Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very appealing early-production Colt Single Action Army revolver in .45 Colt, manufactured in 1878 and retaining matching serial number 43885 on the frame, trigger guard, and backstrap, with the abbreviated number 3885 still partially visible on the cylinder.

The revolver was fitted during its service life with a period original Colt factory manufactured replacement 5 1/2-inch barrel numbered 6856. The shorter barrel gives it the classic proportions associated with later frontier and working revolvers, while its heavily worn surfaces, aged walnut grip, and honest mechanical wear preserve the unmistakable character of a handgun that saw extensive use.

Introduced in 1873, the Colt Single Action Army became one of the defining firearms of the American West. It was adopted by the U.S. military and widely purchased by civilians, ranchers, lawmen, express agents, settlers, and others who required a rugged and dependable cartridge revolver.

The design became commonly known as the Peacemaker and remains one of the most recognizable handguns ever produced. Its solid frame, single-action lockwork, loading gate, and rod ejector established a combination of strength and simplicity that allowed the design to remain in production, with interruptions, for generations.

Serial number 43885 dates this revolver to 1878, placing it within the early years of commercial and military production and squarely within the classic frontier period.

The serial number is marked on the underside of the frame: 43885. The same full number appears on the trigger guard and backstrap. The cylinder retains the partially worn abbreviated number: 3885. This indicates that the cylinder was originally fitted to the revolver and remains matching despite the wear to the marking.

The underside of the replacement barrel is numbered: 6856. The barrel was therefore taken from another revolver and installed at some point during the gun’s service life. Barrel replacement was not unusual on heavily used Single Action Army revolvers, particularly when the original barrel became worn, damaged, shortened, or otherwise unserviceable.

The loading gate bears assembly number: 238

The top of the barrel retains the original single-line Colt address:

COLT’S PT. F. A. MFG. Co. HARTFORD. CT. U.S.A.

The marking remains fully legible.

The left side of the frame retains the early three-line patent marking:

PAT. SEPT. 19. 1871.
" JULY. 2. --72.
" JAN. 19. --75.

These early Second Pattern patent markings predate the addition of the Colt rampant horse emblem to the frame.

The left rear of the trigger guard bears a very faint caliber marking: 45 CAL

The marking is difficult to photograph but remains visible under close examination.

The chambering has also been confirmed through inspection of the cylinder and barrel. The revolver is chambered for .45 Colt, commonly called .45 Long Colt in later usage.

The .45 Colt cartridge became inseparably associated with the Single Action Army and helped establish the popular expression “Colt .45.” Its large projectile and substantial black-powder charge made it one of the most formidable American handgun cartridges of the late 19th century.

The revolver retains no meaningful amount of its original blue finish. The steel surfaces have worn to an attractive dark gray and brown patina from prolonged use, exposure, cleaning, and handling.

Scattered light peppering is present on the frame and other areas, but there is no severe active rust or extensive deep pitting noted.

The appearance is entirely consistent with a working revolver that was carried and maintained over a long period rather than preserved as a high-condition collector’s piece.

The walnut grip displays considerable wear. The lower corners are rounded, worn, and chipped from long use, but there are no major cracks, structural repairs, or large missing sections.

The grip fits the revolver well and has developed the smooth, dark appearance associated with decades of handling.

Mechanically, the action remains functional and relatively smooth. The hammer produces all four traditional clicks, the cylinder indexes, and the mainspring remains strong.

Cylinder lockup is generally good for a revolver of this age and degree of use. However, wear to the cylinder and locking components allows the cylinder to overshoot if the hammer is pulled back too quickly or forcefully. The hammer should therefore be cocked slowly and gently to allow the cylinder to stop in the correct position.

As with any antique Colt of this age, the revolver should never be fanned or rapidly cycled. Such handling places unnecessary stress on already worn internal components and may cause additional damage.

The base-pin retaining screw remains present and can be removed easily. The cylinder base pin can also be withdrawn.

The removable base-pin bushing in the cylinder is currently stuck in place, a condition frequently encountered on early Single Action Army revolvers after decades of fouling, oxidation, and dried lubricant.

The loading gate opens correctly, and the ejector rod functions as intended.

The bore remains in very good condition for an early black-powder revolver. It retains areas of brightness with clearly visible lands and grooves.

Light oxidation and fouling were formerly present throughout but have been cleaned. Some residual staining and age-related roughness remain.

The condition of the replacement barrel suggests that the revolver continued to see regular use after the barrel was installed.

This revolver should be regarded as a collectible antique rather than a firearm intended for shooting. Any consideration of firing should begin with a complete inspection by a qualified gunsmith experienced with early Colt revolvers.

Early Colt Single Action Army revolvers are increasingly difficult to find in honest, untouched service condition. Many surviving examples have been refinished, rebuilt, or assembled from unrelated components in an attempt to improve their appearance.

This revolver makes no effort to hide its history. The replacement barrel, worn finish, chipped grip, stuck bushing, and cylinder overshoot all document a long working life. At the same time, the matching frame, trigger guard, backstrap, and cylinder preserve the core identity of a genuine 1878 Colt.

Its 5 1/2-inch barrel, strong markings, mostly matching numbered components, classic .45 Colt chambering, and deep frontier-era patina give it exceptional visual character.

A compelling early Colt Single Action Army for the collector who values authentic service wear, mechanical history, and the unmistakable appearance of a revolver that was used rather than merely stored.

Specifications:
Year of Manufacture: 1878
Manufacturer: Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company
Model: Single Action Army
Serial Number: 43885
Caliber: .45 Colt
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 5 1/2"
Overall Length: 10 3/4"
Action: Single Action
Capacity: Six Rounds
Barrel Number: 6856, Non-Matching
Cylinder Number: 3885, Matching Abbreviated Serial

History of the Colt Single Single Action Army

Bound by the Rollin White patent (#12,648, April 3, 1855) and not wanting to pay a royalty fee to Smith & Wesson, Colt could not begin development of bored-through revolver cylinders for metallic cartridge use until April 4, 1869. For the design, Colt turned to two of its best engineers: William Mason and Charles Brinckerhoff Richards who had developed a number of revolvers and black powder conversions for the company. Their effort was designed for the United States government service revolver trials of 1872 by Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company and adopted as the standard military service revolver. Production began in 1873 with the Single Action Army model 1873, also referred to as the "New Model Army Metallic Cartridge Revolving Pistol".

The very first production Single Action Army, serial number 1, thought lost for many years after its production, was found in a barn in Nashua, New Hampshire in the early 1900s. It was chambered in .45 Colt, a centerfire design containing charges of up to 40 grains (2.6 g) of fine-grained black powder and a 255-grain (16.5 g) blunt roundnosed bullet. Relative to period cartridges and most later handgun rounds, it was quite powerful in its full loading.

The Colt Single Action Army revolver, along with the 1870 and 1875 Smith & Wesson Model 3 "Schofield" revolver, replaced the Colt 1860 Army Percussion revolver. The Colt quickly gained favor over the S&W and remained the primary US military sidearm until 1892 when it was replaced by the .38 Long Colt caliber Colt Model 1892, a double-action revolver with swing-out cylinder. By the end of 1874, serial no. 16,000 was reached; 12,500 Colt Single Action Army revolvers chambered for the .45 Colt cartridge had entered service and the remaining revolvers were sold in the civilian market.

The Colt .45 is a famous piece of American history, known as "The Gun That Won the West". The Single Action army is a very popular firearm, even today, and it continues to be produced in various configurations.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to most US States and most U.S. territories.

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