Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation

1. Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation Free
2. Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation Military
3. Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation List
4. Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation 22
5. Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation Series
6. Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation

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A close up of two nice SAA Colts in which the basics of operation are demonstrated. - Please check out and support. Pair of Colt SAA 3rd generation.357 revolvers. Description Colt Employee Owned and Purchased Pair of six-shot Single Action Army Revolvers Chambered in.357 Magnum. Each with a 5.5' barrel, Blued bbl, trigger guard, backstrap and cylinder wit.Click for more info. Seller: FloridaCustomWeapons.

This is an almost as new condition, 3rd Generation Colt Single Action Army revolver with 4.75' barrel, in.45 Long Colt caliber, made in 1996 (serial #S08137A). I have listed this. COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY - POST WAR PRODUCTION SA suffix 1956 - 1978 SA prefix 1978 - 1984 1976 (start of 3rd Generation of production) 1976 - 80000SA - 82000SA 1977 - 82001SA - 85999SA 1978 - 96000SA - 99999SA Mid-1978 (start of SA prefix on front of serial number) 1978 - SA01000 - SA14808 If this information is correct your Colt SAA serial number SA9760X falls within the (early) 1978 3rd. I have a Colt SAA that has two Serial numbers. The first S/N D.F.C 82173 is at the bottom of the frame by the trigger guard. The second S/N 81514 is located on the bottom of the steel grip grame.

FIREARMS INFORMATION

History :The First Generation Colt Single Action Army revolvers were produced between their introduction in 1873 and WWII. Production resumed in 1956, and these guns are known as 'Second' generation Single Action Army revolvers, which are quickly identified by a 'SA' suffix at the end of their s/n, and continued through 1975. In 1976 a 'Third'generation of Colt Single Action Armys was introduced. On these, the 'SA' marking is moved to the front of the serial number.

These guns carried a varied number of names, from 1873 for the year it was introduced. The Peacemaker was another name used by the old west community. Single Action Army was what the military used when the guns were issued to the cavalry. The factory even today uses model designations of the alphabet and this model was the 'P'.

Calibers & Configurations :The .45 Colt chambering was by far the most popular, accounting for nearly half of the pre-WWII SAA's. The 'Winchester Centerfire' calibers – .44 WCF (44-40), .38 WCF (38-40), and .32 WCF (32-20) placed 2nd, 3rd and 4th in popularity; doubtless in part due to the fact that paired with an 1873 or 1892 Winchester they allowed the usage of the same cartridge in both rifle and revolver, simplifying supply logistics. The obsolete .41 Colt was the only other caliber produced in significant quantity, although a number of other chamberings were available on special order. Other calibers as 38 Special and 44 Special were among those included. Standard barrel lengths were 7-1/2', 5-1/2', and 4-3/4', with others available on special order.

Special guns made without ejector rods or housings were called 'Sheriff's Models' or 'Storekeepers Models', and often had shorter than standard barrels. The SAA was used by the US military from it's introduction through the Spanish American War and Philippine insurrection. The original 7-1/2' barrel martial version is called the 'Cavalry Model' by collectors. Many military SAA's were refurbished by Springfield Armory or Colt for reissue with a shorter 5-1/2' barrel, and these are called 'Artillery Models' today. The Bisley model was introduced in the 1890's, and featured a redesigned grip and hammer and was designed for target shooting.

Later in the 3rd generation series the New Frontier was introduced with a more squarer top strap of the frame for accommodation of adjustable rear sights plus a ramped base and front sight.

Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation Free

Barrels :The threads on the 1st and 2nd generation guns used a 20 thread per inch threads. On the later 3rd generation the barrel threads were changed to a finer pitch.

Cylinders :Also the cylinder ratchets were made differently, thus requiring other component parts that mate to and function with the cylinder to be also altered. The new cylinder eliminated the integral base pin bushing. When we refer to Old Style or New Style, we are actually meaning the Old Style as being either the 1st or 2nd generation, while the New Style as the 3rd generation.

Bolts / Cylinder Stops : The technical factory name for these parts is a 'Bolt' or probably a locking bolt. Many non gunsmithing persons call them a cylinder stop. This part was used unchanged until 1976 when the 3rd generation version was brought out. The original part number was #50976. After the change the part number was not changed, but the configuration of the part did. It was simply designated the 'Old Style' or the 'New Style'.

Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation Military

Listed below are the various styles encountered. Those of you who are trying to find a replacement part for the aftermarket 'Clones' may well have to take the firearm in question apart and compare the broken part with these CAD drawings of the Colt SAA. The Old Style and New Style are exact replacements for the Colt firearm.

The Modified Style was a composite of both including the thicker rear bottom of the NS plus the extended tail of the OS and was designed to fit about any model out there, whether it be a clone or a worn Colt. These Modified Styles cylinder stops WILL HAVE to be fitted to each gun. As far as we know, Wisner's Inc. are the only ones making this specific modified interchangeable part which should be able to be fitted to the clones. This modified version is made with the bottom section below the pivot hole thicker like the New Style, but with the tail shape and length of the Old Style and then the tail is lengthened by about .020. This configuration will fit most all the clones and of course even some of the worn old original SAAs.

These bolts are made in a standard thickness of .152. Wisner's Inc. also makes an oversize thickness of .160 to be used on old worn cylinder locking notches.

All of these parts need to be hand fitted to the individual firearm. They are not just a drop in part, even the factory replacement parts were not. The RH tail need not be fitted, other than stoning the back side to allow it to function smoothly. The inner (LH) tail end needs to be fit to the hammer stud so it is timed to slide off the stud's angle as the hammer is cocked, just as the cylinder is rotated with the locking notch in line with the bolt at the full cocking motion of the hammer.

Once the bolt is in line with the cylinder notch, the bolt's tail slips off the hammer stud, the bolt's inner radiused face will drop into place with the hammer's stud now that the hammer is rearward, locked into the fire sear notch of the hammer.

Before all this can take place, the hammer has to have proper sear notches, the stud has to be correct for timing. The trigger also needs to be in good shape to mate with the hammer notch for proper timing. Also the cylinder base pin and bushing need to be fitted so not excess slop is there for endshake looseness.

Hands : The hands were also changed at the 3rd generation to fit the new cylinder ratchet notches as shown below.

Sear & Bolt Spring : The sear and bolt spring is as flat, dual tailed spring held in place by one screw. It places tension on both the trigger and the bolt. The original thickness of this spring is .045. Aftermarket springs of a medium strength are made in .035 while a light weight version is made in .025. The .035 would be the common one used to lighten up the average shooter firearm.

Mainspring :The mainspring is a flat arched leaf spring that has a slight groove on the upper forward end for the hammer roller to ride in. This groove also keeps the mainspring centered in the frame so it does not shift sideways, allowing binding. The original material was .062 thick and machined to a taper (top to bottom) to make it like a buggy whip for the 1st and 2nd generation guns. The 3rd generation saw the same spring, but no taper, making it a heavier pull on the hammer.

Replacement mainsprings are usually made slightly long so they can be fitted to about any version, even the many copies or clones. If they are NOT properly fitted for these longer springs, when the hammer is pulled to the rear to full cock, the front tip section may bind in the inner arc of the hammer which will create a stiff resistance right at let-off, because it is being stopped by the mainspring front. This situation makes for a hard cocking firearm PLUS it can very well break the tip off the mainspring.

Back to the Main Ramblings Page

Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation List

Originated 05-11-06 Originated 01-04-2021
Contact the author

We were on one of our rare vacations, albeit a working one, travelingdown to the Freedom Arms factory. We, being my wife and I, had spent thenight in Jackson Wyoming before going through Yellowstone Park and thenup through Montana to visit fast draw expert Bob Munden and his lovelywife Becky.

Standing in line for breakfast my wife suggested 'Why don't yougo over to the gunstore and look around while I keep our place. I'll getthe table and I know what you will order anyway.' Across the streetto the Bitter Root Trading Company I went to spend my waiting time lookingthrough the racks of old Winchesters, Marlins, and Sharps rifles and carbines.Then over to the pistol case to look at the Colt Single Action Armies andBisleys.

By the time I got to the end of the showcase, a sixgun on the bottomshelf caught my eye. It also caught my checkbook. When I returned to mywife at the breakfast table, I had a small package under my arm. It containeda beautiful 7 1/2' Colt New Frontier .44 Special.

It was the beginning of a new era. A breath of fresh air. We had a newpresident. A young president to replace the grandfatherly Ike. Little didwe realize what lay ahead in the 1960's. To honor the new president andnew optimism, one firearms company decided to bring out a new sixgun. Inlate 1961 (only two were made in this year), Colt brought forth the NewFrontier in honor of John F. Kennedy's New Frontier. Within two years,rifle shots would ring out in Dallas, Camelot would be gone, and the speciallyengraved New Frontier would never be presented.

