colt single action army "the persian gun"

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.[5] 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. This gun was chambered in .45 Colt, a centre fire design containing charges of up to 40 grains (2.6 g) of fine-grained black powder and a 255-grain (16.5 g) blunt round nosed 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 favour over the S&W and remained the primary U.S. 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.  First generation (1873–1941)  Colt Sheriff's Model, 3-inch (7.6 cm) barrel  Colt SAA SAPD, Badge The Single Action Army became available in standard barrel lengths of 4+3⁄4 inch, 5+1⁄2 inch, as well as the Cavalry standard, original 7+1⁄2 inch. The shorter barrelled revolvers are sometimes called the "Civilian" or "Gunfighter" model (4+3⁄4 inch) and the Artillery Model (5+1⁄2 inch). There was also a variant with a sub-4-inch barrel, without an ejector rod, unofficially called the "Sheriff's Model", "Banker's Special", or "Storekeeper".  From 1875 until 1880 Colt marketed a single-action revolver chambered in .44 Henry in a separate number range from no. 1 to 1,863.  A "Flattop Target Model" was listed in Colt's catalogs from 1890 to 1898. Colt manufactured 914 of these revolvers with a frame that was flat on top and fitted with an adjustable leaf rear sight. The front sight consisted of a base with an interchangeable blade.  In 1896, at serial number 164,100, a spring-loaded base pin latch replaced the cylinder pin retaining screw and by 1900, at serial number 192,000, the Colt Single Action was certified for use with smokeless powder. In 1920, larger, highly visible sights replaced the original thin blade and notch. The revolvers remained essentially unchanged from that point until cessation of manufacture at the beginning of World War II.  From 1873 through 1940 (with small numbers assembled during and after World War II, the so-called "Pre-War, Post-War" model), production of the Colt Single Action Army reached 357,859. This is identified as the "Pre War" or "First Generation" of the model. Calibers, at least thirty in all, ranged from .22 rimfire through .476 Eley, with approximately half, or 158,884 (including Bisley and Flat Top Target variations), chambered for .45 Colt. The next most prevalent were the .44-40 Winchester Center fire (WCF) at 71,392; 38-40 (38 WCF) at 50,520; .32-20 Winchester (32 WCF) at 43,284 and, the 41 Colt at 19,676.

This pistol is a completely restored revolver, I built this revolver from an original, antique, standard,  41 caliber black powder colt saa, with a new .357 barrel, new/old grips , new finishes, new cylinder and new configuration.  The results are shown in the above pictures.  Engraving by Brian Frank.

oldguns.ca, virtual museum collection.

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.[5] 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. This gun was chambered in .45 Colt, a centre fire design containing charges of up to 40 grains (2.6 g) of fine-grained black powder and a 255-grain (16.5 g) blunt round nosed 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 favour over the S&W and remained the primary U.S. 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.  First generation (1873–1941)  Colt Sheriff's Model, 3-inch (7.6 cm) barrel  Colt SAA SAPD, Badge The Single Action Army became available in standard barrel lengths of 4+3⁄4 inch, 5+1⁄2 inch, as well as the Cavalry standard, original 7+1⁄2 inch. The shorter barrelled revolvers are sometimes called the "Civilian" or "Gunfighter" model (4+3⁄4 inch) and the Artillery Model (5+1⁄2 inch). There was also a variant with a sub-4-inch barrel, without an ejector rod, unofficially called the "Sheriff's Model", "Banker's Special", or "Storekeeper".  From 1875 until 1880 Colt marketed a single-action revolver chambered in .44 Henry in a separate number range from no. 1 to 1,863.  A "Flattop Target Model" was listed in Colt's catalogs from 1890 to 1898. Colt manufactured 914 of these revolvers with a frame that was flat on top and fitted with an adjustable leaf rear sight. The front sight consisted of a base with an interchangeable blade.  In 1896, at serial number 164,100, a spring-loaded base pin latch replaced the cylinder pin retaining screw and by 1900, at serial number 192,000, the Colt Single Action was certified for use with smokeless powder. In 1920, larger, highly visible sights replaced the original thin blade and notch. The revolvers remained essentially unchanged from that point until cessation of manufacture at the beginning of World War II.  From 1873 through 1940 (with small numbers assembled during and after World War II, the so-called "Pre-War, Post-War" model), production of the Colt Single Action Army reached 357,859. This is identified as the "Pre War" or "First Generation" of the model. Calibers, at least thirty in all, ranged from .22 rimfire through .476 Eley, with approximately half, or 158,884 (including Bisley and Flat Top Target variations), chambered for .45 Colt. The next most prevalent were the .44-40 Winchester Center fire (WCF) at 71,392; 38-40 (38 WCF) at 50,520; .32-20 Winchester (32 WCF) at 43,284 and, the 41 Colt at 19,676.

