In 'The Pilgrim's Progress: 1620-1875,' a humorous chronology of U.S. history widely published in 1875 newspapers, historian James Hammond Trumbull declared that in 1835 America "Invents the revolver, and sets about supplying the world with it, as a peace-maker."

From the Paterson onward, the concept of the wheelgun as an equalizer was touted by gun dealers around the globe, with no model representing that idea more prominently than the Colt Single Action Army, the favorite peacemaker of the Wild West.

This high condition U.S. contract Colt Cavalry Model Single Action Army was manufactured in 1884, inspected by Captain Frank Heath, and sub-inspected by David F. Clark. The included Gold Seal letter from noted historian and author John A. Kopec observes that this revolver "remains today in a remarkable state of preservation, being in an unfired condition and showing that it had seldom been used during its militia service period."

The Six Shooter. The Thumb-Buster. Judge Colt and his Jury of Six. A plethora of nicknames were inevitable for the Colt Single Action Army revolver. In 1874, Cincinnati-based firearms dealer Kittredge & Co. came up with the gun's most iconic branding by dubbing it the Colt Peacemaker. 150 years after the Colt SAA was first marketed as the Peacemaker, the name still resonates in the arms collecting community, popular culture, and beyond.

An exceptional Colt Peacemaker for sale, this historic L.D. Nimschke engraved SAA includes a raised relief carved steer head grip inscribed to "F. Villa."

The Colt Peacemaker is arguably the most famous handgun ever made and an absolute must-have for every firearms fan. We'll discuss numerous pinnacle examples of the Colt Single Action Army genre, including two 1874 manufactured, Ainsworth inspected Colt SAA Cavalry models detailed below.

In the included Kopec Gold Seal letter, John Kopec notes that "after considerable consideration, together with the only logical evidence, it is the opinion of this write that our subject revolver #8554 had originally been issued to the 8th Cavalry within a block of revolvers beginning with #8357 and ending with serial #8886."

The first is a high-condition Lot 8 revolver documented to the 8th U.S. Cavalry and later the property of General Thomas W. Bennett (pictured above) and the second is a prime 7th Cavalry range "Lot Six" revolver with Kopec letters and extensive research attributing it to Captain Myles Moylan, Commander of Company A of the 7th Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn (featured in the video below.)

When was the Colt Peacemaker Made?

The invention of William Mason, Colt's Superintendent of the Armory, the Single Action Army was originally designated the “New Model Army Metallic Cartridge Revolving Pistol” and the “M1873.” Once Colt's new revolver passed Ordnance Department trials at Springfield Armory, the government placed an order for 8,000 SAAs to be issued to the U.S. Cavalry in July of 1873.

Another fantastic photo of the Ainsworth inspected, 7th Cavalry range "Lot Six" U.S. Colt SAA mentioned in the previous section. This exceptional revolver is accompanied by Kopec letters, including a letter from 2023 in which Kopec indicates this revolver was Captain Myles Moylan's of the 7th Cavalry and notes documentation attributing serial number 6055 to Captain Moylan and as part of Captain Benteen's collection.

Thanks to its comparatively simple and reliable design, the Colt Single Action Army became the most prevalent standard Army sidearm in America for the next two decades. Almost all of the first Colt SAA's went to the Ordnance Department, with commercial distributors having to wait until 1874 to offer the new revolver in meaningful numbers, when the revolver was dubbed "The Peacemaker."

The Colt Peacemaker Nickname

Benjamin Kittredge & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio, a major dealer of military and sporting goods and one of Colt’s largest distributors, came up with at least nine Colt revolver monikers over the years. Famously, Kittredge devised four nicknames to help promote Colt's Model 1877 DA revolver series, including “Lightning” for the .38 caliber, “Thunderer,” for the .41, and “Rainmaker” for the .32 variant. The .45 caliber Model 1878, Colt's first large frame double action revolver, was dubbed the "Omnipotent."

