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GREAT WESTERN ARMS SAA .45 COLT VALUE/HISTORY/INFO

mrmike08075
1. single action revolver (copy of colt SAA)
2. 6 shot .45 long colt
3. 4 3/4" BBL
4. 10" OAL
5. case hardened frame / blued BBL & cylinder
6. sherrifs model
7. factory stag grips
8. SER.# GW972 (on cyl./on loading gate/on frame)
9. TOP OF BBL.: "GREAT WESTERN ARMS CO."
10. LEFT SIDE BBL.: ".45 COLT"

this gun is in NRA EXCELLANT condition, retaining more then 90% of its bluing. vivid, clean and strong case hardening. swiss watch quality action. gun accompanied by a leather holster marked "BUCHEIMER #596", in great shape. perfect bore with mint rifling, lands and grooves. super light single action trigger pull. the gun locks up super tight.

what is it worth??? what is the year of production??? does anybody carry parts??? i was told that most COLT SAA parts will interchange??? i was told that this is not an import from SPAIN or ITALY??? does anybody have/sell a .45 ACP cylinder??? does anybody make grips that fit/will COLT SAA grips fit??? it it of collector intrest??? does anybody have one???

best regards, mike.

What other dungeon is so dark as ones own heart, what jailer so inexorable as ones own mind.
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Comments

7 comments

Date Votes
  • nmyers
    These guns were imported in the '50s by Hy Hunter. I believe that they were made in West Germany. Fit and finish was not as good as the Colt SAA, but they were well made. They used a rebounding firing pin, an improvement over the Colt version.

    Parts were difficult to find when they were being imported; now, it's unlikely you will find them anywhere. Many Colt parts (ESPECIALLY the stocks) won't even fit on Colt SAA revolvers (at least, without hand fitting.) Aftermarket stocks for the Colt might fit yours, but you will have to take them to a professional or fit them with great patience.

    Neal
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  • rufe-snow
    Great Western Arms was in business for approximately 7 years. Circa 1955 to 1962, this was in Southern California.
    They went into business making single actions went Colt quit in the early 50's. They couldn't compete with Ruger and Colt and folded in the early 60's.
    Best be careful of that "SWISS WATCH" of yours! The last production Great Westerns were sold in kit form i.e. they sent you the parts and you assembled it yourself, not only that some of the internal parts were made of Berilluim Copper, trust me you don't want to cut yourself when your working with it.
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  • hunter7737
    Mike your gun was made in the late 40s or early 50s. The blue book values it @ $350 in 90% but I think $450 or $500 would be closer. The stag grips were special order, but they made imitation stag (plastic) also. This is an import gun. It was a Colt copy so the cylinder might enterchange. The grips should be the same. Because this is an import I don't think the collector value would be high.
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  • mrmike08075
    thanks for the quick responses, let me add a little data.

    GREAT WESTERN ARMS CO. is not HY-HUNTER, UBERTI, ITHICA, or an IMPORT from GERMANY, ITALT, or SPAIN. they were produced in CAL., USA. RUFE SNOW is correct in that regard. RUFE, my gun is an early piece, and the kit guns had a different alpanumeric serial number coding. i, too, was concerned when i saw referances to the production of later guns using lesser materals. the "KIT" guns were in the last two or three years of production as an attempt to keep the failing co. in the red. the early guns were made of the highest quality investment cast steel, machined to duplicate COLT SAA parts exactly (with a few minor parts being different).

    i may resort to a COLT cylinder in the end, but the cost will be high.
    apparently the co. left little behind in the way of records. please keep me informed of any information you may find. this is a personal piece, and all responses are appreciated. THANKS GUYS.
    BEST REGARDS, MIKE.

    What other dungeon is so dark as ones own heart, what jailer so inexorable as ones own mind.
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  • captkirk3@dslextreme.com
    Great Western: Began in VENICE, California, 1954 to 1962... Moved in 1959 to North Hollywood,California.....Thats all My database has to say....

    Captain Kirk, Tech Staff
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  • redcedars
    The Great Western investors only decided to go into production after being repeatedly assured by Colt brass that the company had no intention of returning the SAA to production. John Wayne was among the initial investors. But their success and that of other SA revolvers, along with the cowboy craze of the 50s, led Colt back into production. The GW was more expensive than the imports, and it just wasn't a Colt. Eventually they were squeezed out. They also made an improved Remington over-under type derringer. Both were good guns.

    I have a nickel plated 7.5" .38. Beautiful, and a good shooter. Much safer than the original Colt design. Looking for a nicer set of grips myuself, but haven't tried too hard to find them yet. I have seen them around in the past, just not recently.

    Some collectors are out there. One guy regularly advertised in Gun List wanting to buy them. Definitely a $500 gun, maybe more to the right buyer.

    redcedars
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  • loftwinds
    I have a Great Western in .45LC that has the firing pin in the hammer. Is this original or was it modified for a colt hammer?

    Also need two sets of simulated stag grips for matched engraved pair of Great Western Arms SA pistols. Anyone know where I can find the colt SA style grips?
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