Nimble Fingers SASS# 25439 Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I am looking for a class on Colt cylinders. Have pistols in both New Frontier and fixed site models in 44spcl and 44-40. In every case my pistols’ cylinders are “branded” on the back end with the calibers, is this always the case for 3rd gen pistols as mine are? I have seen cylinders for sale but have not bought ones unless they had the branding, even if the seller said the cylinder was 3rd gen Colt. Is it the same or different for 1st and 2nd gens? Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCandless Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 I just had to check go check. On mine, the 2nd Gens have the rampant Colt stamped into the back of the cylinder. Late 3rd Gens (removable bushings) from the Custom Shop have the caliber stamped into the back of the cylinder but not the Colt. Earlier 3rd Gen have the rampant Colt. Not sure if this carries on throughout the line or if just some dates or what... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 Howdy Best I can tell you is it varies. I just checked two 2nd Gen 'fixed sight' Single Action Armies and a 2nd Gen New Frontier. All three have a Rampant Colt stamped on the rear of the cylinder. None has any caliber markings. Checked a 1st Gen Bisley, no markings on the cylinder. Sorry, I don't have any 3rd Gens. What is most important, other than caliber, is the Generation. The pattern of the ratchet teeth on the rear of the cylinders is different for 1st Gen, 2nd Gen, and 3rd Gen. I cannot recommend a class, but I can recommend the best book on Colts, Kuhnhausen's The Colt Single Action Revolvers Shop Manual, Volumes 1&2. The best book there is on the subject. http://www.gunbooks.com/colt_sa.html You can also find this book on Amazon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 2 hours ago, Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 said: I cannot recommend a class, but I can recommend the best book on Colts, Kuhnhausen's The Colt Single Action Revolvers Shop Manual, Volumes 1&2. The best book there is on the subject. I have that book on the stand beside my recliner. It's exhausting how much information is in that book. Not just Colt but Uberti and Pietta also. I rebuilt the action no my late brother-in-law's Colt SAA this summer and spent more time reading up on stuff in this book than working on the gun. But it was time well invested. I got mine from MidwayUSA. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1014291126/the-colt-single-action-revolvers-a-shop-manual-volumes-1-and-2-book-by-jerry-kuhnhausen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Coles SASS 1188 Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 8 hours ago, Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 said: Howdy Best I can tell you is it varies. I just checked two 2nd Gen 'fixed sight' Single Action Armies and a 2nd Gen New Frontier. All three have a Rampant Colt stamped on the rear of the cylinder. None has any caliber markings. Checked a 1st Gen Bisley, no markings on the cylinder. Sorry, I don't have any 3rd Gens. What is most important, other than caliber, is the Generation. The pattern of the ratchet teeth on the rear of the cylinders is different for 1st Gen, 2nd Gen, and 3rd Gen. I cannot recommend a class, but I can recommend the best book on Colts, Kuhnhausen's The Colt Single Action Revolvers Shop Manual, Volumes 1&2. The best book there is on the subject. http://www.gunbooks.com/colt_sa.html You can also find this book on Amazon Kuhnhausen does have a lot of information and it is very good, but it is not well organized. Finding answers to specific questions can be very frustrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas John Ringo, SASS #10138 Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 I have 2 later 3rd gen's (w/removable cylinder pin bushings) with the caliber on the rear of the cylinder. 3 early 3rd's (1977) and 1 1984 3rd with nothing on the cylinders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Six Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 I had the opportunity to talk to someone at Colt about 5 years ago about some forgotten issue. One of my questions was about the markings on the cylinders of 3rd Gens. I asked him why some were marked with partial serial numbers and some were not. He said "Colt doesn't do that", but I had a couple of early 3rd Gens that clearly had the last three digits of the serial numbers on the cylinders. I bought the guns new and they never left my possession, so it must have happened at the Colt factory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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