An exceptional, 1879 shipped, factory engraved, etched panel Colt Model 1877 Thunderer DA revolver with a grip inscribed to "Fred L. Seely, Jr." and a factory letter.

B. Kittredge & Co.'s nickname for the Colt Single Action Army may have been inspired by a quote from Samuel Colt from May 18, 1852, where the famous inventor noted in a letter to Charles Manby, the Secretary of the Institution of Civil Engineers in London, “The good people of this world are very far from being satisfied with each other, and my arms are the best peacemakers."

In 1876, legendary British Captain Frederick Burnaby echoed Colt's sentiment, writing, "A revolver is sometimes a peace-maker."

Another historic Peacemaker for sale, this documented Custer battle era "Lot Five" U.S. Cavalry Model Colt Single Action Army includes a Kopec authentication letter.

The Colt Peacemaker designation played to the sentiment that an armed society was a polite society and the mere presence of a Colt revolver could dissuade any troublemakers from picking a fight they might not survive. The platform was viewed as an equalizer for women, the elderly, and those lacking in physical stature, with one popular expression contending that, "God may have made man, but Samuel Colt made them equal."

A factory engraved First Generation Colt SAA with gold embellished, relief carved steer head grips.

The Colt Single Action Army received an abundance of clever colloquials as it became more widely available, including Plowhandle, Hog-Leg, Skull Buster, One-Eyed Judge, Civilizer, Equalizer, Persuader, and Etiquette Trainer. While all were more memorable than official names like “Model P” and “45-Caliber Centerfire Colt Single Action Army,” it was Kittredge's Peacemaker nickname that stuck with the public.

The Kittredge Peacemaker

An October 1876 B. Kittredge & Co. advertisement in 'The Turf, Field and Farm,' a leading New York sporting journal of the era, reveals how the Colt Peacemaker was marketed in its early years. The advertisement introduces Colt's new gun with a life-size illustration of an SAA Cavalry model with a 7 1/2 inch barrel, its .45 caliber cartridge, and text that assures customers that the pistol "has been adopted by the War Department for the Cavalry Service of the United States."

An October 1876 B. Kittredge & Co. full-page advertisement for the Colt Single Action Army revolver featuring "The Peacemaker" branding in multiple places.

The Colt "Peacemaker" branding is used throughout the ad, with testaments to the gun's prowess and superiority. The revolver is advertised at $17.00 for the "best citizens' finish" and $13.00 for "rejected government finish, but good serviceable arms," likely referring to U.S. contract guns rejected for flaws.

Nickel plating was available for an additional $1.50, with ivory grips priced at $5.00. The Colt Peacemaker example pictured below, shipped to B. Kittredge & Co. in 1877, includes both of these optional features.

A Colt Peacemaker by every definition, this SAA with a 7 1/2 inch barrel was shipped on August 25, 1877 to B. Kittredge & Co. with nickel plating and .45 caliber chambering. The ivory grips were likely fitted by Kittredge. Includes a period slim Jim holster and a factory letter.

B. Kittredge & Co. also offered Colt's Peacemaker with a 16-inch "long carbine barrel" and "an attachable breech which enables it to be shot from the shoulder as a rifle," each feature costing an additional $5.00. These long barrel configurations later became known as "Buntlines," one of the supreme rarities in First Generation Colt Single Action Army collecting.

According to 'A Study of the Colt Single Action Revolver,' by Graham, Kopek, and Moore, only 18 Peacemakers with carbine-length barrels were produced by Colt in the 28,800-28,830 serial range, and only 10 of those, including the example pictured below that shipped to B. Kittredge & Co. on March 30, 1880, had 16-inch barrels.

An exceptionally scarce Buntline Special Colt revolver with a skeletal shoulder stock realized $546,250 in 2012 with Rock Island Auction Company.

The Colt Peacemaker Goes West

As a major distributor, B. Kittredge & Co. helped deliver Colt's new revolver into the hands of thousands of settlers, ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and outlaws who headed West with the railroad, and the Kittredge "Peacemaker" branding traveled with them.