This pistol is a completely restored revolver, I built this revolver from an original, antique, standard,  41 caliber black powder colt saa, with a new .357 barrel, new/old grips , new finishes, new cylinder and new configuration.  The results are shown in the above pictures.  Engraving by Brian Frank.

oldguns.ca, virtual museum collection.

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.[5] 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. This gun was chambered in .45 Colt, a centre fire design containing charges of up to 40 grains (2.6 g) of fine-grained black powder and a 255-grain (16.5 g) blunt round nosed 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 favour over the S&W and remained the primary U.S. 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.  First generation (1873–1941)  Colt Sheriff's Model, 3-inch (7.6 cm) barrel  Colt SAA SAPD, Badge The Single Action Army became available in standard barrel lengths of 4+3⁄4 inch, 5+1⁄2 inch, as well as the Cavalry standard, original 7+1⁄2 inch. The shorter barrelled revolvers are sometimes called the "Civilian" or "Gunfighter" model (4+3⁄4 inch) and the Artillery Model (5+1⁄2 inch). There was also a variant with a sub-4-inch barrel, without an ejector rod, unofficially called the "Sheriff's Model", "Banker's Special", or "Storekeeper".  From 1875 until 1880 Colt marketed a single-action revolver chambered in .44 Henry in a separate number range from no. 1 to 1,863.  A "Flattop Target Model" was listed in Colt's catalogs from 1890 to 1898. Colt manufactured 914 of these revolvers with a frame that was flat on top and fitted with an adjustable leaf rear sight. The front sight consisted of a base with an interchangeable blade.  In 1896, at serial number 164,100, a spring-loaded base pin latch replaced the cylinder pin retaining screw and by 1900, at serial number 192,000, the Colt Single Action was certified for use with smokeless powder. In 1920, larger, highly visible sights replaced the original thin blade and notch. The revolvers remained essentially unchanged from that point until cessation of manufacture at the beginning of World War II.  From 1873 through 1940 (with small numbers assembled during and after World War II, the so-called "Pre-War, Post-War" model), production of the Colt Single Action Army reached 357,859. This is identified as the "Pre War" or "First Generation" of the model. Calibers, at least thirty in all, ranged from .22 rimfire through .476 Eley, with approximately half, or 158,884 (including Bisley and Flat Top Target variations), chambered for .45 Colt. The next most prevalent were the .44-40 Winchester Center fire (WCF) at 71,392; 38-40 (38 WCF) at 50,520; .32-20 Winchester (32 WCF) at 43,284 and, the 41 Colt at 19,676.

This pistol is a completely restored revolver, I built this revolver from an original, antique, standard,  41 caliber black powder colt saa, with a new .357 barrel, new/old grips , new finishes, new cylinder and new configuration.  The results are shown in the above pictures.  Engraving by Brian Frank.

oldguns.ca, virtual museum collection.

Named after the shooting range where the British National Rifle Association had held matches since 1890, the Bisley was a target version of the Single Action Army (SAA). But until fairly recently, the Bisley was overshadowed by its more romanticized older brother.

This is ironic, for the Bisley is part of the Colt single-action family; it uses many of the same components, including the cylinder, barrel and ejector rod, thus maintaining a basic SAA layout. But there are some subtle and not-so-subtle differences. Most obvious is the swept-under grip, which enables the Bisley to hang better in the hand; the enlarged trigger guard and wide, curved trigger for better control; and the wavy lowered hammer spur for easy cocking with the ball of the thumb. Plus, the barrel is stamped “(BISLEY MODEL).” Less obvious is the different mainspring, the deeper frame and the back strap screws that affix it to the frame under the grips. In addition, in order to reach the cylinder ratchets, the hammer hand is longer than that of the Model P.

The Bisley, produced from 1894 until 1915, reflected a growing interest in target shooting. It was serial-numbered sequentially with the Peacemaker, spanning the ranges from 156300 to 331916, with a total of 45,326 made. Bisley's were blued and case-hardened or nickel plated, and made with 4¾-, 5½- and 7½-inch barrel lengths. Special-order finishes and engraving were available but rare. The Bisley was offered in 18 chambering's from .32-20 Win. to .455 Eley. Even though this was a target gun, Colt retained the SAA’s rudimentary grooved top strap, although 976 flat-top target Bisley's were made. But because of its shoot-ability, it is likely more Bisley's were used on the open range than the target range.

