Original Item: Only One Available. This is every School boy's dream! A real Cowboy six gun! This very attractive Colt SAA (Single Action Army) Revolver has a "gunfighter friendly" shortened 4 3/4" inch barrel, which allowed a quicker draw. Additionally, this example has been customized, refinished in lovely Silver plate and fitted with some great looking pearloid plastic grip plates.

Clearly the revolver of a very fashionable individual. Maybe a "Madam" or an Exotic Dancer? As famous WWII General George S. Patton said once when someone stated that his famous revolvers were "pearl-handled":

“Son, only a pimp in a Louisiana whore-house carries pearl-handled revolvers. These are ivory.”

Well, if any revolver we've had could be said to be "PIMPED OUT", this is it!

The revolver's serial number is 70286, which dates production to 1880. There is also assembly number 5106 marked on the loading gate. As with most we see, the serial number on the cylinder is worn away. It is in full working order and condition and looks great, sure to delight any "Old West" Americana collector.

The markings on the top of the barrel are unfortunately worn away, probably during the refinishing process, however the left side of the frame has the Colt patent dates all clearly legible:

These are the early pattern markings, and this was made before the "Prancing Pony" logo began appearing on the frame. The caliber marking is not visible, however we checked the cylinder and barrel, and 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.

Mechanically, the action is smooth, with a good cylinder lock up, and crisp dry fire. The action has all four clicks, and cycles correctly. However, as with most the hammer will not hold in the "safety" position if the trigger is pulled hard. This is one of the big reasons why these revolvers were never loaded with 6 cartridges, only 5. The bore is nice, with clear lands and grooves and a dull finish. The ejector door swings open easily, and the ejector itself works great. Overall this is a great pistol!

Pistols such as this are extremely difficult to find today at any reasonable price. This example is just ideal for any Wild West Collection. A great "pimped out" Single Action Army revolver, ready to display!

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.

Specifications: 

Year of Manufacture: 1881
Caliber: .45 "Long" Colt
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 5 1/4 inches
Overall Length: 10 1/8 inches
Action: Single Action
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver