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119-540: The M1877 was designed by one of the inventors of the Colt Single Action Army (M1873), William Mason , as Colt's first attempt at manufacturing a double-action revolver. It was the first successful US-made double-action cartridge revolver, and was offered from the factory in two basic finishes: nickel-plated or a blued with a case-colored frame. The revolver was available in barrel lengths from 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches and with or without

238-512: A 12-inch-long (30 cm) barrel. However, according to some other accounts, on October 26, 1881, the day of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Earp carried an 1869 .44 caliber Smith & Wesson American Model with an 8-inch (20 cm) barrel. At the beginning of World War II , Colt ceased production of the Single Action Army revolver to devote more time to filling orders for the war. When

357-610: A French nobleman, raised a third corps of infantry in Boston, called the Free and Independent Chasseurs, which later added a troop of dragoons, becoming Armand's Legion . Although a reorganization in 1778 authorized expansion of the four regiments to 415 men each, forage difficulties, expiration of enlistments, desertions, and other problems made this impossible, and no regiment ever carried more than 200 men on its rolls, and they averaged 120 to 180 men between 1778 and 1780. In 1779, Washington ordered

476-572: A U.S. Cavalry unit took place on the Bataan Peninsula, in the Philippines in early 1942. The 26th Cavalry Regiment of the allied Philippine Scouts executed the charge against Imperial Japanese Army forces near the village of Morong on 16 January 1942. In March 1942, the War Department eliminated the office of Chief of Cavalry and effectively abolished the horse cavalry. The cavalry name

595-421: A bullet weight of 255 grains (16.5 g) at a nominal 970 feet per second (300 m/s). Authors John Taffin and Mike Venturino have demonstrated that modern black-powder loadings of the .45 Colt cartridge frequently achieve velocities in the vicinity of 1,000 feet per second (300 m/s) with the 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 -inch "cavalry" barrel length, even though modern solid-head cases make it impossible to load

714-400: A chambered cartridge. Like the earlier percussion revolvers, the Single Action Army was designed to allow loading of all the chambers. The safety notch replaced pins on the rear of the percussion revolver cylinders, which served the same purpose as the safety position; that is, preventing hammer contact with the primer/percussion cap. According to the original instructions from Colt, as well as

833-418: A full 40 grains. Specifications for 20th-century smokeless loads set velocity with a 255-grain (16.5 g) round-nosed flat-point bullet at 870 feet per second (270 m/s) providing 429-foot-pound-force (582 J) energy. The version of the .45 Colt as of 2014 differs from the original cartridge case in that the rim is significantly larger (with a groove immediately above it) and the internal aspect of

952-401: A result, all Colt Model 1877 revolvers should be considered black powder cartridge only guns. The "Lightning" was the favored personal weapon of famous Manchester (United Kingdom) Victorian detective, and then head of CID , Jerome Caminada . Old West outlaw John Wesley Hardin frequently used both "Lightning" and "Thunderer" versions, and the "Thunderer" was the preferred weapon of Billy

1071-637: A single unit. Following the capture of Charleston, South Carolina on 12 May 1780, the remnants tried to regroup and reconstitute in Virginia and North Carolina. In August 1780, Armand's Legion was with General Gates at the disastrous Battle of Camden . The most significant engagement of the war involving Continental light dragoons was the Battle of Cowpens in January 1781. Southern theater commander General Nathanael Greene reorganized part of Lee's Legion and elements of

1190-491: A six-wheeled, light-weight armored car, mounting a 37 mm gun in a movable turret that could swing a full 360 degrees. It also featured a .30 caliber machine gun that could move independently of the turret. The M8 was equipped with powerful FM radios to enable battlefield communications. A cavalry squadron comprised a HQ Troop, three cavalry troops (four for those in armored divisions), a light tank company and an assault gun troop. The light tank company had 17 tanks; two in

1309-478: A standing army. The retained officers and men were folded into the Corps of Artillery by 15 June 1815, all others were discharged. The "plains cavalry" played an important role in extending American hegemony into western North America by forcefully subduing and displacing Native Americans from their lands during the western Indian Wars, thereby making way for colonists of primarily European descent. In 1832, Congress formed

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1428-525: A standing regiment of light dragoons consisting of eight troops. As war loomed, Congress authorized another regiment of light dragoons on 11 January 1812. These regiments were respectively known afterwards as the First and Second United States Dragoons. In 1813, Secretary of War John Armstrong Jr. granted Colonel Richard Mentor Johnson permission to raise two battalions of volunteer cavalry. Johnson recruited 1,200 men, divided into 14 companies. Congress combined

1547-521: A total of 42 variations. Colt manufactured Third Generation Buntlines and New Frontiers through the Colt Custom Shop, as well as many engraved pistols. In 2010, Colt released a "revival" of the Frontier Six Shooter with a nickel finish. Starting in 1999, Colt began manufacturing a version of the Single Action Army revolver with a modern transfer bar safety , allowing it to be carried with

1666-710: A total of 750 men. The Regiment fought against the Seminole nation in 1835, when Chief Osceola led warriors from his tribe in the Second Seminole War in protest to the Treaty of Payne's Landing . For a year, the established units had difficulty containing the Indians. Congress responded by establishing the 2nd United States Regiment of Dragoons in 1836. The First Dragoons served in the Mexican War, and Charles A. May 's squadron of

1785-541: Is a single-action revolver handgun . It was designed for the U.S. government service revolver trials of 1872 by Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company (today known as Colt's Manufacturing Company ) and was adopted as the standard-issued revolver of the U.S. Army from 1873 to 1892. The Colt SAA has been offered in over 30 different calibers and various barrel lengths. Its overall appearance has remained consistent since 1873. Colt has cancelled its production twice, but renewed it due to popular demand. The revolver

