Ammo for old colt 45...Or i think it's old.

[sully821]

I recently was given what i believe is a Colt 45 single action revolver. The only marks on it are pat. sept 19 1871, pat july 2 1872 and U.S. There are also parts with numbers 6811 and 5057. My Dad said My grandfather had it and used it to shoot gophers..:) My father has had it for about 35 years at least. The only thing my dad knows about it is the barrel had been replaced back when his Dad was still shooting it. I would love to shoot it but don't know what ammo would be ok to shoot through it.

[CraigC]

Got any pictures? What is the full number on the bottom of the frame in front of the triggerguard? Including any prefixes or suffixes. If the numbers on the frame where I indicated and the triggerguard right behind it do not match then the gun is not original. All the major components should have the same serial number stamping, including the barrel, backstrap and cylinder.

Generally, for a sixgun in good mechanical condition, the cutoff for smokeless powder is around serial 196,000 or a 1900 production year. Anything prior needs to be fed blackpowder only.

[RickB]

U.S. stamped on the frame would indicate that the gun is a military-issue Single Action Army. Such guns traded for $20, 75 years ago, but in excellent condition they're now worth tens of thousands of dollars. There should be a serial number on the bottom of the frame, and a matching one just below it on the trigger guard; what's the number?

[Jim Watson]

A mixed number US issue Colt SAA is perfectly legitimate.

In the 1890s Colt and Springfield Armory refurbished a lot of SAA .45s to supplement the then-standard .38 double actions. Most went to support units so the guns are called the Artillery Model. The guns were repaired as required, the barrels shortened to 5 1/2 inches, and the guns refinished. They seldom bothered to keep matching numbered parts together, an all matching Artillery is very scarce.

The serial number on the bottom of the receiver just ahead of the trigger guard is the official one.

A modern replacement barrel reduces collector value a good deal.

[Majic]

A pretty good indicator would be if it's a pinch frame. If not then the light cowboy loads should be fine in it if it's mechanically sound.

[RickB]

I have a 1897-vintage Frontier Six Shooter, and on the rare occasions that it gets shot, it's only with black powder. Colt didn't warrant their revolvers against smokeless powder until something like 1903. I certainly wouldn't shoot factory smokeless loads through a gun made in the 1870s-1890s (I have, but wouldn't again).

[sully821]

I do have some pictures of it. I know it's not an original gun the only number on the gun are the two I listed. I will try to figure out how to get the photos on here.