Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army 2nd Generation
Serial Number: 26455SA
Year of Manufacture: 1959
Caliber: .44 Special
Action Type: 6-Shot Single Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder
Barrel Length: 7 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 interior of each grip has "455" hand-scribed. The grips have only a few minor marks around the edges. The checkering is well defined with good detail in the rampant colts. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Excellent condition.
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 faint oxidation in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 9+/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 99% of its metal finish. There is no notable wear or damage, only light handling marks. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Excellent 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 and the serial number hand-written on the bottom. Also included is a Colt Archives letter indicating that this revolver shipped in its current configuration to S. P. Singer Company in Boise, ID June 4, 1959 as one of two guns of the same type in the shipment.
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 1959, fairly early in 2nd generation production. It is a desirable configuration with a 7 1/2" barrel and chambered for the .44 Special cartridge. The revolver appears to have spent more time in its included original box than out, retaining 99% original metal finish with only a few minor marks on the grips. The revolver originally shipped to S.P. Singer Company, also known as Singer's Loans, a pawn shop on Main St. in Boise, Idaho. Its high condition, original box and desirable chambering will make it a fine addition to any collection. Please see our photos and good luck!
