Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army 2nd Generation
Serial Number: 34054SA
Year of Manufacture: 1961
Caliber: .45 Colt
Action Type: 6-Shot 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 groove in the top strap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered black rubber panels with rampant colt in oval at their tops. The inside of each panel has "554" hand-scribed. Being off by only one digit and with a good fit to the frame, it is possible this was a factory error in assembly. The grips have minor handling wear with only a few light marks. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Fine condition as possibly not original to the gun.
Type of Finish: Nickel
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 about 8/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 96% of its metal finish. There are scattered light nicks, scuffs and thin scratches. There is some scattered light scuffing and swirls. The action shows minor operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. There are tool marks around some screw heads. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good-Fine 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, manual, "Handling the Handgun" pamphlet and warranty card. The box has a model-matching label and the serial number is hand-written on the bottom, but the serial marking appears to have been applied over another number.
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, and this example comes from 1961, fairly early in 2nd Gen production.
The revolver is in Very Good-plus condition, retaining the great majority of its desirable nickel finish. The bore has a little minor erosion, but is otherwise mostly bright with sharp rifling. The grips have a non-matching number, but it is only off by one digit, possibly a factory error. The revolver includes a period 2nd generation Colt box with model-matching label, but it appears to have had a matching serial number written over a previous marking on the bottom. In any case, this handsome revolver would make a neat addition to a Colt collection as an example of the second generation with nickel finish and 4 3/4" barrel. It should also still prove to be a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
