• Rifle Regiment arriving at Belle Point, 1817. Artwork by Michael Haynes

    Fort Smith

    National Historic Site AR,OK

1873 Colt Revolver

1873 Colt Revolvers
NPS Photo
 
 

1873 Colt Revolver

Calibers: .45 Long Colt

Barrel Length: 7 ½", 5 ½", and 4 ¾"

The weapon most identified with lawmen in the old west. The 1873 Colt revolver was the second pistol produced by this company to shoot a metallic cartridge. These pistols were available in thirty different calibers. Like the most of the previous Colts, it was single action and held six rounds. This pistol was loaded through a loading gate in the rear and each round had to be extracted one at a time using the ejecting rod. These came in various barrel lengths with the most common being 7 ½, 5 ½, and 4 ¾ inches. This pistol was made in continued production from 1873 to 1941.

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Did You Know?

foundation remains of first fort overlooking Arkansas River

The U.S. Army selected a spot overlooking the confluence of the Arkansas and Poteau Rivers for the site of a fort.  Soldiers from the Rifle Regiment arrived in 1817 and named the site Fort Smith after their commanding officer, Thomas A. Smith.