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U.S. Cavalry Colt Revolver


shadez1460
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Hello everyone,

Can anyone help me identify this revolver?

Everything matches including the grips except the shell extractor, pin, and a couple screws.
Any help would be appreciated. I purchased this for $500.

post-201077-0-37373300-1578891919_thumb.jpg

post-201077-0-38550700-1578891926_thumb.jpg

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Looks like a Colt 1873 Single Action Army with a 7 1/2" barrel. Has a "pre-war" model (1896-1940) half-moon ejector, but that looks to be a replacement as the frame is the "old model" 1873-1896. Hard to see any markings.

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Hello,

actually the half-moon ejector head came into use for the SAA about mid-1881 around s/n #65,000 - the two features ('old model' frame + 'new model' ejector head) stayed together through fifteen years, mid-1881 to mid-1896. Ejector is indeed a replacement in this instance though - with a s/n #15,434 this SAA is from about January-February 1875, at wich time there could be only the round head type available.

Cylinder is correct as for this range/timeframe - beveling just at flutes' very corners, and very small approaches for stop notches. I've got an all-matching SAA around s/n #23,220 (circa February 1876) and stop approaches just start becoming only slightly larger. We must wait until around #24,000 - 24,200 to have the standardized notches of the ultimate size.

Hope this could help.

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Hello,

actually the half-moon ejector head came into use for the SAA about mid-1881 around s/n #65,000 - the two features ('old model' frame + 'new model' ejector head) stayed together through fifteen years, mid-1881 to mid-1896. Ejector is indeed a replacement in this instance though - with a s/n #15,434 this SAA is from about January-February 1875, at wich time there could be only the round head type available.

Cylinder is correct as for this range/timeframe - beveling just at flutes' very corners, and very small approaches for stop notches. I've got an all-matching SAA around s/n #23,220 (circa February 1876) and stop approaches just start becoming only slightly larger. We must wait until around #24,000 - 24,200 to have the standardized notches of the ultimate size.

Hope this could help.

 

Learned something new, thanks!

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... you're welcomed! I learn still today, by reading here and there... in recent times more 'discoveries' have surfaced and in turn make older ones be not longer correct. An endless subject, fascinating no doubts.

Greetings!

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Could you show pictures of the barrel between the sight and the beginning of the ejector rod. In your pic, it looks like a rust spot. Also, if you look down the barrel, does the rifling change at that location inside the barrel? If I had to guess, I would say that "rust spot" is 5.5 inches from the breech.

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1880s gun with original wood grips a plus condition is NRA Good ( no original finish) 2-3K with a factory letter ( I think that runs about 3-400 now) Good bargain Amigo!

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Smoking deal for $500. Those are worshiped like gods here out west.

 

My Dad had a gun shop in AZ in the 80s and Colt SAAs were expensive (comparatively) back then, I can only imagine what they bring now.

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3-400 was for the factory letter worth the price as a plus with the gun and sometimes has a very good shipping address collectors want ie. Texas OK NV UT etc.

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My Dad had a gun shop in AZ in the 80s and Colt SAAs were expensive (comparatively) back then, I can only imagine what they bring now.

 

SAAs are bloody expensive here as well, unless you're happy (or, pretend to be) getting one decidedly ugly, or somehow messed up, or mechanically in bad shape. Or, the three issues at once.

My 'dream' was getting at least one sporting the "Pall Mall Depot 14" address of London Colt's agency on the barrel. Now I've got two such, through five years, one gorgeous and the other still very nice - this latter has had its barrel cut from 7,5" to 6.25" in order to fit into a British holster for Webley revolvers, and the front sight replaced with a 'custom' one.

Sometimes I like imagining who was the soldier back then, who had been issued with it..

 

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Thank you all for the replies. I will answer some of the questions that came up. The bore is not counter bored and is original to the gun, there is patina on the barrel but I wouldnt say it is rusted. There is no hint at adding to a 5.5 barrel. It looks to be an original 7.5 barrel. The markings finish and wear are identical the frame. The underside of the barrel is marked with a p

The ejector rod housing, rod and cylinder pin are replacements and not correct to the gun. I am searching for originals currently. The top strap is fluted, the grips are walnut and numbered to the gun from the inside , the cylinder is numbered to the gun and marked with L

 

I was told it was an actual cavalry weapon, and hasnt been altered. I need to send it to John moped and see what he comes up with from my research the first 24,000 are military contract especially with the 7.5 barrel. The sight is steel and is midline to the barrel.

 

Ill try and upload more photos soon thanks !

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hello,

if you do mean the first 24,000 SAA are ALL military contracts (i.e. from #1 to #24,000) actually it is not so.

#24,000 would be circa late February 1876 (one of mine is around #23,300) and by then - August 1873 to February 1876 - many thousands were sold to civilian market, or sent to Colt's agency at London.

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yes, all the martial SAAs had that stamp since the very earliest one (most likely, s/n #179).

As a curiosity, the first 1,000 military revolvers were manyfactured through 41 days.

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  • 5 weeks later...

This post combined with watching a lot of cavalry movies directly influenced my purchase of a modern Ruger Vaquero in 45 Colt with a 7.5" barrel this weekend. May not be exactly correct, but it was much more affordable!

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  • 3 weeks later...

 

True, but apropos of.....?

 

In reply to my post. Ruger Vaquero is a cheap modern alternative to the SAA Colt posted here, in case anyone (like me) wanted to actual shoot one but couldn't afford an original.

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Spathologist

 

In reply to my post. Ruger Vaquero is a cheap modern alternative to the SAA Colt posted here, in case anyone (like me) wanted to actual shoot one but couldn't afford an original.

 

Ok, I thought you were talking about the original Vaqueros.

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Ok, I thought you were talking about the original Vaqueros.

 

I wanted a shooter, so I bought a Ruger! I already had the repro cavalryman's belt and holster.

post-32676-0-80580000-1584279691_thumb.jpg

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