Colt 1st Gen Early Smokeless SAA Army 4 3/4″ C&R Blue & Case Single Action Revolver, 1901 38-40 Win

SOLD FOR: $1,925.00
LSB#: 
180918JR02

Make: Colt

Model: 1873 Single Action Army 1st Generation, Early Smokeless Powder

Serial Number: 210230

Year of Manufacture: 1901

Caliber: .38-40 Winchester

Action Type: Single Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder

Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “38 W.C.F.”. The left side of the frame is marked “PAT SEPT.19.1871. / JULY 2,72. JAN.19,75.” and with a Rampant Colt logo. The top of the barrel is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. Co. / HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A.”. The underside of the frame at the trigger guard and the trigger guard are marked “210230”. The bottom of the backstrap is marked with “210 / 230”. The top rear of the loading gate is marked with an assembly number “354”. The right rear of the trigger guard is marked “8”. The back of the frame under the hammer and above the cylinder pin hole is marked with a tiny “7” and the front face of the cylinder is marked “7”.

Barrel Length: 4 ¾” 

Sights / Optics: This revolver is mounted with a “V” groove in the top strap for a rear sight and a thin, quarter round blade fixed to the barrel.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered black hard rubber with Rampant Colts in an oval at the tops of the grips. There are a several parallel dings in the bottom of the right grip and a large bruise on the bottom edge of the left grip. The checkered surfaces show light to moderate wear with a mar near the lower front corner of the left grip. The grips are in about Very Good overall condition.

Type of Finish: The finish is blued with a case colored frame, hammer and trigger.

Finish Originality: The finish is original.

Bore Condition: The bore is gray with sharp rifling. There are dark spots of light erosion scattered throughout the bore.

Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 25% of its metal finish. There is light pinprick surface erosion scattered over the surfaces with heavier erosion in the cylinder, which also shows a drag line. There is surface loss in most areas, with case coloring present on the sides of the hammer and trigger and the sides of the frame in front of the cylinder, and spots of bluing remaining on the sides of the trigger guard and in the protected areas. There are dings in the barrel around the front sight, scratches in the underside of the barrel, a bruise in the ejector rod housing and two light drag lines in the right side of the frame. There are also a few light handling marks scattered over the surfaces. The hammer knurling shows moderate wear. The grip screw is distressed. The markings are clear but with light wear in those on the side of the frame. The revolver is in about Good condition.

Mechanics: The cylinder lockup is solid on all six chambers and the trigger pull is crisp. The hammer has 1/8 and ½ cock safety positions. The action functions correctly. We have not fired this revolver. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None

Our Assessment: The Colt SAA revolver and Winchester Model 1873 rifle were two guns that helped tame the Wild West of the United States in the last quarter of the 19th Century.This is a one hundred and eighteen-year-old Colt SAA 1st Generation revolver made in the Early Smokeless Powder period with a blued finish and a case colored frame. The revolver has a 4 ¾” barrel, black checkered hard rubber grips, and is chambered in .38-40 Win. The .38-40 cartridge was a necked-down .44-40, offering slightly less recoil, and along with the .44-40 and .32-20, it was a blackpowder cartridge designed by Winchester and adopted by Colt, giving cowboys and other westerners the option of acquiring both rifle and revolver chambered for the same cartridge, simplifying the logistics of keeping ammo on hand. The revolver is in about Good condition with about 25% of its original finish remaining. The bore is gray with sharp rifling and dark spots of light erosion scattered throughout the bore. The cylinder lockup is SOLID on all six chambers. All of the Colt 1st Generation revolvers are heavily collected, and we expect this one to be as well.

CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable: This C&R eligible single action revolver CAN be transferred as a dealer sale in California and CAN be sold as a Private Party Transfer (PPT) at our Simi Valley shop. All cartridge firing handguns (even C&R’s and antiques) sold to a California resident must be DROS’d. This does not apply to out of state residents.

Colt 1st Gen Early Smokeless SAA Army 4 3/4" C&R Blue & Case Single Action Revolver, 1901 38-40 Win
Colt 1st Gen Early Smokeless SAA Army 4 3/4″ C&R
Blue & Case Single Action Revolver, 1901 38-40 Win