[sturmgewehr]

 

[desron6]

Not only have I not seen any new SAAs for < $2400, I haven’t seen ANY, new, used, or abused, in any lgs in over 20 years.

 

[dubya1984]

Not only have I not seen any new SAAs for < $2400, I haven’t seen ANY, new, used, or abused, in any lgs in over 20 years.

Same. The only Colt SAAs that I run into in my LGSs/pawn shops are typically 1st gen, and ones they want big money for, which rarely merit it. I've definitely never seen a brand new SAA for sale in the last 10 years, myself, in my little local area. I'm sure it's about demographics and demand, if I were really looking in the bigger regional towns I bet I'd see a few.

 

[Rampant Colt]

Purchased 08/06/2024, 4 3/4”, .45LC, NIB, S/N S91415A, date QR 07/12/2024, $1.9K.

 

[azshot]

Not only have I not seen any new SAAs for < $2400, I haven’t seen ANY, new, used, or abused, in any lgs in over 20 years.

You need to get out more. I saw 4 last week for $2399 or less, brand new, unturned, at a local gun shop. It depends on the shop. Those without connections who get one once in a blue moon try to add a few hundred profit. Those that get a 10 or so a year...don't.

I guess I shouldn't count this one I also took a picture of last week, because it's a little more, but is cased, and a 2nd Gen.

 

[weagle99]

Today a new Colt SAA model P1840 showed up at my door. This is a SAA in .45 Colt with blue/case color finish with black "eagle" grips. The serial number is S92644A. A check of the Colt serial number lookup returned "no data". I called Colt and was told that the gun was made just six months ago in March of 2025.

This is the first new then-current/contemporary production Colt SAA I have bought since about 2012. It just showed up this afternoon, and I have not fired it yet, but so far, I'm impressed. Overall fit and finish is excellent...

Case colors: Great classic Colt case colors. Not Turnbull style, not washed out year-2000 Uberti style, not nasty lizard vomit style (such as Colt had been putting out too frequently in the last 5 or so years.) Just great classic "Colt" style case colors.

Grip fitment: Perfect.

Cylinder timing: Absolutely PERFECT on every chamber. No matter how slowly I cock it, all timing events are absolutely perfect.

Cylinder lockup: Perfect. Zero end shake. Rotational play as close to zero as possible and still have the bolt move properly. Rock solid lockup.

Fitment of backstrap "ears" (with hammer and frame): Excellent. Not perfect, but very good and much better than what has been the norm for most of the last 50 years. Essentially perfect in the top half of this area, and in the lower part of this area the hammer is proud of the ears, but only by a few thousandths. Sometime in the last 10 years someone on here who is / was obsessed with the fitment in this specific area of the gun (weagle99? Cozmo?) got me paying attention to this, which I had never done before...and now I'm obsessed too! LOL!

Trigger guard and backstrap fit to frame: Perfect.

Trigger pull: Somewhat heavy, but crisp.

Mainspring: Heavy by "modern" standards. At least as heavy as factory 3rd gens of the late 1970s, probably a little heavier. Similar to 1st gens from mid 1890s to 1910 period. Still lighter than 1st gens from the 1870s and 1880s.

Some people may find the heavy mainspring and trigger combination to be objectionable. I do not. I actually like it. It feels more "real" when handling it. Whatever that means. More solid and substantial somehow. Both the hammer draw weight and the feel and weight of the trigger pull do feel more authentically like a 1st gen gun, which I like. Both can be lightened of course if people prefer lighter weights. By comparison, check out a late model Pietta clone such as imported by Cimarron or EMF ("Great Western II") in the last few years. They are so light and slick that to me they seem like toys, or like something is broken or otherwise wrong with them. To each his own.

The last (then) current production SAAs I bought before this one were all from the 2009 to 2015 period, what I think of as the "Brent Turchi Era" at Colt (one of the few good ones for Colt in the last 40 years.) If this new gun is representative of the SAAs Colt is turning out currently, now may be a good time to buy a new SAA!

