Colt Revolvers

The Colt firearms company was founded by Samuel Colt in 1855. Colt started his business with a patent for an improved revolver and his designs brought widespread acceptance of the revolver to the United States. Colt’s manufacturing company produced .31 revolvers that varied from small pocket pistols like the Colt House revolver to the full-sized Colt Single Action Army.

Colt’s manufacturing company had a reputation for fine revolvers even as the century turned. Double-action revolvers replaced single-action designs. Colt’s long history of military contracts is a testament to their quality and innovation in both a pre- and post-World War age.

Due to the high cost of production and a lack of military and police contracts, Colt ended wide-scale production of their revolvers in 1999. Colt still produces small numbers of Single Action Army and New Frontier revolvers for collectors.

Quick Facts

• The Colt Model 1905 Marine Corps model was one of Colt’s shortest-produced military contracts with only a reported 850 manufactured
• A testament to the Colt Single Action Army’s popularity is the fact it is still produced today, over a century since its start
• Colt revolvers were the choice of Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickock, and Billy the Kid