Any Colt Single Action Army (1st, 2nd, or 3rd Gen) Love Around Here?

[KurtM]

I thought so too on the 3rd Gen thing, but some Colt guys say it's 3rd.

 

[mtngunr]

I thought so too on the 3rd Gen thing, but some Colt guys say it's 3rd.

Well, the 3rd Gen kicked off true mid-70s (1974 last 2nd Gen/1976 first 3rd Gen), although there were some transitional models as the OP posts show. If your cylinder ratchet is different from the older (and with different hand to turn cylinder) and has a fixed collar to front of cylinder, then it is a 3rd Gen. If ratchet same as earlier and cylinder bushing which slides out, then it a 2nd Gen. There are also SN tables giving good approximations on DOM, and generally 3rd Gen had an SA prefix SN while 2nd Gen has SA suffix.

 

[KurtM]

I agree with everything you say, and yet several other Colt experts say it's not, so I've got a 2/3 Colt

 

[mtngunr]

I agree with everything you say, and yet several other Colt experts say it's not, so I've got a 2/3 Colt

One nice thing is that it is a Colt, so, as time passes, it'll always appreciate. And although it might be a 2nd Gen with 3rd Gen parts, it also could be the only example of experimental 3rd Gen parts trial to accidentally go out the door and anyone saying different is just covering for the mistake...I like that version.

 

[D V US]

I really think the last two are nice, but that old one is all scratched up, but nothing a scotchbrite pad can't fix up....

Gorgeous, especially the first...have any details on all the work?

Yeah, I figured I would grind the scratches out with my angle grinder before hitting it with the buffing wheel. Then I'll wash it off with Hoppes solvent before copper plating it in prep for the new nickel.

Seriously though, I have no idea who did the work or when. I don't think it's factory engraved, but at 113 years old it does look good. I'll get a letter on it someday.

 

[mtngunr]

Yeah, I figured I would grind the scratches out with my angle grinder before hitting it with the buffing wheel. Then I'll wash it off with Hoppes solvent before copper plating it in prep for the new nickel.

Seriously though, I have no idea who did the work or when. I don't think it's factory engraved, but at 113 years old it does look good. I'll get a letter on it someday.

I was wondering if any of the work at all was recent, the screws looked older, the grips seemed older, but so many talent folk over the years, hard to tell. A stunning Colt, but, you knew that already.