The real test of course is how does it shoot. I have not found that out yet, but hope to do so soon. In the meantime, here are some photos:

View attachment 987887

View attachment 987884

View attachment 987883

View attachment 987882

View attachment 987886

View attachment 987885

View attachment 987879

View attachment 987881

View attachment 987880

Great looking gun! That is how it should be done.

 

[GWK]

I've got three new production 5 1/2s in Eastern Kentucky, that I would sell 1, 2, or all 3, if you have any interest. , If you live relatively close, you could travel here and handle before buying and could take your pick. I would also trade one for a 7 1/2 or 4 3/4 new production. PM if interested.

 

[Pat C.]

Dave confirmed the process but what we haven't confirmed is the variance.

Bone charcoal is a science to get specific colors and patterns. But traditionally you should see straw, straw brown, reds, purples, blues, yellows, greens .

Predominate base being straw- straw brown , blues secondary , and traces of reds, greens, purples .

It's quite possible the variance lies in the charcoal itself out of Colt's control.
Impurities, moisture,recipe variance would alter colors.

If the workers at Colt document the process but have charcoal variances .This would be hard to control.
Taking a sample and analysis of what you know works could control outcome.

Colt probably doesn't like the weird patterns either. But to redo means annealing and repolish . At that point all profits lost. Not to mention a degraded product due to repolish.

 

[sixguns]

You need to get out more. I saw 4 last week for $2399 or less, brand new, unturned, at a local gun shop. It depends on the shop. Those without connections who get one once in a blue moon try to add a few hundred profit. Those that get a 10 or so a year...don't.

I guess I shouldn't count this one I also took a picture of last week, because it's a little more, but is cased, and a 2nd Gen.
View attachment 987977

That is a good price without the case. If that includes the case, I would be hard-pressed to leave that one at the shop!

 

[charlene]

Now,I remember why I sold it. I really wanted a 4-3/4”BCH and a member here was selling this one,which I purchased and had to sell the 7-1/2” to pay for it. Pete

View attachment 987951

That's definitely another great looking SAA. I really like the case colors on yours as well. When was it made?

 

[charlene]

Congrats on a beauty. Best of luck.
Have you measured the cylinder throats?
Odd that nobody ever posts cylinder or bushing pics

I have not measured the throats.

 

[Pat C.]

I hope your planning on shooting it , dont deny yourself that privilege. We need a range report!!

 

[desron6]

You need to get out more. I saw 4 last week for $2399 or less, brand new, unturned, at a local gun shop. It depends on the shop. Those without connections who get one once in a blue moon try to add a few hundred profit. Those that get a 10 or so a year...don't.

I guess I shouldn't count this one I also took a picture of last week, because it's a little more, but is cased, and a 2nd Gen.
View attachment 987977

Shops hereabouts mainly deal in plastic fantastic or tacticool crap. Occasionally a few sweet d/a revolvers or beat up vintage autos. The closest big market for SAA pickins’ is a 5 1/2 hour drive away in Houston.

 

[TXGR]

You need to get out more. I saw 4 last week for $2399 or less, brand new, unturned, at a local gun shop.
[snip]

You aren’t really suggesting there’s been an abundance of approachably priced options from 2019 onwards, are you? Or, are you just talking about now?

For most of 2022, all of 2023, and early 2024, I looked for either new or used 3rd gens, and found none. There were three auction listings, two on Rock Island, one on GB, I lost at $3K bid, before premium, taxes, etc. There must be 20 threads on this forum during that time frame discussing the paucity of Colt SAAs or FSSs for attainable prices. That was the reason it was big news when some new production SAAs were found “in the wild” in late 2024 and early 2025.

I have no idea about availability over the last 6 months.

 

[desron6]

I’ve found them to be rare as hen’s teeth > $2.3k. Fortune to get a 4 3/4” .44 from a forum member.

 

[Rampant Colt]

You aren’t really suggesting there’s been an abundance of approachably priced options from 2019 onwards, are you? Or, are you just talking about now?