1904-512: Is a removable blade, which fits into the slotted base attached to the barrel. The revolvers were supplied with different blades for elevation. The Bisley mainspring is longer than the SAA mainspring, and the two are not interchangeable; it is attached to the hammer with a stirrup via a forked upper end. The serial numbers are stamped on the frame, the backstrap and the trigger-guard at the end of production, with tiny dies. Bisleys were serial-numbered in

2023-402: Is identified as the "Pre War" or "First Generation" of the model. Calibers, at least thirty in all, ranged from .22 rimfire through .476 Eley, with approximately half, or 158,884 (including Bisley and Flat Top Target variations), chambered for .45 Colt. The next most prevalent were the .44-40 Winchester Center fire (WCF) at 71,392; 38-40 (38 WCF) at 50,520; .32-20 Winchester (32 WCF) at 43,284 and,

2142-485: Is likely this was recommended after the Second World War because with the changed tolerances of the re-designed Second Generation Single Action Army, a sharp blow could damage the re-designed half-cock mechanism and allow a fully loaded revolver to fire. Drawn back about halfway, the hammer engages the second notch. This cams the cylinder bolt out of engagement and allows the cylinder to rotate for loading. Fully cocked,

2261-476: Is scaled down slightly and much smaller in dimension. The bird's head grips were of checkered rosewood on the early guns and hard rubber on the majority of later-production guns. Throughout the production run of the Model 1877 it was never rated for firing smokeless powder cartridges. The boxes of these guns near the end of the production run, were printed with a warning that stated "NOT ADAPTED FOR SMOKELESS POWDER". As

2380-590: Is the only active division in the United States Army with a cavalry designation and maintains a detachment of horse-mounted cavalry for ceremonial purposes. The United States Cavalry existed in various forms from 1775 to 1942. Its history dates back to the American Revolutionary War , and every major subsequent war in which the United States was involved. George Washington personally witnessed

2499-486: Is to be fired." as part of the loading instructions. Colt continued to provide instructions specifying the revolver was to be carried with all six chambers loaded and with the hammer on the safety notch from 1874 to at least 1945. In 1898, the advertisements for the Single Action Army, 1877 , and M1878 all instructed: "These Revolvers should be carried with the hammer resting in the Safety Notch." Colt's advertisements in

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2618-487: The 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 " and 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 " barreled guns. Considering the majority of Bisleys were made in .32/20 and .38/40, some 60%, it appears that the market for SAAs was changing. In the late 1890s, with increasing urbanization in the Western United States , suggests the possibility that many of these pistols were used as companion pieces to lever-action rifles of the same period. The unique features of

2737-445: The 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (19 cm) barrel and 1,200 were altered to a barrel length of 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (14 cm). In 1898, 14,900 of the SAA revolvers were altered the same way by Springfield Armory. The original records of the War Department do refer to these revolvers with the shortened barrel as the "Altered Revolver". The name "Artillery" is actually a misnomer, which Sapp speculates may have originated because

2856-699: The 27th Cavalry Regiment (Colored) , 2nd Cavalry Division, was also activated in April 1941. During the interwar period, the Army commenced experimenting with mechanization and had partially mechanized some cavalry regiments. In 1940, the National Guard cavalry divisions were disbanded; some of their cavalry regiments partially retain horses as "horse-mechanized" regiments, while others were converted into other types of units, such as antiaircraft artillery or field artillery, or used to complete inactive parts of existing units. During

2975-666: The Battalion of Mounted Rangers to protect settlers along the east bank of the Mississippi River and to keep the Santa Fe trail open. The battalion comprised volunteers organized into six companies of 100 men. To correct what was perceived as a lack of discipline, organization and reliability, Congress formed the United States Regiment of Dragoons as a regular force in 1833, consisting of 10 companies (designated A through K) with

3094-474: The Rollin White patent ( #12,648, April 3, 1855 ), and not wanting to pay a royalty fee to Smith & Wesson , Colt could not begin development of bored-through revolver cylinders for metallic cartridge use until April 4, 1869. For the design, Colt turned to two of its best engineers: William Mason and Charles Brinckerhoff Richards who had developed a number of revolvers and black powder conversions for

3213-554: The Second Dragoons helped decide the Battle of Resaca de la Palma . Shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War, the Army's dragoon regiments were designated as "Cavalry", losing their previous distinctions. The change was an unpopular one and the former dragoons retained their orange braided blue jackets until they wore out and had to be replaced with cavalry yellow. The 1st United States Cavalry fought in virtually every campaign in

3332-543: The Spanish–American War and the Philippine–American War . Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders charged up San Juan Hill wielding the .45 caliber Artillery Model. The Artillery Model usually had mixed numbers. It can be identified by the U.S. on the frame, the inspector's stamps on different parts (such as a tiny A for Orville W. Ainsworth, DFC, HN, RAC for later inspectors and K for replacement parts) and

3451-615: The Springfield Armory . Second only to the OWA Colts, Nettleton Colts are prized by serious collectors. Both the Nettleton and OWA Colts have the cartouche (OWA or HN) on the left side of the wood grip. By the mid-1870s, the Army had purchased a significant number of Smith & Wesson Schofield revolvers chambering a shorter .45 round. Logistical problems arose because the ammunition was not interchangeable. The Colt revolvers would accept

3570-639: The United States Army Ordnance Corps , specifies the loading of all six chambers and carrying the revolver habitually with the hammer cocked in the safety notch. Specifically, the 1874 U.S. Army Ordnance Manual, Description and Rules for the Management of the Springfield Rifle, Carbine, and Army Revolvers, Caliber .45 , state "bring the hammer to the safety notch; keep it there until the Pistol

3689-497: The "Civilian" or "Gunfighter" model ( 4 + 3 ⁄ 4 inch) and the Artillery Model ( 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 inch). There was also a variant with a sub-4-inch barrel, without an ejector rod, unofficially called the "Sheriff's Model", "Banker's Special", or "Storekeeper". From 1875 until 1880 Colt marketed a single-action revolver chambered in .44 Henry in a separate number range from no. 1 to 1,863. A "Flattop Target Model"

