Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army 2nd Generation
Serial Number: 7200SA
Year of Manufacture: 1956
Caliber: .38 Special
Action Type: 6-Shot 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 groove in the top strap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered black hard rubber with rampant colt in oval at their tops. The grips are not serial marked and the fit may indicate replacement. The grip screw is not original to the gun. The grips have minor handling wear with a few scattered small marks. The interior of the left panel has short cracks at the screw bolster. The checkering is well defined with good detail in the rampant colts. There are no chips. Overall, the grips are in about Fine condition as likely not original to the gun.
Type of Finish: Blue and Case Color
Finish Originality: Original, numbers match.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is infrequent minor erosion and a little stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 8+/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 90% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at some edges. There is light wear and some minor oxidation in the backstrap. The frame retains generally strong case color with infrequent faint oxidation. There are some scattered minor nicks and scratches including a thin scratch on the bottom of the barrel in front of the cylinder pin. The action shows light operational wear including some scattered minor turn-wear on the cylinder. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good-plus 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 requirements
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: Included is a black hinge-lid cardboard Colt box with model matching label. The bottom of the tray has a faint, illegible serial marking. Also included is an instruction sheet and warranty card.
Our Assessment: Production of Single Action Army revolvers was halted at the outset of World War II to free up machines and manpower for filling wartime orders. After the war, Colt decided not to bring the iconic revolver back into production as it was seen as obsolete. The advent of swing-out cylinder revolvers and reliable semi-automatic pistols, they thought, meant that there was no place in the market for the antiquated single action revolver. 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 SAAs.
This is an example from that first year of production, a 5 1/2" model chambered for the .38 Special cartridge. The revolver shows signs of gentle use over the last 70 years, retaining the great majority of its original metal finish, number matching parts apart from the grips, a nice bore and strong mechanics. It includes a period Colt box. It will make a wonderful display in a collection as one of the earliest 2nd Generation SAAs, but should also still prove to be a great shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
