Colt not only offered the first .45 Colt sixgun with the Single Action Army in 1873, but they also followed five years later with the .45 Colt Model 1878 Double Action. The latter is basically an SAA fitted with a DA mechanism and a different grip. The Model 1878 loads and unloads th...
- William Mason's patent for the Colt 1878 DA revolver - Model 1877 "Lightning" & "Thunderer" - Model 1877 mechanical features - Model 1878 DA Army & Frontier -Colt "ALASKAN" U.S. Model 1902 DA revolver Early development of the Colt swing-out DA revolvers - William Mason's US patents...
Its main distinguishing characteristic is a closed frame, which encompasses and holds the revolver’s cylinder. Indeed, Colt’s first double action revolver, the New Model Double Action, better known as the Lightning in .38 caliber and the Thunderer in .41 caliber, was simply the Peacemaker’s...
The M1877, Colt’s first double action revolver, was given nicknames of “Lightning” for .38 cal versions and “Thunderer” for the .41 caliber model by Benjamin Kittredge, one of Colt’s major distributors. An early .32 caliber model wore the moniker, “Rainmaker” as well. Two Colt ...
Outstanding Antique Colt Etched Panel "Sheriff's" Model 1877 Thunderer Ejectorless Double Action RevolverThough the nicknames "Rainmaker", "Lightning", and "Thunderer" are all excellent marketing material, they were not names ever actually used by Colt.