Way OT: trying to price a SAA Colt .45 Frontier

S

Stephen Hamilton

Joined
Aug 18, 2000
Messages
312
If any of you guys know how to go about pricing an old, nearly perfect Colt given to me by an uncle, would you give me some advice?

Nickel nearly flawless, minor scratches from handling, no gouges.
Screws all in perfect shape, no rounding off.
Horn grips.
Action very crisp, weapon has been used. In fact, my uncle used it to scare off a black bear on one of our camping trips in 1973.
Barrel is clean, no pitting, although I had to give it all a good cleaning yesterday.
serial number begins with 188 (I think). I left it in my Alabama house and would need to double check.

Stephen
What's this got to do with khuks? I dunno. Just thought maybe someone could help.
 
Colt's Frontier SAA was an adjustable sight model with a beautifully contoured ramp in front. If yours doesn't have the adjustable sights, you probably ought to call it a Single Action Army. Prices are based on condition, caliber, and 1st, 2nd or 3rd generation. If your nickel finish is really intact, you may probably assume 3rd generation. Your recollection from 1973 would fit, unless your uncle mentioned pre-war. Caliber 45 colt is most common, with other calibers adding a premium to the price depending on which caliber and which barrel length. A base price of 1,500 and up is common today for .45 Colts.
Be careful what solvents you use on nickel finishes...some are not at all kind.
 
You were going to offer it to us, right, Steve? I don't have a handgun. Yet.
 
My advice to you is keep it.

As for the nickel finish, real old samples can peel. Modern nickel finishes don't. If your gun was made in 1973 as Jurrasic suggests it's probably not a peeler. I would be careful about anything I put on or in a gun worth 1500 bucks.


munk
 
I would hang onto that SAA if at all possible. Its not only beautiful and desirable but sure to increase in value.

Ice
 
Stephen Hamilton said:
If any of you guys know how to go about pricing an old, nearly perfect Colt given to me by an uncle, would you give me some advice?

Stephen
What's this got to do with khuks? I dunno. Just thought maybe someone could help.
Click to expand...

Stephen, your first line answered your own question. It's from an Uncle and a nice gun.... IE priceless. I agree with Munk, keep it.

Heber
 
Jurassicnarc, it has a blade front sight, not adjustable at all. I thought SAA meant Single Action Army, as the little bit of Googling I had time for yesterday made me think the 4 3/4" barrel was that. Near as I can recall, my uncle bought it used in Santa Barbera back in the 30's. Maybe I could get my son to bring over his camera and post a picture. ICS, thanks for the link, I'll check it out. As for solvents, I used "Break Free" to clean it and get rid of the grunge in the corners. Didn't disassemble the action, but removed the cylinder and handgrips. That let me into most of the innards well enough.

Thanks, all.

Stephen
 
If your uncle's SAA is from the 30's, it very well may be 2nd generation, and highly desireable....and certain to appreciate in value better than anything you could invest in on the stock market. You didn't mention a caliber, but I echo Munk's advice...KEEP IT. Check with a Colt collector on the net for advice on cleaning products that will preserve the older nickel finish. Your local store owner may just tell you what he thinks you want to hear. You have a gem; do the homework to see it adequately preserved. Shooting it occasionally won't hurt, since you have already established it has been fired for years....just clean it gently :D ...You may want to carry a small towel to the range to lay it on when not shooting. Concrete benches are hell on nickel.
 
Oh, I do treasure it. But if I should insure it as a special object (and I understand firearms need to be listed just like jewelry) then I need to find out what it is, exactly. I've been a GI for 30 years and I understand most of the weapons we were trained on. So it is with some real embarrassment that I have to ask; how do I figure out what it is? Here is what I know:

It is a nickel-plated Colt.
It is .45 calibre, the barrel is about 4 3/4" long. Longer if you also count the frame to cylinder bit.
The Patent numbers on the side are 1871, 1872 and 1875. Also have month and day, but I don't remember them.

I've had a whip around on Google, but everyone seems to already know the basics and this is the only place I don't feel stupid by asking.

Stephen
 
Stephen,
The serial number is an important identifier as to model, which in turn is important as to value. If the SN is 188XXX, it is a 1st Model made in 1899 (and incidentally was not designed to be used with smokeless powder loads, for which the SAA was first chambered at SN 192000, made in 1900). If the SN is 188XXSA, it was made in 1958. If the SN is SA188XX it was made in 1979. The barrel length is a nominal 4 3/4". The patent dates on the frame are Sept. 19, 1871, July 2. -72, Jan 19, -75, and could be in two or three lines depending on date. If it is a 1st Model, it's not unusual to find renickle jobs, as the original finish tended to flake and look like hell (a blued revolver with 80% finish looks great; a nickle one with 80% finish looks nasty). Close examination of the markings is sometimes necessary to detect a good renickle job; bad ones usually have worn or partially or entirely obliterated markings. Horn grips were never a factory production item.
Value is a function of rarity, condition and demand. There are so many variables in SAAs that a reliable estimate of value can only be done by a knowledgeable appraiser in a hands-on setting.
A good picture (or scan), and a careful description of all markings,would be helpful in further identifying your uncle's SAA.
My older brother has the SAAs that belonged to our maternal (cal .38-40, 4 3/4"bbl, hard rubber grips) and paternal (cal. .45 Colt, 4/34" bbl, one-piece ivory grips) grandfathers. They aren't for sale at any price.
Berk
 
Berk
Thank you for the information. I hope to return to Alabama on Thursday and will bring the Colt back. Perhaps my son will loan me his camera too. Would it be alright if, once I have more specifics, to email you?

Stephen
 
Would it be alright if, once I have more specifics, to email you?
Click to expand...
Please do - since my house got burgled, I have lots of Colt books and no Colts :( I can also give you some first-hand experience about what to expect from insurance.
 
Stephen there is Ray Judge at Cowan, Tennessee who can help you with appraissals(sp!). I have a buddy in Nashville, who is a Colt SA collector; he might be of use to you. Sounds like you have quite a keeper. Years ago, I inherited a 1st generation Colt with 4 5/8" bbl, fixed sights of course. Four notches in the bottom of the left grip. A black powder model......got stolen from me in 1973. Nothing feels like a Colt.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top