
Colt Frontier Six Shooter SAA .44-40 Single Action Revolver, 1883 Antique
SOLD FOR; $4026
LSB#: 230914LM037
Make: Colt
Model: Frontier Six Shooter
Serial Number: 101530
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” grips. The grips show moderate handling wear with some areas of smoothed checkering and discoloration. Each panel has a series of notches at the bottom edge which may have been applied intentionally. The bottom edge of the left panel has a couple of more notable marks. There are some other scattered minor nicks and scratches. Each panel has a tiny loss at the bottom edge where it meets the buttstrap. There are no cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good condition as Antique.
Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color
Finish Originality: Remaining finish appears Original. Given the uniform appearance of the barrel under the ejector housing, it is likely that the barrel has at least seen some aggressive cleaning and possibly treatment with cold blue in the distant past.
Bore Condition: The gray with well defined rifling. There is fairly uniform erosion through the bore with infrequent minor pitting. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates about 5 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 3% of its metal finish. There is a little bit of blue in the corners of the trigger guard. There is infrequent and very weak case color in some well protected areas of the frame. Most surfaces have gone to a patina, lighter and more uniform on the barrel. There are scattered nicks, scratches, and spots of light surface oxidation. There is infrequent minor surface erosion. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. Most markings range from clear to worn but legible, the etched panel is shallow. Overall, this revolver is in Good-Very Good condition as refinished Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The timing is correct and the cylinder locks up with minor 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: 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. The revolver has honest wear consistent with its age and its bore shows erosion consistent with black powder use over the last 140 years. The mechanics are still quite strong with good timing and a good lockup on the cylinder. 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