A Fort Worth, Texas shipped, Glahn factory engraved Colt SAA with relief carved steer head grips from Wolf & Klar. [Available this May.]

"We deliver at our cost and risk within 1,200 miles and without extra charge," B. Kittredge & Co. touted, with only 50 cents extra beyond that distance. Already becoming a favorite sidearm with the U.S. Army, the Colt Peacemaker would find its way to every corner of the continent, carried on cattle drives, frontier streets, in smokey saloons, and anywhere else someone needed a reliable, affordable cartridge revolver.

An exceptional, documented 1882 production U.S. D.F.C. inspected Colt Cavalry Single Action Army revolver with a Kopec Gold Seal letter.

Prevalence of the Colt Peacemaker Name

The Colt Peacemaker designation was used far and wide, including in military and government circles. 'The Journal of the Armed Forces: (1877-1878), Volume 15' references the Colt SAA as the ".45 Peacemaker (Army)."

In 'Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New Hampshire, May 31, 1887' an inspector of the Troop A Cavalry of the New Hampshire National Guard notes that, "If this troop could be armed with a good revolver, the army "Peacemaker," caliber .45, for example, and properly instructed in its use, its efficiency would be very materially increased."

A classic example of the Colt Peacemaker for sale, the included factory letter for this SAA revolver states that the gun was shipped to H&D Folsom Arms Co. of New York City on April 12, 1880 with .45 caliber chambering and blue finish.

A March 1897 article from 'The Oklahoma Herald-Democrat' noted that Nevada's "long-haired miners" had a tendency to use "Col. Colt's peace-makers in settling disputes."

By the early 20th century, advertisements frequently refer to the Colt SAA as the "Peacemaker," "Peace-Maker," ".45 Peacemaker," "Colt's Peacemaker," and so on. The Colt Peacemaker name was widely used by Western authors and Hollywood screenwriters as well.

This excellent Colt SAA with relief carved eagle grips and a factory box displays the classic "Peacemaker" silhouette.

Colt Peacemaker Barrel Length

When B. Kittredge & Co. first branded the Colt Peacemaker, the only standard factory barrel length was 7 1/2 inches. Shorter lengths like the 5 1/2 inch Artillery Model and 4 3/4 inch Sheriff's Model became available after 1880, though the Peacemaker name could be applied to any .45 caliber Colt Single Action Army, as illustrated by 'Issue 4' of 'Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett Co. General Catalog' from 1891.

A Texas shipped, factory engraved Colt Single Action Army with carved steer head grips.

The ejectorless Colt Sheriff's Model Single Action Army revolver is one of the rarest and most sought-after variations of the legendary Peacemaker. According to 'The Official Record of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver, 1873-1895,' "just under 600 ejectorless Single Action Army revolvers were produced" with black powder frames. The Colt SAA example below was shipped in a factory documented 4 inch barrel configuration.

A factory documented First Generation Colt "Sheriff's Model" Single Action Army revolver shipped to H.L. Dyer of Richmond, Texas in 1904.

For shopkeepers, bankers, lawmen, and outlaws, a shorter barrel was easier to conceal in the pocket or under the counter. 'A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver' by Graham, Kopec, and Moore notes that only around 40 Sheriff's Model SAAs with 3 inch barrel lengths were produced, making the 1894 manufactured example pictured below a rarity among rarities in the Colt Peacemaker genre.

This Colt black powder frame Sheriff's Model Single Action Army revolver with a scarce 3 inch barrel was shipped to Dunlay & Geisler in Houston, Texas in 1894, one of only 40 produced.

The Colt Frontier vs The Peacemaker

Colt introduced additional chamberings for the Single Action Army, including the the .44-40 WCF in 1877. Intended for use in conjunction with the identically chambered Winchester Model 1873, the new revolver allowed a frontiersman to carry ammo for both sidearm and rifle in the same cartridge belt.

