John Taffin’s American Western Arms .44 Special Single Action Revolver

SOLD FOR: $1,105.00

LSB#: LSB260521SS075

Make: American Western Arms 

Model: Ultimate 1873

Serial#: AWA0479

Year of Manufacture: Ca. 1998-2009 / Modern

Caliber: .44 Special

Action Type: Single-Action Revolver with a Side Gate loaded 6-Chamber Cylinder

Markings:  The left side of the barrel is marked “ULTIMATE 1873 .44 CAL.”. The top of the barrel is marked “AMERICAN WESTERN ARMS”. The left side of the frame is marked “-PAT. SEPT. 19. 1871-” / “-PAT. JULY 2. 1872-“. The bottom of the frame is marked “AWA0479”.

Barrel Length: 7.5″ Octagonal

Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a quarter-moon blade fixed at the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a square notch milled into the topstrap and is visible when fully cocked. 

Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip:  The grip is a one-piece smooth hardwood. There are very minor handling marks. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grip is in Excellent condition.  

Type of Finish: Blued, Case-colored

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition:  The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is minor fouling in the grooves. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9/10.

Overall Condition: The revolver retains about 98% of its metal finish. There is minor finish wear at the muzzle. There are minor scratches scattered throughout. There is a turn line on the cylinder. The cylinder has a plum tone under bright light. The case-color is vibrant. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear and legible. Overall, the revolver is in Good-Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action does not function correctly. The cylinder lock is not tight and the cylinder can backspin. The lockup is tight when the trigger is depressed. We have not fired this revolver. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements. We recommend having this revolver inspected by a qualified gunsmith before attempting to fire.

Box, Paperwork, and Accessories: John Taffin Collection Certificate of Authenticity.

Our Assessment: American Western Arms produced traditional Single Action Army-pattern revolvers during the late 1990s and 2000s, with the Ultimate 1873 line intended to combine classic Old West styling with modern manufacture. This example is chambered in .44 Special and fitted with a distinctive 7 1/2″ octagonal barrel, giving it a less common and visually striking configuration. John Taffin is widely known for his writing on sixguns, single-action revolvers, and classic American handgun cartridges, and documented provenance to his collection adds meaningful collector interest to this revolver. The included John Taffin Collection Certificate of Authenticity further establishes that provenance, though its notation that this revolver can fire .44-40 is incorrect and should not be relied upon.

This Ultimate 1873 retains approximately 98% of its original blue and case-colored finish, with minor muzzle wear, scattered light scratches, a cylinder turn line, and a plum tone visible on the cylinder under bright light. The one-piece hardwood grip remains in Excellent condition, while the bright 9/10 bore has sharp rifling with only minor fouling and no visible erosion. The action does not function correctly because the cylinder can backspin and does not remain securely indexed unless the trigger is depressed, so the revolver should be inspected and serviced by a qualified gunsmith before firing. Please see our photos for a better understanding of the condition and good luck with your bids! -MY