ArizonaRealCountry.com 15 January 2019 The Colt’s Single Action Army, or peacemaker, was introduced to the public in 1873. It was designed on a U.S. army contract that specified 45 caliber. However, Colt owned the patents and produced the revolver for the U.S. civilian as well as foreign markets. Colt’s official company records show that between 1873 and 1900 the total production of the Single Action Army (SAA) model was 184,300 in 19 different calibers; 22, 32 Colt, 32 S&W, 32-44, 38 Colt, 38 S&W, 38-44, 380 Ely, 38-40, 41, 44 smoothbore, 44 rimfire, 44 German, 44 Russian, 44 S&W, 44-40, .50 Boxer, 450 Ely as well as 45 Colt caliber. The 45 caliber revolvers dispersed in the U.S. was as follows; U.S. Military contracts........................................37,185 Indian Police...............................................................75 Various State Militias..........................................12,705 U.S. Post Office.........................................................229 U.S. Treasury Department......................................200 National Armory Ordinance.....................................33 This came to 50,427 SAA’s chambered in 45 caliber. This means, adding in any that might have gone to a foreign market or were purchased by civilian law enforcement, there were less than 133,873 Colt SAA revolvers available to the general public in 19 different calibers and at $18.00, it was the most expensive handgun on the civilian market. (ref: page 536 of the 1897 Sears & Roebuck catalog). The 1890 U.S. census put the nation’s total population at 62,979,758 with only about 17,000,000 west of the Mississippi River. Of that 17 million, there were no more than 30,000 very low paid cowboys. This means some 46 million people (and most of the money) were east of the Mississippi. Therefore, those in the west who had the most expensive, state-of-the-art, handgun available were mostly outlaws who stole them and law enforcement. (sounds like today). Also, there were several other makes and models such as Harrington Richardson, Iver Johnson, Forehand & Wadsworth, and Hopkins and Allen available in the $1.00 to $5.00 range and chambered for 22 to 38 caliber. A Smith & Wesson in 32 to 45 cost $10.00 to $15.00. Considering all this information, it’s not too hard to figure out that in the 1800’s, contrary to Hollywood, very few civilians in the old west, let alone the few poorly paid cowboys, actually carried a 45 caliber Colt Single Action Army revolver. There just weren’t enough of them, they cost too much, and there were a lot of very acceptable and far more affordable options. DID YOU KNOW, IN THE OLD WEST... By Lee Anderson, Old West Living Historian, Award Winning Author, and Old School Horseman Lee Anderson and his horse, Concho, are well known around the state doing presentations in schools, corporate events, and civic events. Learn more about them and his book on his website. historicaloldwest.org In the 1800’s, contrary to Hollywood, very few civilians in the old west, let alone the few poorly paid cowboys, actually carried a 45 caliber Colt Single Action Army revolver.