Colt Early U.S. Model SAA (Mfg. 1873-1875) Description
principal sub-inspectors of this early period used only the first letter of their last name to mark the revolvers which they inspected. Chronologically, they were O.W. Ainsworth (A), Samuel B. Lewis (L), W.W. Johnson (J), and A.P. Casey (C).
While the lower serial numbers are generally the most desirable, the small number of guns inspected by Lewis, Johnson and Casey make them harder to find and perhaps more valuable than a higher numbered Ainsworth. These guns are in the same number sequence as guns made for the civilian market up to #20,000. There are no known "U.S." marked Single Actions between serial numbers 20,000 and 30,000. According to John Kopec, arguably the most knowledgeable and authoritative U.S. Single Action researcher and co-author of the widely respected work, A Study of the Single Action Army Revolver, the earliest known complete Ainsworth inspected Single Action is serial number "179". (Earlier numbered Ainsworth components are found on Artillery revolvers).