Our country's innocence was gone never to return again, but the ColtNew Frontier would remain in production for the next twenty plus years.As did Ruger seven years earlier, Colt flat-topped the frame of an existingmodel, added an adjustable rear sight mated with a radically sloping ramp-stylefront sight, and brought forth one of the most beautiful sixguns ever.Just as with the Colt Single Action Army that gave birth to the New Frontier,the new sixgun carried a deep blue finish on its barrel, cylinder, andgrip frame topped off with beautifully mottled colors on its case hardenedmain frame.

In the production of the First Generation Colt Single Action Army sixgunsfrom 1873 to 1941, a few target models, both Single Action Army and Bisley,were produced consisting of a slightly flat-topped frame, a windage adjustablerear sight by drifting and locking in place, and a front sight that couldbe adjusted up and down. During the 1920's, Elmer Keith tried to interestColt in modernizing the Colt by flat-topping the frame and adding fullyadjustable sights. He even offered the loan of his custom sixguns includinghis famous #5SA but Colt would not listen. Had they been open-minded, Rugermay never have materialized. Keith's Keith's #5SA was built in the mid-1920's.It was a 5 1/2' Single Action chambered in the cartridge of time,at least for reloaders, the .44 Special. The grip was created by matinga Bisley backstrap with a Single Action trigger guard. Its influence todaycan be seen in the Freedom Arms and Ruger Bisley revolvers. The frame wasflat-topped and carried a fully adjustable rear sight mated with a postfront sight with a bead. The gun magazine of the day, THE AMERICAN RIFLEMANcarried Keith's article on the #5SA entitled The Last Word. The#5SA was definitely the last word in single actions in the 1920's.

In 1962, a Colt Single Action Army cost, gulp, $125. The New Frontier,was even higher at an unreachable $140. This at the same time that .357and .44 Magnum Ruger Blackhawks were going for less than $100 and the superblycrafted and blued Super Blackhawk in .44 Magnum was selling for $116. Ourlocal store had a New Frontier .44 Special that I drooled over quite oftenbut with college tuition, three hungry kids, and a wife who stayed homewith them, there was no way. Had I been able to look into the future, Iwould somehow have borrowed the money and bought the Colt. Today it wouldbe worth no less than ten times the original price. I keep reminding myself:ALWAYS REMEMBER, COLT SINGLE ACTIONS DO NOT GO DOWN IN VALUE!

The Colt New Frontier began with serial number 3000NF, which stayedin the Colt plant. The last of the Second Generation New Frontiers wasin the 72XXNF serial number range, which gives us a total of slightly over4,000 New Frontiers from 1961 to 1974. Four calibers were made in thisfirst run of Colt Flat-Top Target sixguns. These were in chamberings of.45 Colt,.38 Special, .357 Magnum, and .44 Special.

According to Colt expert Don Wilkerson, the .38 Special is the rarestfollowed by the .44 Special. Wilkerson gives the following production figuresfor the Second Generation New Frontiers. Less than 100 .45 New FrontierBuntlines were also produced.

CALIBER PRODUCTION BY BARREL LENGTH

In 1978, The New Frontier went back into production with the Third GenerationColt Single Action Army. Serial Numbers began at 01001NF, using five digitsinstead of four. In the last, and according to Colt, final run of New Frontiers,calibers were .45 Colt, .357 Magnum, .44 Special, and .44-40. All of theSecond Generation New Frontiers were standardized with a finish of brightblue except for the case hardened frame. Third Generation New Frontierscan be found in full blue and nickel finishes also including nickel platedBuntline New Frontiers in .45 Colt, .44 Special, and .44-40. The .44-40was available in the short barrel length of 4 3/4' but I do not believeany .44 Specials were offered in this length.

Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation 22

Take a very close look at any Third Generation New Frontier before buying.Some of the later ones were hastily thrown together and will require someexpert gunsmithing to bring them up to standard.

