The Colt Collector’s Association Special Editions of the Single Action Army
Since its formation in 1980, the Colt Collector’s Association has contracted with Colt’s Manufacturing Company three times to produce “special editions” of their Single Action Army revolvers for exclusive sale to members. These Special Editions incorporated 4 ¾ inch barreled revolvers in two calibers in a variety of finishes and with a wide range of special features. Here is a summary of what I have been able to find out about these interesting guns.
1983 CCA Special Edition: The very first mention of this special edition was made by Don Wilkerson on page 16 of the CCA newsletter dated March 1983 under “New from Colt in 1983”. He wrote “Four Colt Special Editions based on the Model P will be available in 1983. The Colt Collectors Association P-1941 revolver. Details on this Special Edition with be presented in a special mailing.” At introduction, the price of these revolvers was $800 each which included an offer for a free Archive letter.
I don’t know what Wilkerson meant by “Four Colt Special Editions…..”; as no mention of options for this edition appears in any work that I know of and I’ve never seen the “special mailing” itself.
CCA Treasurer Tommy Rholes had a paragraph on page 2 of the September 1983 issue of the CCA newsletter stating that 40 of these revolvers were still available for sale and the current price was $875.
As later described by Wilkerson on page 268 in his book “The Post-War Colt Single-Action Revolver 1976-1986” (1St Edition, 1986, Taylor Publishing Company), the revolver was a Colt Model P1941CCA, .44-40 caliber, 4 ¾ inch barrel, nickel finish with special lacquered walnut stocks checkered in fleur-de-lis pattern with nickel Rampant Colt medallions. Two- line address roll mark on the top of the barrel. Unique “COLT COLLECTOR SPECIAL EDITION” roll mark on left side of barrel and “COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER” on the right side. The right side of the frame below the cylinder was pantographed number “xxx of 250”. A presentation case was included with the revolver and was made of heavy oak with dark green velvet lining, French fitted and with a presentation plate inside which was etched with a floral design and suitable for an inscription. The approximate serial numbers of these revolvers were in the range of SA65xxx to SA66xxx.
In the June 1984 issue of the CCA newsletter on page 5, Don Wilkerson had an advertisement for double gun cases made specifically for this CCA Special Edition. He wrote that construction of these cases was identical to the single case as shipped with the revolvers but was sized to hold two 4 ¾ inch barreled revolvers. The price at the time was $175.
Finally, there was an advertisement in the March 1985 CCA newsletter on page 11 from Dick Atkinson (Pittsburg KS) for a limited number of this special edition gun. The artwork accompanying the ad is very interesting and, except for a few details, closely matches the guns themselves. The drawings are specifically attributed to Ben Lane, Jr. This ad also appeared in at least one later issue of the newsletter.
I found an article about Master Engraver Ben Lane Jr. on pages 4-6 in the Fall 1996 issue of the RAMPANT COLT magazine written by Joe Kiser. Lane was described as the designer of this special edition Colt and was selected to be the principal engraver for the CCA annual show/auction guns for 1996 and 1998.
Since these drawings existed, you would think the CCA would have used them in the initial advertisement offerings to promote interest and sales. And they may have, in the special mailing mentioned by Don Wilkerson (see above); however, I have been unable to locate a copy of that mailing.
Even though as many as 250 of these revolvers may have been made, they don’t seem to come up for sale very often. One did sell in October 2023 for $3300. That one included everything: gun, gun box, case, shipping box and extensive paperwork including the Archive letter. The serial number was SA660xx (#178 of 250) and it was shipped December 14, 1983.
Reproduced from page 11 of the Colt Collectors Association Inc. newsletter of March 1985, Volume 4, Number 1.
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Artwork by Master Engraver Ben Lane Jr.
Since its formation in 1980, the Colt Collector’s Association has contracted with Colt’s Manufacturing Company three times to produce “special editions” of their Single Action Army revolvers for exclusive sale to members. These Special Editions incorporated 4 ¾ inch barreled revolvers in two calibers in a variety of finishes and with a wide range of special features. Here is a summary of what I have been able to find out about these interesting guns.
1983 CCA Special Edition: The very first mention of this special edition was made by Don Wilkerson on page 16 of the CCA newsletter dated March 1983 under “New from Colt in 1983”. He wrote “Four Colt Special Editions based on the Model P will be available in 1983. The Colt Collectors Association P-1941 revolver. Details on this Special Edition with be presented in a special mailing.” At introduction, the price of these revolvers was $800 each which included an offer for a free Archive letter.
I don’t know what Wilkerson meant by “Four Colt Special Editions…..”; as no mention of options for this edition appears in any work that I know of and I’ve never seen the “special mailing” itself.
CCA Treasurer Tommy Rholes had a paragraph on page 2 of the September 1983 issue of the CCA newsletter stating that 40 of these revolvers were still available for sale and the current price was $875.
As later described by Wilkerson on page 268 in his book “The Post-War Colt Single-Action Revolver 1976-1986” (1St Edition, 1986, Taylor Publishing Company), the revolver was a Colt Model P1941CCA, .44-40 caliber, 4 ¾ inch barrel, nickel finish with special lacquered walnut stocks checkered in fleur-de-lis pattern with nickel Rampant Colt medallions. Two- line address roll mark on the top of the barrel. Unique “COLT COLLECTOR SPECIAL EDITION” roll mark on left side of barrel and “COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER” on the right side. The right side of the frame below the cylinder was pantographed number “xxx of 250”. A presentation case was included with the revolver and was made of heavy oak with dark green velvet lining, French fitted and with a presentation plate inside which was etched with a floral design and suitable for an inscription. The approximate serial numbers of these revolvers were in the range of SA65xxx to SA66xxx.
In the June 1984 issue of the CCA newsletter on page 5, Don Wilkerson had an advertisement for double gun cases made specifically for this CCA Special Edition. He wrote that construction of these cases was identical to the single case as shipped with the revolvers but was sized to hold two 4 ¾ inch barreled revolvers. The price at the time was $175.
Finally, there was an advertisement in the March 1985 CCA newsletter on page 11 from Dick Atkinson (Pittsburg KS) for a limited number of this special edition gun. The artwork accompanying the ad is very interesting and, except for a few details, closely matches the guns themselves. The drawings are specifically attributed to Ben Lane, Jr. This ad also appeared in at least one later issue of the newsletter.
I found an article about Master Engraver Ben Lane Jr. on pages 4-6 in the Fall 1996 issue of the RAMPANT COLT magazine written by Joe Kiser. Lane was described as the designer of this special edition Colt and was selected to be the principal engraver for the CCA annual show/auction guns for 1996 and 1998.
Since these drawings existed, you would think the CCA would have used them in the initial advertisement offerings to promote interest and sales. And they may have, in the special mailing mentioned by Don Wilkerson (see above); however, I have been unable to locate a copy of that mailing.
Even though as many as 250 of these revolvers may have been made, they don’t seem to come up for sale very often. One did sell in October 2023 for $3300. That one included everything: gun, gun box, case, shipping box and extensive paperwork including the Archive letter. The serial number was SA660xx (#178 of 250) and it was shipped December 14, 1983.
Reproduced from page 11 of the Colt Collectors Association Inc. newsletter of March 1985, Volume 4, Number 1.
Artwork by Master Engraver Ben Lane Jr.
