Original Item: Only One Available. This is every School boy's dream! A real Cowboy six gun! This great frontier-worn Colt SAA (Single Action Army) Revolver has a full length original long 7 1/2" barrel and definitely looks to have seen some things! It looks like it was originally nickel-plated from the factory, but it now shows a worn oxidized patina overall, with just a bit of the original plating present, mainly on the right side of the frame. There is peppering on the left side of the frame, which has made the original markings faint. The grips look to be factory replacements that were mated with the revolver somewhat recently.

The revolver also has been modified, with the original ejector removed, and the mounting points for it on the frame and barrel ground away. The screw that holds the arbor pin in place is long gone, and it looks like it was drilled out, so now the pin is retained by a piece of wire under the barrel. This definitely looks to be an example that saw long use on the frontier, giving it an impossible to duplicate look!

The revolver's serial number is 81253, which dates production to 1882. It has the serial number on the frame, trigger guard, and grip frame. In 1883, Colt would stop marking the cylinders until 1912, and in this case it looks like the marking wore away long ago. There is also assembly number 5965 marked on the loading gate. It is in full working order and condition, with a great well patinated look, sure to delight any "Old West" Americana collector.

The original single line address marking on the top of the barrel, originally reading, "COLT'S PT. F. A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD. CT. U.S.A." has been completely worn away. The left side of the frame are worn as well, but still legible with a magnifier:-

PAT. SEPT.19.1871.
 "  JULY.   2.  --72.
 "  JAN.   19. --75.

These are the early 2nd pattern markings, and this was made before the "Prancing Pony" logo began appearing on the frame. The markings are definite well worn from use and oxidation. The trigger guard is marked with the correct 45CAL on the left side, and we have checked the cylinder and barrel with real cartridges to confirm the chambering. This revolver is definitely chambered for .45 Colt, also known as .45 "LONG" Colt, one of the most legendary handgun cartridges of the old west. When you hear people talk of a "Colt 45", this model gun is the reason why.

The revolver has the great worn look that only use in service can give, showing evidence of peppering on the exterior, as well as some significant oxidation and rust in areas, now cleaned away. This revolver looks to have been used out in the inclement weather, and probably wasn't cleaned properly during the period. It may also have been lying on one side in a holster, which is why the left side seems to show much worse oxidation and loss of the plating.

Mechanically, the action is relatively smooth, with a good cylinder lock up, and strong mainspring. The action has all four clicks, and cycles correctly, with just a bit of slop in the lockup. It is also a bit stiff at times, but we did not notice any of the finicky behavior we often see. As with all revolvers of this age we recommend being very gentle with cycling it, so we do not recommend "fanning" or "fan firing". The bore on the revolver still shows clear lands and grooves with a partly bright finish, however there is definitely overall past fouling and oxidation, now cleaned away. 

Pistols such as this are extremely difficult to find today at any reasonable price. This honest worn example is just ideal for any Wild West Collection. A great collector's revolver, ready to display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: 1882
Caliber: .45 "Long" Colt
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 7 1/2 inches
Overall Length: 12 3/4 inches
Action: Single Action
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver

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.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to most addresses within the United States.