Original U.S. Colt Model 1878 Frontier Six Shooter .44-40 D.A. Revolver with 7 1/2" Barrel made in 1881 - Serial 7135

Original Item: Only One Available. The romance around Colt "Cowboy" Revolvers never ceases to amaze us. This is a lovely nickel plated example of the Model 1878 "Frontier Six Shooter" Double Action Revolver, in the popular .44-40 Winchester chambering. This model was manufactured by Colt's Manufacturing Company from 1878 to 1907, and is often referred to as the "Frontier" or the "Double Action Army" revolver. A total of 51,210 Model 1878 revolvers were manufactured from 1878 to 1907, including 4,600 for the US Ordnance Department. These are known as the "Philippine" or "Alaskan" models.

This revolver looks to have seen long use on the frontier, and was most likely relatively worn when it was nickel plated some years after manufacture. It had to be cleaned prior to this to remove oxidation and smooth out the frame, and in this case the address marking on the barrel was completely removed during the process. Most of the nickel plating is still present, though it has flaked away on the left side of the muzzle, and also on the sides of the frame where it would be in contact with the hand. There are even some areas actively flaking off, which show a lightly oxidized patina. The original hard rubber Colt grips clearly show the "Prancing Pony" logo, showing only light wear to the checking, so the look to probably have been replaced when the revolver was nickel plated long ago.

It is marked on the bottom of the grip with worn serial number 7135, indicating it was made in 1881, quite early in production compared to most we see. The back of the cylinder is worn, and we cannot see any serial number markings. There is also assembly number 139 stamped on the loading gate. It is in full working order and condition, showing a gorgeous worn look, sure to delight any "Old West" Americana collector.

This example has a full length long 7 1/2 inch barrel, which has not been cut down to "gunfighter" length, something we do not see often. The refinishing has unfortunately completely removed the "FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER" etching this revolver on the left side of the barrel when it was first made. However, it still has the 44.C.F. marking on the trigger guard, which indicates chambering for .44-40 Winchester Center Fire cartridges. This was a very popular cartridge for revolvers and rifles of the time, and this way the owner would only need bring one type of ammunition. While some may question why colt made guns chambered for a competitor's cartridge, having a repeating rifle and revolver that took the same ammunition was a big selling point.

As mentioned previously, the barrel address marking was completely worn away from use and refinishing. Otherwise, the condition is very good, with the nickel plating relatively well retained, and the areas where it is worn away show a lightly oxidized steel patina. We tested the functionality in both double and single action, and it cycles well, without any of the usual finicky behavior we usually see. It does however have some overall wobble and slop due to wear. The ejector works great, with no sticking. The bore is in very good condition, showing a mostly bright finish with clear lands and grooves. It definitely shows some wear, as well as some past fouling and oxidation, now removed.

A very nice "frontier used" nickel plated example of an early design Colt Double Action Cartridge Revolver in the very popular .44-40 caliber! An PRE-1899 ANTIQUE made in 1881, in lovely condition and ready to display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: 1881
Caliber: .44-40 Winchester
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 7 1/2 inches
Overall Length: 12 3/8 inches
Action: Double Action Army
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver

More on the Colt M-1878 Double Action Revolver:

Samuel Colt experimented with double-action revolver systems, but he considered them to be unreliable. After Colt's patent expired in 1857, other manufacturers began producing double-action revolvers, but Colt's Manufacturing did not manufacture its own double-action revolver until 1877, twenty years after the patent had expired.

The M1878 was designed by William Mason, Colt's factory manager and Charles Brinckerhoff Richards, Superintendent of Engineering. It was similar in design to the Colt Model 1877. The Model 1878 had a larger frame, and is therefore sometimes referred to as the "large frame" double-action revolver, while the Model 1877 is likewise referred to as the "small frame" double-action revolver. The Model 1878 was considered a more robust and reliable design than the Model 1877.

The design of the Model 1878 was based on the Model 1877, which in turn was based heavily on the design of the earlier Colt Single Action Army revolver. The double-action revolver is not dramatically different in design than the single-action revolver. A strut is added to connect the trigger movement to the hammer. The top of the trigger slips beyond the strut so that the hammer will stay in full cock if it is pulled back manually.

The Model 1878 had a larger frame than the Model 1877, which allowed it to fire larger and more powerful cartridges, such as the .45 Colt and .44-40 and used the same barrel, ejector parts, and a very similar cylinder to the Single Action Army revolver. At one time, the factory modified Model 1878 cylinders for use in single-action revolvers in an attempt to use up spare parts.