Colt Early Black Powder SAA (Mfg. 1873-1876, ser. no. range 160-22000) Description

.45 LC cal., 7 1/2 in. barrel standard, blue with color case hardened frame or full nickel finish, rear sight changed to standard "V" notch, first few hundred have German silver front sight, distinctive italic script style lettering used in barrel address, two line, two date patent marking on frame, one-piece varnished wood grips have more distinctive flair at bottom rear on early guns, serial numbers shared with early martial production, 5 ½ in. barrels introduced in 1875 in guns for export. Mfg. 1873-1876.

Unlike their custom on percussion revolvers, Colt did not mark ivory gripped, factory engraved, or plated 1873 models with an "I", an "E", or a "P" on the frames and trigger guards. There are however, at least two known exceptions that were shipped to the Benjamin Kittredge Co., who was the first of the Colt "Allies" known to order revolvers with ivory stocks. Serial number 11975 is marked "I.P" and serial number 15569 with "I" only. It is the opinion of noted author, John Kopec, that these were likely factory errors and not intentional. At the time of their production, 1874 and 1875, Colt was still converting percussion models to breech loaders and manufacturing the new Richards, Richards-Mason, and 71-72 Open Top models with the same work force who were accustomed to marking the percussion guns.