This pistol is a completely restored revolver, I built this revolver from an original, standard,  44-40 caliber colt.  The results are shown in the above pictures.  Engraving by Brian Frank.

oldguns.ca, virtual museum collection.

This is among the very first produced examples of the exceptionally rare and iconic North American Arms Co. Model 1911 pistol, that was produced in December of 1918 in Quebec, Canada. In early July 1918, the U.S. Government issued a contract for 500,000 Model 1911 pistols to the North American Arms Co., previously the Dominion (Ross) Rifle Plant. The company leased the plant for manufacturing and as part of the contract, the U.S. Government was to supply all of the raw materials necessary for production. However, due to material shortages during the war and the time it took the plant to get tooled up for production, the Government was only able to supply enough material to produce approximately "100 sets" of initial start-up or prototype parts. Due to the armistice of November 1918, the contract was canceled in December of 1918 with no examples of completed pistols ever being accepted by the U.S. Government. As part of the contract termination settlement, the U.S. Ordnance Board did eventually accept/reclaim a large portion of the manufactured and completed parts and assemblies, most of which were later disposed of. Some however, were later assembled into completed pistols. These 100 pistols were uniquely stamped with only a controlling serial number in four locations, the left lower area of the frame under the grip panel, the left upper rear corner of the slide, the barrel and the left side of the trigger.  Any variation to this configuration should be suspect.  Due to the rarity of these pistols and the price tags associated with them, beware, there are a lot of fakes out there.

North American Arms: S/N 1 to 100 & S/N’s presentation models were 111, 222, 333, 444, 555 . They are very rare and rank in value with Singer models. ( None of these were reported shipped to any branch of the military but about 100 regular models and about 5 presentation models were manufactured in Quebec, Canada by the North American Arms Company, Ltd.)

oldguns.ca, virtual museum collection.

The Colt M1877 was a double action revolver manufactured by Colt from January 1877 to 1909 for a total of 166,849 revolvers. The Model 1877 was offered in three calibers, which lent them three unofficial names: the "Lightning", the "Thunderer", and the "Rainmaker". The principal difference between the models was the cartridge in which they were chambered: the "Lightning" being chambered in .38 Long Colt; the "Thunderer" in .41 Long Colt. Both models had a six-round ammunition capacity.  An earlier model in .32 Long Colt known as the "Rainmaker" was offered in 1877.

The M1877 was designed by one of the inventors of the Colt single action army (M1873), William Mason, as Colt's first attempt at manufacturing a double-action revolver. It was the first successful US-made double-action cartridge revolver, and was offered from the factory in two basic finishes: nickel-plated or a blued with a case-coloured frame. The revolver was available in barrel lengths from 2.5 to 7.5 in (64 to 191 mm) and was available with or without the ejector rod and housing. The shorter barrel versions without the ejector rod were marketed as "shopkeeper's specials" for use as a concealable pocket pistol.

Neither "Lightning" nor "Thunderer" were Colt designations, nor used by the factory in any reference materials. Both terms were coined by Benjamin Kittredge, one of Colt's major distributors. Kittredge was responsible for the terms "Peacemaker" for the Single Action Army, "Omnipotent" for the Colt Model 1878 double-action (often known as the "Frontier" model), and nicknames for the various chambering's of the New Line models.

The M1877's early double-action mechanism proved to be both intricate and delicate, thus it was vulnerable to failure of self cocking. The design had a reputation for failure and earned the nickname "the gunsmith's favourite". Because of the intricate design and difficulty of repair,  gunsmiths to this day dislike working on them. it has been referred to it as "the worst double-action trigger mechanism ever made". Typically, the trigger spring would fail and this would reduce the revolver to single-action fire only. Outwardly, the Model 1877 shows a striking resemblance to the Colt Single Action Army revolver, however, it is scaled down slightly and much thinner in dimension. The bird's head grips were of checkered rosewood on the early guns and hard rubber on the majority of later-production guns.

The "Lightning" was the favoured personal weapon of famous Manchester (UK)  Victorian  detective, and then head of CID, Jerome Caminada. Old West outlaw John Wesley Harden frequently used both "Lightning" and "Thunderer" versions, and the "Thunderer" was the preferred weapon of Billy the Kid, even carried by him when he was killed by Pat Garrett in 1881. Doc Holliday was also known to carry a nickel-plated "Thunderer" in his waistband as an accompanying gun to his nickel-plated Colt 1873. Both had ivory or pearl grips.

oldguns.ca, virtual Museum collection.