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LOT 156
Colt First Generation Single Action Army Revolver in Desirable .357 Magnum
with Pearl Grips - Serial no. 356603, 357 Magnum cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., nickel
finish, pearl grips. An included Colt archive letter indicates that this revolver was
manufactured in 1939, but states that the factory shipment record was unable to be located for this
serial number, as Single Action Army records between 1933-1944 are believed to have been
“lost or destroyed.” This is one of only 525 standard frame Colt First Generation Single Action
Army revolvers chambered in .357 Magnum, per page 252 of “The Book of Colt Firearms”
(1971 publication) by Sutherland and Wilson. Although introduced in 1935 towards the end
of first generation production, the .357 Magnum cartridge was popular, including with
highway and law enforcement agencies looking for a powerful cartridge that could, with
proper loads, stop a car by damaging its engine. The .357 Magnum is noteworthy as the last
cartridge Colt introduced to the first generation line of Single Action Army revolvers. This example features the one-line
Hartford address on top of the barrel, and “COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY .357” on the left side, with a serrated blade front
sight and top strap groove rear sight. The left side of the frame carries the two-line patent dates marking followed by a
Rampant Colt. The left side of the matching number trigger guard is marked with the number “4” above a Colt factory
triangle “VP” proof. The cylinder is unnumbered. Fitted with a set of period pearl grips.
CONDITION: Very fine as professionally restored, retains 95% nickel plated finish on the barrel and frame, cylinder is a
mixture of bright metal and 75% nickel, with some minor surface handling marks. Grips are very fine, slightly oversized, with highly attractive
fiery colors, and distinct edges. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Charles Marx Collection.
Estimate: 4,000 - 6,500
LOT 157
Exceptional Pre-World War II Colt Single Action Army Revolver in Scarce .38
Special - Serial no. 355575, 38 Special cal., 5 1/2 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened
finish, hard rubber grips. Manufactured in 1937, these Colt Single Action Army revolvers in
.38 Special were made only on special order and saw extremely limited production compared to other
calibers. According to respected authors Graham, Kopec, and Moore, on page 170 of “A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver”
book (published 1976), Colt’s ledgers do not detail the differences in the various .38 caliber cartridges for the Single Actions, which has
created research problems identifying specific production numbers for each cartridge. In John Parsons’ very thorough searching of those
records, he found where clerks had recorded only eighty-two .38 Colt Special, and twenty-five .38 S&W Special, standard Single Actions. In
our examinations of existing Single Action Army revolvers, over sixty have been recorded which were fitted with cylinders having .38 S&W
Special chambers, and the exact number of revolvers so fitted will probably never be known.” The two mentioned caliber designations are considered
interchangeable. The top of the barrel has the one-line Colt address, while the model and caliber marking are on the left side. The left of the frame is marked with the standard two-line patent dates
followed by the Rampant Colt. The matching serial number is marked on the bottom of the frame, right side of the front grip strap and back strap under the grip panel, and hand-marked inside both of
the grip panels. It is fitted with a blade front sight, frame-top groove rear sight, and a pair of checkered hard rubber grips with Rampant Colts at the tops.
CONDITION: Exceptionally fine, retains 85% plus of the original blue finish and 70% of the original case colors with some light muzzle wear, light speckling on the grip straps, and the balance having
thinned to grey patina. The grips are excellent with a few very light handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500
Collector’s Fact
According to "The Book of Colt
Firearms" by Wilson, only 525
standard frame Colt Single
Action Army revolvers were
chambered in .357 magnum.
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