A few weeks ago I posted about my Colt SAA SN 3275 and I got a few PM's asking about it, so I thought I would take a minute to write it up in case anyone on this forum is interested in old Martial SAAs...
So far, I feel confident that this gun was a late 1873 production (From "Colt Cavalry, Artillery and Militia Revolvers" - by Keith Cochran, 1994 ed) as SN 2337-3437 were received by Springfield Armory on Jan 3, 1874. This almost certainly would put it at year end production 1873, and also in "A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver" Kopec, Graham and Moore show a Cavalry SN 3521 and state as being "manufactured late in 1873") So it looks as though according to Cochran, Kopec, Graham and Moore, SN 3275 is a late 1873 production.
Secondly, specific to this gun, I contacted Joe Canali (Colt Historian) at Colt and was pleased to know that there was documented information on this Colt. Joe Canali stated that the early SAA information was lost, but luckily this particular Colt was sent back to Colt for "refurbishing consisting of replacement of worn parts, exterior refinishing and reassembly" and then sent back to the U,S, Government inspector on Jan 2, 1896. (Colt Letter is attached)
This Colt is interesting in that the Frame, Trigger gaurd and buttplate all have serial number 3275, althought the barrel was replaced and has DFC marked on the bottom of the barrel along side of "P" (Firing proof mark)
The "A" is present under the serial number and the "C" inspector stamp is present in the hammer slot. The 'small' US stamp looks good as well as most of the address lines on the frame. Unfortunately, the gun has 3 major flaws: the barrel was cut down from 5 1/2" to 4 3/4" and the gun has light pitting under a later nickle finish and the original grips are not present (although it has really neat old one-piece walnuts with hand-laid ivory bearing '101 RANCH' scratched in them)
So, Although I don't have a good example, I do have a important example of early US/Colt history. I feel that this gun MUST have served in both the American-Indian and Spanish American wars and that means something historic to me. A know a lot of early Cavalry models either were "stolen" or lost in battle, but this one fought from 1874 until it was fefurbished by Colt and sent back. Who knows, this gun could have been with the 7th Cavalry or the Rough Riders - that's part of its mystique...but I feel confident that it served an important purpose almost 135 years ago!
This gun does also remind us that not all collectable guns have to be in any particular condition. Even though this gun isn't one to fit in a nice collection, and its value reflects that, it still gives its owner a conduit to the past. I'll care for it and try to uncover more information if I can, and pass that on to the next caretaker. One things for sure, guns like these do tell a story...
Here it is with the one-piece Walnuts that were obviously carved by someone affiliated with the famous 101 Ranch:
[Broken External Image]
[Broken External Image]
Grips up close:
[Broken External Image]
[Broken External Image]
So far, I feel confident that this gun was a late 1873 production (From "Colt Cavalry, Artillery and Militia Revolvers" - by Keith Cochran, 1994 ed) as SN 2337-3437 were received by Springfield Armory on Jan 3, 1874. This almost certainly would put it at year end production 1873, and also in "A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver" Kopec, Graham and Moore show a Cavalry SN 3521 and state as being "manufactured late in 1873") So it looks as though according to Cochran, Kopec, Graham and Moore, SN 3275 is a late 1873 production.
Secondly, specific to this gun, I contacted Joe Canali (Colt Historian) at Colt and was pleased to know that there was documented information on this Colt. Joe Canali stated that the early SAA information was lost, but luckily this particular Colt was sent back to Colt for "refurbishing consisting of replacement of worn parts, exterior refinishing and reassembly" and then sent back to the U,S, Government inspector on Jan 2, 1896. (Colt Letter is attached)
This Colt is interesting in that the Frame, Trigger gaurd and buttplate all have serial number 3275, althought the barrel was replaced and has DFC marked on the bottom of the barrel along side of "P" (Firing proof mark)
The "A" is present under the serial number and the "C" inspector stamp is present in the hammer slot. The 'small' US stamp looks good as well as most of the address lines on the frame. Unfortunately, the gun has 3 major flaws: the barrel was cut down from 5 1/2" to 4 3/4" and the gun has light pitting under a later nickle finish and the original grips are not present (although it has really neat old one-piece walnuts with hand-laid ivory bearing '101 RANCH' scratched in them)
So, Although I don't have a good example, I do have a important example of early US/Colt history. I feel that this gun MUST have served in both the American-Indian and Spanish American wars and that means something historic to me. A know a lot of early Cavalry models either were "stolen" or lost in battle, but this one fought from 1874 until it was fefurbished by Colt and sent back. Who knows, this gun could have been with the 7th Cavalry or the Rough Riders - that's part of its mystique...but I feel confident that it served an important purpose almost 135 years ago!
This gun does also remind us that not all collectable guns have to be in any particular condition. Even though this gun isn't one to fit in a nice collection, and its value reflects that, it still gives its owner a conduit to the past. I'll care for it and try to uncover more information if I can, and pass that on to the next caretaker. One things for sure, guns like these do tell a story...
Here it is with the one-piece Walnuts that were obviously carved by someone affiliated with the famous 101 Ranch:
[Broken External Image]
[Broken External Image]
Grips up close:
[Broken External Image]
[Broken External Image]
