Colt Single Action Army 1875 45 Colt British Proofed 1899

This is an extremely attractive looking SAA in 45 Colt which exhibits London Victorian Proof marks including Nitro proof marks on a gun that was originally made for black powder rounds. The serial number dates the manufacture to 1899.
The action is perfect and the bore is mirror clean and the hammer has "all the clicks", overall a handsome gun. The American purist would frown on the British proof marks but I feel these add character and rarity, not from a financial sense but from the sense that this awkward but easily pointed gun clearly took someone's fancy in the UK whilst having to compete with the Webley Government one of the finest revolvers ever made.
To look at contemporary development of this revolver whose serial number is in the 182000 range,in 1896, at serial number 164,100, a spring-loaded base pin latch replaced the cylinder pin retaining screw and by 1900, at serial number 192,000, the Colt Single Action was certified for use with smokeless powder.
From 1873 through 1940 (with small numbers assembled during and after World War II, the so called "Pre-War, Post-War" model), production of the Colt Single Action Army reached 357,859. This is identified as the "Pre War" or "First Generation" of the model. Calibers, at least thirty in all, ranged from .22 rimfire through .476 Eley, with approximately half, or 158,884 (including Bisley and Flat Top Target variations), chambered for .45 Colt. The next most prevalent were the .44-40 Winchester Center fire (WCF) at 71,392; 38-40 (38 WCF) at 50,520; 32-20 Winchester (32 WCF) at 43,284 and, the 41 Colt at 19,676.

This gun has a tiny chip out of one corner of a grip.

Sadly in the UK this is a Section 7 but I am happy to store at no charge for certificate variation and can usually arrange to hand deliver.

Code: 50105