Colt Single Action Army, 1899–1946

What this entry covers

The entry reads in full "Colt, Single Action Army (Bisley, Standard, and target variations), all original, mfd. from 1899 to 1946, S/N range from 182000 to 357869."¹ It sets three conditions: a date of manufacture from 1899 to 1946, a serial number from 182000 to 357869, and original condition¹. It names no calibre¹.

Neighbouring lines on the same page cover later revolvers. The second generation has its own line: "Colt, Single Action Army (2nd Generation) revolvers, having S/Ns from 0001SA to 82000SA, all cal.s, made between 1956 and 1976."¹ The page also lists individual engraved, presentation and commemorative Single Action Army revolvers, such as the Theodore Roosevelt and United States Bicentennial models¹. Whether a particular firearm fits this entry depends on the ATF wording above.

Identifying it

The serial number is the first check. In a published Colt serialization table, 1899 production begins at 182000, the same figure that opens ATF's range^1,2. The table notes revolvers built for smokeless powder from 1900, at about 192000². It shows long-flute cylinders in 1915, the .45 ACP in 1924, the .38 Special in 1930 and the .357 Magnum in 1935².

The upper end needs care. The table's last entry is "A few S.A.A. during and just after the war", numbered 357000 through 357859². ATF's range runs to 357869¹. Mike Venturino's 2018 Handloader article, citing Colt, also gives 357859 as the last first-generation number⁵. Both published figures end at 357859, ten numbers below ATF's; we have not found an explanation for the difference, so we note it rather than resolve it^1,2,5.

Bisley models are marked "(BISLEY MODEL)" on the barrel³. Compared with the standard revolver, they have a lower, wider hammer spur, a longer grip, a larger trigger guard and a wider, more curved trigger⁴. They were numbered in the same sequence as the standard model³.

Common confusions

• Bisleys made before 1899. American Rifleman gives the Bisley serial range as 156300 to 331916³, and the serialization table begins Bisley production at about 154000 in 1894². Bisleys numbered below 182000 fall outside this entry's stated range¹.
• When the Bisley ended. Sources differ: the serialization table puts the end in 1912², while both American Rifleman articles give 1915^3,4.
• Second-generation revolvers. Revolvers with "SA" serials, starting at 0001SA in 1956, are later production² and have their own ATF line¹. The table marks 1976 serials from 80000SA as the start of a third generation², while ATF's second-generation line runs to 82000SA¹.

History

The table's calibre breakdown counts 310,386 standard, 914 flattop target, 44,350 Bisley and 976 Bisley target revolvers in first-generation production². The two Bisley figures add up to 45,326, the total that American Rifleman gives for the Bisley³. That article also lists 18 chamberings, from .32-20 to .455 Eley, and 4¾-, 5½- and 7½-inch barrels³. These totals cover production from 1873 on, not only the years in this entry².

Further reading

• The serialization tables² give year-by-serial starting points, calibre introductions and a calibre-by-model count.
• American Rifleman's Bisley article³ gives the Bisley's serial range, markings and finishes.
• Wiley Clapp's article⁴ explains how the Bisley's grip, hammer and trigger differ from the standard revolver.