Colt Frontier Six Shooter SAA .44-40 Single Action Revolver, 1883 Antique
SOLD FOR: $3503
LSB#: 230914LM056
Make: Colt
Model: Frontier Six Shooter
Serial Number: 100435
Year of Manufacture: 1883 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .44-40 Winchester
Action Type: Single Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder
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 grips are two-piece checkered black hard rubber “American Eagle” panels. The grips have non-matching numbers hand-scribed on their interior and relief-cuts at the bolsters around the screw escutcheons on the interior indicates they are not original to the gun. The grips have light-moderate handling wear, each bowed out slightly at the bottom with a gap to the buttstrap. The checkering is generally well defined, slightly more worn in the right panel. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition as Antique and not original to the gun.
Please note: The frame’s indexing pin has been replaced with an after-market pin.
Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color
Finish Originality: Most remaining finish is Original. The barrel and cylinder show treatment with cold blue.
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is light erosion and pitting scattered through the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 5 or 6 out of 10.
Most antique firearms have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the use of black powder. When fired, black powder reacts corrosively. NRA Antique Firearm Conditions Standards are quite lenient for bores. In some cases, the NRA standards disregarded the bore’s condition for collectors’ firearms.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 7% of its metal finish. The strongest blue finish is on the barrel where it is covered by the ejector housing, there is a little bit in the corners of the trigger guard. The frame has some case color in the loading slot, on each side in front of the cylinder, and on the recoil shield. Most exposed surfaces have worn to white or gone to a light patina. There are scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. There is some surface erosion and scattered oxidation. The cylinder pin head is tool marked. The exposed portions of the barrel and cylinder show treatment with cold blue. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are generally clear, the etched panel is shallow. Overall, this revolver is in about Very Good condition as Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The timing is correct and the cylinder locks up with very little play on all six chambers. The cylinder had a removable bushing, but it is seized in place. We were not able to remove the 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: None.
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 1883. It has the classic 7 1/2″ barrel, black-powder style frame with the cylinder pin retained by a screw, and etched-panel barrel. In Very Good condition with really great mechanics for a 140 year old revolver, this will make a fine addition to any Colt revolver collection. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
