but this is incorrect. Some people also believe that any SAA with a split SxxxxA is a "fourth generation" but again this is incorrect.
After all, in the period from 1873-1940 numerous production changes were made to the SAA including going from iron to steel frames, changing from "black powder" to so-called "smokeless" frames, changing size of the front sights, changing cylinder beveling, changing rear sight groove (twice), changing hammer styles, ejector housings beveling, etc. All the guns made during this period are called first generation guns, even though one made in 1873 is quite a bit different than one made in 1940. These guns are still referred to as first generation even with all the differences.
Endnotes0 -
quote:Originally posted by Boomerang
A fews years back there was a real good web page that explained the differences between Colt SAA generations; however, it is no longer active. Only an archived version of the page exists without pictures to show what he is referring to. There is still good information contained in the text.That article did provide a pretty good overview of the generations of Single Actions. I was fortunate to save it as a Word file, with pictures, before it was archived!
You are right; the information alone is still pretty good if you don't have any of the various books!0 -
Thank you all. This really helps 0
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