New York Colt dealer J.P. Moore’s Sons quickly saw a marketing opportunity and dubbed SAA revolvers chambered in .44-40 the "Frontier Six-Shooter." In early 1878, Colt executives embraced the Frontier branding and began acid-etching "Frontier Six Shooter" to the side of the barrel. From 1889 to 1919, the Frontier legend was roll-stamped onto the barrel instead.

A Colt Frontier Six Shooter with a relief carved Mexican eagle pearl grips manufactured in 1883, one of the scarce few factory engraved Frontier Six Shooters produced before 1896.

While Colt officially adopted the Frontier nickname and the Peacemaker remained a mere colloquialism, some advertisements still placed the Frontier SAA under the broader "Peacemaker" umbrella.

In the aforementioned 'Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett Co. General Catalog' from 1891, Colt Single Action Armies in every caliber are dubbed "Colt's Peacemakers," though subheads are used to differentiate between "41 Caliber," "Frontier," and the "Peacemaker" in .45 caliber.

In Stuart Lake's highly fictionalized but influential 1931 book, 'Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal', Lake recounts a supposed quote from the legendary lawman, where Earp appears to use Peacemaker and Frontier interchangeably, describing his revolver as, "Colt's frontier model forty-five-caliber, single-action six-shooter with the seven-and-one-half inch barrel, the gun we called 'the Peacemaker.'"

This acid etched panel Colt Frontier Six Shooter is attributed to outlaw Henry "The Flying Dutchman" Wagner and includes a factory letter and documentation.

From 1882 to 1887, the .45 Colt Peacemaker and .44-40 Frontier 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.

An excellent Colt SAA chambered in scarce .38 Long Colt with its original box and a factory letter.

Some of the more obscure Colt SAA chamberings enjoyed slightly more popularity in the early 20th century, including desirable examples in .32-20 like the revolver pictured below. As author Dan Brown noted in 'The 36 Calibers of the Colt Single Action Army,' "The .32-20 WCF cartridge had good range and accuracy. It is very easy to shoot, as it does not make the revolver buck as the larger calibers do. It also was used as a companion to the Winchester rifle of the .32-20 WCF caliber."

A documented, Kansas City shipped, 1926 manufactured, factory engraved Colt SAA with a factory steer head grip, chambered in the rare .32-20 WCF.

The Colt Peacemaker vs the Bisley

Another nickname for a Single Action Army variant that Colt would go on to officially embrace was the Bisley. The Bisley's predecessor, the Flattop Target Single Action Army, was first introduced in 1888 with a flat top frame and adjustable front and rear sights to satisfy the needs of target shooters. Only 925 were produced.

In 1894, the Colt Special Target Single Action Army hit the market. Some of the configuration's main updates intended to aid in target shooting included a wider trigger, a lower and wider hammer spur, and a new grip frame profile. The revolver soon made a name for itself in target matches at the famous Bisley Range in England. This success inspired Colt's Patent Mfg Co. to adopt the "Bisley" designation for the model. Colt went on to produce 44,350 standard-frame Bisleys, as well as 976 flattop Bisleys like the rare and desirable example pictured below.

An 1895 manufactured Colt Flattop Target Model SAA, one of only 122 chambered in .38 Colt (top.) and a 1908 manufactured Colt Bisley Flattop Target Model revolver (bottom.).

The concept of the Colt Peacemaker as a target shooting platform endured into the mid-20th century with modifications like our next featured revolver, customized by the legendary King Gunsight Company. A rarity in its genre, this factory engraved Colt-King Super Target First Generation SAA is equipped with a Colt-King Super Target rib with a red bead blade front sight and adjustable white outline notch rear sight, an iconic King's cockeyed hammer, and a knurled trigger.

A rare, documented factory engraved Colt-King Super Target First Generation SAA with factory letter, manufactured in 1940.

Colt Peacemaker Renaissance

The turn of the 20th century was a booming time for Colt's Patent Mfg Co., with the Colt Peacemaker soaring in popularity despite a variety of double action revolver options on the market and comparatively new semi automatic pistols like the Luger, C96 Broomhandle, and Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless. Over half of the 357,859 First Generation Single Action Army revolvers ever produced rolled off the lines between 1890 and 1910.

