COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY (SAA) - STANDARD MFG. Description
over 30 cals., six shot single action revolver, three standard barrel lengths. The 4 ¾ in. barrel had a two line address, while the 5 ½ in. and 7 ½ in. had a one line address. Blue with color case hardened frame or full nickel finish were both available. Of the many (36) calibers offered, .45 Colt was by far the most popular, accounting for 42% of total production, followed by .44/.40 (18%), .38-40 (11%), .32-20 (8%) and .41 (4.5%). One-piece, varnished walnut grips were standard for the first ten years, then gradually replaced with two-piece hard rubber. When grips are "not listed" on Colt historical letters, you should assume that they were the standard for their time period, either wood or rubber; not the pearl or ivory that someone added at a later date. During early production years, most SAA's were shipped to the larges distributors in 50-gun boxes, predominantly with blue and case hardened finishes. As demand for nickel plating increased, those dealer-distributors changed the finish in their own shops. This does not affect the antique value significantly since the guns were still brand new and unsold at retail. The hammers on these guns usually retain their case hardened finish and are not plated, unlike guns that were plated at the Colt factory or by one of Colt's contractors.