Make: Colt
Model: 1878 Double Action Frontier
Serial Number: 34654
Year of Manufacture: 1894 / Antique
Caliber: .45 Colt
Action Type: Double Action Revolver with Side Loading Gate Cylinder. The Single Action does not hold.
Markings: The top of the barrel is marked "COLT'S PT. F.A. MFG Co HARTFORD CT. U.S.A.". The left side of the frame has a Colt Rampant in a circle. The bottom of the grip frame is marked "34 / 654". The rear of the loading gate is marked "42".The rear of the cylinder is marked "654".
Barrel Length: 7 1/2"
Sights/Optics: The rear sight is a "V" notch in the top strap. The front sight is a quarter round blade fixed to the barrel.
Stock Configuration and Condition: The grips are checkered hard rubber with smooth borders, wedge-shaped smooth base and rampant colt in oval at the top of each panel. The checkering is well-defined with light peak wear. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips rate in Very Good condition, as Antique.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: The sides of the frame have original finish. Worn areas, especially the barrel and backstrap, have been treated with cold blue.
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no notable erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 40% of its metal finish. Most of the finish has worn to a mottled patina. There is light intermittent oxidation. The action has light operational wear. There are scattered mild handling marks. The blue on the rear of the hammer is vibrant, with some oxidation interrupting the color. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with usable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver rates Fair - Good condition, as partially refinished Antique.
Mechanics: The hammer does not lock back. Otherwise, the action functions correctly. The cylinder locks up with no play when the trigger is depressed. The double action trigger is fairly smooth. We have not fired this revolver. As with all used firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork, and Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The Colt Model 1878 Double Action Frontier was Colt’s large-frame answer to the growing demand for a revolver combining the power of frontier cartridges with double-action operation. Designed by William Mason and introduced shortly after Colt’s smaller Model 1877, the Model 1878 used a loading gate, rod ejector, and overall architecture familiar to users of the Single Action Army while employing entirely different double-action lockwork. It was offered in several major revolver cartridges, including .45 Colt, and approximately 51,000 were produced during its lengthy production run. This 7 1/2" .45 Colt example retains about 40% of its metal finish, with portions of the original blue remaining on the frame and cold blue applied to worn areas of the barrel and backstrap. The hard-rubber grips remain in Very Good antique condition, while the exceptionally strong bore is bright with sharp rifling and rates 9/10. The double-action mechanism operates smoothly and the cylinder locks tightly when the trigger is depressed, but the hammer will not remain cocked for single-action fire. Despite the mechanical deficiency and later finish touch-up, its desirable .45 Colt chambering, long barrel, strong bore, and unmistakable late-19th-century Colt character make this an interesting representative of Colt’s first generation of large-frame double-action revolvers.