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3808-486: The .45 Colt cartridge and being accompanied by an extra cylinder for the .45 ACP . The power, accuracy and handling qualities of the Single Action Army (SAA) made it a popular sidearm from its inception, well into the 20th century. The association with the history of the American West remains to the present century, and these revolvers remain popular with shooters and collectors. George S. Patton , who began his career in

3927-437: The .45 Colt cartridge, especially 19th-century "pre-smokeless" revolvers, which should be fired (if at all) with black powder, only. Prior to World War II, the .45 Colt used a groove diameter of .454"; post-WWII production adopted the .452" groove diameter of the .45 ACP . From 1924 through 1940, a small number of Single Actions in the pistol caliber .45 ACP were produced. Colt's records list several Single Actions chambered for

4046-450: The .45 Colt has always been the most common. A scaled-down .22 rimfire version called the Scout or Frontier Scout was available in the late 20th century. The first Colt Single Action Army prototypes were manufactured in .44 American caliber for the 1872 government trials, as the .44 American was the cartridge used in the 1,000 Smith & Wesson Model 3 revolvers issued to the troops. After

4165-581: The .45 U.S. Colt Single Action Army revolver was retired by the Cavalry and replaced by the .38 caliber Colt Model 1892 Double Action Army revolver. The .45 Single Action Army revolver was still standard issue to the Infantry, Artillery and other branches of the U.S. Army. In 1895–1896, the U.S. federal government returned 2,000 SAA revolvers to Colt to be refurbished; 800 were issued to the New York Militia with

4284-610: The 10th Mountain Division, while not designated as U.S. Cavalry, conducted the last horse-mounted charge of any Army organization while engaged in Austria in 1945. An impromptu pistol charge by the Third Platoon was carried out when the Troop encountered a machine gun nest in an Italian village/town sometime between 14 and 23 April 1945. The principal reconnaissance element of an infantry division

4403-494: The 1870 and 1875 Smith & Wesson American and Model 3 "Schofield" revolvers , replaced the Colt 1860 Army Percussion revolver. The Colt quickly gained favor over the S&;W and remained the primary U.S. military sidearm until 1892 when it was replaced by the .38 Long Colt caliber Colt Model 1892 , a double-action revolver with swing-out cylinder. By the end of 1874, serial no. 16,000

4522-562: The 1920s and 1930s. As part of the National Defense Act of 1920 , the Army created the Office of the Chief of Cavalry; the chief would be a temporary major general, and would be empowered to supervise cavalry activities, including personnel management, equipment development and fielding, and creation and implementation of tactics, doctrine, and training. Willard Ames Holbrook was appointed as

4641-485: The 1920s through 1945 (after which the first generation Single Action Armys were discontinued) instructed that the revolver "May be carried cocked with the hammer in the safety notch." The Single Action Army action is a refinement of the earlier Colt percussion revolvers and the Colt 1871 cartridge revolver. The cylinder is mounted on a central axis and operated by a hand with a double finger with which more extended action allows

4760-559: The 1970 film by the same name at the General George Patton Museum of Leadership at Fort Knox, KY as of 2022. Villa himself used a 5-inch barrell Colt Bisley in 44-40 caliber for the full length of his military career. In the early and mid-20th century, original Peacemakers lacking historical provenance and not in pristine condition were not particularly valuable. They served as raw material for early enthusiasts such as Elmer Keith , Harold Croft and R. F. Sedgley who modified

4879-429: The 1st Illinois Volunteer Cavalry. The 106th underwent a number of different reorganizations until 1 September 1940, when it was redesignated the 1st Squadron, 106th Cavalry (Horse-Mechanized). On 25 February 1943 the 2nd Cavalry Division was (re)activated. The 27th Cavalry Regiment was attached to the 5th Cavalry Brigade (Colored) on 25 February 1943. It was deactivated 27 March 1944 and personnel later reorganized into

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4998-413: The 1st–14th Divisions, which were not all active at its creation. Originally trained for deployment to Europe, its units were later converted into field artillery units. The division was deactivated on 12 May 1918. Proponents of horse cavalry argued that the lack of success of cavalry on World War I's static defensive lines had been an exception, and that cavalry still had a role to play in warfare, even as

5117-662: The 2nd Dragoons is the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (Stryker) . This unit was originally organized as the Second Dragoon Regiment in 1836 until it was renamed the Second Cavalry Regiment in 1860, morphing into the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in the 1960s. The regiment is currently equipped with the Stryker family of wheeled fighting vehicles. As equipped with the Stryker, the 2nd Cavalry once again can be accurately referred to as

5236-524: The 2nd and 4th Continental Light Dragoons equipped temporarily as infantry, and deployed the 1st and 3rd Continental Light Dragoons and Pulaski's Legion to the South to join local militia cavalry and to ensure the area remained American during an unexpected counter-offensive. Battle engagements in South Carolina largely seriously attrited the 1st and 3rd Regiments in the spring of 1780, who amalgamated into

5355-516: The 41 Colt at 19,676. All original, good condition, U.S. Cavalry and Artillery Single Action Armies (those produced between 1873 and 1891) are among the most valuable to collectors. Especially valuable, often going for well over $ 10,000, are the OWA (Orville Wood Ainsworth) and the rare Henry Nettleton inspected Single Action Army Colts. The OWA Colt refers to the earliest issued Single Action Army guns, which were inspected by Orville W. Ainsworth. Ainsworth

5474-461: The 6400th Ordnance Battalion (Ammo) (Provisional) 12 June 1944. The 28th Cavalry Regiment (Colored) , 2nd Cavalry Division, activated February 1942 and attached to the 5th Cavalry Brigade (Colored) on 25 February 1943. It was deactivated 31 March 1944 and personnel later reorganized into the 6400th Ordnance Battalion (Ammo) (Provisional) 12 June 1944. The last horse cavalry charge by a U.S. Army cavalry unit took place against Japanese forces during

