Make: Colt 

Model: Single Action Army, 2nd Generation

Serial Number: 17253SA

Year of Manufacture: 1958 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup), shipped February 20.

Caliber: .38 Special

Action Type: Single Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder 

Barrel Length: 4 3/4” 

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a quarter-round blade fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a square notch at the rear of a groove in the top strap. 

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered black hard rubber with rampant colts in ovals at their tops. The inside of each panel is hand-scribed "17253". The grips have only a few scattered minor marks. The checkering is well defined. There is good detail in the rampant colts. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Excellent condition.

Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color

Finish Originality: Original, matching serial and assembly numbers.

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 10 out of 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 standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes in a hinge-lid cardboard Colt box with black exterior, green interior, manual, warranty card, "Handling the Handgun" pamphlet and a Colt Archives letter. The serial number is hand-written on the bottom of the box. The letter indicates that this revolver shipped February 20, 1958 to Warshal's Sporting Goods Co. in Seattle, Washington as the only gun of its type in the shipment. 

Our Assessment: The Colt Single Action Army is perhaps the quintessential old west handgun, produced for more than a century, serving the U.S. Army as its sidearm from 1873 into the first world war and captivating audiences on the silver screen. The SAA was discontinued by Colt as it tooled up to provide for the WWII war effort, and it was thought by Colt that the design was obsolete, swing-out cylinder revolvers had been around for half a century and autoloaders were gaining in popularity. 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 SAA's.

This example comes from early in production and is a scarce configuration. According to author Don Wilkerson, only 741 blued, 4 3/4", .38 Special revolvers were produced in the 2nd Generation. The revolver is in Excellent condition with a great bore and strong mechanics. We don't like using the term "unfired", but we'd be surprised if this revolver saw much, if any use outside the factory. The gun comes with its original box and is a wonderful example of the 2nd Gen SAA. This would make a fantastic addition to a Colt collection as one of the scarce variants of the second generation. Please see our photos and good luck!