Colt SAA Value - The Firearms Forum

rshunter · 08-12-2005, 04:34 PM

My father purchased the Colt it in the late 40s. I got it when he passed. I got an authentication letter from Colt in 1996. It states:

Colt Single Action Army Revolver
Serial Number: 543xx
Caliber: .45/c
Barrel Length: Not Listed
Finish: Blue
Type of Stocks: Not Listed
Sold To: United States Government
Delivered To: U.S. Government Inspector
Address: at Colt Plant
Date of Shipment: March 20, 1880
Number of Same Type Guns in Shipment: 300

The factory markings are DFC 543xx, they all match except the marking on the cartridge feed cover which has 5147. There is also a P marking on the underside of the barrel and on the cylinder. It is a 45 long colt, black powder, metallic cartridge. I am pretty sure that the gun was reblued before my father purchased it, given the condition. I know it was not refinished since my father bought it. The grips are walnut. They are worn, with small chips along the bottom but you can still read 1880 stamped into the left side. Directly below the 1880 you can faintly make out the colt cartouche. On the base of the grips is stamped DFC. They fit perfectly to the frame. The gun is in perfect firing condition. When I was younger (30 years or so) my father had some ammunition special made and we fired it. It is the 71/2" barrel. Attached is a general picture. I have more but don't know if there is a size limit on postings.

Thanks

inplanotx · 08-12-2005, 04:56 PM

You need to resize your pictures to about 6"x4" printable. It will be around 80K bits instead if the 1 Meg you posted. We have to be gentle on our dial up members here. If you can't resize them, email them to me and I will do it for you just as I did on this one.

Very nice Colt, unfortunately about 50% of the first issue SAA's are reworked or piece guns. I am suprized that Colt did not give you the barrel length. This needs to be looked at by a true expert in these pistols.

Welcome to TFF! We hope you'll stick around and enjoy our humble home.

IPT

rshunter · 08-13-2005, 05:43 PM

Thanks,

Any recommendations on an expert for an appraisal? Any idea of a general value?

inplanotx · 08-13-2005, 06:16 PM

Usually during this serial number range, 22,000 to 130,000 the gun was shipped with 4 3/4" to 5 1/2" barrels. At serial# 52,000 the round ejector head was replaced with the oval head. These guns usually have the serial numers on the frame and the barrel up to serial number 100,000.

If true original, which I doubt, 98% = $35,000, 95%= $32,000; 90% = $25,000.

I seriously doubt that this gun is wihin this range and needs to be looked at by a true collector estimator.

The barrel length does not match as do the numbers.

IPT

Xracer · 08-14-2005, 07:46 AM

Hi rshunter.....welcome to TFF.

Your Colt SAA is a Martially Marked, 1st Generation, Intermediate Black Powder SAA (ser. no. range 22,000-130,000).

The serial # is correct of an 1880 manufacture date.

The "P" mark is a proofmark.

The "DFC" are the initials of the Government Inspector.....David F. Clark who inspected Remington-Lee, Hotchkiss Rifles, Colt, Starr, Remington and Savage Revolvers, Colt Gatling Guns during the 1861-1886 period.

I disagree about the barrel length being wrong. Since this was a U.S. Government military purchase, a 7 1/2" barrel length is absolutely correct.

That's the good news. The bad news is that, yes, your gun has been reblued......and not a particularly good job of rebluing either. The color is nowhere near what the original blued finish of an early Colt SAA should be......and that, unfortunately, has pretty well shot the collector's value right down the tubes.

I agree that a hands-on evaluation by a Colt expert (no, I don't know one) is called for.

My guess as to the value....somewhere in the $2-4,000 range.

08-12-2005, 04:34 PM	#1
rshunter Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4	Colt SAA Value My father purchased the Colt it in the late 40s. I got it when he passed. I got an authentication letter from Colt in 1996. It states: Colt Single Action Army Revolver Serial Number: 543xx Caliber: .45/c Barrel Length: Not Listed Finish: Blue Type of Stocks: Not Listed Sold To: United States Government Delivered To: U.S. Government Inspector Address: at Colt Plant Date of Shipment: March 20, 1880 Number of Same Type Guns in Shipment: 300 The factory markings are DFC 543xx, they all match except the marking on the cartridge feed cover which has 5147. There is also a P marking on the underside of the barrel and on the cylinder. It is a 45 long colt, black powder, metallic cartridge. I am pretty sure that the gun was reblued before my father purchased it, given the condition. I know it was not refinished since my father bought it. The grips are walnut. They are worn, with small chips along the bottom but you can still read 1880 stamped into the left side. Directly below the 1880 you can faintly make out the colt cartouche. On the base of the grips is stamped DFC. They fit perfectly to the frame. The gun is in perfect firing condition. When I was younger (30 years or so) my father had some ammunition special made and we fired it. It is the 71/2" barrel. Attached is a general picture. I have more but don't know if there is a size limit on postings. Thanks Attached Images -->

08-12-2005, 04:56 PM	#2
inplanotx Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 8,897	Re: Colt SAA Value You need to resize your pictures to about 6"x4" printable. It will be around 80K bits instead if the 1 Meg you posted. We have to be gentle on our dial up members here. If you can't resize them, email them to me and I will do it for you just as I did on this one. Very nice Colt, unfortunately about 50% of the first issue SAA's are reworked or piece guns. I am suprized that Colt did not give you the barrel length. This needs to be looked at by a true expert in these pistols. Welcome to TFF! We hope you'll stick around and enjoy our humble home. IPT __________________

08-13-2005, 05:43 PM	#3
rshunter Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4	Re: Colt SAA Value Thanks, Any recommendations on an expert for an appraisal? Any idea of a general value? Last edited by rshunter; 08-13-2005 at 05:44 PM..

08-13-2005, 06:16 PM	#4
inplanotx Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 8,897	Re: Colt SAA Value Usually during this serial number range, 22,000 to 130,000 the gun was shipped with 4 3/4" to 5 1/2" barrels. At serial# 52,000 the round ejector head was replaced with the oval head. These guns usually have the serial numers on the frame and the barrel up to serial number 100,000. If true original, which I doubt, 98% = $35,000, 95%= $32,000; 90% = $25,000. I seriously doubt that this gun is wihin this range and needs to be looked at by a true collector estimator. The barrel length does not match as do the numbers. IPT __________________

08-14-2005, 07:46 AM	#5
Xracer TFF Admin Staff Mediator Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Minn-eeee-sota, ya, sure, you bet! Posts: 9,144	Re: Colt SAA Value Hi rshunter.....welcome to TFF. Your Colt SAA is a Martially Marked, 1st Generation, Intermediate Black Powder SAA (ser. no. range 22,000-130,000). The serial # is correct of an 1880 manufacture date. The "P" mark is a proofmark. The "DFC" are the initials of the Government Inspector.....David F. Clark who inspected Remington-Lee, Hotchkiss Rifles, Colt, Starr, Remington and Savage Revolvers, Colt Gatling Guns during the 1861-1886 period. I disagree about the barrel length being wrong. Since this was a U.S. Government military purchase, a 7 1/2" barrel length is absolutely correct. That's the good news. The bad news is that, yes, your gun has been reblued......and not a particularly good job of rebluing either. The color is nowhere near what the original blued finish of an early Colt SAA should be......and that, unfortunately, has pretty well shot the collector's value right down the tubes. I agree that a hands-on evaluation by a Colt expert (no, I don't know one) is called for. My guess as to the value....somewhere in the $2-4,000 range.