Colt SAA Western Revolver, 4¾” Barrel, .45 Caliber, “Smokeless Frame,” with Colt Archive Letter

Colt Single Action Army Revolver – "Smokeless Frame"

Manufactured 1896 – .45 Colt Caliber – 4¾" Barrel – Colt Archive Letter – Untouched Condition

Colt Single Action Army revolvers from the so-called "Smokeless Frame" era are among the most sought-after variants of the famous Colt revolver. Manufactured in 1896 and chambered in .45 Colt, this specimen—accompanied by its Colt archive letter—exhibits the characteristic features of this model's evolution, which emerged in the late 19th century.

History

Introduced in 1873 by Colt's Manufacturing Company, the Colt Single Action Army quickly established itself as one of the most popular revolvers of the American West. Adopted by the U.S. Army and subsequently widely distributed on the civilian market, it served soldiers, lawmen, ranchers, and pioneers for decades. Starting in 1892, Colt modified the revolver by replacing the cylinder pin retaining screw with a spring-loaded plunger system. This evolution—now known as the "Smokeless Frame"—coincided with improvements in the steel used and paved the way for the smokeless powder cartridges that became widespread in the late 19th century. Today, these transitional models constitute a distinct category within the realm of Colt Single Action Army collecting.

Our Model

This specimen comes with its official Colt archive letter, confirming its authenticity and original destination. The metal parts display a uniform dark grey, "gunmetal" style patina. The revolver remains in a condition consistent with its age, free of corrosion. The 4¾-inch barrel retains its two-line Colt address marking, characteristic of short-barreled models. The patent markings on the frame, as well as the fine "Rampant Colt" logo, are also consistent with late-production examples of this model. The serial number... The serial number 165XXX indicates manufacture in 1896. It appears on various parts of the frame as well as on the butt, confirming the gun's matching-number status. As expected for a "Smokeless Frame" model, the revolver features the push-button cylinder pin retention system. The grips are well-fitted and in excellent condition.

The action functions correctly, producing the four characteristic clicks of the Colt Single Action Army. The cocking action is crisp, and the trigger pull remains pleasant. The slight mechanical play and cylinder gap observed are consistent with the revolver's age. The .45 Colt caliber barrel has a smooth, satin-like bore with light signs of use; however, the rifling remains sharp, deep, and uniform, ensuring excellent shooting performance.

The Colt factory letter indicates that this revolver was shipped to the Simmons Hardware Company in St. Louis, Missouri—a major distributor of firearms and equipment for the American West in the late 19th century.

The revolver comes with its official classification certificate (Category D(e)) issued by the Saint-Étienne National Proof House.