I have a 1st generation Colt Frontier Six Shooter in .44-40 from September 3, 1902. It has the original finish, does not appear to have ever been fired and looks mint condition apart from a notch cut out of the front sight. I can’t find anything online as to why someone would do that. Reaching out here to see if anyone might have any ideas.
Colt Frontier Six Shooter sight
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SnidelyWhiplash
Member
I’ve no idea why it was done but I would leave as-is…it’s part of the gun’s history…whether one knows why. To have it repaired would require a refinish which is a no-no to collectors.
There’s always the slim possibility of finding a correct NOS barrel and having it installed…but that may be more of a financial investment than it can return in value.
There’s always the slim possibility of finding a correct NOS barrel and having it installed…but that may be more of a financial investment than it can return in value.
Thanks for the reply. I do have an old newspaper from 1940 chronicling this gun’s history but no mention of the sight. I suppose it will have to remain a mystery for now.
“I do have an old newspaper from 1940 chronicling this gun’s history but no mention of the sight. I suppose it will have to remain a mystery for now”
Well…. Now that you teased us you have to share the history … and maybe some photos of the documents shown in your last photo ?
Well…. Now that you teased us you have to share the history … and maybe some photos of the documents shown in your last photo ?
Basically my great great uncle helped apprehend a fugitive in Fort Benton, MT and received it as a reward from the sheriff in Choteau County. He then travelled down to “Old Mexico” where Poncho Villa attempted to purchase it off of him for 500 pesos, but he refused. Years later it eventually came into the hands of a local gun shop owner/collector. He kept it hidden away until his death several years ago whereupon his daughter returned it to the original owners’ surviving family, my mother, who in turn gave it to me.
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Beautiful pristine old Colt, and great history of it and it's original owner. Wondering if the cut was to mark the sight for a certain distance with the selected ammo.
Thank you. That had crossed my mind as a possible reason for the cut.
Alpo
Member
When you sight your pistol, you put the top of your front sight even with the top of your rear sight. But if you need to shoot further away, you tilted it up so some of your front sight is sticking up above your rear sight.
In six guns, Elmer talks about cutting a notch in his front sight and hammering a piece of gold wire in it. To give him a new "top of the front sight". I've seen pictures of his guns with two gold lines in the front sight, and I think I remember one that had three. For long distance shooting.
In six guns, Elmer talks about cutting a notch in his front sight and hammering a piece of gold wire in it. To give him a new "top of the front sight". I've seen pictures of his guns with two gold lines in the front sight, and I think I remember one that had three. For long distance shooting.
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I forgot about reading that in Elmer Keith's book.
Might have been the inspiration for my SA sights.
I have several BP Civil War Colt replicas, and several Ruger Vaquero SA's that are the "improved" Colt design. I paint the sights, marked for the handload/factory ammo I shoot in them. The cut made me think about that idea.
Might have been the inspiration for my SA sights.
I have several BP Civil War Colt replicas, and several Ruger Vaquero SA's that are the "improved" Colt design. I paint the sights, marked for the handload/factory ammo I shoot in them. The cut made me think about that idea.
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That is good info. Thank you. It doesn’t look like any material, wire or otherwise, was ever inserted into the cut, so I guess he didn’t know that trick.
Thanks for the info. An early 20th century version of the two-dot reticle.
You may not have known but Fort Benton is the most inland port in North America. It collected a lot of characters, several of whom were a bit shifty.
May i ask where the paper was published?
I did not know that, but it makes sense now that you say it. The paper is The Poplar Standard, Volune 32, No. 22, Published Sept. 5, 1940.
Just so you know…
I don’t believe your revolver has its original finish from the photographs provided. The frame would have been case coloured and the finish of yours is almost a dull black, whereas blued components would have been a more vibrant hue of bluing at that time.
Here’s how your revolver would have appeared, when new:
San Francisco Shipped 1902 Colt Single Action Army Revolver | Rock Island Auction
Interesting. Nice old Colt. 
So now that it’s probably been refinished you can stop handling it with gloves on and take it out and shoot it. You could figure out pretty quickly what range the front sight is set for.
just kidding…….kind of.
So now that it’s probably been refinished you can stop handling it with gloves on and take it out and shoot it. You could figure out pretty quickly what range the front sight is set for.
just kidding…….kind of.
Good point. The finish does seem too good to be true considering its age and backstory. I will have to do some more research on its history.
Interesting. Nice old Colt.
So now that it’s probably been refinished you can stop handling it with gloves on and take it out and shoot it. You could figure out pretty quickly what range the front sight is set for.
just kidding…….kind of.
the gloves came in the box with the gun. I figured the previous owner put them in there for handling and followed suit. I don’t have much interest in shooting it, let alone a box of .44-40 to use.Similar threads
