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Author Topic: My father's old SAA  (Read 673 times)

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Offline wallypedal

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My father's old SAA
« on: July 15, 2010, 12:24:02 PM »
Short of buying reference books or paying for expensive appraisals, how do you determine the age and value of an old Colt? He acquired this in Tucson about 1940, I'm pretty sure it's the 1st gen BP type, but it has a floating firing pin!  When and why was anyone converting older Colts to that? I can make pics or give number info if that would help anyone answer my questions. Not sure if any of the serial numbers match. The cylinder has one chamber with a hairline crack. No, we don't shoot it! The wood grips have a little star and a couple notches carved in the edge.

Thanks!
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Offline 44 Man

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Re: My father's old SAA
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2010, 02:32:23 PM »
How wonderful that you have his old gun!  That is priceless!  You can contact Colt, and for a fee ($100+ dollars last I checked) they will supply you with a written record on Colt letterhead of when the gun left the factory and where it was shipped to.  That said, Colt never has made a SAA with a floating fireing pin.  But there were some Custom gunsmiths in years past that thought that it was the greatest thing in the world to convert a SAA over.  Probably the greatest part was the money it put in their pocket.  It shows your father cared enough about this Colt to have it converted.  I'm sure that was an upgrade in his eyes.  As for the crack, if the gun is nickeled, it could just be a break in the edge of the nickle plating.  Best you have a good gunsmith look it over and check that out.  Congrats on your gun, many of us wish we could have had a gun from our father.  44 Man
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You are never too old to have a happy childhood!

Offline wallypedal

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Re: My father's old SAA
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2010, 04:41:35 AM »
Well, I think it's an Artillery model that someone modified the hammer on. I base that on the U.S. stamped to the right of the patent references, and the serial # on the frame ahead of the trigger guard -- 7012. I websearched and looked at all the pictures and descriptions for 1st gen models, and the Artillery mods meant mis-matched serial numbers too. It fits with what I'm looking at. It is a treasure. Dad was doing moose research in Wyo in the 40's, and packed it in bear country where he was working solo most of the time.

I'll get some pictures up soon, maybe someone will help confirm what it is.
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