The handgun in America has been likened to the sword in Europe as a symbol of earlier and simpler times, marked by the individual courage, chivalry, and independent spirit of heroes and rogues alike and there is no better representation of this than the indelible association between the single action revolver and the American west. The mere presence of a Colt Single Action Army revolver, or one of the many copies or clones that have been directly influenced by it, brings to mind legends of the Wild West such as Wild Bill Hickock, Buffalo Bill Cody, Wyatt Earp, Frank and Jesse James, and Billy the Kid: individuals who remain household names, having been immortalized first in Dime Novels and later in Western movies.
Of course, the Colt Single Action Army revolver was not universally carried in the American west and those who have been associated with it in literature and film actually carried other handguns. Wild Bill Hickock carried Colt Navy Models (.36 caliber percussion revolvers), Frank James preferred Remingtons, Jesse James was known to favor a Smith & Wesson No. 3, and Billy the Kid used a double action Colt Thunderer in .41 caliber. However, the Colt Single Action army was vastly popular, amongst civilians and the military alike and the resourceful Bat Masterson purchased many of them which were profitably sold as "Bat Masterson's gun" in the waning years of the Nineteenth Century.
Originally introduced in 1873, it served the U.S. Cavalry until 1892 and it entered the Twentieth Century with official credentials, having been reissued by the U.S. Army during the Philippine Insurrection due to the various failures of the .38 Colt cartridge against the Moros. Even during World War II, it was carried by the likes of general George S. Patton and General Jonathan "Skinny" Wainwright. During the 1950s, the popularity of the Western movies and television series ensured that the classic profile of the Single Action Army would remain synonymous with the American west and during the hiatus in production that occurred between 1940 and 1956, Sturm, Ruger and Company fueled the pent up public demand for single action revolvers by first producing the Single Six and then following with the Blackhawk, modern, nearly bullet proof renditions of the classic Colt utilizing strong investment castings and coil springs rather than the problematic flat springs.
Remaining in nearly constant use since 1873, the popular Single Action Army, which returned to production in 1957, is still produced in the Colt Custom Shop while revolvers which borrow from the design or are largely copies of one variation or another are prolific, produced, finished, or marketed by many companies including: Beretta, Cimarron, Taurus, and U.S. Firearms. The innovative Ruger Single Six, Blackhawk, and variations including the Super Blackhawk, Bisley, and Vaquero remain popular while the simple, sturdy design of the old peacemaker continues to provide the platform for "hand cannons" such as the impeccable Freedom Arms Model 83 in .454 Casull and incredibly powerful Linebaugh customs in mammoth chamberings such as .475 and .500 Linebaugh.
The rugged simplicity of the dependable Single Action Army design allowed it to hold on and remain viable as a defensive weapon, even as it was eclipsed by modern, double action revolvers and semi-automatic pistols. Legendary lawmen such as Frank Hamer and Tom Threepersons, as well as the enigmatic Pancho Villa, successfully relied upon their Single Action Army revolvers well into the age of the Colt 1911 semi-automatic and the Smith & Wesson Military & Police double action revolver. Even today, in capable hands, the Single Action Army and revolvers that reflect its legacy can provide adequate defense against dangerous predators, both two and four legged. Single action revolvers are more than archaic symbols of the past, they remain practical tools that can get the job done.
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