SAA barrel markings

[jtward]

Other than the Colt name and address line, what barrel markings were on the original SAAs delivered to the Army in the 1870s. Did they actually say "Colt Single Action Army," or did they just have ".45 Colt" stamped on the barrel just ahead of the frame?

Did the civilian guns have different markings?

[weagle99]

To the best of my knowledge, none of them had 'Single Action Army' on the barrel. Some also did not even have '45 Colt' on the barrel. You might be interested in looking at this one (wish I had the 'spare change' to get it [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img])...

http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/ad...p?itemID=13156

Of course, .44-40s had 'Colt Frontier Six Shooter' either acid etched or stamped on the side of the barrel.

[opoefc]

The only barrel markings on SAAs delivered to the Military in the 1870s was the Colt address on the top of the barrel and the inspector's stamp ( usually an "A" for O.W.Ainsworth)and the "P" proof stamp on the underside of the barrel. Some early guns also had the last four digits of the serial number stamped under the ejector housing. Caliber designations were never stamped on military barrels, as all were .45. Ed.

[jtward]

Thanks for the info. I going to try to order a new SAA with markings and features as close to the originals as possible. I believe it will need to have the caliber marked by law, but perhaps in can be stamped somewhere that it doesn't show much, like maybe on the frame inside the loading gate where it can only be seen when the gate is open.

[smkummer]

This was a close copy with US stamped on the frame. I just observed one sell somewhere for $1400. Watch out though as customers could have thier initials engraved on the backstrap. Also Colt made a second gen. gun about 1973 that had US markings.