The Colt Single Action Army and the Winchester Model 1873, the two great guns that won the West, found a complementary pairing with the .44-40 WCF caliber Colt Frontier Six Shooter. Being able to carry a single cartridge for both revolver and lever gun was a welcome advantage for the cowboys, ranchers, lawmen, and desperados who roamed the Wild West, and the Colt Frontier Six Shooter became one of the most popular single action platforms of the 19th century.

An outstanding time capsule Colt First Generation Single Action Army in the beloved Frontier Six Shooter configuration. From The Collection of Ken Gibilisco.

Rock Island Auction Company offers numerous opportunities to own a classic Colt Frontier Six Shooter, including the exceptional examples pictured above and below. Click on the images to learn more about each item.

This exceptional engraved and inscribed Colt Sheriff’s Model Frontier Six Shooter SAA revolver from The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection has been featured in several noted publications.

The Colt Single Action Army and the Winchester Model 1873

In 1872, Colt's Model P Single Action Army became the frontrunner in the U.S. Government service revolver trials. Though initially chambered in a .44 caliber round, the US Ordinance Department requested something stronger, and Colt developed the .45 Colt cartridge. The government ordered 8,000 Colt Single Action Army revolvers in 1873 for U.S. Cavalry issue, and the gun would become more widely available to civilians in the years to follow.

This extremely early first year production Colt Single Action Army pinch frame revolver, serial no. 14, is one of only three surviving Colt SAA examples chambered in .44 S&W American.

The Winchester Model 1873 lever action rifle was designed around Winchester's new brass cased .44-40 centerfire round, or .44-40 WCF. With 40 grains of black powder propelling its 200-grain bullet up to 1,245 fps from the barrel of a Model 73 rifle, .44-40 WCF was faster, stronger, and easier to reload compared to rimfire ammunition. Though designed with their new rifle in mind, Winchester began developing a revolver to chamber the round as early as June 1872.

A documented "One of One Thousand" Winchester Model 1873 rifle in 44-40 WCF, received in the warehouse and shipped on November 1, 1875.

The "Gentleman's Agreement"

Oliver Winchester hired former Smith & Wesson employees William W. Wetmore and Charles S. Wells to design the new revolver, which was unveiled to the public at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition.

The revolver pictured below was submitted by Winchester to the U.S. Navy Ordnance Bureau in December 1876. Though a U.S. contract never materialized, the Ottoman government was interested in the revolver and reportedly issued a contract for 30,000. Winchester designated the revolver the Model 1877, which included a swing-out cylinder designed by Stephen W. Wood. It’s unclear if any Winchester Model 1877 revolvers were actually delivered. According to author R.L. Wilson, only 13 Winchester revolvers of all designs were ever built.

One of the most advanced rarities in Winchester collecting, a Winchester swing-out cylinder 'Centennial 1876' SA U.S. Navy test revolver sold with RIAC in September of 2019 for $431,250.

According to an article written by Dr. Paul McCombs for the American Society of Arms Collectors, Colt responded to news of Winchester’s contract with Turkey by sending three Colt Single Action Army revolvers chambered in .44-40 WCF by steamship to their London Agency on April 27, 1877. These were later forwarded on to Colt’s agent in Constantinople. A revolver contract from the Turkish government never materialized for either Colt or Winchester, and Colt instead decided to produce .44-40 chambered revolvers for the civilian market.

An outstanding factory nickel Colt Frontier Six Shooter Single Action Army revolver shipped to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, New Haven, Connecticut on March 29, 1879. From the Nick Shannon Collection.

The notion of a gentleman's agreement between Colt and Winchester is a prominent legend among gun historians, including author Harold F. Williamson. In his 1952 book, 'Winchester: The Gun That Won the West,' Williamson describes two representatives from Winchester meeting with the President of Colt in 1884 to discuss their respective markets.

Colt had released the Burgess rifle the previous year, a lever action design chambered in .44-40 WCF. Whatever the truth of the gentleman's agreement, Winchester ceased revolver development and Colt would ultimately end production of the Burgess after only 16 months.

A Colt Burgess lever action rifle in .44-40 WCF.

The Frontier Six Shooter Nickname

The Peacemaker nickname had been created by Cincinnati distributor Benjamin Kittredge & Company in 1876 as a way to market Colt's .45 caliber revolver. In November 1877, New York distributor J.P. Moore’s Sons received Colt's first domestically shipped revolvers in .44-40, and the company conceived of the "Frontier Six Shooter" moniker to differentiate the guns from the Peacemaker.

J. P. Moore’s Sons sent a letter to Colt in January 1878 asking if new .44-40 revolvers could include "Frontier Six Shooter" branding on the gun itself. Colt executives officially embraced the idea and began acid-etching "Frontier Six Shooter" to the side of the barrel.

One of the earliest of these acid etched Frontier Six Shooters is pictured below, possibly part of the first Frontier Six Shooter shipment to J.P. Lower's Sportsmen's Depot in Denver, a popular Western arms supplier.

