Colt Single Action Army 357 mag

[em4010]

Ok folks, need a little help here, I bought this today. It came from an estate sale with a leather holster rig, loops and stinger ammo. Near as I can figure out, it's a Colt Single Action Army in 357 mag. 3rd generation, 7.5 in barrel, stainless, elk horn grips.

So the issue is,, is this stainless or nickel finish. I thought it was stainless but after looking a bit online, I've seen nickle that looks like what I have. I like it either way, but it's about a $200 + value if it is.

Also, I thought it was elkhorn grips. The dealer didn't really know for certain either and went for the general consenses that it's elkhorn. SOOO, while lookng at the rest,, the grips look diff then what I found for elkhorn,, maybe possibly sambar stag? It would be a $175+ value if they are sambar,, I have no idea what they are.

extended butt frame? extra long backstrap? what else do I not know here?

All I know is that I saw it and I liked it, it stood out as a unique piece and I wanted to add something nice to my collection, I got a good deal and I know to request a manufacture's letter, but in the mean time, what can you all fig? The serial is SA14***. sorry about the pics, the camera was giving me issues.

 

[em4010]

pics

 

[em4010]

one more

 

[rcmodel]

If it's a Colt SAA, it is nickel.
They never have made a stainless SAA.

The grips are stag.
Can't tell from the poor photo's if the medallions are Colt or not.
But probably not.
Looks like they were made for a different gun as they don't fit that one.
Thus the unsightly overhang. (NOT an extended frame or grip on the gun)

Everything else looks stock to me.

PS: Store or carry it with the hammer all the way down against the frame on an empty chamber.
Leaving it cocked on the safety notch like in your photos is inviting trigger sear tip damage if the hammer gets whacked by something.

rc

 

[em4010]

here's a couple of the grip emblems. As far as the scales lining up to the frame, it's seems to be a little loose. I applied some finger pressure and everything lined up.

can you tell what kind of stag? i really don't know the diff

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I agree with everything rcmodel said. So far Colt has not made the SAA in Stainless, although I did read recently they are thinking about it. Yours is nickel plated.

The grips are very poorly fitted, they are not original to that gun.

There is no cylinder line on your Colt, at least one is not visible in your photos. In order to maintain that, never lower the hammer from the half cock position. Always bring the hammer to full cock from the half cock position and then lower it carefully.

Never carry a Colt fully loaded with six rounds. Always keep an empty chamber under the hammer. Never trust the 'safety cock' position on the hammer. That is the position that keeps the hammer back about 1/8" as in your photos. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of reported cases of Colts loaded with six rounds accidentally firing if dropped on the hammer, or even if a heavy weight such as a stirrup falls on the hammer. If left on the 'safety cock' position with a live round under the hammer, the sear will most likely shear right off, and the firing pin will strike the primer of a round underneath it.

The best way to load a SAA is to set the hammer at half cock, open the loading gate, load one, skip one, load four more, close the gate, bring the hammer to full cock and then lower it all the way. Done correctly, the empty chamber will wind up under the hammer. Do it very carefully while you are figuring out how to do it to make sure the empty chamber actually is under the hammer. Then practice until it becomes second nature.

 

[CraigC]

I agree on the nickel and stag. The grips fit rather poorly and I'm not sure if they could be refitted properly. IMHO, they do not add much to its value but somebody would probably pay you $300 for them.

Colt has catalogued stainless SAA's for about a year but far as I know, has not produced any yet.

I do see a turn line but judging by the mark at the tip of the bolt notch leede, it does appear to be fairly well-timed. So I would assume the faint line is from dropping the hammer from the half cock notch.

All in all a nice shooter-grade Colt but I hope you didn't pay much more than $1000 for it.

 

[DPris]

Colt has assigned model numbers for anticipated stainless steel production, but hasn't actually built any.
Denis

 

[royal barnes]

Back to your question about the stag. It is Sanbar not elk.

 

[rcmodel]

As far as the scales lining up to the frame, it's seems to be a little loose.

No matter how poorly fitted, the grips shouldn't move around by pushing on them.

Take the grips off and see if the (grip locator pin) part #41 is actually there.
http://peacemakerspecialists.com/parts.html

It should go through the hole in the trigger guard / grip frame and stick in holes in both grips to keep them from moving.

rc

 

[Jim K]

Hi, em4010,

If you like that gun, fine, but I hope you didn't pay too much for it.

IMHO, it was rusted, then either polished down to bare metal or re-plated, I can't tell which from the small photos. The signs of heavy polishing are obvious on the frame and on the screw heads.

I don't know the grip material, but the grips are not Colt factory; the Colt seals are poorly made and don't fit well. As others have said, the grips were not made for that gun, and probably not for a Colt SAA at all.

Jim

 

[em4010]

Wow. To the people who actually had input, thanks.

 

[em4010]

Administrator, kill this thread please. Delete it, thanks.