Colt Single Action Army First-Generation Blackpowder-Frame .45 Colt, 7.5 Inch Barrel (1875 Antique, Refurbished)
This first-generation Colt Single Action Army is an 1875 blackpowder-frame revolver in .45 Colt with the classic 7.5-inch Cavalry-length barrel. It shows period-correct early features including the screw-retained cylinder base pin and bullseye ejector-rod head, along with a one-line Hartford top-barrel address. A later-era replacement barrel bearing the "COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY 45" rollmark and a refurbishment are present. Matching serials are observed on the frame and trigger guard (and backstrap), while the plain wood grips are numbered differently but remain legible.
Condition
Overall Condition: Poor condition.
Bore Condition: Good - Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: There is heavy finish loss on the cylinder and frame from prior handling. The barrel has visible scratches. The blackpowder-frame base pin retaining screw is present; there is no spring-loaded latch by design.
What’s Included
- Colt Single Action Army first-generation revolver
Built on Colt’s early blackpowder frame, this revolver uses the screw-retained cylinder base pin characteristic of the earliest production. It retains fixed sights with a blade front and top-strap groove rear, and it is configured as a six-shot, single-action-only revolver in .45 Colt.
The barrel is a later replacement, identifiable by the left-side "COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY 45" legend, while the top shows a one-line Hartford address. The barrel finish appears more uniform and later than the balance of the gun, consistent with the stated refurbishment.
Serial observations support an early, mixed-history example: the frame and trigger guard match (as does the backstrap), while the plain, uncheckered wood grips bear a different, still-legible number. No "U.S." ownership stamp is present.
Period features include the early bullseye ejector-rod head and the 7.5-inch Cavalry-length barrel. The frame shows color case-hardening, while the cylinder is largely in-the-white/gray with significant blue loss.
Made in the United States during the 1870s, this antique-status SAA combines first-generation construction with documented later work, including refurbishment and parts replacement, for a configuration that reflects both its age and subsequent service.