Make: Colt
Model: Single Action Army 2nd Generation
Serial Number: 21827SA
Year of Manufacture: 1958
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 rubber panels with rampant colt in oval at their tops. The inside of each panel has "827" hand-scribed. The grips have no notable wear or damage, only light handling marks. The checkering is well defined and there is 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 a no erosion in the bore, just a little bit of stubborn fouling. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 9+/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 97% of its metal finish. The action shows minor operational wear. There are a few scattered minor marks. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Fine-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 1958, early in 2nd Gen production.
The revolver is in Fine-plus condition with a great bore, strong mechanics and little sign of use over the past 68 years. The revolver retains the vast majority of its original finish and all matching numbered parts. This would make a great addition to a Colt collection as an early example of the second generation, but should also still prove to be a fun shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
