1st Gen Colt SAA

J

jmw00

Inactive
Ok guys maybe I can get a answer here or someone can point me in the right direction (other than Factory letter). I recently found a Colt SAA 1st gen. serial number 317xxx, I have done some reading in the blue book and everything matches to a “T” even the Colt rampart circle is only half there, the book says the reason is that colt's die stamp was almost wore out. My question is on the side of the trigger guard there is ,if I remember right, what seems to be a small V stamped almost like a proof mark :confused: . I am unable to find anything on this and colt wants almost 150 bucks for a letter, the blue book of gun values won't answer any questions until you have obtained this. If I get really serious about buying the gun I will request a factory letter prior. I just want to find a little info before I sink my $’s into it. Thanks jmw00
 
It isn't a proof mark. American manufacturers do not proof firearms as euro manufacturers do. The emblem as I have always understood it is a inspection stamp. It is placed upon final inspection as an approval for shipping. There were some Colt factory seconds that were sold in Central/South Americas. They are reported to not have the mark by the trigger guard. I have heard that the mark is a triangle with a V facing a P and that it DOES mean Verified Proof.
 
VP Stamp

Thanks for the info... After about 4 hours of internet reading.. Dang my eyes hurt, I did find what you have mentioned. According to what I read this is a mark that colt put on their pistols after the introduction of smokeless powder. It was a verified proof assuring that the pistol had been deemed safe to shoot this powder.
 
Sorry, Sir William, it is a proof mark. The triangle contains the joined letters "VP" standing for Colt's Verified Proof. It has been placed on Colt guns since about 1920 (Colt proofed their guns before that - they just didn't mark them). The mark is applied after firing a proof load for each chamber and a regular load for each chamber.

Unlike most European countries, the U.S. has no government proof house nor is there any law requiring gun proof, but all U.S. makers do proof (prove) their guns, and SAAMI has proof pressure standards, usually about 35-40% over the maximum working pressure of the cartridge.

Jim
 
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