My new Colt

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The bankruptcy had no effect on Peacemaker production.

Colt is down to about 150 a month now as a whole, out of which the Custom Shop gets a percentage, but not because of the bankruptcy.

That may or may not increase any time soon, and keep in mind that whatever numbers the Custom Shop puts out depends on what the production floor guy puts out.

The CS takes guns from the production guy to meet custom orders, and the CS doesn't get 'em all.
Denis
 
If CraigC's 200 per month is correct, it comes to a total 2,400 a year, and that isn't much.

Howdy

Thought I would do a little bit of snooping in one of my books about production numbers for the SAA over the years.

Production of the Single Action Army has never been very high.

The first year, 1873 only 200 were produced. That is understandable since it was a brand new model.

Production picked up for about the next ten years.

1874 -14,800
1875 -7,000
1876 - 11,000
1877 - 8,000
1878 - 8,000
1879 - 4,000
1880 - 9,000
1881 - 11,000
1882 - 12,000
1883 - 17,000
1884 - 12,000

Then from 1885 until 1895 production dropped, with 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, or 5,000 produced most years. The high point for that period was 8,000 produced in 1891.

In both 1897 and 1898, 7,000 were produced each year.

Then production took an upswing for several years from 1899 until 1907 with typical production numbers running 10,000, 11,000, or 15,000 per year. The all time highest production number for the entire First Generation period was 18,000 produced in 1902.

After 1907, production numbers went into a pretty steady decline, with 4,000 produced in 1908, 1909, and 1910. The one blip was 5,000 produced in 1911. After that the decline was pretty steady.

1912 - 4,000
1913 - 3,000
1914 - 1,500
1915 - 2,500
1916 - 3,000
1917 - 2,000
1918 - 200
1919 - 800
1920 - 3,000
1921 - 2,000
1922 - 1,500
1923 - 1,900
1924 - 900
1925 - 900
1926 - 1,600
1927 - 1,500
1928 - 1,100
1929 - 1,400
1930 - 400
1931 - 400
1932 - 300
1933 - 200
1934 - 200
1935 - 100
1936 - 100
1937 - 700
1938 - 500
1939 - 400
1940 - 859 - End of First Generation Production

Total produced 1873 -1940 (First Generation) - 357,859



Second Generation Production:

1956 - 8,799
1957 - 9,699
1958 - 4,899
1959 - 5,099
1960 - 5,099
1961 - 2,049
1962 - 1,649
1963 - 1,199
1964 - 1,499
1965 - 1,499
1966 - 2,299
1967 - 2,499
1968 - 2,699
1969 - 3,599
1970 - 6,799
1971 - 2,299
1972 - 2,899
1973 - 4,999
1974 - 1099
1975 - 2,818 - End of Second Generation Production

Total produced 1956 - 1975 (Second Generation) 73,319

Unfortunately the Third Generation figures I have are less specific.

1976 ~ 1978 - 19,999
1978 ~ 1993 - 98,998
1993 ~ 1999 - 24,698 plus

That is the latest figures I have.

We can probably draw a few conclusions from this.

The first ten or so years of production the SAA was a state of the art firearm and Colt sold as many as they could crank out. Most of these were probably military sales, probably not so many were civilian sales.

From the mid 1880s through the late 1890s sales were down. Perhaps because of competitors and perhaps because of other factors.

For some reason production jumped up from 1899 until 1907. I have no explanation for that, perhaps there was a general economic upturn.

The from 1908 on sales went into a pretty steady decline. Probably the emerging markets for double action revolvers and semi-automatic pistols was eating into SAA sales. World War One took a big bite out of sales with only 1000 being produced in 1918 and 1919. I suspect Colt was probably busy producing the 1911 pistol at this time.

The Great Depression really bit into sales of a gun that was probably already considered obsolete. Only 100 were produced in both 1935 and 1936.

Colt probably had no plans to start up production of the SAA again after World War Two. Notice that the Second Generation did not start up again until 1956, after a young upstart named Bill Ruger proved that there was a new market for the obsolete old SAA. It did not hurt that many of those returning GIs were buying televisions and suddenly there were cowboys galloping through living rooms all over the country.

Sorry my data for the Third Generation is so lacking. Those dates represent the changing of the serial number suffixes and prefixes.

It is also interesting that every year of Second Generation production ended with 99. I have no idea why.


Data is from Jerry Kuhnhausen's Colt Single Action Revolvers Shop Manual, Volumes 1 & 2.
 
DWJ's production figures certainly put things into perspective. Up until only very recently, if one wanted a new Colt SAA, they were not difficult at all to procure. IMHO, the current shortage can be attributed to two main factors. One, Colt's current financial woes have pushed people to buy them due to fear of not being able to. Two, when USFA decided to stop making revolvers it created a vacuum in the high end SAA market. A market that Colt is unable to fully satisfy. Not to mention that USFA made many more variations, models and chamberings than Colt has in 100yrs.

Colt is four years behind. USFA produced a lot more guns, sold every one they ever made and were also 12-18 months behind on custom orders. I'd say the market is there and it's dying for a new outlet. It will never rival the market for polymer autos but it is there and it has money to spend. If USFA came back tomorrow, just like it was, there's several I'd order right off the bat. I guarantee I wouldn't be alone in that. Simply because there's no other source for such things and they are good enough to justify the premium.
 
I want a Colt... But the price and difficulty to find one is pushing me towards Uberti. I know it's not the same, but they have a good reputation. I even worry about Colt chamber sizes. Uberti, no such concern. I can also buy both a .45, a .22 and lots of brass for less than the Colt. Even If I had $1500, I might just wait a bit and get a Freedom Arms 97.. In my mind the Uberti though not a Colt SAA is still a Single Action Army, unlike a NM Vaquero. If Colt increased production and lowered their price below $1K I believe they would make a killing.

Gil
 
Yes, and it is a legal matter.. I am not talking about legalities. Again, in my mind, some clones are close enough that the differences can be overlooked.

Gil
 
Picked up the gun today. Had to have the grips sent to another state with less silly laws. I'm sure the two shall meet soon :) ...

Ko0m9k.jpg
 
What can I say ? That is one of the nicest looking pistols that I have seen since I have been a member here .
 
That CCH turned out real nice. I wish I knew how to take better pics :). I'll tell you one thing. While I fully intend on shooting it it could be a LONG time before I can bring myself to holster it.
 
yugorpk

Super nice looking Colt there, especially love the beautiful color case hardening.
 
Very pretty... Shoot the bejeeprs outa it!

I wanna see holster rash!

I wanna see ivory that's well palm-tarnished!


Hell... I wanna see a trigger buffed from spinning it back into your holster!


"Safe queens" might as well be hi-def pictures!




Todd.
 
Here you go then. I call this one the suicide special. Its heading off to the plater in a few weeks once I change the barrel and cylinder out then it will be off to the grip guy for off white sheep horn. It'll still be a shooter but it will look a lot nicer TO ME. I like my girls pretty. Personal preference thing.

EPgP2C.jpg
 
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