My 'Breakfast Special', the New Frontier .44 Special purchasedbefore bacon, toast, and hashbrowns in Jackson was dropped off at MundenEnterprises before ever being fired. Bob Munden performed his action magicreplacing springs and smoothing the action, then it was off to his gripmaker,Mike Wallace. I asked to be surprised as to choice of wood, and I certainlywas breathtakingly so. When the .44 Special arrived back here in Idahoit wore heart-stopping one piece grips of burl maple that fit my hand perfectly.Wallace joins the select group of Charles Able, Tedd Adamovich, Roy Fishpaw,and Bob Lescovec as men who understand what single action grip-making isall about.

The Colt New Frontiers maintain the beautiful looks, feel, and balanceof the Colt Single Action Army with the added advantage of adjustable sights.It is a rare fixed sighted sixgun that shoots to point of aim and whenit does it is normally for only one load. The New Frontier's sights allowsany reasonable load to be dialed in.

Until the advent of the Colt Anaconda in both .44 Magnum and .45 Colt,the New Frontier remained the finest hunting sixgun ever offered by Hartford.Especially in the 7 1/2' barrel length and in calibers .44 Specialand .45 Colt, the New Frontier will get the job done up close on deer andblack bear sized game. They are not Magnums, but the .45 Colt will easilyhandle loads using 260 grain Keith style bullets at 1000- 1150 feet persecond, while the .44 Special uses the same style bullets of 250 grainsof 1200-1250 feet per second.

Jacketed bullets are normally an expensive and unnecessary option withthe .45 Colt and .44 Special at these muzzle velocities, however Speerstill catalogs their original 'jacketed' .44 bullets which consist of acopper cup with a lead core. These are offered in both 225 grain hollowpoints and 240 grain flat points with the former getting the nod for .44Special use at 1100 feet per second. I would like to see the same designoffered in .45 caliber.

The short barreled New Frontiers in both .44 and .45 caliber make excellentpackin' pistols that are easy to carry and relatively lightweight whencompared to .454 Casulls and Ruger .44 Magnums. With heavy .44 Specialand .45 Colt loads, one can handle anything up close except the big bears.

FIREARMS INFORMATION

History :The First Generation Colt Single Action Army revolvers were produced between their introduction in 1873 and WWII. Production resumed in 1956, and these guns are known as 'Second' generation Single Action Army revolvers, which are quickly identified by a 'SA' suffix at the end of their s/n, and continued through 1975. In 1976 a 'Third'generation of Colt Single Action Armys was introduced. On these, the 'SA' marking is moved to the front of the serial number.

These guns carried a varied number of names, from 1873 for the year it was introduced. The Peacemaker was another name used by the old west community. Single Action Army was what the military used when the guns were issued to the cavalry. The factory even today uses model designations of the alphabet and this model was the 'P'.

Calibers & Configurations :The .45 Colt chambering was by far the most popular, accounting for nearly half of the pre-WWII SAA's. The 'Winchester Centerfire' calibers – .44 WCF (44-40), .38 WCF (38-40), and .32 WCF (32-20) placed 2nd, 3rd and 4th in popularity; doubtless in part due to the fact that paired with an 1873 or 1892 Winchester they allowed the usage of the same cartridge in both rifle and revolver, simplifying supply logistics. The obsolete .41 Colt was the only other caliber produced in significant quantity, although a number of other chamberings were available on special order. Other calibers as 38 Special and 44 Special were among those included. Standard barrel lengths were 7-1/2', 5-1/2', and 4-3/4', with others available on special order.

Special guns made without ejector rods or housings were called 'Sheriff's Models' or 'Storekeepers Models', and often had shorter than standard barrels. The SAA was used by the US military from it's introduction through the Spanish American War and Philippine insurrection. The original 7-1/2' barrel martial version is called the 'Cavalry Model' by collectors. Many military SAA's were refurbished by Springfield Armory or Colt for reissue with a shorter 5-1/2' barrel, and these are called 'Artillery Models' today. The Bisley model was introduced in the 1890's, and featured a redesigned grip and hammer and was designed for target shooting.

Later in the 3rd generation series the New Frontier was introduced with a more squarer top strap of the frame for accommodation of adjustable rear sights plus a ramped base and front sight.

Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation Free

Barrels :The threads on the 1st and 2nd generation guns used a 20 thread per inch threads. On the later 3rd generation the barrel threads were changed to a finer pitch.

Cylinders :Also the cylinder ratchets were made differently, thus requiring other component parts that mate to and function with the cylinder to be also altered. The new cylinder eliminated the integral base pin bushing. When we refer to Old Style or New Style, we are actually meaning the Old Style as being either the 1st or 2nd generation, while the New Style as the 3rd generation.

