{"product_id":"original-u-s-colt-nickel-plated-45cal-single-action-army-7-1-2-barrel-revolver-made-in-1881-with-ivory-grip-and-factory-letter-serial-69022","title":"Original U.S. Colt Nickel Plated .45cal Single Action Army 7 1\/2\" Barrel Revolver Made in 1881 with Ivory Grip and Factory Letter - Serial 69022","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is every School boy's dream! A real Cowboy six gun! The Colt Single Action Army Revolver, often referred to as the SAA or M1873, was the first Colt cartridge revolver to see wide acceptance and use, having been developed to meet the needs of the U.S. Government. Dubbed the \"Peacemaker\", the design is a famous piece of Americana and the American Wild West era, due to its popularity with ranchers, lawmen, and outlaws alike. While Colt has fielded many other designs since its introduction, none have been able to capture the same type of romance, resulting in the design being reissued several times since originally being discontinued.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis great frontier-worn Colt SAA (Single Action Army) Revolver has an original long 7 1\/2\" barrel and and lovely worn and yellowed ivory grips. Original nickel plated from the factory, it now shows many areas with the plating gone, replaced by a lovely mottled peppery patina, with no signs of restoration. This definitely looks to be an example that saw long use on the frontier, giving it an impossible to duplicate look!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe revolver's serial number is \u003cstrong\u003e69022\u003c\/strong\u003e, which dates production to \u003cstrong\u003e1881\u003c\/strong\u003e. It has the serial number on the frame, trigger guard, and grip frame, however the serial number on the side of the cylinder is completely worn away. We also did not see any serial number on the underside of the barrel. In 1883, Colt would stop marking the cylinders until 1912, mostly due to how often they wore away, and they did not start these markings again until 1912. We do however believe that the parts on this revolver are all original to it, as they have a matching amount of wear. There is also assembly number \u003cstrong\u003e3802\u003c\/strong\u003e marked on the loading gate. It is in full working order and condition, showing a gorgeous worn patina of age, sure to delight any \"Old West\" Americana collector.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe revolver came to us with an original Colt Factory letter from the office of the Colt Historian \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBeverly Jean Haynes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, which has her signature and correct raised seal applied in the lower left corner. The paper used is the correct Colt Letterhead and is dated \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFebruary 9, 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, indicating it is a \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, with the caliber listed as \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e.45\/c\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e and finish listed as \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNickel\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. The barrel length and stocks are \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot Listed\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, which indicates the standard 7 ½\" barrel length and walnut grips at that time. That means that this revolver is still in the original configuration as ordered, except for the custom ivory grips. The gun was shipped on \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJune 4, 1881\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e as part of a shipment of \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e12\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e similar guns to \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eM. W. Robinson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e in \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew York, New York\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e. This company was at the time billed as \"Smith \u0026amp; Wesson's Oldest Distributor\", however they did not make it to the 20th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is really a lovely \"frontier worn\" example, and the Colt \"Single Line\" address, correct for the longer barrel, is still partly present on the top of the barrel, showing wear from cleaning and oxidation. Using a magnifier can still identify most of the letters:-\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOLT'S PT. F. A. MFG. CO. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHARTFORD. CT. U.S.A.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/center\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe left side of the frame has the Colt patent dates still fully legible:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePAT. SEPT.19.1871.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \"  JULY.   2.  --72.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \"  JAN.   19. --75.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are the early 2nd pattern markings, and this was made before the \"Prancing Pony\" logo began appearing on the frame in 1891. While the barrel markings are worn, the patent markings are still crisp, so this revolver does not look to have been refurbished at any time, which would have worn down the markings during refinishing. The trigger guard is marked with \u003cstrong\u003e45CAL\u003c\/strong\u003e on the left side, though this is hard to see without a magnifier, and we have also 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe revolver has the great worn look that only use in service can give, with areas where the plating has flaked away showing oxidation and past peppering, now cleaned away. We would wager that it was not properly cleaned after use, allowing the powder residue around the cylinder area to erode the plating, while that on the area of the barrel farther from the cylinder near the sight retains the plating almost completely. The ivory grip has matured beautifully, with the grain fully visible, and there is age checking an cracking at the bottom, just like we love to see. There are some repairs, and there are missing chunks on the front toe on both sides. The right side was left alone, but some type of filler was put on the front of the left side.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMechanically, the action is smooth, with a strong cylinder lock up, and strong main spring. The action has all four clicks, and we did not notice any finicky behavior during cycling, as we often would on a revolver from this time period. 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 is in very good condition, showing a partly bright finish with clear lands and grooves. There is some wear and past oxidation and fouling, now cleaned away, but overall it is very nice considering the amount of service this revolver saw during the age of corrosive black powder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePistols such as this are extremely difficult to find today at any reasonable price. This honest worn nickel plated example is just ideal for any Wild West Collection, especially with the ivory grip and factory letter. A great collector's revolver, ready to display!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYear of Manufacture: 1881\u003cbr\u003eCaliber: .45 \"Long\" Colt\u003cbr\u003eAmmunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge\u003cbr\u003eBarrel Length: 7 1\/2 inches\u003cbr\u003eOverall Length: 12 3\/4 inches\u003cbr\u003eAction: Single Action\u003cbr\u003eFeed System: 6 Shot Revolver\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHistory of the Colt Single Single Action Army\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBound by the Rollin White patent (#12,648, April 3, 1855) and not wanting to pay a royalty fee to Smith \u0026amp; 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\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Colt Single Action Army revolver, along with the 1870 and 1875 Smith \u0026amp; Wesson Model 3 \"Schofield\" revolver, replaced the Colt 1860 Army Percussion revolver. The Colt quickly gained favor over the S\u0026amp;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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43990438805573,"sku":"ONSV25TGS032","price":5395.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONSV25TGS032MAIN.jpg?v=1763154393","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-u-s-colt-nickel-plated-45cal-single-action-army-7-1-2-barrel-revolver-made-in-1881-with-ivory-grip-and-factory-letter-serial-69022","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}