Colt 1st Gen Frontier Six Shooter SAA .44-40 Revolver & Letter 1892 Antique

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Sold for $2921.85

Make: Colt

Model: Frontier Six Shooter, 1st Generation

Serial Number: 147916

Year of Manufacture: 1892 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)

Caliber: .44-40 Winchester

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 is marked “COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER .44-40”. The left of the frame is marked “PAT. SEPT 19. 1871. / JULY 2, 72. JAN 19. 75” and with a circled rampant colt logo. The bottom of the frame and the bottom of the trigger guard at the front are each marked “147916”. The butt of the grip frame is marked “147 / 916”. The rear of the loading gate has assembly number “384”. The hammer slot is marked “0”.

Barrel Length: 7 1/2”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a 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 grips are two-piece faux-ivory with carving of a man on the left and a revolver on the right. The grips appear to have discoloration and some grain-lines, it is unclear how much of this is intentional for appearance. There are a couple of nicks at the bottom of each panel. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good-plus condition as not original to the gun.

Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color

Finish Originality: Original to the parts. The knurling and firing pin on the hammer indicate that it is a later replacement. Some other small parts may have been replaced.

Bore Condition: The bore is gray. The rifling is well defined. There is scattered erosion and pitting in the bore.

Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 5% of its metal finish. Finish remains in protected areas such as the rear of the barrel, the corners of the trigger guard and the front face of the hammer. Otherwise, most surfaces have gone to a light-moderate patina, the ejector housing appears to have worn or been polished to white. There is scattered minor surface erosion. There are some scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings range from clear to worn, but legible. Overall, this revolver is in about Very Good condition as not parts-original Antique.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. Lockup produces little play side-to-side and barely perceptible end-shake on all six chambers. The trigger is crisp. The cylinder has a removable bushing. 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 Historian letter which shows that this revolver shipped September 27, 1892 to Colt’s Patent Fire-Arms Mfg. Company San Francisco Agency as one of 15 guns of the same type in the shipment.

Our Assessment: Colt’s Single Action Army is, perhaps more than any other, an iconic American pistol. It was the U.S. issue sidearm for the last two decades of the 19th century, used by pioneers, outlaws and lawmen across the expanding nation, and captivated audiences on the silver screen and television (and still does, today). Produced for nearly a century and a half, they are still being made, today! This example is a 1st Generation Frontier Six Shooter made in 1892. The Frontier Six Shooter was the designation for SAA revolvers chambered for Winchester’s .44-40 cartridge, making it popular for those who owned Winchester rifles chambered for the same caliber.

This example shows its age at 130 years old, but retains some original finish and good mechanics. The hammer has been replaced with a later style and the grips have been replaced with an attractive set of faux-ivory grips. It originally shipped to Colt’s sales agency in San Francisco, California. This will make a neat addition to a Colt or early American cartridge handgun collection.