Original Item: Only One Available. The Colt Single Action Army Revolver—often referred to as the SAA or M1873—was the first Colt cartridge revolver to achieve widespread acceptance and use, having been developed to meet the needs of the U.S. Government. Famously dubbed the “Peacemaker,” this iconic design is a cornerstone of Americana and the American Wild West, renowned for its popularity with ranchers, lawmen, and outlaws alike. Although Colt has introduced many designs since its debut, none have captured the same romance, leading to multiple reissues after the original production was discontinued.

This frontier-worn Colt SAA features the highly desirable and “gunfighter-friendly” 4¾" barrel and retains its original Colt hard rubber grips, bearing the iconic Colt “Prancing Pony” at the top. Originally blued from the factory, the revolver shows evidence of long service and frequent cleaning, with the finish now worn to an overall light gray patina. There is evidence of past peppering and light pitting, now cleaned away, which has unfortunately rendered some markings faint—particularly the address on the top of the barrel.

The revolver bears serial number 175704, dating production to 1898. The serial number is present on the frame, trigger guard, and grip frame, making this an ALL MATCHING example. As 1883 was the last year Colt stamped serial numbers on the cylinder until 1912, the absence of a cylinder serial number is correct. An assembly number 39 is marked on the loading gate. The revolver is in full working order and presents a wonderful, naturally patinated appearance that will appeal to any Old West or Americana collector.

The original double-line Colt address on the top of the barrel is only partially legible due to wear and would have originally read:

COLT'S PT. F. A. MFG. CO.
HARTFORD. CT. U. S. A.

The left side of the frame retains the Colt patent dates, which remain clearly legible:

PAT. SEPT. 19. 1871.
JULY. 2.72. JAN. 19.75.

These are the correct later-pattern markings. The Colt “Prancing Pony” logo, introduced on the frame in 1891, would normally appear on the right side but has been completely worn away. As this revolver was manufactured after 1896, it features the correct push-button cylinder base pin release, which replaced the earlier screw-retained system. The trigger guard is faintly marked 45CAL. The cylinder was checked with real cartridges and the barrel carefully measured, confirming that this revolver is chambered for .45 Colt (.45 “Long” Colt)—one of the most legendary handgun cartridges of the Old West, and the origin of the famous term “Colt .45.”

The revolver displays the authentic wear that only long service can produce. The original Colt hard rubber gutta-percha grips show a beautifully “broken-in” appearance, with original checkering and logos still visible but worn overall, and exhibiting the classic olive-brown color that develops over decades. There is typical wear along the bottoms of the grips, with a small amount missing at the front toes.

Mechanically, the action is mostly smooth with a strong mainspring. However, due to wear on the cylinder and lock, it does not lock up securely. The action retains all four clicks with a working safety position, but it is stiff, and the hammer does not travel quite as far forward as it should. As with all revolvers of this age, gentle handling is recommended, and “fanning” or fan-firing is not advised. The bore is in good condition, showing clear lands and grooves through most of its length, though there is past pitting on the front right side of the bore that appears fairly deep—clear evidence of long use and a period of improper maintenance. The ejector rod is present and functions correctly, with no sticking or other issues.

Authentic pistols such as this are extremely difficult to find today at any reasonable price. This honest, well-used example is ideal for any Wild West collection and makes an excellent display piece with undeniable character and historical presence.

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: 1898
Caliber: .45 "Long" Colt
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 4 3/4 inches
Overall Length: 10 1/4 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.