POTD: An Instant Classic – The Colt Single Action Army
Sam.S 10.20.22
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have an absolute revolver icon. Everyone and their mother has heard of or seen the Colt Single Action Army otherwise known as the Colt 1873 or even the Colt Peacemaker. The Colt Single Action Army (SAA for short) came onto the scene in 1873 and was an instant improvement over any other American revolver available on the market. The US government adopted it and it was used in large numbers on the American frontier.
This virtually unused U.S. Contract Colt Cavalry Model Single Action revolver was manufactured in 1875. Nearly all of the Cavalry Model Single Action revolvers manufactured in 1875 were issued to U.S. Cavalry regiments on the frontier. The serial number of this revolver falls between the serial numbers of two revolvers issued to cavalry regiments: Serial No. 17004 was used by the Troop C, 5th Cavalry Regiment in 1886 and Serial No. 17128 was issued to Troop F, 7th Cavalry Regiment in 1888. The revolver has a military blue finish on the barrel, ejector housing, trigger guard and back strap. The frame, hammer and loading gate are color casehardened and the one-piece walnut grip is oil-finished. The revolver has the early “bullseye” ejector rod head, first style ejector housing with barrel boss and “cavalry” hammer with bordered elongated knurling on the spur and cone-shaped firing pin.
Lot 1293: Colt Single Action Army Revolver 45 Colt – Exceptional 1875 Production A.P. Casey Sub-Inspected Colt Cavalry Model Single Action Revolver. (n.d.). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/56/1293/colt-single-action-army-revolver-45-colt.