In his memoirs, J.P. Lower notes that by 1878 he was already selling around 50 Single Action Army revolvers per month and was ordering as many as he could afford. Some of the most famous gunslingers of the day purchased firearms from his Denver store. The popularity of his shop led Lower to proclaim that "he had probably armed every Colorado Territory lawman, badman, Indian and gambler."

A documented J.P. Lower shipped Colt Frontier Six Shooter and a J.P. Lower marked "Slim Jim" holster rig with a single row of .44 caliber sized cartridge loops.

.44-40 WCF

The name "Frontier" was fitting for a sidearm designed to pair with the era’s most popular lever-action rifle. Sharing the .44-40 cartridge meant cowboys, lawmen, and desperados could act fast, whether firing at range or drawing in close, without worrying about grabbing the wrong ammo. The .44-40 round was also comparatively affordable and available out West.

A 50 count box of American Metallic Cartridge Company .44-100 shot cartridges advertised for the "WINCHESTER REPEATING RIFLE-MODEL 1873" and "Colts Frontier Pistol."

Lawmen like Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves and Arizona Ranger Jeff Kidder carried a Frontier Six Shooter later in their careers for the gun's ability to share ammunition with the Winchester. The Colt SAA revolver Pat Garrett used to kill Billy the Kid, one of the most famous guns in collecting, was chambered in .44-40.

A Colt Frontier Six Shooter owned by Wyoming Range Wars-era Sheriff E.J. Smalley, who arrested hired gunman Tom Horn. From The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection.

From 1882 to 1887, the .45 Colt Peacemaker and .44-40 Frontier Six Shooter dominated Single Action Army production. The former commanded 60 percent of the market, while the latter garnered another 25 percent of sales. The remaining 34 calibers only composed 15 percent of the early SAA market combined.

A well-documented, Dominion Cartridge Co. shipped, London Barrel Address Colt SAA revolver in the exceptionally rare .44 Colt chambering. From The Charles Marx Collection.

Acid Etching vs Roll Stamp

Colt initially employed an acid etching technique as a cost-effective method of inscribing "COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER" on a panel on the left side of the barrel. This process involved applying an acid solution to etch away the desired markings a few thousandths of an inch deep into the metal. Unfortunately, this technique proved delicate and prone to rapid wear, making exceptionally preserved revolvers like the example below all the more valuable today.

An outstanding Winchester shipped factory nickel etched panel Colt Frontier Six Shooter Single Action Army revolver, manufactured in 1879. Only around 30% of Frontier Six Shooters were nickel finished.

In 1889, the etched barrel panel was officially replaced by the Colt factory with the more durable roll-stamping method. This would have started in the 135,000 serial number range and lasted until production for the First Generation Colt Frontier Six Shooter ceased in 1941.

An attractive turn-of-the-century Colt Frontier Six Shooter Single Action Army revolver shipped on July 13, 1899.

Frontier Six Shooter Variants

Like its .45 caliber SAA sibling, the Colt Frontier Six Shooter offered customers numerous options for barrel lengths and special features, including factory engraving, gold and silver finish, and pearl, ivory, and ebony grips. The 7 1/2 barrel was initially the most popular, but by 1889 orders for Frontier Six Shooters in a 4 3/4 barrel length compromised more than half of new sales.

A Wilbur Glahn engraved Colt Frontier Six Shooter sold for $235,000 in RIAC's December 2024 Premier Auction.

Frontier Six Shooter Sheriff's Model

The "Sheriff’s Model" or "Storekeeper’s Model" Colt SAA revolvers lacked ejectors, with almost all having shortened snubnosed barrels. In ‘The Official Record of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver, 1873-1895’ by Wilkerson and Hoyt, the authors state that "just under 600 ejectorless Single Action Army revolvers were produced in all calibers from 1882 to the 1930s."

Sheriff's Model Frontier Six Shooter revolvers in .44-40 are especially are rare, with the previous book listing just 122 "plain revolvers without ejectors" in the 1-164100 serial number range.

This 1889 manufactured Colt Frontier Six Shooter is inscribed "CD Markham." The lot includes a leather holster, cartridge belt, a framed plaque, a pair of leather chaps, and a German silver deputy sheriff badge. From The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection.

Only 10 Colt Frontier Six Shooters with nickel finish and 3 1/2 inch barrels are recorded, and only five factory engraved Colt SAA revolvers without ejectors were manufactured, like the exceptional example below.

Shipped to Albuquerque, New Mexico territory on December 6, 1898, the revolver is inscribed "Marcelino Baca" and has been featured in numerous books and magazines along with its accompanying holster. The Baca family has historic ties to New Mexico reaching back centuries.

A factory engraved and “Marcelino Baca” inscribed, New Mexico Territory shipped Colt Sheriff’s Model Frontier Six Shooter with pearl grips, holster, and factory letters. From The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection.

