In the accompanying letter noted Colt historian R.L. Wilson recalls how this unusual factory cutaway Colt SAA came to be. This cutaway was commissioned by R.L. Wilson himself while working as the Assistant Manager, Public Relations at Colt. Wilson wrote, “Its design and manufacture were inspired by the author’s fascination with cutaways, while employed by the Colt’s Patent Firearms Mfg. Co.” This Single Action Army cutaway follows in the footsteps of the long tradition of “skeleton arms” design work that was initially started by company founder Samuel Colt who found such designs useful for “demonstration and promotional purposes.” The revolver was fabricated in the Colt Custom Shop by master gunsmith John Pelletier. The barrel was shortened to the non-standard length of 4 inches to reduce its size “in order to be more portable.” While he commissioned the revolver to be built, Wilson however did not keep it for long as he immediately sold it to noted firearms dealer and Colt expert Herb Glass, Senior. At the time of the sale Glass was a consultant to the president of Colt. Wilson considered this cutaway “as one of the great firearms built by the company in the post-World War II years." The revolver was manufactured in 1964 and features numerous cutaways on the left side of the frame and barrel, on the cylinder, ahead of the trigger, and on the left grip panel. These cutaways include two cylinder chambers, the barrel at the muzzle and a series of removed sections on the frame to expose the inner workings of the hammer. The barrel is marked with the one-line Hartford address on top and “COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY .45” on the left side. The left side of the frame has the two-line patent dates marking followed by a Rampant Colt. The back strap is marked “PROPERTY OF COLT’S PATENT FIRE ARMS MFG. CO.”

Excellent, retaining 99% plus original nickel finish with minimal handling marks and a light cylinder drag line. The grips are also excellent with crisp checkering. Action cycles properly. A one-of-a-kind factory cutaway Colt Second Generation Single Action Army revolver for the serious Colt collector.