5593-697: The American officers, resulting in his resignation, but Congress authorized Pulaski to form his own independent corps in 1778. Pulaski's Legion consisted of dragoons, riflemen, grenadiers, and infantry. Another independent corps of dragoons joined Pulaski's in the Continental Line during 1778 when a former captain in Bland's Horse, "Light Horse Harry" Lee , formed Lee's Corps of Partisan Light Dragoons , which specialized in raiding and harassing supply lines. Colonel Charles Armand Tuffin, marquis de la Rouërie ("Col. Armand"),

5712-560: The Bisley was terminated in 1912, but serial No. 331916 was shipped after the First World War. Most Bisley Standard Model Revolvers shipped to a United States address were not used for target shooting, but for self-defense, because the grip and hammer were ideal for fast shooting. Surveys of existing Bisley show that a much larger number of 4 + 3 ⁄ 4  in (12 cm) Bisleys, perhaps as high as 62%, have survived as compared to

5831-488: The Bisley with their low-slung hammer, less humped backstrap, and shorter barrel may have suited the city-dwelling suit-coat-wearing clientele who still found themselves outdoors, not only on horses but in buggies and automobiles. The need for man-stopping bullets was decreasing in urbanized environments, although in semi-urban areas, a pistol like the Bisley would be suitable for discouraging both four-legged and two-legged "varmints" while also suitable for collecting supper along

5950-586: The Buntline frame. The Third Generation began in 1976, characterized by a change in barrel thread pitch and a solid cylinder bushing replacing the removable/replaceable part from the first and second generations. This series ran until 1982 as a limited-issue product with the serial number range of SA80,000 to SA99,999. In 1994, production of the SAA resumed with the increase in popularity of " Cowboy Action Shooting " matches. These models are known either as "Late Third Generation" or sometimes Fourth Generation. They have

6069-515: The Cavalry. The branch chiefs' functions were centralized within the new Army Ground Forces headquarters as part of an effort to consolidate and streamline the integration of training and doctrine among the Army's different branches. Before World War II the 106th Cavalry was a National Guard unit based in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to World War I and the Spanish–American War it had been known as

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6188-472: The First and Second United States Dragoons into one Regiment of Light Dragoons on 30 March 1814. This was a cost-cutting measure; it was cheaper and easier to maintain one unit at full strength than two organizations that could not maintain a full complement of riders. The signing of the Treaty of Ghent at the end of the year ended the war. The regiment was disbanded on 3 March 1815, with the explanation that cavalry forces were too expensive to maintain as part of

6307-520: The Kid , even carried by him when he was killed by Pat Garrett in 1881. Doc Holliday was also known to carry a nickel-plated "Thunderer" in his waistband as an accompanying gun to his nickel-plated Colt Single Action Army. Both revolvers had ivory or pearl grips. and all 9mm cartridges Colt Single Action Army The Colt Single Action Army (also known as the SAA , Model P , Peacemaker , or M1873 )

6426-520: The Light Artillery happened to have the first units armed with the altered revolver. The Artillery Single Actions were issued to the Infantry, the Light Artillery, the Volunteer Cavalry and other troops because the standard-issue .38 caliber Colt M 1892 double-action revolver was lacking in stopping power. For that reason, the .45 Artillery SAA Revolvers were used successfully by front troops in

6545-527: The National Guard, with the First , Second , and Third Army Areas supporting the 21st , 22nd , and 24th , respectively. The 23rd was the nation's at-large cavalry division, supported by all army areas (Alabama, Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin Army National Guards). In a short time the divisions had the prescribed cavalry regiments and machine gun squadrons but not

6664-441: The SAA included .38-40 Winchester introduced in 1884, the .32-20 Winchester introduced in 1884, the .41 Long Colt introduced in 1885, the .38 Long Colt in 1887, the .38 Special and the .357 Magnum in the 20th century. Some of the separately-serialized .44 Henry rimfire revolvers were rechambered to .22 rimfire after 1885. The SAA at one time or another was offered in dozens of calibers from .22 rimfire to .476 Eley , though

6783-594: The Second Generation Colt Single Actions were factory-engraved by Colt. The factory engravers of the period were Alvin Herbert, Earl Bieu, Dennis Kies, Robert Burt, Steve Kamyk and Leonard Francolini. One of the most sought-after engravers who have worked on Colt revolvers was Alvin White and the shop of A. A. White Engravers. The original instructions for operation of the Single Action Army, both by Colt and

6902-783: The Single Action Army revolver, which makes these engraved models extremely rare and valuable with collectors. Engraved pieces were often ordered by or for famous people of the day, including lawmen, heads of state, and captains of industry. This tradition began with the founder, Samuel Colt , who regularly gave such examples away as a means of publicity for Colt. Colt employed a number of engravers, many of whom were trained artisans who emigrated from Europe. These artisans, such as Gustave Young, Cuno A. Helfricht, Rudolph J. Kornbrath and Louis Daniel Nimschke , were known for inlaying gold, silver, and precious stones in their work. Many of these engraved pieces were adorned with stocks made of ivory or pearl, with engraving and inlays as well. About 400 of

7021-517: The U.S. Army Ordnance Department, the revolver was to be carried with all six chambers loaded and carried with the hammer half-cocked in the safety notch. However, beginning sometime after the Second World War and after the introduction of the Second Generation single action in the 1950s, some gun-writers began strongly advocating the practice of leaving one empty chamber under the hammer. It

7140-482: The U.S. Army's mechanization continued. The American Expeditionary Forces convened a Cavalry Board to consider the future of horse cavalry; this panel concluded that the employment of large cavalry units was probably obsolete, but that horse cavalry units of regiment size and below could be attached to infantry and armor units for reconnaissance and similar missions on an as needed basis. The Army accepted this recommendation, and continued to field horse cavalry units in

