Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army 2nd Generation
Serial Number: 27658SA
Year of Manufacture: 1959
Caliber: .38 Special
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 "658" hand-scribed. The grips have minor handling wear with a few light marks. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Nickel
Finish Originality: Original, numbers match (see Our Assessment).
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is a patch of erosion and light pitting in the bore about 1" from the muzzle. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about 7/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 95% of its metal finish. There is infrequent minor flaking, most notable at the bottom-front corner of the frame on the right and at the hammer screw on the right of the frame. There is some scattered light scuffing and swirls. There are some minor nicks and small scratches. The action shows light operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. There are light tool marks around some screw heads. 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: None.
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 1959, 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 patch of erosion, but is otherwise bright with sharp rifling. Perhaps most interesting is that the revolver appears to have a second set of assembly numbers. The standard assembly number is found on the rear of the loading gate and the right-rear of the frame, as is normal. An additional assembly number is found on the front face of the cylinder, the right side of each portion of the grip frame, and on the rear of the loading gate closer to the hinge. It is not clear what the purpose of this second assembly number might be. It is possible the revolver was returned to the factory for some reason, but it does not have any of the typical markings applied for a factory repair. In any case, this handsome revolver would make a neat addition to a Colt collection as an example of the second generation with non-standard markings and should still prove to be a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