For most of 2022, all of 2023, and early 2024, I looked for either new or used 3rd gens, and found none. There were three auction listings, two on Rock Island, one on GB, I lost at $3K bid, before premium, taxes, etc. There must be 20 threads on this forum during that time frame discussing the paucity of Colt SAAs or FSSs for attainable prices. That was the reason it was big news when some new production SAAs were found “in the wild” in late 2024 and early 2025.

I have no idea about availability over the last 6 months.

When I bought mine (above) on August 06, 2024 I was miffed that I paid $1.9K for it when MSRP was $1,799.00. I don’t feel that way now.

 

[TXGR]

When I bought mine (above) on August 06, 2024 I was miffed that I paid $1.9K for it when MSRP was $1,799.00. I don’t feel that way now.

I think your buy was a bargain compared to what I was looking at used for over $1K more. I’ll add, those bids I lost at $3k, those weren’t perfect. Every one involved compromises from what I wanted in finish, grips, cartridge (I wanted 44-40), barrel length, or some other aspect. I really wanted nickel, and would’ve gone up to $3500 for nickel, but I never saw one close to that.

I know what you mean though. I remember going to the Colt website, seeing the SRP of $1799, and I am used to paying less than SRP for almost everything. Then the custom route, which I seriously considered putting down a deposit on, was over $3500 and a super long wait.

I had a similar experience hunting for a Dan Wesson Guardian 1911 in 38 Super in 2020 through to the end of 2021. One would pop up and it was $500 over SRP. I even exchanged email with a DW exec who explained they only made 50 a year, once a year in one batch, and they had confirmed orders at the time for well over 100. That was during the great gun buying panic of 2020-2022, so I wasn’t upset at DW. I just find irksome when I’m told, “Oh, there were tons all over the place, obviously you just didn’t know where to look.” Maybe now, but that’s total BS with respect to before.

 

[Rampant Colt]

I think your buy was a bargain compared to what I was looking at used for over $1K more. I’ll add, those bids I lost at $3k, those weren’t perfect. Every one involved compromises from what I wanted in finish, grips, cartridge (I wanted 44-40), barrel length, or some other aspect. I really wanted nickel, and would’ve gone up to $3500 for nickel, but I never saw one close to that.

I know what you mean though. I remember going to the Colt website, seeing the SRP of $1799, and I am used to paying less than SRP for almost everything. Then the custom route, which I seriously considered putting down a deposit on, was over $3500 and a super long wait.

I had a similar experience hunting for a Dan Wesson Guardian 1911 in 38 Super in 2020 through to the end of 2021. One would pop up and it was $500 over SRP. I even exchanged email with a DW exec who explained they only made 50 a year, once a year in one batch, and they had confirmed orders at the time for well over 100. That was during the great gun buying panic of 2020-2022, so I wasn’t upset at DW. I just find irksome when I’m told, “Oh, there were tons all over the place, obviously you just didn’t know where to look.” Maybe now, but that’s total BS with respect to before.

Understood, brother.

I was able to split shipping ($25.00 each). My FFL charges $25.00, so I’m all in at $1,950.00. At the time I felt robbed. The pain has subsided.

 

[azshot]

You aren’t really suggesting there’s been an abundance of approachably priced options from 2019 onwards, are you? Or, are you just talking about now?

For most of 2022, all of 2023, and early 2024, I looked for either new or used 3rd gens, and found none. There were three auction listings, two on Rock Island, one on GB, I lost at $3K bid, before premium, taxes, etc. There must be 20 threads on this forum during that time frame discussing the paucity of Colt SAAs or FSSs for attainable prices. That was the reason it was big news when some new production SAAs were found “in the wild” in late 2024 and early 2025.

I have no idea about availability over the last 6 months.

