Semi-Mysterious Colt 1873 SAA

[ntex2000]

Came across a Colt SAA with a 5.25" barrel the other day in a local gun shop.  It was under glass in the display counter and the sales tag read "Mfg. 1883"  and  "44 Special" plus the asking price of $1100.  They were real busy that day so I didn't have time to wait around and ask about it, but looked up 44 Special in my reloading manual when I got home and found that this caliber wasn't introduced until 1907.  Am I correct in assuming that this thing had been converted somewhere down the line, and if so what exactly would the gunsmith have had to do to convert it to 44 Special if say, it was originally chambered for .44-40?  Also, what about the price of $1100 bucks for this thing, it looked to be in about 90 to 95% overall condition?

[Abilene]

Howdy ntex.
A few things.  Did a sign with the gun say 5.25" or was that your estimate?  SAA's are generally 4.75", 5.5", and 7.5".  Plus some shorter lengths called Shopkeepers, Sheriiff's, etc.  Next, did you happen to note the serial number?  This would make it easy to verify what year the gun was made.  And did you happen to notice the caliber marked on the barrel?  If the barrel was marked .44 Spcl then the gun would have had the barrel and cylinder replaced.  If the gun was marked 44 w.c.f. (44-40) then the cylinder could have been replaced with a .44 Spcl cylinder but the bore would be kind of small for .44 Spcl.  44-40 barrels back then would have been sized .427.  I am not positive what size early production .44 Spcl barrels were, but modern .44 Spcl. is .429.  A soft lead bullet of .429 would probably shoot okay in a .427 barrel though.  There is also the possibility that this gunshop knew nothing about SAA's and just called it .44 Spcl when it is actually 44 w.c.f.

As for value, a gun that old in 90% or better condition is highly likely to have been refinished at some point which definitely lowers the value.  And the caliber change lowers it as well.  On the other hand, if the caliber change and/or the refinish was done by Colt, then the value is much higher.  You would need a Colt letter to verify that.  I'm not knowledgeable enough to know what those values would be, but if the gun is actually a 44 Spcl and is in good shootable shape, I myself would probably buy it for $1100 as a shooter to go along with my 3rd gen .44 Spcl Colts.

[ntex2000]

Thanks Abilene.  Very good advice.  I'll try to get back over to the gun shop and take another look at it.  Didn't notice the seial number or the caliber stamp because of the way it was positioned.  An yes, as to the length, I estimated and should've said 5.5 instead of 5.25.  Thanks again!

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[Mako]

Came across a Colt SAA with a 5.25" barrel the other day in a local gun shop.  It was under glass in the display counter and the sales tag read "Mfg. 1883"  and  "44 Special" plus the asking price of $1100.  They were real busy that day so I didn't have time to wait around and ask about it, but looked up 44 Special in my reloading manual when I got home and found that this caliber wasn't introduced until 1907.  Am I correct in assuming that this thing had been converted somewhere down the line, and if so what exactly would the gunsmith have had to do to convert it to 44 Special if say, it was originally chambered for .44-40?  Also, what about the price of $1100 bucks for this thing, it looked to be in about 90 to 95% overall condition?

ntex2000
Which store was it in?  I'll check it out for you.  And not to worry I don't need any more Colt's SAAs or Frontier Six Shooters. Seriously.

You have to ask the right questions and know how to verify them if you're dealing with old Colts and Winchesters.

Regards,
Mako

[St. George]

Sounds like a refinished-recalibered gun.

'Very' common from the 1950s on - thanks to the run of TV Westerns, because so many got new barrels and cylinders and grips - along with a buff and a re-blue, to be sold to an enthusiastic public.

They ruined a helluva lot of good Colts doing that...

As Mako stated - you have to know the right questions if you're going to buy old Colts and Winchesters, so head over to your Public Library or college reference center and see if they have any decent reference material to peruse before you think of cracking open that wallet.

That revolver should be a blackpowder framed one (no transverse pin) - and the serial numbers should match on the triggerguard, backstrap and cylinder.

Good Luck!

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Trailrider]

"If the gun was marked 44 w.c.f. (44-40) then the cylinder could have been replaced with a .44 Spcl cylinder but the bore would be kind of small for .44 Spcl.  44-40 barrels back then would have been sized .427.  I am not positive what size early production .44 Spcl barrels were, but modern .44 Spcl. is .429.  A soft lead bullet of .429 would probably shoot okay in a .427 barrel though."

In point of fact, I've slugged the barrel of a 2nd Generation Colt's SA in .44 Special, and the groove diameter was .427! Considering that in that day (1960's) .44 Special ammo was factory loaded with soft lead .429" bullets, it looks like Colt's was sticking with the same diameter they used in .44-40. With a lead bullet and low pressure loads, the larger bullet would have swaged down easily without increasing pressures by much.  I've also seen original 1st Gen .44-40 Frontier Six Shooters with .427" barrels, and .4245" cylinder throats!    When that gun was fitted with a new cylinder with .427" throats and shot with light handloads with .428" bullets, it was one of the most accurate sixguns I've seen in spite of having a 4-3/4" barrel (short sight radius).

[Tascosa Joe]

I have seen SAA Colts marked .44 S&W Russian and Special.  "Most" of the 1st Gen .44 Specials were marked Colt Single Action Army .44 Special.  This is on the left side of the barrel.  Colt built 501 .44 Specials before 1940.  44 Special on a 1883 frame it is obviously a redo.

[Dances With Coyotes]

It's also possible that whoever put a tag on that gun didn't know and thought .44 WCF was .44 Special. EX: I know someone that just picked a sweet little sporterized Jap carbine chambered in 6.5 JAP in a pawn shop although the tag said 6.5X55. Hell most of the "gun experts" who work in Wally World or your local pawn shop have never even heard of a .44-40