Happy 150th Birthday!

[Jeff Higgins]

The most iconic, recognizable handgun of all time, the Colt Single Action Army, is celebrating its 150th birthday this year. It's been in continuous production virtually the whole time (with two short breaks in the mid 20th century), and remains in production today. I don't think there is any firearm, of any type, that can equal that. Or, for that matter, any artifact of modern life. What a fantastic, eminently useful little gun. Here's to another 150 years!

[pwd72s]

You get American Rifleman? Nice feature this month.

[Jeff Higgins]

Yup, that's what inspired me to share this news. Very good article covering the inception and development, along with the history, of the Peacemaker.

[Rusty Heap]

you're gonna shoot your eye out Higgins.

[sc_rufctr]

The most iconic, recognizable handgun of all time

This!

[Superman]

Dr. Higgins suggested this piece to me years ago and I chose a .45 ACP instead. Then an airweight Smith .38.

When I finally adopted his advice and acquired a single-action .45 (Ruger New Vaquero) I had an epiphany. From the first moment I held it in my hand I thought "Where have you been all my life?" This has been Jeff's favorite sidearm for many decades and now it is mine as well.

[911 Rod]

Those are things of beauty Jeff.

[Racerbvd]

My baby.

[Jeff Higgins]

Very cool Byron. The angled screw retaining the cylinder base pin (as opposed to the later spring loaded pin) places its date of manufacture no later than 1892. That thing is worth a few pesos...

Be careful with it, though - Colt didn't approve these for smokeless powder until the early 20th century. Some folks think the angled screw identifies it as a "black powder frame", but early guns with the spring loaded push pin were not yet smokeless rated.

Which isn't a bad thing. My 7 1/2" Peacemaker has never been fired with anything but black powder. Lots of misinformation concerning what the original loads were (the article in the January American Rifleman goes over all of this), but I have had great success with the heaviest "civilian" load, a full 40 grains of black powder under a 255 grain bullet. These loads top 900 fps and shoot right to the sights at 50 yards. They shoot as well as, if not better than any smokeless load as well, at least for the first several cylinders, before the gun starts getting really fouled.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Superman

Dr. Higgins suggested this piece to me years ago and I chose a .45 ACP instead. Then an airweight Smith .38.

When I finally adopted his advice and acquired a single-action .45 (Ruger New Vaquero) I had an epiphany. From the first moment I held it in my hand I thought "Where have you been all my life?" This has been Jeff's favorite sidearm for many decades and now it is mine as well.

The New Vaquero is an outstanding revolver. Arguably "better" than the Colt, with improvements in its action that allow us to actually carry six rounds in the cylinder, where the Colt is limited to five. The New Vaquero is about 1/4 the price of the Colt as well, making it one of the firearms bargains of the century.

Here is mine, along with a Colt for comparison.



Here's a target from many years ago that I fired with my New Vaquero and one of my "standard" .45 Colt loads. They can be made to shoot, in spite of their rudimentary sights.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Very cool Byron. The angled screw retaining the cylinder base pin (as opposed to the later spring loaded pin) places its date of manufacture no later than 1892. That thing is worth a few pesos...

Be careful with it, though - Colt didn't approve these for smokeless powder until the early 20th century. Some folks think the angled screw identifies it as a "black powder frame", but early guns with the spring loaded push pin were not yet smokeless rated.

Which isn't a bad thing. My 7 1/2" Peacemaker has never been fired with anything but black powder. Lots of misinformation concerning what the original loads were (the article in the January American Rifleman goes over all of this), but I have had great success with the heaviest "civilian" load, a full 40 grains of black powder under a 255 grain bullet. These loads top 900 fps and shoot right to the sights at 50 yards. They shoot as well as, if not better than any smokeless load as well, at least for the first several cylinders, before the gun starts getting really fouled.

You actually missed it.. it has a sn in the 39K range...it is probably 2nd year production.... our Poster here failed to show some pertinent infoin his pix...

The question becomes is the frame marked US, on the left grip panel is there an stamped govt cartouche, in this sn range an A for Ainsworth govt inspectors mark. The shorter barrel indicates that this would was cionverted from being a Calvary 7.5 B to an Artillery 5.5 B by Colt or Springfield from the late 1890's.

More over and here is what is IMPORTANT is if it is a US govt Colt, IT FITS IN THE CUSTER RANGE...you can check the known sn blocks to see if is likely...If it can be tied to the 7th Cav and Custer well...a new Porsche might be on your horizon..

[tabs]

I have the trilogy of C SA's....I have first, second and third gen. Also a Urbertti Bisley flat top...had an original but sold it..thinking I could get a USFA that I could shoot to replace...they went outa biz before I could get around to it..so I had to settle.

The Ubertti flat top bizleys are impossible to find...I have not seen one in over 5 years and I bought that one..original Cs show up more often...

I have Freedom arms Varmint...and am looking for an 83 in 44m

As of late I have become a Wilson man...

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by tabs

You actually missed it.. it has a sn in the 39K range...it is probably 2nd year production.... our Poster here failed to show some pertinent infoin his pix...

Yup, I missed that. Byron - tabs has offered some very important information...

Originally Posted by tabs

The question becomes is the frame marked US, on the left grip panel is there an stamped govt cartouche, in this sn range an A for Ainsworth govt inspectors mark. The shorter barrel indicates that this would was cionverted from being a Calvary 7.5 B to an Artillery 5.5 B by Colt or Springfield from the late 1890's.

I believe that work was performed as a part of the recommissioning of these guns prior to shipment to the Philippines. The Philippine Insurrection was in full swing, and the revolver and caliber (.38 Long Colt) that replaced the .45 Colt chambered SAA in service had proven to be completely inadequate against drugged up Moro tribesmen. Too many soldiers and officers found dead with empty revolvers and big spear wounds through their chests. The old Peacemaker, once reissued, demonstrated the inherent stopping power of the .45 Colt chambering and put an end to that nonsense.

Originally Posted by tabs

More over and here is what is IMPORTANT is if it is a US govt Colt, IT FITS IN THE CUSTER RANGE...you can check the known sn blocks to see if is likely...If it can be tied to the 7th Cav and Custer well...a new Porsche might be on your horizon..

And a new house. Maybe even a boat. Byron, if you haven't already, it might be worth looking into this.

[tabs]

Twenty years ago you could get the gun tested forensically to see if it had actually been at the Battle of the little Big Horn.. After the US Park Service stopped doing it in the late 80's as part of their archaeological research Glenwood Swanson would do it for a fee...

My Big 50 Springfield that belonged to MH recipient for valor at the BH, Otto Voit sadly did not show up in the forensic data base. The thinking by the Park Service guyz and Glenwood was that it could possibly be Capt French's Big 50 which was noted as being in the battle.

[Seahawk]

The good Doctor, a known Ruger plant, also hoodwinked me into a Vaquero.

1000 rounds later, he may be on to something

Byron, please get your Baby identified.

Best.

Originally Posted by Superman

When I finally adopted his advice and acquired a single-action .45 (Ruger New Vaquero) I had an epiphany. From the first moment I held it in my hand I thought "Where have you been all my life?" This has been Jeff's favorite sidearm for many decades and now it is mine as well.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

The good Doctor, a known Ruger plant, also hoodwinked me into a Vaquero.

I'm hoping to retire someday on my commissions...