Colt Single Action Army - Legacy

Legacy

The power, accuracy and handling qualities of the Single Action Army (SAA) made it a popular sidearm from its inception and well into the 20th century. The association with the history of the American West remains to the present century and the revolvers remain popular with shooters and collectors. George S. Patton, who began his career in the horse-cavalry, carried a custom-made SAA with ivory grips engraved with his initials and an eagle, which became his trademark. He used it during the Mexican Punitive Expedition of 1916 to kill two of Pancho Villa's lieutenants, and carried it until his death in 1945 shortly after the end of World War II.

In the early and mid-20th century, original Peacemakers lacking historical provenance and not in pristine condition were not particularly valuable. They served as raw material for early enthusiasts such as Elmer Keith, Harold Croft and R. F. Sedgley who modified the revolvers to enhance performance and experimented with more effective ammunition. At the beginning of the 21st Century, first and second generation SAA's are highly regarded as collectors' items and often considered too valuable to shoot.

After World War II, new interest in the SAA started and firearms enthusiast William R. Wilson recognized the need and the opportunity. In 1953 Wilson founded the Great Western Arms Company to produce an almost-exact clone of the old Colt SAA for television and movie westerns. The Great Western revolvers were manufactured in Los Angeles.

Later Colt editions are more common, and various copies and near-copies of the revolver are made by Uberti of Italy. Uberti is now owned by Beretta, which itself produces the Beretta Stampede. American manufacturers include Colt Manufacturing Company, which still retains the model in its catalog. U.S. Fire Arms Mfg. Co. builds several variations that are true to the original first and second generation specifications. STI International has introduced a very precisely made Single Action Army with a modified hand/spring assembly designed to last longer than the originals.

The Single Action Army is the precursor and inspiration for modern sporting revolvers from John Linebaugh, Freedom Arms, Ruger, Cimarron, and others.

In 2010, knowing the significance of the Peacemaker in the Copperstate's wild west history, Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association President Noble C. Hathaway and Cast Bullet Director Dan Walliser put forth a survey to the state of Arizona. The survey was to determine what popular "Old West" firearm should represent the state of Arizona as the official State Firearm. The Colt Patent Firearms Single Action Army won by a 38% margin. Soon after Hathaway submitted a bill to the Arizona legislature to make the Peacemaker the official state firearm. On the last day of the 2010-2011 regular legislative session Arizona Senate Bill 1610 was passed and within days Governor Jan Brewer signed the bill into law. Arizona is only the second state to have an official firearm behind Utah's recent adoption of the 1911 Semi-Auto pistol of Utah native John Browning fame.