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135-604: Lake attributed the gun to Wyatt Earp , but modern researchers have not found any supporting evidence from secondary sources or in available primary documentation of the gun's existence prior to the publication of Lake's book. After its publication, various Colt revolvers with long (10-inch or 16-inch) barrels were called Colt Buntlines or Buntline Specials. Colt manufactured the pistol among its second-generation revolvers produced after 1956. A number of other manufacturers, such as Uberti, Navy Arms, and Cimarron Arms, have made their own versions of this long-barreled revolver. The revolver

270-525: A 12-inch-long (30 cm) barrel. However, according to some other accounts, on October 26, 1881, the day of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Earp carried an 1869 .44 caliber Smith & Wesson American Model with an 8-inch (20 cm) barrel. At the beginning of World War II , Colt ceased production of the Single Action Army revolver to devote more time to filling orders for the war. When

405-487: A 12-inch-long (305 mm) barrel, in comparison to the Colt Peacemaker 's 7.5-inch (190 mm) barrel. A 16-inch (406 mm) barrel was available, as well. According to Lake, it had a removable stock that could be easily affixed through a combination of screws and lead-ins. This accessory gave the revolver better precision and range, Lake claimed, and allowed the user to fire it like a rifle . The Colt Buntline

540-488: A 16.5-inch barrel with no muzzle brake or ports. It comes with a walnut grip and a detachable shoulder stock. Cimarron Firearms offers a version called the Wyatt Earp Buntline styled after the one used by Kurt Russell in the 1993 movie " Tombstone " with a 10-inch barrel and a silver badge inlaid on the right grip panel. Wyatt Earp Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929)

675-415: A brothel on February 24, 1872, and arrested Wyatt and Morgan Earp, George Randall, and four women including Jane Haspel. The men were charged with "keeping and being found in a house of ill-fame," and later fined $ 20 and court costs. In Root's Peoria City Directory for 1872–73 , published on March 1, 1872, Wyatt is a resident in the home of Jane Haspel at Washington Street near the corner of Hamilton. When he

810-419: A brothel. He later became an assistant city marshal. In late 1878, he went to Texas to track down an outlaw, Dave Rudabaugh , and met John "Doc" Holliday , whom Earp credited with saving his life. Throughout his life, Earp moved between boom towns. He left Dodge in 1879 and moved with his brothers James and Virgil to Tombstone where a silver boom was underway. The Earps clashed with a group of outlaws known as

945-421: A bullet weight of 255 grains (16.5 g) at a nominal 970 feet per second (300 m/s). Authors John Taffin and Mike Venturino have demonstrated that modern black-powder loadings of the .45 Colt cartridge frequently achieve velocities in the vicinity of 1,000 feet per second (300 m/s) with the 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 -inch "cavalry" barrel length, even though modern solid-head cases make it impossible to load

1080-400: A chambered cartridge. Like the earlier percussion revolvers, the Single Action Army was designed to allow loading of all the chambers. The safety notch replaced pins on the rear of the percussion revolver cylinders, which served the same purpose as the safety position; that is, preventing hammer contact with the primer/percussion cap. According to the original instructions from Colt, as well as

1215-563: A deputy by his brother, then passed his Wells Fargo job as shotgun messenger to his brother Morgan. Wyatt did his job well, and his name was mentioned nearly every week from August through November in The Tombstone Epitaph or the Nugget newspapers. On October 28, 1880, Tombstone town marshal Fred White attempted to break up a group of five late-night, drunken revelers shooting at the moon on Allen Street. Deputy Sheriff Earp

1350-483: A euphemism for coward, implying that Wyatt had gone to California to avoid serving in the Civil War. Although Wyatt had attempted to join the army when he was 13 and been stopped by his father, he took offense at Piner's remarks. They fought inside Walton's Hotel, a brothel owned by John T. Walton, and Wyatt tossed Pinard outside. Pinard drew his gun and so did Wyatt. The two men exchanged shots; Wyatt wounded Pinard in

1485-552: A fist-fight and was fined $ 30. The local newspaper reported, "It is but justice to Earp to say he has made an excellent officer." Meagher won the election, but the city council voted against rehiring Earp. Texas Longhorn cattle carried a tick that spread Texas cattle fever to other cattle breeds. Alarmed Kansas farmers persuaded the Kansas State Legislature in 1866 to establish a quarantine line in central Kansas. This prohibited Texas Longhorns from entering

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1620-418: A full 40 grains. Specifications for 20th-century smokeless loads set velocity with a 255-grain (16.5 g) round-nosed flat-point bullet at 870 feet per second (270 m/s) providing 429-foot-pound-force (582 J) energy. The version of the .45 Colt as of 2014 differs from the original cartridge case in that the rim is significantly larger (with a groove immediately above it) and the internal aspect of

1755-604: A gold rush to Eagle City, Idaho, where they owned mining interests and a saloon. Back in San Francisco, Wyatt raced horses, but his reputation suffered irreparably when he refereed the Fitzsimmons vs. Sharkey boxing match and called a foul, which led many to believe he fixed the fight. Earp and Marcus joined the Nome Gold Rush in 1899. He and Charlie Hoxie paid US$ 1,500 (equivalent to $ 55,000 in 2023) for