I know that now, and amost any year for the past 7 to 10 years I've found SAAs that I wanted, but I'm not tied to a particular year. When 3rds went above $1800 for new ones, I found a 10 year old one for $1300, NIB. When they continued to stay around $2,000, I shifted to 1st Gens and bought several for around $1800. It can be done, you have to be a hard looker, patient, and flexible. Not looking for a unicorn. Lots of people insisted on the current year, but some were available from previous, New. Or they insisted on a Nickel, black powder frame, 4 3/4" barrel, particular caliber, etc. I bought what appeared if it was the right price.

 

[bleudom]

Today a new Colt SAA model P1840 showed up at my door. This is a SAA in .45 Colt with blue/case color finish with black "eagle" grips. The serial number is S92644A. A check of the Colt serial number lookup returned "no data". I called Colt and was told that the gun was made just six months ago in March of 2025.

This is the first new then-current/contemporary production Colt SAA I have bought since about 2012. It just showed up this afternoon, and I have not fired it yet, but so far, I'm impressed. Overall fit and finish is excellent...

Case colors: Great classic Colt case colors. Not Turnbull style, not washed out year-2000 Uberti style, not nasty lizard vomit style (such as Colt had been putting out too frequently in the last 5 or so years.) Just great classic "Colt" style case colors.

Grip fitment: Perfect.

Cylinder timing: Absolutely PERFECT on every chamber. No matter how slowly I cock it, all timing events are absolutely perfect.

Cylinder lockup: Perfect. Zero end shake. Rotational play as close to zero as possible and still have the bolt move properly. Rock solid lockup.

Fitment of backstrap "ears" (with hammer and frame): Excellent. Not perfect, but very good and much better than what has been the norm for most of the last 50 years. Essentially perfect in the top half of this area, and in the lower part of this area the hammer is proud of the ears, but only by a few thousandths. Sometime in the last 10 years someone on here who is / was obsessed with the fitment in this specific area of the gun (weagle99? Cozmo?) got me paying attention to this, which I had never done before...and now I'm obsessed too! LOL!

Trigger guard and backstrap fit to frame: Perfect.

Trigger pull: Somewhat heavy, but crisp.

Mainspring: Heavy by "modern" standards. At least as heavy as factory 3rd gens of the late 1970s, probably a little heavier. Similar to 1st gens from mid 1890s to 1910 period. Still lighter than 1st gens from the 1870s and 1880s.

Some people may find the heavy mainspring and trigger combination to be objectionable. I do not. I actually like it. It feels more "real" when handling it. Whatever that means. More solid and substantial somehow. Both the hammer draw weight and the feel and weight of the trigger pull do feel more authentically like a 1st gen gun, which I like. Both can be lightened of course if people prefer lighter weights. By comparison, check out a late model Pietta clone such as imported by Cimarron or EMF ("Great Western II") in the last few years. They are so light and slick that to me they seem like toys, or like something is broken or otherwise wrong with them. To each his own.

The last (then) current production SAAs I bought before this one were all from the 2009 to 2015 period, what I think of as the "Brent Turchi Era" at Colt (one of the few good ones for Colt in the last 40 years.) If this new gun is representative of the SAAs Colt is turning out currently, now may be a good time to buy a new SAA!

The real test of course is how does it shoot. I have not found that out yet, but hope to do so soon. In the meantime, here are some photos:

View attachment 987887

View attachment 987884

View attachment 987883

View attachment 987882

View attachment 987886

View attachment 987885

View attachment 987879

View attachment 987881

View attachment 987880

Your revolver's a beaut! I bought a new one +/- 2005. It has a 4-3/4" barrel, 45 Colt with a second cylinder in .45 ACP. I put in the Heine Spring. . .this thing runs Swiss watch quiet. Black rubber stocks. Was thinking about walnut but I'm warming to the traditional stocks. Crappy experience with Colt. I know how to operate the Model P. The drag marks are a stab in my fastidious heart. The 45 ACP cylinder would not fit, and was binding, which caused those scuzzy marks all along the cylinder's diameter. Gave them $250 to refinish it after they repaired their error. Came back looking as bad as it was when I sent it to them. Underwhelming from the "Custom Shop" If it wasn't for Colt crazies, like me and many others they'd all be flippin' burgers in Hartford.