old stamping on 1st gen. SAA

[Johnny Yuma]

Hi, I joined a couple of months ago but promptly lost my password, frequent visits, but just got another so I could write in. Ive been collecting SAA's for about 6 years now. The first one I ever bought was an impulse buy at the Springfield Mass. Gun show. It is a 4 3/4" .45 from 1881. It has no finish at all, but nice aged ivory grips and really fine hammer and trigger pull. I bought it knowing nothing, from a dealer who knew nothing about it and hadn't really paid it any close attention. I had noticed some stampings on it and still don't know what they are. On the left lower receiver (about where the colt logo would go on later guns) is a larger U with a smaller P inside it. Also stamped to the right of the U P is 45 (fairly large). The stampings have been there for a long time, and are not recent. I've kept this in mind over the last few years. I read a description in one book of the U P marking as a 'Universal Pictures' property mark. The same book also raised the 'Union Pacific' RR as a possibility. Has anyone out there heard of this marking? Thanks, Johnny

[hwjhfs]

Look close and the "P" may be an "F". If so, Cochran's Encyclopedia has one pictured (#31) and says it is "Universal Films", a movie gun. Hope this helps.

[coltsixguns]

My first thought was that the UP meant "Universal Pictures" and the large 45 was probably the caliber (as in 45 colt) since there wouldn't be a caliber marking on the barrel in 1881 and it was probably a movie gun.

Does it have the 2 line barrel address that you find on 4-3/4" barrels?

[Johnny Yuma]

Sixguns, Thanks for the reply. Im sure you are right about the 45 stamp as being a quick reference to the caliber, as it's not otherwise obvious. This was my first SAA. (I've got about 20 now) Its still one of my favorites. It has the best 'feel' of any of my guns. The trigger pull and the cocking are velvet smooth. It has almost certainly been worked on to get this at some point. I'm going to take my courage in hand and try to put up some pictures as soon as I get back from Maine. Thanks again, Johnny.