1890-424: A hundred other people in a plan to relocate to San Bernardino County, California , where he intended to buy farmland. Just 150 miles (240 km) west of Monmouth on the journey, their daughter Martha became ill. The family stopped and Nicholas bought a new 160-acre (65 ha) farm 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Pella, Iowa . Martha died there on May 26, 1856. Nicholas and Virginia Earp's last child Adelia

2025-586: A hundred people living in tents and a few shacks. The Earps arrived with their wives on December 1, 1879, while Doc Holliday remained in Prescott where the gambling afforded better opportunities. Tombstone had already grown to about 1,000 residents. Wyatt brought horses and a buckboard wagon which he planned to convert into a stagecoach, but he found two established stage lines already running. He later said that he made most of his money in Tombstone as

2160-712: A liquor license to open the Dexter, a two-story saloon, and made an estimated $ 80,000 (equivalent to $ 2,930,000 in 2023). But, Josephine had a notorious gambling habit and the money didn't last. Around 1911, Earp began working several mining claims in Vidal, California , retiring in the hot summers with Josephine to one of several small, modest cottages they rented in Los Angeles. He made friends among early Western actors in Hollywood and tried to get his story told, but he

2295-548: A muscular prostitute named Frankie Bell, who "heaped epithets upon the unoffending head of Mr. Earp to such an extent as to provide a slap from the ex-officer," according to the account. Bell spent the night in jail and was fined $ 20, while Earp's fine was the legal minimum. In October 1877 outlaw Dave Rudabaugh robbed a Santa Fe Railroad construction camp and fled south. Earp was given a temporary commission as deputy U.S. Marshal and left Dodge City, following Rudabaugh over 400 miles (640 km) through Fort Clark, Texas , where

2430-522: A new brothel, and Wyatt soon followed them. After 1875 Dodge City, Kansas , became a major terminal for cattle drives from Texas along the Chisholm Trail . Earp was appointed assistant marshal in Dodge City under Marshal Lawrence Deger around May 1876. At some point he met prostitute Mattie Blaylock , who became his common-law wife until 1881. He and Morgan left Dodge for Deadwood in

2565-503: A number of stories, movies, and television programs about outlaws and lawmen in Dodge City and Tombstone, including the 1955–1961 television series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp . Lake conceived the idea of a revolver that would be more precise and could be easily modified to work similarly to a rifle. According to Lake, the Colt Buntline was a single-action revolver chambered for .45 Long Colt cartridge . However, it had

2700-603: A pimp. Earp and Walton were fined $ 44, more than any others who were arrested. The size of the fines may indicate that the judge considered them to be pimps and not merely customers. Wyatt soon left Peoria for Wichita, Kansas. During a conversation with Earp years later, Stuart N. Lake took notes in which Earp claimed that he'd been hunting buffalo during the winter of 1871–1872. Earp told Lake that he "arrived in Wichita direct from my buffalo hunt in '74," but there's no evidence that he ever hunted buffalo. He may have made up

2835-399: A pimp. He was later appointed to the Wichita police force and developed a solid reputation as a lawman but was fined and "not rehired as a police officer" after getting into a physical altercation with a political opponent of his boss. Earp immediately left Wichita, following his brother James to Dodge City, Kansas where his brother's wife Bessie and Earp's common-law wife Sally operated

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2970-650: A professional gambler. The three Earps and Robert J. Winders filed a location notice on December 6, 1879, for the First North Extension of the Mountain Maid Mine. They also bought an interest in the Vizina mine and some water rights. Jim worked as a barkeep, but none of their other business interests proved fruitful. Wyatt was hired in April or May 1880 by Wells Fargo agent Fred J. Dodge as

3105-543: A revolver of near-identical description. This order predated the O.K. Corral fight by several months. In the 1950s, Colt resumed manufacture of the Single Action Army and made a Buntline version, due to customer demand. The barrels are marked on the left side "COLT BUNTLINE SPECIAL .45". A few third-generation Buntlines were manufactured in the late 1970s, as well. Colt manufactured 70 New Frontier Buntline Special s from 1962 to 1967 with 12-inch barrels and folding target sights, chambered in .45 Colt. The 1873 Buntline Target

3240-478: A sheriff, constable, and marshal than did Wyatt. Virgil made the decision to enforce a city ordinance prohibiting carrying weapons in town and to disarm the Cowboys. Wyatt was only a temporary assistant marshal to his brother. In 1874, Earp arrived in the boomtown of Wichita, Kansas , where his reputed wife opened a brothel . Wyatt was arrested more than once for his presence in a brothel where he may have been

3375-748: A shotgun messenger on stagecoaches when they transported Wells Fargo strongboxes. In late July 1880 younger brother Morgan arrived, leaving his wife Lou in Temescal, California (near San Bernardino). Warren Earp moved to Tombstone. Doc Holliday arrived from Prescott in September with $ 40,000 (equivalent to $ 1,263,000 in 2023) in gambling winnings in his pocket. On July 25, 1880, Army Captain Joseph H. Hurst asked Deputy U.S. Marshal Virgil Earp to assist him in tracking outlaw Cowboys who had stolen six Army mules from Fort Rucker, Arizona . Virgil requested