7259-503: The U.S. Mounted Riflemen 1836 and 1846 respectively. The 1861 Act converted the U.S. Army's two regiments of dragoons , one regiment of mounted riflemen, and two regiments of cavalry into one branch of service. Immediately preceding World War II (1941–1945), the U.S. Cavalry began transitioning to a mechanized, mounted force. During the Second World War, the Army's cavalry units operated as horse-mounted, mechanized, or dismounted forces (infantry). The last horse-mounted cavalry charge by

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7378-604: The amalgamated 1st and 3rd Light Dragoons in Charlotte and dispatched them on a series of raids against Loyalist forces in western Carolina. The dragoons joined the "flying corps" commanded by General Daniel Morgan at the Battle of Cowpens , securing a crucial victory for the American forces in the early stages of the war. Later, the 3rd Legionary Corps participated in Greene's maneuvers across North Carolina and fought well against Cornwallis's army at Guilford Courthouse . In January 1781,

7497-591: The army with the primary mission of engaging in armed combat with an enemy force). From the United States Declaration of Independence and the American War of Independence onwards, mounted troops were raised ad-hoc by the United States as emergencies presented themselves and were disbanded as soon as these had passed. In 1833, Congress created the 1st U.S. Dragoons, followed by the 2nd U.S. Dragoons and

7616-499: The cartouche of Rinaldo A. Carr (RAC), the inspector who inspected the refurbished guns, on the grip. The Colt Frontier or Frontier Six-Shooter was a Colt's 1873 "Model P" type revolver manufactured in .44-40 Winchester caliber instead of .45 Colt (in which configuration it was called the Single Action Army ) so that it was compatible with Winchester Model 1873 ammunition. Production began in 1877. Colt Frontier Six-Shooter

7735-435: The cartridge was shortened so that it would also function in the newly adopted S & W Schofield revolver. It was designated "Revolver Cartridge" and loaded with 28 grains of black powder and a bullet of 230 grain. The Bénet-primed cartridges were manufactured until 1882 and then replaced by reloadable cartridges with brass cases and external primers. The original .45 Colt black-powder load of 40 grains (2.6 g) propelled

7854-750: The cavalry began transitioning from the Patton tank to the M551 Sheridan Armored Airborne Reconnaissance Assault Vehicle. By 1970, all armored cavalry units in Vietnam were operating the Sheridan except for the tank companies of the 11th ACR, which continued to use Patton tanks. During the Vietnam War U.S. Cavalry squadrons were normally assigned or attached to army divisions. Army brigades were only authorized one cavalry Troop, as

7973-432: The company headquarters and three platoons of five tanks. Initially, the tanks were M3 Stuarts , later M5 Stuarts; both of which were equipped with 37mm guns. The Stuart was capable of speeds of up to 36 mph (58 km/h) on the road. While fast and maneuverable, its armor plating and cannon were soon found to be no match for the German tanks. In February 1945 they were replaced with the M24 Chaffee light tank, which

8092-461: The company. Their effort was designed for the United States government service revolver trials of 1872 by Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company and adopted as the standard military service revolver. Production began in 1873 with the Single Action Army model 1873, also referred to as the "New Model Army Metallic Cartridge Revolving Pistol". The first production Single Action Army, serial number 1, thought lost for many years after its production,

8211-493: The creation of a light cavalry force in the Continental Army . In late 1776, Congress authorized Washington to establish a mounted force of 3,000 men for service in the Continental army. On 12 December 1776, Congress converted the 5th Regiment of Connecticut Light Horse Militia into the Regiment of Light Dragoons . In March 1777, Washington established the Corps of Continental Light Dragoons consisting of four regiments of 280 men, each organized in six troops. Many problems faced

8330-401: The cylinder-ratchet to be cut in a larger circle, giving more torsional force to the cylinder. Four notches on the face of the hammer engage the sear portion of the trigger, affording four basic hammer positions. The hammer rests within the frame when it is fully lowered. Drawn slightly to the rear, the hammer engages the safety notch of the sear and holds the firing pin out of direct contact with

8449-414: The effect that a small mounted force of the British Army 's 17th Regiment of (Light) Dragoons had on his troops, panicking and scattering American soldiers at the Battle of White Plains . Appreciating the ability of the 5th Regiment of Connecticut Light Horse Militia to gather intelligence during the subsequent retreat of American forces into New Jersey , he asked the Continental Congress to approve

8568-454: The ejector rod and housing. The shorter-barreled versions without the ejector rod were marketed as "shopkeeper's specials" for use as a concealable pocket pistol . Neither of the names, "Lightning" or "Thunderer" were Colt designations, nor used by the factory in any reference materials. Both terms were coined by Benjamin Kittredge, one of Colt's major distributors. Kittredge was responsible for

8687-586: The eventual postwar formation of armored cavalry regiments to act as corps reconnaissance and screening elements. The Vietnam War saw the first combat use of air cavalry warfare. Twenty armored and air cavalry units were deployed to Vietnam during the war. Armored cavalry units in Vietnam were initially equipped with the M48A3 Patton tank , armed with a 90 mm main gun, and the M113 Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle (ACAV). In January 1969,

8806-622: The fighting in the Bataan Peninsula, Philippines, in the village of Morong on 16 January 1942, by the 26th Cavalry Regiment of the Philippine Scouts. Shortly thereafter, the besieged combined United States-Philippine forces were forced to slaughter their horses for food and the 26th Regiment fought on foot or in whatever scarce vehicles were available until their surrender. The 10th Mountain Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop of

8925-423: The first Chief of Cavalry, and he served until 1924. The personnel and assets of the 15th Cavalry Division were later used to form 1st & 2nd Cavalry Divisions. On 20 August 1921, as a result of lessons learned from World War I, the Army's Adjutant General , Major General Peter C. Harris , constituted the 1st and 2nd Cavalry Divisions to meet future mobilization requirements. However, the 2nd Cavalry Division

