Colt Frontier Six Shooter SAA 7.5″ .44-40 Winchester Revolver, 1881 Antique

Sold for $4375.00

LSB#: 220505VH006

Make: Colt

Model: Frontier Six Shooter

Serial Number: 64154

Year of Manufacture: 1881 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup), Shipped February 8, 1881

Caliber: .44-40 Winchester

Action Type: Single Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder

Markings: The left side of the barrel is etched “COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER”. The top of the barrel is marked “COLT’S PT. F. A. MFG. Co. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.”, the bottom-right of the barrel is marked “4154” under the ejector housing. The cylinder is marked “4154” behind one of the flutesThe left side of the frame is marked “PAT. SEPT. 19, 1871 / ” JULY 2,-72. / ” JAN. 19,-75.”, the left-front trigger guard bow is marked “44.C.F.”. The underside of the frame at the grip frame and the bottom of the trigger guard at the front are marked “64154”. The butt is marked “64 / 154”. The hammer slot is marked “H”. The rear face of the loading gate has assembly number “3843”.

Barrel Length: 7 1/2”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a quarter round blade fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a “V”-notch in the top strap.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grip is one-piece smooth walnut. The grip has scattered wear and areas of thinning finish. There are some nicks, scuffs and scratches. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grip is in Very Good condition as Antique.

Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is dark gray. The rifling is worn, but visible. There is erosion and pitting scattered through the bore.

Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 10% of its metal finish. Most exposed surfaces have worn to white or gone to a light patina. There is some finish remaining in protected areas such as the corners of the trigger guard and the bottom-rear of the ejector housing. There is strong blue on the barrel where it is covered by the ejector housing. There are scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches, most and most notable on the barrel. The rear face of the cylinder has a ring of wear between the chambers which lines up with the firing pin. There is some scattered surface erosion. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with usable slots. The markings range from clear to worn and incomplete. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good condition as Antique.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The timing is correct and the cylinder locks up with little play on all six chambers. The cylinder has a removable bushing. The trigger is crisp. We did not fire this handgun. 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 confirming the original configuration. This revolver was shipped February 8, 1881 to Hibbard, Spencer & Co., in Chicago, Illinoi in a shipment of 50 guns of the same type.

Our Assessment: Colt’s Single Action Army revolver is the iconic sidearm of the cowboy, lawman, and outlaw. Originally introduced in Colt’s .45 caliber, the demand for a revolver compatible with Winchester’s cartridges for their 1873 led to the introduction of the Frontier Six Shooter, essentially just a SAA chambered for the Winchester cartridge. This example is a 1st generation Frontier Six Shooter produced in 1881. It has the classic 7 1/2″ barrel, black-powder style frame with the cylinder pin retained by a screw, and etched-panel barrel. With a Colt factory letter, in Very Good condition with good mechanics for a 135 year old revolver, this will make a fine addition to any Colt revolver collection. The included letter is nice as it shows that this revolver originally shipped to Chicago, Illinois, specifically to Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. While this may not be familiar to everyone, it was a very large hardware wholesaler and the company would go on to become True Value, which is fairly well known today. Please see our photos and good luck!