Colt Single Action Army
A single action six shot revolving pistol designed for the U.S. government service revolver trials of 1872 by Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company and adopted as the standard-issued pistol of the U.S. Army from 1873 until 1892.
Early History
The very first production Single Action Army, serial number 1, was chambered in .44 S&W, 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 round-nosed bullet. Production began in 1873 with the Single Action Army model 1873, also referred to as the "New Model Army Metallic Cartridge Revolving Pistol." The Colt Single Action Army revolver, along with the 1870 and 1875 Smith & Wesson American and Model 3 "Schofield" revolvers, replaced the Colt 1860 Army Percussion revolver.
The first order of 8,000 revolvers was shipped in the summer of 1873. In all, between 1873 and 1891, before the Army replaced the SAA with the Colt Model 1892 Army & Navy double-action revolver, 37,063 SAAs were issued to troops. The army version in .45-cal. hand a 7½" barreled blued with a casehardened frame and hammer. Stocks were one-piece walnut, stamped with the inspector’s cartouche, and the frames were stamped “U.S” on the left side after the patent dates.
In 1874, a 5½"-barreled version was introduced for Colt’s London agency; a year later, it was available in the U.S. as well. The Colt SAA has been offered in over 30 different calibers and various barrel lengths. Its overall appearance has remained consistent since 1873.
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."
Transition to smokeless powder
Colt did not factory warranty the revolver for smokeless powder until 1900 at about serial number 192,000. The Verified Proof did not show up until 1901. Colt Single Action Army revolvers with serials between 165,000 and 182,000 (1896 to 1898 production) are the most desirable, since they have steel frames (and are thus many consider safe to shoot modern smokeless loads), yet they are Federally exempt.
After Oct 11, 1898, the following warning was placed on top of all shipping cartons, The within revolver is not adapted for smokeless powder. 1900, Serial 192000. Colt guaranteed their revolvers for use with smokeless. 1901 Serial 203500. Colt verified proof stamp introduced.
