This Colt Single Action Army revolver was manufactured in 1940, the last year of production for the SAA revolver, and shipped to the United Kingdom. This revolver was part of an order for 163 SAA revolvers by the British Purchasing Commission that was shipped from Colt on June 18, 1940. The revolvers were ordered by the British as an emergency replacement for small arms lost by the British Expeditionary Force during the evacuation from Dunkirk in May 1940. The "Battle of Britain" revolvers were the last Colt SAA revolvers ordered under a military contract. This revolver is identified by serial number as a "Battle of Britain" SAA in "A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver" on page 182.The revolver has a commercial blue finish on the barrel, cylinder, trigger guard and backstrap. The frame and loading gate have a casehardened finish and the trigger and hammer are blued. The sides of the hammer are polished. The revolver is fitted with two-piece, black checkered hard rubber grips with the Rampant Colt trademark in an oval at the top. The left shoulder of the back strap is stamped with the British Government "Broad Arrow" property mark above a "Crown/E4/E" Enfield inspection mark. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the address "COLTS PT.F.A. MFG. Co. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A." in one line and the left side is roll-stamped "COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY .45". The left side of the frame is roll-stamped with the Colt three-date in two-line patent markings followed by the Rampant Colt trademark. The left front trigger guard bow is stamped with a "4" assembler's mark above the Colt "VP/Triangle" proofmark. An "F" inspection mark is stamped in the hammer well above the firing pin hole. The inside of the loading gate is stamped with the assembly number "870". The full serial number is stamped on the bottom of the frame in front of the trigger guard and the partial serial number "43" is stamped on the rear face of the cylinder. This revolver has the distinction of being one of the last SAA revolvers manufactured by Colt before production ceased in 1940 as well as being one of the very historic "Battle of Britain" revolvers purchased the British for a last-ditch defense when faced with the imminent threat from a German invasion in the summer of 1940. Provenance: The TTT Collection