Single Action Army

The Colt Single Action Army is the most historically iconic American firearm and one of the most recognized handguns in world history—the “gun that won the West” in American mythology and a pistol whose fundamental design has remained in continuous production for more than 150 years. Adopted by the United States Army in 1873 as its standard service revolver, the SAA was produced in the original “black powder” generation through 1941, revived in 1956 in the “second generation,” and has continued in updated “third generation” production to the present day.

The SAA’s single-action mechanism—requiring the hammer to be manually cocked for each shot—defines the pistol’s character and shooting experience. The cocking action of a well-tuned SAA is a mechanical pleasure, and the light, crisp trigger pull that results from the cocked hammer position allows precise shooting that many find superior to double-action alternatives despite the slower rate of deliberate fire. The plow-handle grip—the distinctive curved grip shape that is the SAA’s most recognizable ergonomic feature—fits naturally in the hand and allows the pistol to roll back during recoil in a way that facilitates rapid re-cocking for subsequent shots.

The SAA was originally offered in .45 Colt and has been produced in well over thirty calibers over its production history, with .45 Colt, .44-40 Winchester (as the “Frontier Six-Shooter”), and .357 Magnum among the most historically significant and commercially popular. Barrel lengths from 3 to 12 inches have been cataloged, with 4.75, 5.5, and 7.5 inches being the standard “cavalry,” “artillery,” and optional lengths of original military production.

The SAA’s association with American history, its appearances in countless Western films and television programs, and its mechanical character as one of the finest single-action revolvers ever made ensure its enduring status as the defining American handgun.