Colt Frontier Bisley

Released in 1894, the Colt Special Target Single Action Army featured several updates centered around the target shooting market, including a wider trigger, a lower and wider hammer spur, and a new grip frame profile. The revolver performed well in competitions at the famous Bisley Range in England, which inspired Colt to officially adopt the Bisley moniker for the configuration.

A rare, documented factory inscribed Colt Bisley Single Action Flattop Target Model revolver marked "For .44 S&W CTG." From The Brig & Louise Pemberton Collection.

All Colt Bisley revolvers, with the exception of those chambered in .44-40, feature barrels marked with "(BISLEY MODEL)" roll stamps followed by the caliber stamps. .44-40 chambered Bisley revolvers are instead marked "(BISLEY MODEL)" above the familiar "COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER" legend. Over 4,400 Colt Bisley's were manufactured during the model's 19 year production life, including 6,803 in .44-40.

A Colt Frontier Six Shooter Bisley Model SAA revolver inscribed "The Stranglers" sold for $12,925 in May 2023.

Model 1878 Frontier

Colt's first heavy-frame DA revolver, the Model 1878 was produced from 1878 to 1907. With 51,210 being produced, the 1878 never reached the popularity of the Single Action Army though it found a niche in the civilian and law enforcement market. The Model 1878 also proved popular with military officers, with the US Army eventually ordering 4,600 for use in the Philippines insurrection.

Fewer than 200 Colt Model 1878 revolvers chambered in .45 Colt were marked with an acid etched "OMNIPOTENT" legend on the left side of the barrel in an effort to market the new sixguns. Most of these were shipped to B. Kittredge & Co. between August 1878 and May 1882.

This incredibly rare "Omnipotent" acid etched Colt Model 1878 DA revolver was shipped to B. Kittredge & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio on April 11, 1879. From The Charles Marx Collection.

The "Omnipotent" trade name did not catch on like the Peacemaker, Lightning, Thunderer, or Rainmaker, but the .44-40 caliber "COLT FRONTIER SIX SHOOTER" marked 1878 revolvers became one of the most popular variants of the model.

Based on the research conducted by noted Colt historian and author Don Wilkerson in 'Colt's Double-Action Revolver Model of 1878,' the Model 1878 Frontier Six Shooter below is one of only two plain nickel plated Model 1878 revolvers with a 9 inch barrel chambered in .44-40 WCF. The accompanying factory letter states the rare special order revolver was shipped to E.C. Meacham Arms of St. Louis, Missouri, on July 18, 1887.

An extremely rare, special order extra long barrel Colt Model 1878 Frontier Six Shooter DA revolver. From The Charles Marx Collection.

Frontier Six Shooter Legacy

Buffalo Bill Cody purchased a Colt Frontier Six Shooter in 1883, carrying the revolver along with his .44 WCF Winchesters during his long-running Wild West Show. Dime novels furthered the popular image of a frontiersman carrying a Colt on his hip and a Winchester over his shoulder, and Hollywood Westerns immortalized this classic pairing to millions of 20th century moviegoers.

A documented Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show shipped, special order smoothbore Winchester Model 1873 in .44 WCF.

Colt resumed Single Action Army production after WW2 and has offered the revolver in .44-40 intermittently over the decades to appeal to collectors and shooters who value the caliber’s historical significance as a companion to the Winchester Model 1873 and Model 1892.

By the mid-20th century, the .44-40 was widely seen as a specialty caliber that had been long overshadowed by 20th century pistol cartridges like .38 Special.

Colt has also released several commemorative editions that feature the "Colt Frontier Six Shooter" branding etched on the barrel, including the Peacemaker Centennial in 1976. Specialty revolvers like the Colt show gun example pictured below, ordered for the Shooting and Hunting Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in 1994, demonstrate the lasting appeal of the .44-40 sixgun.

A Colt Custom Shop gold inlaid SAA revolver with ivory grips in .44-40, made for the 1994 SHOT Show. From The Charles Marx Collection.

Frontier Six Shooter for Sale

In the 20th century, Winchester marketed the Model 1873 as "The Gun that Won the West." Colt enthusiasts have long championed the Single Action Army as an equally deserving legend. With its complimentary chambering, the Frontier Six Shooter helped bring the two 19th century icons together. Today, this historic variant of the world's most famous wheelgun has become one of the most sought after firearms in the collecting community.

An outstanding Colt Frontier Six Shooter with a rare factory picture box sold for $58,750 in RIAC's December 2023 Premier Auction.

For fans of frontier revolvers, subscribe to the Rock Island Auction newsletter for new gun blogs and gun videos looking at the wheel guns that helped win the West. From black powder Colts like the Walker, Dragoon, and Navy, Confederate favorites like the LeMat, Spiller & Burr, and Griswold, and cartridge competitors like the Smith & Wesson Model 3, the Merwin Hulbert, and the Remington Model 1875, we cover some of the famous smoke wagons of the 19th century.

A rare documented nickel plated Colt Sheriff's Model SAA with a 2 1/2 inch .45 LC barrel.