Colt New Frontier SAA Ned Buntline Commemorative 45 Colt 12” Revolver
SOLD FOR: $1,582.00
LSB#: LSB250602BG009
Make: Colt
Model: New Frontier Single Action Army Ned Buntline Commemorative #10 of 3,000.
Serial Number: NB0010
Year of Manufacture: 1979
Caliber: .45 Colt
Action Type: 6-Shot Single Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “NED BUNTLINE COMMEMORATIVE”. The left side of the frame is marked “PAT. SEPT. 19, 1871 / JULY 2, 72 JAN. 19, 75”, alongside the rampant Colt logo. The top of the barrel is marked “COLT’S PT.F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CT, U.S.A.”. The right side of the barrel is marked “COLT NEW FRONTIER S.A.A. .45”. The bottom of the frame is marked with the serial number “NB0010”
Barrel Length: 12 Inches
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a serrated, ramped blade fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a square notch adjustable for windage and elevation in a base pinned to the top strap.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are a two-piece checkered black, hard rubber with rampant colt in oval at their tops, and american eagles below. There are no notable marks, defects, or signs of use on the grips. All markings and the checkering are well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Nickel
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. There is some dust in the bore from storage. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates a 10/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 99+% of its original metal finish. The revolver lacks any evidence of being fired outside of factory testing. There is not a drag line on the cylinder, nor are there any notable defects on this revolver. The screw heads are sharp, pins are unmarred, and the markings are clear and legible. Overall, this revolver rates in about Excellent to Mint condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this revolver, but we did perform a mechanic’s check. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes in a display case with a hinged lid over a glass pane, and the revolver is contained in a fitted drawer. Included is a key for the drawer, a Ned Buntline aluminum placard, and 6 “silver bullets”. There is some corrosion on the drawer key, and on the “silver bullets”.
Our Assessment: The Colt Single Action Army (SAA), also known as the Peacemaker, was introduced in 1873 and quickly became one of the most iconic handguns in American history. Designed by William Mason and Charles Brinckerhoff Richards under the direction of Samuel Colt’s company, the SAA was Colt’s response to the U.S. Army’s need for a reliable metallic cartridge revolver following the post-Civil War transition away from percussion arms. The Colt Buntline Special is a long barreled variant of the Colt Single Action Army revolver, which Stuart N. Lake described in his best-selling, but largely fictionalized, 1931 biography “Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshall”. According to Lake, the dime novelist Ned Buntline commissioned the production of six Buntline Specials equipped with 12 inch barrels and presented them to five lawmen as well as to Buffalo Bill Cody in thanks for their help in contributing local color to his western yarns. Two of the recipients were supposed to be Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson, but there is no record of them ever owning such handguns.
This Colt New Frontier Single Action Army Ned Buntline Commemorative revolver is a gleaming tribute to one of the most enduring legends of the American West. A special edition run of 3,000 revolvers manufactured in 1979, this example—number NB0010—is an extraordinarily early production gun from that commemorative series, and it remains in Excellent to Mint condition. The 12-inch barrel and nickel finish immediately evoke the mythical “Buntline Special” configuration, famously associated with lawmen like Wyatt Earp, thanks in no small part to the romanticized writings of dime novelist Ned Buntline himself. Colt leaned into that legacy by offering this historically inspired commemorative under their prestigious New Frontier line.
Mechanically, this revolver is as pristine as its polished finish suggests. The action is crisp, tight, and smooth, with no cylinder drag line or evidence of firing outside of factory testing. The checkered black grips are sharply molded and free from any wear, and the sights—especially the fully adjustable rear—add a layer of practical shootability often missing from commemorative arms. Colt clearly viewed this not just as a commemorative, but as a worthy addition to their storied Single Action Army lineage.
Included with the revolver is its factory glass-paneled presentation case, complete with drawer key, “Ned Buntline” commemorative placard, and six polished display “silver bullets.” Whether you are a Colt collector, Western enthusiast, or simply a connoisseur of fine single-action revolvers, this low-serial-number commemorative is a showpiece in every sense—one that bridges myth and metal with craftsmanship and legend. Please view our high quality photos, and good luck on your bids! – J.D.