3510-655: A similar presentation to Cody. But Buntline traveled west of the Mississippi only once in his life, in 1869, in fact, and at the time of the supposed presentation to Earp in Dodge City, Wyatt and his brother were actually in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, mining for gold. Actually Earp was under indictment for murder in Dodge City at the time. As for Cody, he wasn't in North Platte, either, but was in Wyoming scouting for

3645-478: A teamster transporting cargo for Chris Taylor. From 1866 to 1868, he drove cargo over 720 miles (1,160 km) on the wagon road from Wilmington through San Bernardino , then Las Vegas, Nevada , to Salt Lake City , Utah Territory. In spring 1868 Earp was hired to transport supplies needed to build the Union Pacific Railroad . He learned gambling and boxing while working on the rail head in

3780-538: A total of 42 variations. Colt manufactured Third Generation Buntlines and New Frontiers through the Colt Custom Shop, as well as many engraved pistols. In 2010, Colt released a "revival" of the Frontier Six Shooter with a nickel finish. Starting in 1999, Colt began manufacturing a version of the Single Action Army revolver with a modern transfer bar safety , allowing it to be carried with

3915-515: Is a removable blade, which fits into the slotted base attached to the barrel. The revolvers were supplied with different blades for elevation. The Bisley mainspring is longer than the SAA mainspring, and the two are not interchangeable; it is attached to the hammer with a stirrup via a forked upper end. The serial numbers are stamped on the frame, the backstrap and the trigger-guard at the end of production, with tiny dies. Bisleys were serial-numbered in

4050-447: Is an Italian 6-shot single-action revolver chambered for the .357 Magnum or the .45 Colt cartridges, manufactured by A. Uberti, Srl. The revolver has an 18-inch barrel with no muzzle brake or ports. It comes with a walnut grip and a dark blue finish. The Navy Arms Frontier Buntline Model is a 6-shot single-action revolver chambered for the .357 Magnum or the .45 Colt cartridges, manufactured for Navy Arms . The revolver has

4185-402: Is identified as the "Pre War" or "First Generation" of the model. Calibers, at least thirty in all, ranged from .22 rimfire through .476 Eley, with approximately half, or 158,884 (including Bisley and Flat Top Target variations), chambered for .45 Colt. The next most prevalent were the .44-40 Winchester Center fire (WCF) at 71,392; 38-40 (38 WCF) at 50,520; .32-20 Winchester (32 WCF) at 43,284 and,

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4320-493: Is likely this was recommended after the Second World War because with the changed tolerances of the re-designed Second Generation Single Action Army, a sharp blow could damage the re-designed half-cock mechanism and allow a fully loaded revolver to fire. Drawn back about halfway, the hammer engages the second notch. This cams the cylinder bolt out of engagement and allows the cylinder to rotate for loading. Fully cocked,

4455-429: Is not a resident of this state, that Wyatt S. Earp has absconded or absented himself from his usual place of abode in this state so that the ordinary process of law cannot be processed against him." Peoria had grown to a city of 22,000 in the 1870s and had earned a reputation as a wide-open city whose community leaders mostly ignored illegal alcohol use, gambling, prostitution, and other vices. But Peoria police raided

4590-492: Is to be fired." as part of the loading instructions. Colt continued to provide instructions specifying the revolver was to be carried with all six chambers loaded and with the hammer on the safety notch from 1874 to at least 1945. In 1898, the advertisements for the Single Action Army, 1877 , and M1878 all instructed: "These Revolvers should be carried with the hammer resting in the Safety Notch." Colt's advertisements in

4725-496: The 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 " and 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 " barreled guns. Considering the majority of Bisleys were made in .32/20 and .38/40, some 60%, it appears that the market for SAAs was changing. In the late 1890s, with increasing urbanization in the Western United States , suggests the possibility that many of these pistols were used as companion pieces to lever-action rifles of the same period. The unique features of

4860-509: The 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (19 cm) barrel and 1,200 were altered to a barrel length of 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (14 cm). In 1898, 14,900 of the SAA revolvers were altered the same way by Springfield Armory. The original records of the War Department do refer to these revolvers with the shortened barrel as the "Altered Revolver". The name "Artillery" is actually a misnomer, which Sapp speculates may have originated because

4995-514: The Dakota Territory on September 9, 1876, with a team of horses only to find that all the land was already tied up in mining claims, so Morgan decided to return to Dodge. Earp remained and made a deal to buy all the wood that a local individual had cut and put his horses to work during the winter of 1876–1877 hauling firewood into camp. He made about $ 5,000 in profit but was unable to file any mining claims, so he returned to Dodge City in

5130-612: The Long Branch Saloon . In late 1875 the Wichita Beacon published this story: On last Wednesday (December 8), policeman Earp found a stranger lying near the bridge in a drunken stupor. He took him to the 'cooler' and on searching him found in the neighborhood of $ 500 on his person. He was taken next morning, before his honor, the police judge, paid his fine for his fun like a little man and went on his way rejoicing. He may congratulate himself that his lines, while he

