The action is crisp but the hammer will not hold at full or half-cock. The barrel legend, patent markings, caliber designation and serial numbers are all clear. The grip exhibits the same moderate wear as the metal surfaces with old chips at the junction of the frame and grip strap and heavy handling wear on the lower edges of the grip. The barrel has some light pitting at the muzzle. The balance of the revolver is a mottled, silver-gray with scattered spots of age discoloration and occasional light handling marks and scratches. 30% of the original blue finish remain on the fluted sides of the ejector housing, bottom of the barrel beneath the replaced ejector housing, in the cylinder flutes and on the edges of the trigger guard bow. In addition to the Colt factory letter, this revolver is also accompanied by an old letter from the Connecticut State Library still with the original envelop dated 1957, and addressed to Fort Dodge, Iowa, which provides general details of Colt Single Action Army production and indicates this revolver was manufactured in 1873.įine with period-modified front sight blade. First year production commercial Single Action Army revolvers with pinch frame and two-line, 1872, patent markings are extremely rare. The front sight blade has been period-altered to accept a "Jack" style front sight with colored bead. The loading gate lacks the assembly number found on most later production Single Action Army revolvers. The serial number, "89", is stamped: (1) the underside of the barrel, (2) bottom of the frame, (3) bottom of the trigger guard, (4) bottom of the back strap and (5) side of the cylinder. Small Colt "C" and "S" sub-inspection marks are stamped on the underside of the barrel on either side of the boss hole and "H" is stamped on the rear face of the cylinder between the chambers. "45 CAL" is stamped on the left shoulder of the trigger guard.
U.S.A.+" with slanted crosses at either end. The barrel is roll-stamped with the first style, script barrel address: "+COLT'S PT. The hammer has elongated, bordered, knurling on the spur. The cylinder has the early small bolt stops. In addition to the pinch-frame top strap, the revolver has the first style ejector housing with barrel boss and the early "bullseye" ejector rod head. "Not Listed" barrel length and stock indicates that the revolver was shipped with a standard length 7 1/2-inch barrel and one-piece walnut grip. 45/c, Barrel Length: Not Listed, Finish: Blue, Type of Stocks: Not Listed, Shipped To: Spies, Kissam and Company, Address: New York, New York, Date of Shipment: May 30, 1874" and "Number of Same Type of Guns in Shipment: 15". This revolver is accompanied by a Colt factory letter that lists the key features as: "Serial Number: 89, Caliber. These rare patent markings are found only on the very earliest Single Action Army revolvers. 19.1871/PAT.JULY.2.1872" patent markings on the left side of the frame.
#Colt saa serial numbers by year serial number#
This revolver has the very rare "pinch-frame" top strap that has been observed on Single Action revolvers through serial number 152 and even more rare, two-line: "PAT.SEPT. This is a much sought after example of a pinched frame Colt Single Action Army revolver, serial number 89, that was manufactured in 1873.