Make: Colt 

Model: Single Action Army, 2nd Generation

Serial Number: 1829SA, Colt's 2nd Generation Single Action Army serial numbers began at "1001SA", making this just the 829th produced.

Year of Manufacture: 1956 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup), shipped February 28.

Caliber: .45 Colt

Action Type: 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 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 "1829". The grips have no notable wear or damage, only light handling 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 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. The cylinder has very minor turn-wear, mostly not through the finish. Otherwise, there are 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 cardboard Colt box with black exterior, green interior, manual, warranty card and a Colt Archives letter. Originally a hinge-lid, the hinge has come off and the box is now two-piece. The bottom of the tray has a hand-written, non-matching serial number. The letter indicates that this revolver shipped February 28, 1956 to Weed and Company in Buffalo, New York as one of two guns of the same 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 that first year of production and is particularly early, shipped at the end of February. 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 a non-matching vintage 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 earliest of the second generation. Please see our photos and good luck!