Bolts / Cylinder Stops : The technical factory name for these parts is a 'Bolt' or probably a locking bolt. Many non gunsmithing persons call them a cylinder stop. This part was used unchanged until 1976 when the 3rd generation version was brought out. The original part number was #50976. After the change the part number was not changed, but the configuration of the part did. It was simply designated the 'Old Style' or the 'New Style'.

Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation Military

Listed below are the various styles encountered. Those of you who are trying to find a replacement part for the aftermarket 'Clones' may well have to take the firearm in question apart and compare the broken part with these CAD drawings of the Colt SAA. The Old Style and New Style are exact replacements for the Colt firearm.

The Modified Style was a composite of both including the thicker rear bottom of the NS plus the extended tail of the OS and was designed to fit about any model out there, whether it be a clone or a worn Colt. These Modified Styles cylinder stops WILL HAVE to be fitted to each gun. As far as we know, Wisner's Inc. are the only ones making this specific modified interchangeable part which should be able to be fitted to the clones. This modified version is made with the bottom section below the pivot hole thicker like the New Style, but with the tail shape and length of the Old Style and then the tail is lengthened by about .020. This configuration will fit most all the clones and of course even some of the worn old original SAAs.

These bolts are made in a standard thickness of .152. Wisner's Inc. also makes an oversize thickness of .160 to be used on old worn cylinder locking notches.

All of these parts need to be hand fitted to the individual firearm. They are not just a drop in part, even the factory replacement parts were not. The RH tail need not be fitted, other than stoning the back side to allow it to function smoothly. The inner (LH) tail end needs to be fit to the hammer stud so it is timed to slide off the stud's angle as the hammer is cocked, just as the cylinder is rotated with the locking notch in line with the bolt at the full cocking motion of the hammer.

Once the bolt is in line with the cylinder notch, the bolt's tail slips off the hammer stud, the bolt's inner radiused face will drop into place with the hammer's stud now that the hammer is rearward, locked into the fire sear notch of the hammer.

Before all this can take place, the hammer has to have proper sear notches, the stud has to be correct for timing. The trigger also needs to be in good shape to mate with the hammer notch for proper timing. Also the cylinder base pin and bushing need to be fitted so not excess slop is there for endshake looseness.

Hands : The hands were also changed at the 3rd generation to fit the new cylinder ratchet notches as shown below.

Sear & Bolt Spring : The sear and bolt spring is as flat, dual tailed spring held in place by one screw. It places tension on both the trigger and the bolt. The original thickness of this spring is .045. Aftermarket springs of a medium strength are made in .035 while a light weight version is made in .025. The .035 would be the common one used to lighten up the average shooter firearm.

Mainspring :The mainspring is a flat arched leaf spring that has a slight groove on the upper forward end for the hammer roller to ride in. This groove also keeps the mainspring centered in the frame so it does not shift sideways, allowing binding. The original material was .062 thick and machined to a taper (top to bottom) to make it like a buggy whip for the 1st and 2nd generation guns. The 3rd generation saw the same spring, but no taper, making it a heavier pull on the hammer.

Replacement mainsprings are usually made slightly long so they can be fitted to about any version, even the many copies or clones. If they are NOT properly fitted for these longer springs, when the hammer is pulled to the rear to full cock, the front tip section may bind in the inner arc of the hammer which will create a stiff resistance right at let-off, because it is being stopped by the mainspring front. This situation makes for a hard cocking firearm PLUS it can very well break the tip off the mainspring.

Back to the Main Ramblings Page

Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation List

Originated 05-11-06 Originated 01-04-2021
Contact the author

We were on one of our rare vacations, albeit a working one, travelingdown to the Freedom Arms factory. We, being my wife and I, had spent thenight in Jackson Wyoming before going through Yellowstone Park and thenup through Montana to visit fast draw expert Bob Munden and his lovelywife Becky.

Standing in line for breakfast my wife suggested 'Why don't yougo over to the gunstore and look around while I keep our place. I'll getthe table and I know what you will order anyway.' Across the streetto the Bitter Root Trading Company I went to spend my waiting time lookingthrough the racks of old Winchesters, Marlins, and Sharps rifles and carbines.Then over to the pistol case to look at the Colt Single Action Armies andBisleys.