5265-480: The Rollin White patent ( #12,648, April 3, 1855 ), and not wanting to pay a royalty fee to Smith & Wesson , Colt could not begin development of bored-through revolver cylinders for metallic cartridge use until April 4, 1869. For the design, Colt turned to two of its best engineers: William Mason and Charles Brinckerhoff Richards who had developed a number of revolvers and black powder conversions for

5400-637: The SAA , Model P , Peacemaker , or M1873 ) is a single-action revolver handgun . It was designed for the U.S. government service revolver trials of 1872 by Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company (today known as Colt's Manufacturing Company ) and was adopted as the standard-issued revolver of the U.S. Army from 1873 to 1892. The Colt SAA has been offered in over 30 different calibers and various barrel lengths. Its overall appearance has remained consistent since 1873. Colt has cancelled its production twice, but renewed it due to popular demand. The revolver

5535-543: The Spanish–American War and the Philippine–American War . Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders charged up San Juan Hill wielding the .45 caliber Artillery Model. The Artillery Model usually had mixed numbers. It can be identified by the U.S. on the frame, the inspector's stamps on different parts (such as a tiny A for Orville W. Ainsworth, DFC, HN, RAC for later inspectors and K for replacement parts) and

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5670-684: The Springfield Armory . Second only to the OWA Colts, Nettleton Colts are prized by serious collectors. Both the Nettleton and OWA Colts have the cartouche (OWA or HN) on the left side of the wood grip. By the mid-1870s, the Army had purchased a significant number of Smith & Wesson Schofield revolvers chambering a shorter .45 round. Logistical problems arose because the ammunition was not interchangeable. The Colt revolvers would accept

5805-670: The United States Army Ordnance Corps , specifies the loading of all six chambers and carrying the revolver habitually with the hammer cocked in the safety notch. Specifically, the 1874 U.S. Army Ordnance Manual, Description and Rules for the Management of the Springfield Rifle, Carbine, and Army Revolvers, Caliber .45 , state "bring the hammer to the safety notch; keep it there until the Pistol

5940-629: The Wyoming Territory . He developed a reputation from officiating boxing matches and refereed a fight between John Shanssey and Prof. Mike Donovan on July 4, 1869, in Cheyenne, Wyoming , in front of 3,000 spectators. In spring 1868 the Earps moved east again to Lamar, Missouri , where Wyatt's father Nicholas became the local constable. Wyatt rejoined the family the next year. Nicholas resigned as constable on November 17, 1869, to become

6075-407: The " Cowboys ". Wyatt, Virgil, and younger brother Morgan held various law enforcement positions that put them in conflict with Tom McLaury , Frank McLaury , Ike Clanton , and Billy Clanton , who threatened to kill the Earps on several occasions. The conflict escalated, culminating in the shootout at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881, where the Earps and Doc Holliday killed three Cowboys. During

6210-504: The "Civilian" or "Gunfighter" model ( 4 + 3 ⁄ 4 inch) and the Artillery Model ( 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 inch). There was also a variant with a sub-4-inch barrel, without an ejector rod, unofficially called the "Sheriff's Model", "Banker's Special", or "Storekeeper". From 1875 until 1880 Colt marketed a single-action revolver chambered in .44 Henry in a separate number range from no. 1 to 1,863. A "Flattop Target Model"

6345-468: The "U.S." brand into "D.8." Stealing mules was a federal offense because the animals were government property. Cowboy Frank Patterson made an agreement with Captain Hurst, and Hurst persuaded the posse to withdraw, with the understanding that the mules would be returned. The Cowboys showed up two days later without the mules and laughed at Hurst and the Earps. In response Hurst printed a handbill describing

6480-493: The .45 Colt cartridge and being accompanied by an extra cylinder for the .45 ACP . The power, accuracy and handling qualities of the Single Action Army (SAA) made it a popular sidearm from its inception, well into the 20th century. The association with the history of the American West remains to the present century, and these revolvers remain popular with shooters and collectors. George S. Patton , who began his career in

6615-437: The .45 Colt cartridge, especially 19th-century "pre-smokeless" revolvers, which should be fired (if at all) with black powder, only. Prior to World War II, the .45 Colt used a groove diameter of .454"; post-WWII production adopted the .452" groove diameter of the .45 ACP . From 1924 through 1940, a small number of Single Actions in the pistol caliber .45 ACP were produced. Colt's records list several Single Actions chambered for

6750-454: The .45 Colt has always been the most common. A scaled-down .22 rimfire version called the Scout or Frontier Scout was available in the late 20th century. The first Colt Single Action Army prototypes were manufactured in .44 American caliber for the 1872 government trials, as the .44 American was the cartridge used in the 1,000 Smith & Wesson Model 3 revolvers issued to the troops. After

6885-599: The .45 U.S. Colt Single Action Army revolver was retired by the Cavalry and replaced by the .38 caliber Colt Model 1892 Double Action Army revolver. The .45 Single Action Army revolver was still standard issue to the Infantry, Artillery and other branches of the U.S. Army. In 1895–1896, the U.S. federal government returned 2,000 SAA revolvers to Colt to be refurbished; 800 were issued to the New York Militia with

