Single Action Army

Single Action Army
Mike Cumpston · Public domain · source
Name	Single Action Army
Origin	United States
Type	Revolver
Service	1873–present
Designer	Colt's Manufacturing Company
Design date	1872–1873
Manufacturer	Colt's Manufacturing Company, Smith & Wesson, Uberti (company), Ruger, Sturm, Ruger & Co.
Production date	1873–present
Number	over 300,000 (19th–20th centuries)
Cartridge	.45 Colt, .44-40 Winchester, .38-40, .32-20, .32-20 WCF
Action	Single-action revolver
Feed	6-round cylinder

Single Action Army

The Single Action Army is a six-shot, single-action revolver first produced in the United States in 1873. Often associated with the American Frontier and lawmen of the late 19th century, it became a standard sidearm for the United States Army and a defining symbol in Western popular culture and firearms manufacturing. Its influence extends through military procurement, civilian shooting sports, and global arms markets.

History

Introduced by Colt's Manufacturing Company following trials conducted by the Quartermaster Department (United States Army), the Single Action Army was adopted as the official service revolver for the United States Army in 1873. It saw service in conflicts such as the Indian Wars and later use by frontier lawmen, which connected it to figures like Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickok, and Pat Garrett. Commercial sales spread to ranchers, stagecoach guards, and private citizens; exported examples reached markets in Mexico, South America, and Europe. Military contracts and civilian demand drove production until the late 19th century, when revolver technology evolved alongside models from Smith & Wesson and later semi-automatic pistols. The firearm experienced renewed interest during 20th-century revivalist Westerns and historical reenactments, prompting remanufacture and replicas by companies like Uberti (company) and Ruger.

Design and Specifications

The revolver uses a single-action mechanism requiring manual cocking of the hammer for each shot; this design matches earlier percussion models but with a modern metallic cartridge system popularized in the 1870s. The frame is a solid-top design with a fixed sighting system comprising a front blade and a rear notched topstrap; later models added adjustable sights used by competitive shooters such as participants in Single Action Shooting Society matches. The standard cylinder holds six cartridges and indexes via a hand engaging the ratchet and cylinder stop, a mechanism refined from earlier revolvers produced by Colt (firearms manufacturer). Typical barrel lengths ranged from 4.75 in to 7.5 in, affecting balance and point of impact for shooters competing in Cowboy Action Shooting events. Typical materials include blued carbon steel and walnut grips; some presentation pieces featured nickel plating and ivory grips commissioned by collectors like Annie Oakley’s contemporaries and patrons.

Variants and Calibers

Cartridge offerings expanded with civilian demand: the original military caliber was .45 Colt, while commercial models were chambered in .44-40 Winchester, .38-40, .32-20, and smaller rounds for dress and concealment. Barrel configurations included the "Artillery" (long-barrel) and "Sheriff's Model" (short-barrel) designations used informally by gunsmiths and retailers. Over the decades, manufacturers produced specialized variants such as target models with adjustable sights favored by competitors in National Rifle Association of America matches and compact variants used by Pinkerton (detective agency) agents. Modern reproductions and conversions chamber exotic calibers for enthusiasts, and custom gunsmiths fitted altered grips and tuned triggers for participants in Western film productions and historical shooting competitions.

Production and Manufacturers

Initial production by Colt's Manufacturing Company began in the 1870s; after fulfilling Army contracts, Colt continued civilian production until the early 20th century. Other manufacturers and custodial firms produced licensed and unlicensed copies: Smith & Wesson produced competing revolvers, while European houses like Webley, Borchardt, and Manufrance offered contemporaneous designs influencing market expectations. In the late 20th century, firms such as Uberti (company), Pietta (Armi), Ruger, and boutique gunsmiths resumed manufacturing faithful reproductions and updated interpretations. Military surplus sales and private collections circulated original examples through auction houses and museums like the National Firearms Museum and the Smithsonian Institution.

Use in Military and Law Enforcement

As the adopted sidearm of the United States Army after 1873, the revolver equipped cavalry and infantry officers and saw deployment in western campaigns, military garrisons, and frontier forts like Fort Laramie and Fort Leavenworth. Law enforcement agencies of the period, including municipal police departments in Dodge City, Kansas and Tombstone, Arizona Territory, carried it alongside lever-action carbines from Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Bureau investigators and private detective agencies such as Pinkerton (detective agency) used the revolver for close protection and law enforcement tasks. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, adoption waned as Smith & Wesson top-break designs and later automatic pistols were procured by police forces and militaries worldwide.

Cultural Impact and Legacy

The revolver became an iconic prop in Western films and novels, immortalized in works by authors like Zane Grey and on-screen portrayals by actors such as John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. Its silhouette informed the visual language of frontier America in photography and illustration and it appears in museums, period dramas, and collectors' displays. Shooting sports like Cowboy Action Shooting and organizations including the Single Action Shooting Society keep the tradition alive through competitions using original and reproduction models. The firearm influenced design choices for later revolvers and contributed to debates in legislative and historical forums about the role of historic weapons in gun culture and heritage preservation. Collectors prize early serial-numbered models and presentation pieces bearing inscriptions from notable figures in American history.

Category:Firearms Category:Revolvers