9044-485: The hammer resting on a loaded chamber. The Colt Cowboy, as it was named, was designed to be more affordable than the Single Action Army. It was offered with barrel lengths of 4.75", 5.5", and 7.5". The 7.5" variant was discontinued in 1999, as was the 4.75" variant, which was reintroduced in 2002. Manufacturing of the Colt Cowboy was discontinued in 2003. Colt engraved about one percent of its first-generation production of

9163-491: The horse-cavalry, carried a custom-made SAA with ivory grips engraved with his initials and an eagle, which became his trademark. He used it during the Mexican Punitive Expedition of 1916 in a gunfight with two of Pancho Villa 's lieutenants and carried it until his death in 1945 shortly after the end of World War II. It remains on display, along with the SAA carried by actor George C. Scott portraying Patton in

9282-497: The jeeps were mounted with a 60mm mortar manned by two soldiers; the other three had a bracket-mounted .30 caliber machine gun , manned by a soldier sitting in the front passenger seat – although sometimes the M1919 was replaced by a .50 caliber machine gun . To maximize speed and maneuverability on the battlefield, the Bantams were not given extra armor protection. The M8 Greyhound was

9401-602: The light dragoon regiments, including the inability of recruiting to bring the units to authorized strength, shortage of suitable cavalry weapons and horses, and lack of uniformity among troopers in dress and discipline. Congress appointed the Hungarian revolutionary and professional soldier Michael Kovats and the Polish Casimir Pulaski to train them as an offensive strike force during winter quarters of 1777–78 at Trenton, New Jersey. Pulaski's efforts led to friction with

9520-426: The limited number of black units. Under political pressure the Army activated the 2nd Cavalry Division at Fort Riley , Kansas, on 1 April 1941, with one white and one black brigade. The black brigade, the 4th Cavalry Brigade was activated during February 1941 with the 9th Cavalry Regiment and 10th Cavalry Regiment , the " Buffalo Soldiers ," as its cavalry regiments. In addition, a further black cavalry regiment,

9639-599: The main force deployed. Infantry, when mounted, were called "mounted infantry"; they lacked training and skill in horsemanship and cavalry tactics. Several Cavalry regiments served in Cuba, the 1st, 2d, 3rd Cavalry Regiments along with the African-American 9th and 10th Cavalry and also the 1st US Volunteer Cavalry, the Rough Riders . Of all the cavalry regiments, only the 3rd went to Cuba with their normal complement of horses. For

9758-495: The majority of their support organizations. The 56th Cavalry Brigade was a separate cavalry brigade. To create the Organized Reserve cavalry divisions, the War Department added the 61st , 62nd ; 63rd ; 64th , 65th and 66th Cavalry Divisions to the rolls of the Army on 15 October 1921. In the midst of the 1940 presidential campaign prominent black leaders complained bitterly to President Franklin D. Roosevelt about

9877-522: The next six years. In 1798, during the Quasi-War with France, Congress established a three-year " Provisional Army " of 10,000 men, consisting of twelve regiments of infantry and six troops of light dragoons. By March 1799 Congress created an "Eventual Army" of 30,000 men, including three regiments of cavalry. Both "armies" existed only on paper, but equipment for 3,000 men and horses was procured and stored. The Congressional act of 12 April 1808 authorized

9996-512: The nickname "the gunsmith's favorite". Because of the intricate design and difficulty of repair, gunsmiths to this day dislike working on them. Gun Digest referred to it as "the worst double-action trigger mechanism ever made". Typically, the trigger spring would fail and this would reduce the revolver to single-action fire only. Outwardly, the Model 1877 shows a striking resemblance to the Colt Single Action Army revolver, however, it

10115-739: The north during the American Civil War. The U.S. Cavalry played a prominent role in the American Indian Wars , particularly in the American Old West . Particularly notable were the 7th Cavalry , associated with General George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of the Little Bighorn , and the 9th and 10th Cavalry , the Buffalo Soldiers . Infantry units, called by the Indians "walkaheaps", were also involved and in some cases were

10234-565: The original style removable/replaceable cylinder bushing. The serial number for this series started at S02001A and continue to use the "S" prefix and "A" suffix as of 2022. Colt currently offers the Single Action Army in one of two finishes: either an all-nickel, or blued with color case-hardened frame; in the traditional three barrel lengths: 4 + 3 ⁄ 4 ,  5 + 1 ⁄ 2 , and 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (12, 14, and 19 cm); and eight chamberings: .32-20, .38-40, .44-40, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .44 Special, .45 Colt, or .45 ACP;

10353-579: The practice of the dragoons employing both mounted and dismounted troops resulted in their official reconfiguration as Legionary Corps, the mounted dragoons supported by dismounted dragoons armed as infantry, an organization that persisted until the war's end. In 1783, the Continental Army was discharged and the dragoons were released. The first cavalry unit formed by the Congress of the United States of America (along with three new regular infantry regiments)

10472-458: The primer pocket is surrounded by solid brass instead of protruding into the powder chamber. This "solid head" case is stronger and resists deformation of the primer pocket. Some commercial and custom revolvers and single-shot pistols (such as the Ruger Blackhawk, T/C Contender and others) employ high-pressure loads that are dangerous in the Single Action Army and other vintage arms chambered for

10591-438: The range of 0001SA to 73,205SA. Due to the popularity of the television show The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp , Colt introduced the aforementioned Buntline Special as a Second generation offering from 1957 to 1974. From 1961 to 1975, Colt offered an adjustable-sight model known as "The New Frontier", capitalizing on President John F. Kennedy 's campaign slogan. Colt manufactured 4200 of these revolvers, including 70 built on