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7020-502: The 1870 and 1875 Smith & Wesson American and Model 3 "Schofield" revolvers , replaced the Colt 1860 Army Percussion revolver. The Colt quickly gained favor over the S&;W and remained the primary U.S. military sidearm until 1892 when it was replaced by the .38 Long Colt caliber Colt Model 1892 , a double-action revolver with swing-out cylinder. By the end of 1874, serial no. 16,000

7155-614: The 1876 Centennial Exposition, but these were marketed as "Buggy rifles". There are no company records for the Buntline Special, nor a record of any orders from or sent to Ned Buntline. This does not absolutely preclude the historicity of the revolvers, however. Massad Ayoob writing for Guns Magazine cited notes by Josie Earp in which she mentioned an extra-long revolver as a favorite of Wyatt Earp. He cited an order by Tombstone, Arizona, bartender Buckskin Frank Leslie for

7290-489: The 1920s through 1945 (after which the first generation Single Action Armys were discontinued) instructed that the revolver "May be carried cocked with the hammer in the safety notch." The Single Action Army action is a refinement of the earlier Colt percussion revolvers and the Colt 1871 cartridge revolver. The cylinder is mounted on a central axis and operated by a hand with a double finger with which more extended action allows

7425-571: The 1970 film by the same name at the General George Patton Museum of Leadership at Fort Knox, KY as of 2022. Villa himself used a 5-inch barrell Colt Bisley in 44-40 caliber for the full length of his military career. 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

7560-519: The 41 Colt at 19,676. All original, good condition, U.S. Cavalry and Artillery Single Action Armies (those produced between 1873 and 1891) are among the most valuable to collectors. Especially valuable, often going for well over $ 10,000, are the OWA (Orville Wood Ainsworth) and the rare Henry Nettleton inspected Single Action Army Colts. The OWA Colt refers to the earliest issued Single Action Army guns, which were inspected by Orville W. Ainsworth. Ainsworth

7695-571: The Bisley was terminated in 1912, but serial No. 331916 was shipped after the First World War. Most Bisley Standard Model Revolvers shipped to a United States address were not used for target shooting, but for self-defense, because the grip and hammer were ideal for fast shooting. Surveys of existing Bisley show that a much larger number of 4 + 3 ⁄ 4  in (12 cm) Bisleys, perhaps as high as 62%, have survived as compared to

7830-488: The Bisley with their low-slung hammer, less humped backstrap, and shorter barrel may have suited the city-dwelling suit-coat-wearing clientele who still found themselves outdoors, not only on horses but in buggies and automobiles. The need for man-stopping bullets was decreasing in urbanized environments, although in semi-urban areas, a pistol like the Bisley would be suitable for discouraging both four-legged and two-legged "varmints" while also suitable for collecting supper along

7965-591: The Buntline frame. The Third Generation began in 1976, characterized by a change in barrel thread pitch and a solid cylinder bushing replacing the removable/replaceable part from the first and second generations. This series ran until 1982 as a limited-issue product with the serial number range of SA80,000 to SA99,999. In 1994, production of the SAA resumed with the increase in popularity of " Cowboy Action Shooting " matches. These models are known either as "Late Third Generation" or sometimes Fourth Generation. They have

8100-629: The Justice of the Peace. Wyatt was appointed constable in his place. Virgil soon went to Missouri and Wyatt to Beardstown, Illinois, 70 miles (110 km) south, where he spent the summer of 1869. Beardstown was undergoing a boom thanks to a rail line being laid through town. During that summer in Beardstown, a railroad brakeman named Tom Pinard mocked Wyatt, calling him "the California boy",

8235-535: The Light Artillery happened to have the first units armed with the altered revolver. The Artillery Single Actions were issued to the Infantry, the Light Artillery, the Volunteer Cavalry and other troops because the standard-issue .38 caliber Colt M 1892 double-action revolver was lacking in stopping power. For that reason, the .45 Artillery SAA Revolvers were used successfully by front troops in

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8370-519: The National Register of Historic Places 1999. The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency visited the home at 406 So. 3rd St. and submitted the nomination. Wyatt had seven full siblings – James, Virgil, Martha, Morgan, Warren, Virginia, and Adelia – and an elder half-brother and half-sister, Newton and Mariah-Ann Earp , from his father's first marriage. In March 1849, or in early 1850, Nicholas Earp joined about

8505-402: The O.K. Corral , October 26, 1881, he carried a Smith & Wesson Model 3 with an 8-inch (200 mm) barrel. Earp had received the revolver as a gift from Tombstone mayor and newspaper editor John Clum of The Tombstone Epitaph . Lake later admitted that he had "put words into Wyatt's mouth because of the inarticulateness and monosyllabic way he had of talking". The book later inspired

8640-441: The SAA included .38-40 Winchester introduced in 1884, the .32-20 Winchester introduced in 1884, the .41 Long Colt introduced in 1885, the .38 Long Colt in 1887, the .38 Special and the .357 Magnum in the 20th century. Some of the separately-serialized .44 Henry rimfire revolvers were rechambered to .22 rimfire after 1885. The SAA at one time or another was offered in dozens of calibers from .22 rimfire to .476 Eley , though