By the time I got to the end of the showcase, a sixgun on the bottomshelf caught my eye. It also caught my checkbook. When I returned to mywife at the breakfast table, I had a small package under my arm. It containeda beautiful 7 1/2' Colt New Frontier .44 Special.

It was the beginning of a new era. A breath of fresh air. We had a newpresident. A young president to replace the grandfatherly Ike. Little didwe realize what lay ahead in the 1960's. To honor the new president andnew optimism, one firearms company decided to bring out a new sixgun. Inlate 1961 (only two were made in this year), Colt brought forth the NewFrontier in honor of John F. Kennedy's New Frontier. Within two years,rifle shots would ring out in Dallas, Camelot would be gone, and the speciallyengraved New Frontier would never be presented.

Our country's innocence was gone never to return again, but the ColtNew Frontier would remain in production for the next twenty plus years.As did Ruger seven years earlier, Colt flat-topped the frame of an existingmodel, added an adjustable rear sight mated with a radically sloping ramp-stylefront sight, and brought forth one of the most beautiful sixguns ever.Just as with the Colt Single Action Army that gave birth to the New Frontier,the new sixgun carried a deep blue finish on its barrel, cylinder, andgrip frame topped off with beautifully mottled colors on its case hardenedmain frame.

In the production of the First Generation Colt Single Action Army sixgunsfrom 1873 to 1941, a few target models, both Single Action Army and Bisley,were produced consisting of a slightly flat-topped frame, a windage adjustablerear sight by drifting and locking in place, and a front sight that couldbe adjusted up and down. During the 1920's, Elmer Keith tried to interestColt in modernizing the Colt by flat-topping the frame and adding fullyadjustable sights. He even offered the loan of his custom sixguns includinghis famous #5SA but Colt would not listen. Had they been open-minded, Rugermay never have materialized. Keith's Keith's #5SA was built in the mid-1920's.It was a 5 1/2' Single Action chambered in the cartridge of time,at least for reloaders, the .44 Special. The grip was created by matinga Bisley backstrap with a Single Action trigger guard. Its influence todaycan be seen in the Freedom Arms and Ruger Bisley revolvers. The frame wasflat-topped and carried a fully adjustable rear sight mated with a postfront sight with a bead. The gun magazine of the day, THE AMERICAN RIFLEMANcarried Keith's article on the #5SA entitled The Last Word. The#5SA was definitely the last word in single actions in the 1920's.

In 1962, a Colt Single Action Army cost, gulp, $125. The New Frontier,was even higher at an unreachable $140. This at the same time that .357and .44 Magnum Ruger Blackhawks were going for less than $100 and the superblycrafted and blued Super Blackhawk in .44 Magnum was selling for $116. Ourlocal store had a New Frontier .44 Special that I drooled over quite oftenbut with college tuition, three hungry kids, and a wife who stayed homewith them, there was no way. Had I been able to look into the future, Iwould somehow have borrowed the money and bought the Colt. Today it wouldbe worth no less than ten times the original price. I keep reminding myself:ALWAYS REMEMBER, COLT SINGLE ACTIONS DO NOT GO DOWN IN VALUE!

The Colt New Frontier began with serial number 3000NF, which stayedin the Colt plant. The last of the Second Generation New Frontiers wasin the 72XXNF serial number range, which gives us a total of slightly over4,000 New Frontiers from 1961 to 1974. Four calibers were made in thisfirst run of Colt Flat-Top Target sixguns. These were in chamberings of.45 Colt,.38 Special, .357 Magnum, and .44 Special.

According to Colt expert Don Wilkerson, the .38 Special is the rarestfollowed by the .44 Special. Wilkerson gives the following production figuresfor the Second Generation New Frontiers. Less than 100 .45 New FrontierBuntlines were also produced.

CALIBER PRODUCTION BY BARREL LENGTH

In 1978, The New Frontier went back into production with the Third GenerationColt Single Action Army. Serial Numbers began at 01001NF, using five digitsinstead of four. In the last, and according to Colt, final run of New Frontiers,calibers were .45 Colt, .357 Magnum, .44 Special, and .44-40. All of theSecond Generation New Frontiers were standardized with a finish of brightblue except for the case hardened frame. Third Generation New Frontierscan be found in full blue and nickel finishes also including nickel platedBuntline New Frontiers in .45 Colt, .44 Special, and .44-40. The .44-40was available in the short barrel length of 4 3/4' but I do not believeany .44 Specials were offered in this length.

Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation 22

Take a very close look at any Third Generation New Frontier before buying.Some of the later ones were hastily thrown together and will require someexpert gunsmithing to bring them up to standard.

My 'Breakfast Special', the New Frontier .44 Special purchasedbefore bacon, toast, and hashbrowns in Jackson was dropped off at MundenEnterprises before ever being fired. Bob Munden performed his action magicreplacing springs and smoothing the action, then it was off to his gripmaker,Mike Wallace. I asked to be surprised as to choice of wood, and I certainlywas breathtakingly so. When the .44 Special arrived back here in Idahoit wore heart-stopping one piece grips of burl maple that fit my hand perfectly.Wallace joins the select group of Charles Able, Tedd Adamovich, Roy Fishpaw,and Bob Lescovec as men who understand what single action grip-making isall about.

The Colt New Frontiers maintain the beautiful looks, feel, and balanceof the Colt Single Action Army with the added advantage of adjustable sights.It is a rare fixed sighted sixgun that shoots to point of aim and whenit does it is normally for only one load. The New Frontier's sights allowsany reasonable load to be dialed in.

Until the advent of the Colt Anaconda in both .44 Magnum and .45 Colt,the New Frontier remained the finest hunting sixgun ever offered by Hartford.Especially in the 7 1/2' barrel length and in calibers .44 Specialand .45 Colt, the New Frontier will get the job done up close on deer andblack bear sized game. They are not Magnums, but the .45 Colt will easilyhandle loads using 260 grain Keith style bullets at 1000- 1150 feet persecond, while the .44 Special uses the same style bullets of 250 grainsof 1200-1250 feet per second.

Jacketed bullets are normally an expensive and unnecessary option withthe .45 Colt and .44 Special at these muzzle velocities, however Speerstill catalogs their original 'jacketed' .44 bullets which consist of acopper cup with a lead core. These are offered in both 225 grain hollowpoints and 240 grain flat points with the former getting the nod for .44Special use at 1100 feet per second. I would like to see the same designoffered in .45 caliber.

The short barreled New Frontiers in both .44 and .45 caliber make excellentpackin' pistols that are easy to carry and relatively lightweight whencompared to .454 Casulls and Ruger .44 Magnums. With heavy .44 Specialand .45 Colt loads, one can handle anything up close except the big bears.

I can only think of two improvements to the New Frontier. First, aswith almost all sixguns, they cry for custom grips. The only other changeI would make is the use of a flat black post front sight instead of theglare gathering sloping ramp front sight. Colt has provided a high frontsight that goes well with one of my favorite sixgun shooting pastimes,namely long range shooting at small rocks on yonder hill. The secret tothis style of long range shooting is not holding over as one does witha scope sighted rifle or pistol, but simply holding up enough front sightwith the intended target perched on top. This is only for shooting atinanimate objects not for hunting. Misses don't count on the former,they can be really messy on the latter.

Loading for the Colt New Frontier for this sixgunner is pretty traditional.I see no advantage, actually a disadvantage in using jacketed bullets inthe non-Magnum big bore New Frontiers except for the above mentioned .44225 grain hollow point by Speer. I say this as pressures with jacketedbullets are higher than I care for to obtain the desired velocities. The.44 Special and .45 Colt literally beg for cast bullets and are at theirbest with hard cast, Keith-style or semi- wadcutter bullets.

Today, Third Generation Single Action Armies are once again availablefrom the Colt in .45 Colt, .44-40, and .38-40. However, New Frontiers aregone forever. Also gone is the .44 Special in the Single Action. Don'tcount either out. The Colt is a survivor and let's hope both the New Frontiersand the .44 Special comes back.

Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation Series

For now, New Frontiers seem to be readily available at gun shows andthe really good news is that they are not regarded as highly by collectorsas the Single Action Army so prices are usually quite a bit lower. Severalhundred dollars lower in my area. I just looked in the want ads of thelocal paper and there is one for sale, unfired,. 45 Colt with a 7 1/2'barrel. The price is well under what a Single Action Army would be goingfor.

Colt Saa Serial Numbers 3rd Generation

There is no reason why Colt could not 'modernize' the New Frontier withcoil springs and bring it back out for all of us single action sixgunners.The frame and cylinder size is too small for a .44 Magnum, however it wouldmake a dandy .41 Magnum.