10710-491: The range of 156300–331916, in the same sequence as the Single Action Army. All Bisleys after No. 161,376 had "BISLEY MODEL" with the caliber stamped on the left side of the barrel, which is rare for older Colt revolvers. The most common were in the American calibers of .32-20, .38-40, .45 Colt, .44-40, .41 Long Colt, and also in the British calibers of .450 Eley and .455 Eley. A total number of 44,350 were manufactured. Production of

10829-471: The rest, only the officers' horses went as there was not enough room on the ship to bring all the horses to Cuba, and those that were not used by the officers were used to pull equipment. Likewise, all of the cavalry units except the mounted 3rd Cavalry were organized into two brigades that made up the Cavalry Division led by former Confederate cavalryman, General Joseph Wheeler . Wheeler's Cavalry Division

10948-400: The revolver is ready to fire. Cartridge ejection is via the spring-loaded rod housed in a tube on the right side of the barrel. It is possible to fire the SAA rapidly by holding down the trigger and "fanning" the hammer with the other hand. Ed McGivern dispelled the myth of the inaccuracy of this procedure by shooting tight groups while fanning the revolver. By 1878, the Single Action Army

11067-484: The revolvers to enhance performance and experimented with more effective ammunition. At the beginning of the 21st century, first- and second-generation SAAs are highly regarded as collectors' items and often considered too valuable to shoot. United States Cavalry The United States Cavalry , or U.S. Cavalry , was the designation of the mounted force of the United States Army . The United States Cavalry

11186-462: The road. The Bisley may mark a movement to a more civilized West. Wyatt Earp biographer Stuart N. Lake popularized the myth of the Buntline Special. In his highly fictionalized biography, Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal , published in 1931, he wrote that Earp and four other lawmen— Bat Masterson , Bill Tilghman, Charlie Bassett and Neal Brown—were each presented with a customized revolver with

11305-507: The shorter round, but not vice versa. For a time, the Government stopped orders for the longer Colt cartridge and used the Smith & Wesson round exclusively. The Schofield was soon retired and sold to the civilian market. The largest group of U.S. Colt Cavalry revolvers was inspected by David F. Clark, his D.F.C. cartouche being encountered on revolvers inspected from 1880 to 1887. During 1893,

11424-502: The terms "Peacemaker" for the Single Action Army, "Omnipotent" for the Colt M1878 double-action (often known as the "Frontier" model), and nicknames for the various chamberings of the New Line models. The M1877's early double-action mechanism proved to be both intricate and delicate, thus it was vulnerable to failure of self cocking. The design had a garnered a negative reputation and earned

11543-475: The tests, the Colt was declared the superior revolver and the government specified that a .45 caliber cartridge would be required. With the adoption of the Colt Single Action Army revolver in 1873, the service cartridges were Copper-cased .45 centerfire Benét inside primed "Colt's Revolver Cartridges" loaded with 30 grains of black powder and an inside lubricated bullet of 250 grain. They were manufactured at Frankford Arsenal , Philadelphia, PA, through 1874. In 1875,

11662-498: The war ended, no plans were made to revive the Single Action Army revolver as the design was seen as obsolete. However, the advent of television and Western-themed movies created customer demand for the revolver, so Colt resumed manufacture in 1956 with the Second-Generation line of Single Action Army revolvers. These Second-Generation Colt Single Action Army revolvers were produced from 1956 to 1974 and carried serial numbers in

11781-481: The war, many of the Army's cavalry units were mechanized with tanks and reconnaissance vehicles, while others fought dismounted as infantry. Some units were converted into other types of units entirely, some of which made use of the cavalry's experience with horses. The "Mars Men" of the China Burma India Theater give such an example. Because of a shortage of men, on 15 July 1942, the 2nd Cavalry Division

11900-531: Was a mechanized cavalry troop, whilst an armored division was provided with a full cavalry squadron. Several cavalry groups, each of two squadrons, were formed to serve as the reconnaissance elements for U.S. corps headquarters in the European Theater of Operations during 1944–45. Besides HQ and service elements, each cavalry troop comprised three cavalry platoons, each of which was equipped with six Bantam jeeps and three M8 Greyhound armored cars. Three of

12019-593: Was a squadron of light dragoons commanded by Major Michael Rudolph on 5 March 1792. Its four troops were assigned to each of the four sublegions of Legion of the United States , by September 1792. In 1796, the number of troops was reduced to only two, which were almagamated in 1798 with six newly raised troops to the Regiment of Regiment of Light Dragoons . This mounted force was short lived as well and saw its end in 1800. The oldest two "veterans" troops were retained until June 1802. Hence no regular mounted soldiers existed for

12138-721: Was absorbed into the Armor branch as part of the Army Reorganization Act of 1950 and the Vietnam War saw the introduction of helicopters and operations as a helicopter-borne force with the designation of Air Cavalry , while mechanized cavalry received the designation of Armored Cavalry . The term "cavalry", still remains in use in the U.S. Army for mounted (ground and aviation) reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA) units based on their parent Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS) regiment. The 1st Cavalry Division

12257-587: Was also promoted as the standard chambering for the new, hugely successful, Winchester Model 1873 rifle. Users of the .44-40 Winchester cartridge in the Far West appreciated the convenience of being able to carry a single caliber of ammunition, which they could fire in both revolver and rifle. The Colt Frontier Six Shooter Revolver and the Winchester Model 1873 or the Winchester Model 1892 in .44-40 WCF caliber

12376-471: Was being offered from the factory in additional calibers for civilian and foreign military sales. Many were sold in .44-40 Winchester Winchester Center Fire (WCF), introduced in 1878 to allow cross-compatibility with the Winchester '73 lever-action rifle; this model was called the " Colt Frontier Six-Shooter ", which was etched and later roll-stamped on the left side of the barrel. Additional period calibers for

