Just had to share the news with someone....We had to clean out a relative's house yesterday after he had passed. There were some long guns involved in the cleanup and I got them to take home and clean up. I was told by other relatives in charge of the clean up that there was one more gun that I would not get, as it was going to the Sheriff's department to get melted down as soon as possible. They don't mind hunting, etc, but they are extremely "anti handgun" to quote one of them. They don't want a single handgun on the street...period.

After a brief period of bargaining, and promising that it would remain in my safe and never be sold (therefore, never on the street)...they relented and let me take it with me.

I am still in a daze: Colt 1st generation SAA, 45 LC, pristine shape, not a speck of rust, all original. Serial # indicates 1907 manufacture.

Every once in awhile the good guys win one......

Cool. We need to see a pic.

- Tom

This thread is worthless without pics!!! No pics, didn't happen!

Congrats man, that's the stuff we all dream about.....

They were going to melt it down??? Wholy sh-t... Glad you got it..

I don't doubt for a minute that it would have ever got melted down...whomever they handed it to at the Sheriff's dept would have kept it for sure...that was my theory. But, you never know

thank goodness....there aren't many in that shape still around.

To say nothing of the fact that it contains significant connection to earlier generations of the family...

Dennis

Sweeeeet!

Pics do separate fact from fiction

Melt it down? I'm glad you was able to save it.

Patrick,

It was just one of those "family issues"....had to word stuff carefully, make sure everyone was OK with it, etc. I don't know how to word it, but some of you know what I am trying to say. Didn't want to create a show-down, etc. They felt just as strong about their position on handgun control as I did on mine. And they were sort of in charge of things.

Will get a pic up later to satisfy the naysayers.

That's great. I'm glad you saved that awesome old revolver!

Good work on your part alot of tact paid off this time. Sorry for your loss, sounds like the good end of your relatives died and the the not so good are still around.Good thing they don't have a clue on its value. It would never have made it by the law to a demill situation it's to valuable. Keep it safe Magnum Man

Man your lucky, wish I had that handgun.....gotta be one of the coolest revolvers of all time.

You didn't save anything from being melted down. You did, however, steal some cop's good fortune without his even knowing it. You know, the one that would've happily accepted the turn-in, and promptly (and quietly) added it to his collection...

I have a cousin who has one in 32-20, from about the same time period. He inherited it from his dad.

My brother has a Rem. revolver marked .45 LC on the cylender.

Completely 110% agree Ihonda.

Don't shoot anyone with that evil non hunting man killing device!

Exactly my first thought

Trying to post a stinkin pic, but Photobucket is screwed up...won't let me upload. Sorry.

You not only got really lucky, you saved an American treasure. Good on ya!

Nothing personal and I'm sure you know this but your relatives are morons.

Where's the pics? Email them to me and I'll post them if you want.

Lets see they wanted to melt down a vintage Colt SAA "Big Iron" because its an evil pistol. I have news for them somebody at the police department would have snagged that one in an NYC second. My guess you have several thousands of dollars worth of gun there. In Russia they have Icons, ever home has one. Religious in Nature, In America its different, our Icons are the things we make and use, It could be a rifle, or a pot we cook in like a Dutch Oven, One of Mr Sam's SAA is the American Icon of Icons. Good for you!!!

I'd bet that gun would have never made it into the incinerator. Back in the mid-nineties I worked in a chemical waste incinerator and a couple times a year we did "gun burns" for some local police departments. The guns were sealed up in fiber barrels going in so we couldn't see what went in. But on the other end all that came out was usually melted blobs like the cheap ravens. Sometimes you could identify the remains of an SKS. But any high quality gun made of decent steel could still be usually identified. I once found what is most likely a Walther PPK, ( I still have it as a conversation piece). It seems that 98% of the good stuff that turns up from estates almost never made it as far as the incinerator. That stuff had to be personally watched by the police on the way in to insure none of us got any of it. From talking with some of the officers it seems there was never anything "collectable" or of any great value that we incinerated. My guess is that most of that stuff gets "saved" before it gets to the police dept. or someone in the dept. "saves" it for himself. I don't blame the police for anything. If it's collectible why not acquire it instead of destroying it.

Emailed the pic to Big Redhead....hopefully he can post. Thanks in advance Big!

You're welcome. Here's the pic:

Thanks.....will be looking for a set of original grips for it pretty soon. From what I have seen, they can be pricey, as I suspected.

I work for a medium sized department in the Midwest and can say that in our department, that gun would have been sent to the state to be cut up, unless they "NEED" it for ballistics testing down the road. Our department is strict on that kinda stuff though, probably due to past abuse. I know that my job and name would not be worth sneaking even a great old colt out for. Had to watch an HK94 get sent to the state under the same circumstances, and it was painful. The department wouldn't even let us trade it to a FFL holder for ARs or new service pistols. No explanation, just "NO!"

I can't speak for all departments, but mine anyway. Good luck with the old colt.

Coltfan

So,

you judges "need" for ballistics, then?

Great find - and I am sure some smooth operating was neccessary to keep that Killer of tha treets.

Thanks.....anybody got an idea where I can find some grips?

I got a pair.

Send me the handgun and I will fit them...........

Ohhhh....coming to ya. Scouts honor you will send it back?

After considerable fitting.........................

To my hand.........

Godogs57:

GOOD FOR YOU!!!!

Found a pair of original grips....life is good!

Good catch.

I have a buddy that works for an Oregon sherrifs dept. and he took a similar weapon off of a druggy one day. He turned it in and it was destroyed the next week. The serieal numbers were not on the computer. He talked to everyone at the office that would listen and "policy is policy" was the answer. No way around it. He tried but a sweet piece of history was destroyed.

Mark

No offense, but your relatives remind my of the Taliban destroying the statues of Buddha carved into the cliff walls in Afganistan.

GoDogs,this is outside the topic,but can you give us a great big picture of that snake you're holding.

Hey Shameless, sure...if I can find a copy of it. It was an honest 7 foot diamondback (not stretched) killed near a neighbor's back porch. Had 1 1/4" fangs that I kept. Let me poke around and see if I still have it.

Found it but cannot post...Photobucket is still screwed up. PM me your email address and I will send to you.

What part of GA is the snake from? I saw one about that size on Ft. Stewart one time.

Southwest GA....just above Albany.

I saw one a local taxidermist mounted,6'11".He caught it in S.Ga and chloroformed it,then mounted it.

I had an uncle who owned a large Buick dealership in the 1930 through the 1950's years. He went hunting in Wyoming each year for 4 weeks and had a gun cabinet full of guns (and this was before cheap air travel). All his rifles were from Griffin and Howe (he lived in New Jersey and regularly visited G&H's New York offices) I handled his Griffin and Howe rifles (30-06, 35 Whelen, 270 Winchester) and became what is now called "a rifle loony".

He also had a number of Colt Single Actions. I had hoped to get at least one gun when he died, but his daughter (rightfully) got them all for her kids. I always wonder where the rifles are now.

Completely understand djs. This uncle also had a Superposed Lightning skeet in Pigeon grade. He bought it in the early 70's. In the back of my mind I kept telling myself "one day...". In cleaning up the house last week the Superposed was no where to be found. All guns were in the gun case but that one. My heart sank...he apparently had traded it away. However, I did find the box for it, all intact.

Where can it be????? Heartbroken! But I look at the bright side...I shoot LC Smith side by sides....my friends would not have let me have the o/u anyway.