Classic Handguns of the 20th Century. David Arnold

to “buffalo”(subdue) drunken cowboys by hitting them over the head with the revolver’s barrel. Such treatment was not good for the revolvers and often resulted in the ejector housing and rod being broken away from the side of the barrel.

      While the Peacemaker is generally very well made, there were other revolvers with a superior fit and finish. In spite of this, the SAA would continue to function when subjected to the dirt and dust that would jam its finer-made competitors.

      When it comes to shooting, the revolver has many endearing features. Its simple plow-handle grips tend to be one size that fits all. In addition, the revolver has excellent balance regardless of barrel length. Both these attributes help in cushioning the recoil of heavy loads. The grips allow the revolver to slide up in the hand to place the hammer in an ideal position for cocking it back for a fast follow-up shot.

      In terms of accuracy, the revolver can hold its own against most others. I witnessed an old blackpowder model in 44/40 being fired at a man-size silhouette target at a distance of 200 yards. A total of 10 shots were fired; seven hit the target. The three misses were all misfires, no doubt due to the age of the ammunition. I should add this revolver was well used and had a worn and pitted barrel.

      In spite of its great accuracy potential, the revolver is not a target arm. Its fixed sights are rudimentary and rarely shoot to point of aim. Most of the SAAs I have shot required some sight adjustments. Even when adjusted, the sights present a small sight picture that is not conducive to pinpoint accuracy.

      The revolver is not without its faults; it is slow to load and unload and has to be cocked for every shot. The latter is somewhat mitigated by its relatively light single-action trigger pull. With practice, the revolver can be fired quite quickly thanks to its generous hammer spur.

      Even more speed can be achieved by using a two-handed hold, using the thumb of the supporting hand to cock the hammer. Slip shooting, where the hammer is slipped off the thumb while the trigger is held or tied back, is another way of shooting the Single Action quickly.

       In 1894, the single screw securing the cylinder pin was replaced with an easier-to-operate transverse bolt. This feature is often mistakenly used to identify revolvers made for use with smokeless powder.

       As pistol target shooting grew in popularity, Colt introduced two target versions of the Single-Action Army, the Flattop Target model (top) and the Bisley Model (bottom).

      Fanning the hammer, a method popularized by Hollywood, is an overrated method of quickly discharging a single-action revolver. It can be effective after much practice, but was little used on the frontier. Fanning can also cause serious damage to a Peacemaker by breaking the hammer notches, making the revolver dangerous to load and unload. Fanning is not the only way notches can be damaged or broken, however. A heavy blow on the hammer, or losing control of the hammer during cocking, so that it falls before engaging the trigger can break or damage the lower notches or do the same to the trigger.

      Shooting a Peacemaker fast requires a considerable amount of dexterity. The danger is the hammer slipping off the thumb before the hammer is fully cocked. Not only is this likely to break the half and safety notches, but the revolver may discharge. Many accidents have occurred by a shooter attempting to practice a fast draw from the holster. For this reason, both fast shooting and holster work must be approached with caution.

      While broken hammer notches may not prevent a single action from being fired, safety is severely compromised. The first or safety notch is intended to keep the firing pin from contacting the cartridge primer. Its not being strong enough to resist fracturing from a heavy blow can result in an accidental firing of the revolver. For this reason, traditional Peacemakers must always be carried with an empty chamber under the hammer.

      Both the functions of loading and unloading require placing the hammer in the half-cock notch so the cylinder is free to rotate. If the notch is broken, the hammer can slip off and fire a cartridge during the loading process.

      The tendency of the screws to be jarred loose during firing is more an irritation than a serious fault. Giving the threads a thin coating of nail varnish or rubber cement is a simple way to lock the screws in place.

      Another warning for Peacemaker owners is never to shoot modern smokeless ammunition in blackpowder models. Even though these revolvers will chamber modern ammunition, blackpowder single actions are just not stressed for the higher pressures generated by modern ammunition and are in danger of blowing up.

       An early alloy frame Scout (bottom) and a late model with color case steel frame.

       This 38/40 Single-Action Army of 1907 vintage is warranted for smokeless powder. It has the transverse bolt.

      COLLECTOR INTEREST

      Colt Single Actions are highly collectable and demand high prices completely out of proportion to their scarcity or vintage. Except for new revolvers, there is the question “Should a Single-Action revolver be fired at all?”

      There are several factors to consider when answering this question, the first of which has already been discussed – is it a blackpowder or smokeless model? The other question is one of value. Single actions, even of fairly recent vintage, are demanding amazingly high values. As a general rule of thumb, shooting should be confined to third-generation models of late vintage. I rarely shoot even my third-generation models and never my three first-generation revolvers. All my single-action shooting is done with one of the many fine replicas currently available.

      Nevertheless, these revolvers are shot quite a bit by handgun hunters, single-action enthusiasts and Cowboy Action Shooters. Genuine Colt SAAs are in great demand by the latter. There are a number of gun shops that offer restoration services catering to the needs of such competitors. Ultimately, the decision to shoot must be left to the reader.

       William Mason

      Who designed the Single-Action Army? The answer is that no single person was responsible for the revolver’s creation. As is the case with many large and well-established companies, the revolver was the product of the combined efforts of a number of talented individuals.

      When the Model P is laid alongside the main percussion Colts that preceded it, its pedigree is obvious, and it is clear it evolved from these by way of improvements and various upgrades. In fact, its basic action is little changed from Sam Colt’s very first revolver design.

      Nevertheless, when the single action was being created, the company no longer had the creative talents of its founder or Elisha Root, both of whom were deceased. William Mason was the man who was key in pulling together the various elements that resulted in the creation of Colt’s very successful solid-frame cartridge revolver.

      Mason, who was born in Massachusetts in 1837, had run the Mason Machine Works during the Civil War. Before coming to Colt, Mason had assigned two of his revolver patents to Remington. During his life, Mason registered over 100 patents for inventions that included mechanical devices, firearms, machinery and bridges.

      When Mason arrived at Colt in 1869, his technical expertise and innovation was especially important. He was responsible for the design of the side-mounted ejector rod system of the Single-Action Army while Charles B. Richards designed the loading gate. It seems these two men had much to do with the design and development of the revolver.

      Later, Mason would play a major role in the design of the company’s first double-action revolvers. William