12495-447: Was certified for use with smokeless powder. In 1920, larger, highly visible sights replaced the original thin blade and notch. The revolvers remained essentially unchanged from that point until cessation of manufacture at the beginning of World War II. From 1873 through 1940 (with small numbers assembled during and after World War II, the so-called "Pre-War, Post-War" model), production of the Colt Single Action Army reached 357,859. This

12614-565: Was dubbed the "Peacemaker", and is a famous piece of Americana and the American Wild West era, due to its popularity with ranchers, lawmen, and outlaws alike. Today, it is mainly bought as memorabilia by collectors and re-enactors . Its design has influenced the production of numerous other models from other companies. The original length of the barrel, issued to the U.S. Cavalry , was 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (19 cm), with an overall length of 13 inches (33 cm). Bound by

12733-428: Was equipped with a 75 mm gun. The assault gun troop comprised three assault gun platoons (four for those in armored divisions), each with two M8 HMCs – M5 Stuarts with their turrets replaced by an open-turreted 75 mm howitzer – and two M3 Half-tracks ; one for the platoon HQ, the other for the ammunition section. The experience gained in the use of the mechanized cavalry groups during World War II led to

12852-449: Was formally created by an act of Congress on 3 August 1861 and ceased as a distinct Army branch in 1942. The name "cavalry" continues to be used as a designation for various specific United States Army formations and functions. This branch, alongside the Infantry and Artillery branches, was formerly considered to be one of the "classic" combat arms branches (defined as those branches of

12971-466: Was found in a barn in Nashua , New Hampshire, in the early 1900s. This gun was chambered in .44 S&W, a centerfire design containing charges of up to 40 grains (2.6 g) of fine-grained black powder and a 255-grain (16.5 g) blunt roundnosed bullet. Relative to period cartridges and most later handgun rounds, it was quite powerful in its full loading. The Colt Single Action Army revolver, along with

13090-495: Was inactivated to permit organization of the 9th Armored Division . White cavalrymen were assigned to the 9th Armored Division, and the all-black 4th Cavalry Brigade became a non-divisional formation. As part of a large-scale Army reorganization in March 1942, the Chief of Staff of the Army , General George Marshall , abolished the position of branch chief in the ground arms, including for

13209-510: Was introduced in 1894 as an accurate target pistol. The name Bisley came from the famous firing range in Bisley , England. The Colt Bisley can be distinguished by the longer grip, the wider hammer spur, and the wider trigger. The distinguishing feature of the Bisley Target Model is the topstrap, which is flat and fitted with a sliding rear sight, adjustable for windage only. The front sight

13328-471: Was listed in Colt's catalogs from 1890 to 1898. Colt manufactured 914 of these revolvers with a frame that was flat on top and fitted with an adjustable leaf rear sight. The front sight consisted of a base with an interchangeable blade. In 1896, at serial number 164,100, a spring-loaded base pin latch replaced the cylinder pin retaining screw and by 1900, at serial number 192,000, the Colt Single Action

13447-560: Was not subsequently activated, and remained in 'on-paper' organizational limbo for twenty years. In 1922 the 26th Cavalry Regiment (United States) , Philippine Scouts , was formed in the Philippines. In 1927, the Adjutant General constituted the I Cavalry Corps (the headquarters of which was never fully activated), and the 3rd Cavalry Division , new Regular Army formations. In 1921, the 21st through 24th Cavalry Divisions were formed in

13566-573: Was one of the most common combinations seen in "the Old West". For example, the two mounted "Cowboys" at the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral were armed with this rifle and pistol combination. .38-40 and .32-20 (.32 WCF) also qualify as "Frontier Calibers" because 1873 and 1892 Winchesters were made in these calibers, offering the same convenience as the 44-40 (44WCF) caliber, namely using the same cartridge in both revolver and rifle. The Colt Bisley (1894–1912)

13685-587: Was part of the other 2 infantry divisions and independent brigade that made up the V Corps headed by General Shafter. Several other cavalry regiments from the West Coast were sent to Puerto Rico and the Philippines. Units of Wheeler's Cavalry Division fought at both the Battle of Las Guasimas on 24 June 1898 and the Battle of San Juan Heights on 1 July 1898. The 15th Cavalry Division was created in February 1917 at Fort Sam Houston , Texas. It numbered in succession of

13804-424: Was reached; 12,500 Colt Single Action Army revolvers chambered for the .45 Colt cartridge had entered service and the remaining revolvers were sold in the civilian market. The Single Action Army became available in standard barrel lengths of 4 + 3 ⁄ 4 inch, 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 inch, as well as the Cavalry standard, original 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 inch. The shorter barrelled revolvers are sometimes called

13923-434: Was the actual name of the Colt pistol model, and this was acid-etched on the left side of the barrel. After 1889, the legend was roll-stamped until 1919, when the caliber designation ".44-40" was added. Later Colt M1878 Double Action Army Models also wore this designation on the barrel when chambered in .44 WCF/.44-40 Winchester. The Bisley 1895 Model was the final Colt to wear the Frontier Six Shooter designation. The 44-40

14042-516: Was the case with "A" Troop, 4/12 Cavalry. When only the 1st Brigade of the 5th (Mechanized) Infantry Division deployed to the Republic of South Vietnam (RVN), only one cavalry troop was assigned to the brigade, Troop A. The 1st Dragoons was reformed in the Vietnam era as 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry. Today's modern 1–1st Cavalry is a scout/attack unit, equipped with M1A1 Abrams tanks and M3 Bradley CFVs . Another modern U.S. Army unit informally known as

14161-449: Was the ordnance sub-inspector at the Colt factory for the first 13 months (October 1873 to November 1874) of the Single Action Army's production. It was Ainsworth who inspected the Colts used by Col. G. A. Custer 's 7th Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn . The number range of possible Little Bighorn Colts is 4500–7527. Henry Nettleton was the U.S. Principal Sub-inspector in 1878 at

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