8775-618: The Second Generation Colt Single Actions were factory-engraved by Colt. The factory engravers of the period were Alvin Herbert, Earl Bieu, Dennis Kies, Robert Burt, Steve Kamyk and Leonard Francolini. One of the most sought-after engravers who have worked on Colt revolvers was Alvin White and the shop of A. A. White Engravers. The original instructions for operation of the Single Action Army, both by Colt and

8910-783: The Single Action Army revolver, which makes these engraved models extremely rare and valuable with collectors. Engraved pieces were often ordered by or for famous people of the day, including lawmen, heads of state, and captains of industry. This tradition began with the founder, Samuel Colt , who regularly gave such examples away as a means of publicity for Colt. Colt employed a number of engravers, many of whom were trained artisans who emigrated from Europe. These artisans, such as Gustave Young, Cuno A. Helfricht, Rudolph J. Kornbrath and Louis Daniel Nimschke , were known for inlaying gold, silver, and precious stones in their work. Many of these engraved pieces were adorned with stocks made of ivory or pearl, with engraving and inlays as well. About 400 of

9045-533: The U.S. Army Ordnance Department, the revolver was to be carried with all six chambers loaded and carried with the hammer half-cocked in the safety notch. However, beginning sometime after the Second World War and after the introduction of the Second Generation single action in the 1950s, some gun-writers began strongly advocating the practice of leaving one empty chamber under the hammer. It

9180-645: The US Cavalry in pursuit of Sitting Bull and the Cheyenne and Sioux bands that had wiped out Custer at the Little Bighorn the previous summer. According to descendants of Wyatt Earp's cousins, he owned a Colt .45-caliber and a Winchester lever-action shotgun. There is no conclusive evidence as to the kind of pistol that Earp usually carried though, according to some sources, on the day of the Gunfight at

9315-426: The annual cattle drive ended and the cowboys left, Earp searched for something else to do. The Wichita City Eagle reported on October 29, 1874, that he had helped an off-duty police officer find thieves who had stolen a man's wagon. Earp officially joined the Wichita marshal's office on April 21, 1875, after the election of Mike Meagher as city marshal (or police chief), making $ 100 per month. He also dealt faro at

9450-484: The assistance of his brothers Wyatt and Morgan, along with Wells Fargo agent Marshall Williams, and they found the mules at the McLaurys' ranch. McLaury was a 'Cowboy,' a term in that region that generally referred to a loose association of outlaws, some of whom also were land-owners and ranchers. Legitimate cowmen were referred to as cattle herders or ranchers. They found a branding iron that the Cowboys had used to change

9585-507: The cartouche of Rinaldo A. Carr (RAC), the inspector who inspected the refurbished guns, on the grip. The Colt Frontier or Frontier Six-Shooter was a Colt's 1873 "Model P" type revolver manufactured in .44-40 Winchester caliber instead of .45 Colt (in which configuration it was called the Single Action Army ) so that it was compatible with Winchester Model 1873 ammunition. Production began in 1877. Colt Frontier Six-Shooter

9720-435: The cartridge was shortened so that it would also function in the newly adopted S & W Schofield revolver. It was designated "Revolver Cartridge" and loaded with 28 grains of black powder and a bullet of 230 grain. The Bénet-primed cartridges were manufactured until 1882 and then replaced by reloadable cartridges with brass cases and external primers. The original .45 Colt black-powder load of 40 grains (2.6 g) propelled

9855-524: The company. Their effort was designed for the United States government service revolver trials of 1872 by Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company and adopted as the standard military service revolver. Production began in 1873 with the Single Action Army model 1873, also referred to as the "New Model Army Metallic Cartridge Revolving Pistol". The first production Single Action Army, serial number 1, thought lost for many years after its production,

9990-535: The county. On March 28, 1871, Earp, Edward Kennedy, and John Shown were charged with stealing two horses from William Keys while in the Indian country , "each of the value of $ 100". Only three days later on March 31, James Cromwell filed a lawsuit against him alleging that he had erased and rewritten a dollar figure on a judgement against Cromwell and that Earp had collected and kept the difference. The court seized Cromwell's mowing machine and sold it for $ 38 to make up

10125-401: The cylinder-ratchet to be cut in a larger circle, giving more torsional force to the cylinder. Four notches on the face of the hammer engage the sear portion of the trigger, affording four basic hammer positions. The hammer rests within the frame when it is fully lowered. Drawn slightly to the rear, the hammer engages the safety notch of the sear and holds the firing pin out of direct contact with

10260-452: The dark. The shooting was lively and slugs were hitting the chimney and cabin   ... in all of that racket, Wyatt's voice was even and quiet as usual. Earp altered his story later on, telling John H. Flood Jr. that he did not see Brocius's pistol on the ground in the dark until afterward. The pistol contained one expended cartridge and five live rounds. Colt Single Action Army The Colt Single Action Army (also known as

10395-432: The difference between what Earp turned in and what Cromwell owed. Cromwell's suit claimed that Earp owed him $ 75, the estimated value of the machine. On April 6, Deputy U.S. Marshal J. G. Owens arrested Earp for the horse theft. Commissioner James Churchill arraigned him on April 14 and set bail at $ 500. Wyatt was summoned to appear at a hearing on the matter. Before he could appear, Wyatt sold his property, escaped through