In the early 1900s, Wells Fargo & Co. began arming all of their express agents and ordering large quantities of firearms directly from manufacturers instead of through local retailers. The Colt SAA pictured below, marked "W.F. & Co." on the butt, was shipped to W.M. Ashton of Wells Fargo & Co. in New York on 19 October 1908 in an order of 12 guns and demonstrates the Peacemaker's continued role as a reliable sidearm for self-defense.

Manufactured in 1908, this rare Colt SAA is documented as purchased by Wells Fargo & Co. to arm their express agency agents and is featured in the 'Colt Peacemaker Collector Handbook and Guide' by Keith Cochran.

1914 saw the slowest Colt Single Action Army production year since the model was introduced in 1873. Less than 13,000 Colt SAAs were manufactured in the 1920s and fewer than 4,000 the following decade. With the frontier conquered and increased competition from both revolver rivals like Smith & Wesson and ever improving semi automatic pistols like the 1911, the age of the Colt Peacemaker appeared to be fading at last.

This fine example of the legendary Colt Peacemaker, shipped to U.S. Marine Corps General Joseph Berry in 1932, is chambered in the iconic .45 LC caliber and is accompanied with an extremely rare factory shipped .45 ACP cylinder.

The Modern Colt Peacemaker

Production of the Colt Single Action Army ended in 1940, but the world hadn't seen the last of the legendary design. The Western genre's popularity in 1950s film and television compelled Colt to bring back the Peacemaker in 1955 in the form of the Second Generation Single Action Army, followed up by a Third Generation that continues today.

An exhibition quality, Alvin White signed, master engraved, and gold inlaid inaugural Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum Gala Colt Third Generation SAA with pearl grips, presentation case and factory letter.

A century after the Single Action Army hit the market, Colt finally officially adopted the Colt Peacemaker branding in the form of several official releases. These included a line of Colt SAA .22 caliber revolvers called the Peacemaker 22, a series of Colt Peacemaker Centennial revolvers, and an SAA branded "The Peacemaker Edition" in 2004.

A Colt Peacemaker 22 manufactured in 1971.

Colt Peacemaker for Sale

2023 witnessed the 150-year anniversary of the Colt Single Action Army. One year later, we celebrate the sesquicentennial of the gun's most famous moniker, the Peacemaker. From the earliest Benjamin Kittredge & Co. advertisements of the Colt SAA to official models like the Peacemaker 22, the Colt Peacemaker has become one of the most defining names in the history of firearms.

A classic Colt Peacemaker for sale, this SAA revolver, chambered in .32-20 WCF, was shipped from Colt to J.F. Schmelzer & Sons Arms Company in Kansas City, Missouri, on December 20, 1898 and is inscribed "Bill Kearns Melrose Montana".

The Colt Peacemaker transcends the world of gun collecting. Thanks to its pop culture appeal, historic significance, iconic profile, and starring role in modern-day Cowboy action shooting competitions, the Colt Single Action Army has stood the test of time like few other firearm platforms, and some of the rarest and most exceptional examples of the SAA genre can be found at Rock Island Auction Company.

This magnificent nickel-plated pre-war Colt Frontier Six Shooter Single Action Army was shipped to Laredo, Texas in 1931 and includes documentation, a factory letter, and its original box.

For fans of the Colt Peacemaker and other frontier firearms, subscribe to the Rock Island Auction newsletter for new gun blogs and gun videos covering the guns that tamed the Wild West. From black powder Colts like the Walker, Dragoon, and Colt revolving rifle, competing wheel guns like the LeMat and Merwin Hulbert, lever gun icons like the Spencer carbine, the Marlin, and the Winchester family, and the various Civil War revolvers, surplus muzzleloaders, and breech loading rifles that settlers carried, we explore the weapons that drove America's push Westward.