My "New" Antique Double Action .45 Colt

Wyatt Burp · Sep 7, 2012

I just picked up this antique Colt Model 1878 .45 Colt. It's got a big chip in the right grip panel but the gun is all original. The action is perfect. Rifling is clear and sharp but with scattered pitting here and there. There's side to side cylinder play that's extremely close to being a concern. But I wouldn't hesitate to whip up some black powder handloads for it and try it out. It was $650 bucks. This model and the Bisley Colt, and the S&W breaktop .44 D.A. guns all have an odd look to them that I really like just because they are so different than the more popular models.

Qball · Sep 7, 2012

"That is one cool revolver, sir"

he said, green with envy

Thuer · Sep 7, 2012

Really a nice find. I hope to own one someday.

Texas Star · Sep 7, 2012

I'm always impressed by the similarity of this to Webley's contemporary Army Express model. Don't know which would have been more durable in use.

I have read that this larger DA Frontier model lasted better than its little brothers in .41 Colt and .38 Long Colt.

It's an interesting gun. Glad that you got one.

klondike · Sep 7, 2012

I got my Philippines Model from a very old cowboy from Eastern Oregon who bought it when he was 12 years old in 1912. He drove his mother 50 miles to town and had his wages burning a hole in his pocket and a yearning to go to the gunstore in Burns to buy his first handgun. To his chagrin the shop had a pair of these 1902 Colts and he had just enough money to buy them both. What he did not figure on was the reaction that his father had when he returned to the ranch. From that day on until he joined the Navy in 1916 he was required to wear them both whenever he left the yard.
Mr Dorsey sold me this one when he was 103 and was reluctant to do so because he was still buying guns until he died at 105.

feralmerril · Sep 7, 2012

Here is one I used to own.

Bell Charter Oak Holsters · Sep 7, 2012

Just a fantastic handgun artifact of the last century's change. I've owned three of them, none were anywhere near as fine condition, as your example. My favorite had aftermarket ivory stocks with 7 notches carved in the right panel. It was very poor condition overall and I paid nearly $500 for it, well over 30 years ago. I think the $650 you paid was very fair judging from the condition illustrated in the photos you posted. The original stocks are very hard to find, since they were at best, fragile, even when new. Thanks for posting this, it jogged some good memories for me and reminded me of the Bisley I also bought along with one of them. Have fun and enjoy a great old warhorse of a revolver. When you whipped that bad boy out, back in day, people knew it meant serious business!

Cheers;
Lefty

Wyatt Burp · Sep 8, 2012

klondike said:
I got my Philippines Model from a very old cowboy from Eastern Oregon who bought it when he was 12 years old in 1912. He drove his mother 50 miles to town and had his wages burning a hole in his pocket and a yearning to go to the gunstore in Burns to buy his first handgun. To his chagrin the shop had a pair of these 1902 Colts and he had just enough money to buy them both. What he did not figure on was the reaction that his father had when he returned to the ranch. From that day on until he joined the Navy in 1916 he was required to wear them both whenever he left the yard.
Mr Dorsey sold me this one when he was 103 and was reluctant to do so because he was still buying guns until he died at 105.

What a great story. Did he show you the other one, too, when you bought this one? Imagine being a kid packing these around. I could curl up in that trigger guard and take a nap, it's so big!

klondike · Sep 8, 2012

Wyatt, Larry told me that his son was starting to store some of his collection at his home for safety. He knew that actually the "Kid"; an 80 year old man, was selling his Dad's collection to pay for nursing home expenses for Larry's wife.
I alerted a VFW post that he was probably the oldest veteran in the State of Washington and indeed he turned out to be one of the oldest in the US having served in WW1 and WW2 on the battleship Pennslyvania. The Navy sent two historians out to interview him.

My "New" Antique Double Action .45 Colt

Wyatt Burp

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Qball

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Thuer

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Texas Star

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klondike

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feralmerril

Absent Comrade

Bell Charter Oak Holsters

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Wyatt Burp

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klondike

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