10530-451: The eastern part of Pima County, Arizona , on July 28, 1880, which included Tombstone. The sheriff's position was worth more than $ 40,000 (equivalent to $ 1,263,000 in 2023) per year, because he was also county assessor and tax collector, and the board of supervisors allowed him to keep ten percent of the amounts paid. Former Democrat state legislator Johnny Behan , a future rival of Wyatt's, arrived in September 1880. Wyatt, appointed

10665-663: The family home in Lamar, Missouri . Wyatt returned to the Peoria area. On September 10, 1872, he was arrested aboard the Beardstown Gunboat , a 50-foot keelboat fitted with a ramshackle, eight-bedroom house and used as a floating brothel. To evade the local authorities, the boat picked up passengers and made slow runs along the Illinois River, tying up at various points along the way. It was owned by John T. Walton,

10800-432: The ground, then he grabbed Brocius by the collar and told him to get up. Brocius asked, "What have I done?" Fred Dodge recalled in a letter he wrote to Stuart Lake in 1928 what he had witnessed: Wyatt's coolness and nerve never showed to better advantage than they did that night. When Morg and I reached him, Wyatt was squatted on his heels beside Curly Bill and Fred White. Curly Bill's friends were pot-shooting at him in

10935-436: The guns in repayment for "material for hundreds of frontier yarns." Although Ned Buntline wrote somewhere between twenty and twenty-four western novelettes and dime novels, the most sensational about William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, who Buntline made nationally famous, none mentions Wyatt Earp. Lake claims that Ned Buntline traveled to Dodge City and made the presentations there, then went on up to North Platte, Nebraska, where he made

11070-491: The hammer resting on a loaded chamber. The Colt Cowboy, as it was named, was designed to be more affordable than the Single Action Army. It was offered with barrel lengths of 4.75", 5.5", and 7.5". The 7.5" variant was discontinued in 1999, as was the 4.75" variant, which was reintroduced in 2002. Manufacturing of the Colt Cowboy was discontinued in 2003. Colt engraved about one percent of its first-generation production of

11205-487: The heavily settled, eastern portion of the state. In 1876, farmers in central Kansas renewed pressure on the Kansas State Legislature to move the quarantine line further west, eliminating Wichita and the other cowtowns from the cattle trade. As a result, Dodge City became the "queen of the cow towns." Wyatt's brother James and his wife moved in 1876 150 miles (240 km) west to Dodge City and opened

11340-676: The hip. In late 1869 Earp courted 20-year-old Urilla Sutherland, daughter of William and Permelia Sutherland who operated the Exchange Hotel in Lamar, Missouri, the Barton County seat. They were married by Earp's father on January 10, 1870. Wyatt bought a lot on the outskirts of town for $ 50 where he built a house in August 1870. Urilla was about to deliver their first child when she died from typhoid fever . In November, Earp sold

11475-502: 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 in a gunfight with two of Pancho Villa 's lieutenants and carried it until his death in 1945 shortly after the end of World War II. It remains on display, along with the SAA carried by actor George C. Scott portraying Patton in

11610-416: The lot and house for $ 75. Earp went through a downward spiral after Urilla's death, and he had a series of legal problems. On March 14, 1871, Barton County filed a lawsuit against him in the amount of $ 200 (about $ 4,500 today) and his sureties which included his father. He was in charge of collecting license fees for Lamar, which were designated to fund local schools, but had failed to turn the money over to

11745-486: The middle of his act. Fortunately, no one was injured. Assistant Marshal Earp and policeman Bat Masterson responded, along with several citizens, and opened fire with their pistols at the fleeing horsemen. The riders crossed the Arkansas River bridge south of town but Hoyt fell from his horse, wounded in the arm or leg. Earp later told biographer Stuart Lake that he saw Hoyt through his gun sights, illuminated against

11880-531: The morning horizon, and he fired a fatal shot that killed him that day; but the Dodge City Times reported that Hoyt developed gangrene and died on August 21 after his leg was amputated. Dodge City had been a frontier cowtown for several years, but by 1879 it had begun to settle down. Virgil Earp was the town constable in Prescott , Arizona Territory, and he wrote to Wyatt about the opportunities in

12015-530: The name “Ned” was ornately carved. Researchers have never found any record of an order received by the Colt company, and Ned Buntline's alleged connections to Earp have been largely discredited. The revolver could have been specially ordered from the Colt factory in Hartford, Connecticut, as extra-long barrels were available from Colt at a dollar an inch over 7.5 inches (190 mm). Several such revolvers with 16-inch barrels and detachable stocks were displayed at

12150-592: The newspaper reported his presence on January 22, 1878, and then on to Fort Griffin , Texas. In Fort Griffin, located between the military fort bearing the same name and the Clear Fork of the Brazos River , he went to the Bee Hive Saloon. It was the largest in town and owned by John Shanssey , whom Earp had known since he was 21. Shanssey told Earp that Rudabaugh had passed through town earlier in

