Colt SAA mismatch

[Dr.Rob]

Ok this one... I am unsure what to say about. I know it was a 'wallhanger' for a while. (It was displayed in a shadow box with some cards and poker chips that also came out of [I think] North Dakota. The cards and chips are gone, the Revolver was in a locked case when I got it.) I can tell it was fiddled with over time, there's some newer looking wear on the screw heads. I suspect the cylinder is a replacement though it's RAC marked. It was also I THINK improperly assembled once (note beat up base pin and wear marks on cylinder).

The backstrap looks like it had some cleaning. The wood has some shrinkage.

All I did to this was wipe it off with a silicone cloth and clean the dust bunnies out of the barrel.

Serial number dates it to 1884, (there is a huge cut out in the top strap for powder fouling) but the marking on the left side of the frame are long gone. Still I am pretty certain this is a real deal Colt SAA. It's been in the same family forever, and I can provide provenance. Trigger guard (if that number matched a Colt) is also 1884. The loading gate number.. who knows?

I suspect I have a gun that same some honest use before the turn of the century and mishandled in subsequent generations who didn't know, or care what an "old cowboy gun' might be worth.

Worth the $100 factory letter or not? I suspect I still might have a $1000 or more worth of Colt here.

Also: I am leary of taking it apart I don't have brass screwdrivers and even the proper ground steel ones I DO have can mar the patina on an old gun like this.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Just a few more pics.

 

[Dr.Rob]

You can see the strange 'wear' on the back strap.. looks like 'cleaning' to me. RAC cylinder plainly marked.

 

[Dr.Rob]

It's petty clean inside, shiny cylinders.. bore is dull but I suspect it's just dirty/dusty--couldn't figure how to get a light down there and take a perfect pic.

 

[Dr.Rob]

This looks to be a functional SAA in need of some TLC. I suspect it would make a good starter piece in a collection, a candidate for a Turnbull restoration OR a good shooter for someone wanting a "real deal' Colt SAA for SASS.

I know I can't afford to buy it from the estate at present.

 

[Old Fuff]

If you remove the backstrap and stocks, see if a number matching the one on the gate is present. This was done when the gate and frame were "rough polished" together, and before the frame was serial numbered. You may also find that the ejector tube and barrel are numbered the same way. These parts were individually fitted and numbered so the would come together later.

The cylinder should also be numbered to some gun, unless it was sold as surplus from a stock of spare parts. Or you may find it stamped with the letter "C" (condemned) after it failed military inspection but was refurbished and used in commercial production.

 

[Jim K]

Unless the barrel has been swapped, that gun was not GI. The two line legend was used only on 4 3/4 inch barrels (or shorter) which were never used on Army contract guns. So an RAC marked cylinder would be a replacement. On further looking at the barrel in comparison with the frame, I suspect the barrel and ejector rod housing are replacements. They just look too good and the barrel has all its markings, while the frame is "cleaned".

The frame looks to me like it was heavily rusted at one time and in the process of cleaning off the rust, someone cleaned off just about everything. In view of that, I would not worry about taking it apart; it has been apart many times and not at all well treated.

Fuff stole my comment about the number under the trigger guard, but if it is there, even if it doesn't match the gate number, it proves the frame is Colt. The "thumbnail" in the topstrap also marks it as a Colt.

I will say though, that a restoration of that gun, which would involve recutting all the markings, would cost far more than it could possibly be worth.

One thing a Colt letter would do is to determine if the gun was a GI gun to begin with.

Jim

 

[The Bushmaster]

Also noted are the marks on the base pin and the ding on the frame under the cylinder indicates that the base pin and cylinder may have jamed at one time and required forcing them.

Had a similar problem with my Colt SAA second generation.

 

[rcmodel]

I would not worry about taking it apart with properly fitting steel gunsmith screwdrivers.

They will do no harm to the screws that hasn't already been done.

rc

 

[Dr.Rob]

so... letter it or not?

 

[rcmodel]

I don't think I would.

It's a mix-master, so all a $100 letter is going to tell you is something about the gun the frame started out on.

In it's present condition, I don't think a letter would add that much value.

Unless it was shipped to W. Earp in Dodge City KS.

rc

 

[Dframe]

With all the replacement parts (it looks to me like the barrel and cylinder have been replaced) and it's maltreatment I wouldn't letter it. Letters are MOST useful for proving originality. But if you want to, go ahead. the letter will provide interesting information such as original calibre and barrel length, finish, special features (if any) and where it was originally shipped. I'm not up to date but think a letter would cost you at least $100 for a gun that is only a shooter. BTW, it's a black powder only gun, made before Colt changed over to smokless powder around 1900. The number in the loading gate is just an assembly number as old fuff said, used to keep hand fitted parts together when the gun is assembled.

 

[Jim K]

A letter might be interesting, but it probably would not increase the value of that gun by much. No matter what the letter said, that is no longer the gun that Colt shipped those many years ago.

Jim