3rd Gen. SAA question

[Navy Six]

Already posted the problems I had with this gun in the gunsmithing section, but this question I hope someone here can help with. 1988 manuf., 4 3/4" .45, all blue (very nice, looks like Royal Blue-definitely extra polish on the metal). However, on the inside of the loading gate (the flat surface that faces the cylinder) the last three digits of the serial number are rudely scratched in large numbers. It looks like it was done by hand with a nail or something and looks terrible. Posed this question to Mustang (SASS name) who has had long contact with the Colt factory and he had not run across this either. Can anyone help?  Thanks,   Navy Six

[St. George]

Actually seeing it would help.

If the piece has been refinished - the refinisher may've done this in order to keep the weapon's parts together - I've seen that done to far too many weapons undergoing refinishing.

The 'Colt's Royal Blue' wasn't a standard finish - they got a high-polish blue, and that was that.

Also, this Colt was made during the period when the UAW was buying the factory - and some weren't as well-finished as one might've hoped.

That problem was addressed, and today's SAAs are beautiful - but during the time yours was built, QC wasn't all it could have been.

You could contact Colt with this problem, and maybe they can direct you on your next course of action.

A simple change of the loading gate - or a refinishing of same - would fix it.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!