Engraved Colt Frontier Six Shooter SAA .44-40/44 Spl Revolver, 1880 Antique
SOLD FOR: $5025
LSB#: 210920SS14
Make: Colt
Model: Frontier Six Shooter
Serial Number: 41752
Year of Manufacture: Shipped 1880, the frame may have been produced as early as 1878 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: The non-engraved cylinder is chambered for .44-40 Winchester (WCF), the engraved cylinder is chambered for .44 Special.
Action Type: Single Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder
Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. Co HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.”, the left of the barrel has an etched panel marked “COLT. FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER.”, the bottom is marked “44” at the rear. The left of the frame is marked “PAT. SEPT 19. 1871. / JULY 2 -72. / JAN 19 -75.”. The bottom of the frame is marked “C” and “41752” in front of the trigger guard. The rear face of the loading gate has assembly number “5363”. The rear of the frame in the hammer slot is marked “B”. The left of the trigger guard is marked “44.C.F.” and with an upside-down “J”. The front face of the non-engraved cylinder is marked “J” and “752”. The frame, grip frame, hammer and one of the cylinders have relief scroll engraving with the negative spaces matted.
Barrel Length: 7 1/2”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a rounded blade fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a “V”-notch at the rear of a groove in the top strap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grip is one-piece smooth walnut. The grip has minor handling wear with a few light nicks and scratches toward and on the bottom of the grip. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grip is in about Fine condition as not original to the gun.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Refinished. The barrel is not original to the gun and at least one of the cylinders is a replacement.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with well defined rifling. There is light erosion toward the muzzle-end of the bore.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 90% of its current metal finish. Most of the balance is finish wear on the raised portions of the engraved magazine and handling wear in the grip areas. The non-engraved cylinder has generally strong finish, though the front face has been polished bright. There are a few scattered spots of light erosion on the frame and grip frame, most notable on the left of the recoil shield and the front-left corner of the trigger guard assembly. There is some minor erosion under the finish. There are a few scattered light nicks, scratches and scuffs with tool marks around most screw heads. The action shows operational wear, including turn-wear on the engraved cylinder and more minor turn wear on the non-engraved cylinder. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with serviceable slots. Remaining markings are generally clear, some are worn, but legible. Overall, this revolver is in about Very Good condition as Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. Lockup produces very little play side-to-side and barely perceptible end-shake on all six chambers of the engraved cylinder. The non-engraved cylinder has more notable play side-to-side, but also has only barely perceptible end-shake. The cylinders’ bushings are removable. We did not fire this revolver. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes with a Colt Archives letter detailing this revolver’s original shipping configuration, recipient and shipping date. The revolver originally shipped on February 24, 1880 to B. Kittredge & Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. There were 25 guns of the same type in the shipment. Colt records also have an entry for this serial number being shipped to Harley & Graham in New York, New York on March 4, 1880. The letter does not give an explanation for this additional entry in their shipping records.
Our Assessment: The Colt Single Action Army is perhaps the quintessential old west handgun, produced for more than a century, serving the U.S. Army as its sidearm from 1873 into the first world war and captivating audiences on the silver screen. The “Frontier Six Shooter” was the same design as the Single Action Army, but chambered for Winchester’s .44-40 cartridge. While it made good business sense to produce revolvers that used the same cartridge as Winchester’s rifles, Colt still did not want to advertise for Winchester in their pistol’s markings and a variety of clever means were found to identify the chamberings without explicitly noting that they were “Winchester” calibers. This example, produced as early as 1878 and shipped 1880 (possibly twice), has since been customized with a replacement etched-panel barrel, a new blue finish, and engraving on its frame, hammer, grip frame and its new .44 Special cylinder. A non-engraved .44-40 cylinder is included which has a matching serial marking on the front face, but this may have been force-matched. The revolver comes with a Colt Archives letter, which intriguingly notes that Colt’s shipping records have two entries for this serial number, one to B. Kittredge & Co. in February and one to Hartley & Graham in March, 1880. This is a beautiful old revolver which will make a nice addition to any Colt collection. Please see our photos and good luck!