12285-506: The next five months, Virgil was ambushed and maimed, and Morgan was murdered. Wyatt, Warren Earp , Doc Holliday, and others formed a federal posse that killed three more Cowboys whom they thought responsible. Wyatt was never wounded in any of the gunfights, unlike his brothers Virgil and Morgan or Doc Holliday, which added to his mystique after his death. After leaving Tombstone, Earp went to San Francisco where he reunited with Josephine Marcus , and they lived as husband and wife. They joined

12420-535: The original 12-inch length, but the four other recipients of the Specials cut their barrels down to the standard 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches, or shorter. Lake spent much effort trying to track down the Buntline Special through the Colt company, Masterson, and contacts in Alaska. Lake described it as a Colt Single Action Army model with a long, 12 inches (30 cm) barrel, standard sights, and wooden grips into which

12555-565: The original style removable/replaceable cylinder bushing. The serial number for this series started at S02001A and continue to use the "S" prefix and "A" suffix as of 2022. Colt currently offers the Single Action Army in one of two finishes: either an all-nickel, or blued with color case-hardened frame; in the traditional three barrel lengths: 4 + 3 ⁄ 4 ,  5 + 1 ⁄ 2 , and 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (12, 14, and 19 cm); and eight chamberings: .32-20, .38-40, .44-40, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .44 Special, .45 Colt, or .45 ACP;

12690-465: The primer pocket is surrounded by solid brass instead of protruding into the powder chamber. This "solid head" case is stronger and resists deformation of the primer pocket. Some commercial and custom revolvers and single-shot pistols (such as the Ruger Blackhawk, T/C Contender and others) employ high-pressure loads that are dangerous in the Single Action Army and other vintage arms chambered for

12825-438: The range of 0001SA to 73,205SA. Due to the popularity of the television show The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp , Colt introduced the aforementioned Buntline Special as a Second generation offering from 1957 to 1974. From 1961 to 1975, Colt offered an adjustable-sight model known as "The New Frontier", capitalizing on President John F. Kennedy 's campaign slogan. Colt manufactured 4200 of these revolvers, including 70 built on

12960-552: The range of 156300–331916, in the same sequence as the Single Action Army. All Bisleys after No. 161,376 had "BISLEY MODEL" with the caliber stamped on the left side of the barrel, which is rare for older Colt revolvers. The most common were in the American calibers of .32-20, .38-40, .45 Colt, .44-40, .41 Long Colt, and also in the British calibers of .450 Eley and .455 Eley. A total number of 44,350 were manufactured. Production of

13095-400: The revolver is ready to fire. Cartridge ejection is via the spring-loaded rod housed in a tube on the right side of the barrel. It is possible to fire the SAA rapidly by holding down the trigger and "fanning" the hammer with the other hand. Ed McGivern dispelled the myth of the inaccuracy of this procedure by shooting tight groups while fanning the revolver. By 1878, the Single Action Army

13230-403: The road. The Bisley may mark a movement to a more civilized West. Wyatt Earp biographer Stuart N. Lake popularized the myth of the Buntline Special. In his highly fictionalized biography, Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal , published in 1931, he wrote that Earp and four other lawmen— Bat Masterson , Bill Tilghman, Charlie Bassett and Neal Brown—were each presented with a customized revolver with

13365-467: The roof of the jail, and headed for Peoria, Illinois. On May 15, an indictment was issued against Earp, Kennedy, and Shown. John Shown's wife Anna claimed that Earp and Kennedy got her husband drunk and then threatened his life to persuade him to help steal the horses. On June 5, Kennedy was acquitted while the case remained against Earp and Shown. The new constable wrote that he had "good reason to believe [and] does believe that Wyatt S. Earp def[initely]

13500-405: The same man who three years earlier operated the brothel in Beardstown where Wyatt had his first gunfight. A prostitute named Sally Heckell was arrested with him, and she called herself his wife; she was likely the 16-year-old daughter of Jane Haspel. The Peoria Daily National Democrat reported: Some of the women are said to be good looking, but all appear to be terribly depraved. John Walton,

13635-517: The shorter round, but not vice versa. For a time, the Government stopped orders for the longer Colt cartridge and used the Smith & Wesson round exclusively. The Schofield was soon retired and sold to the civilian market. The largest group of U.S. Colt Cavalry revolvers was inspected by David F. Clark, his D.F.C. cartouche being encountered on revolvers inspected from 1880 to 1887. During 1893,

13770-568: The silver-mining boomtown of Tombstone. He later wrote, "In 1879 Dodge was beginning to lose much of the snap which had given it a charm to men of reckless blood, and I decided to move to Tombstone, which was just building up a reputation." Earp resigned from the Dodge City police force on September 9, 1879, and traveled to Las Vegas in New Mexico Territory with his common-law wife Mattie, his brother Jim, and Jim's wife Bessie. There they reunited with Holliday and Big Nose Kate, and

13905-654: The six of them went on to Prescott. Virgil was appointed deputy U.S. marshal for the Tombstone mining district on November 27, 1879, three days before they left for Tombstone, by U.S. Marshal for the Arizona Territory Crawley P. Dake . Virgil was to operate out of Tombstone, 280 miles (450 km) from Prescott. His territory included the entire southeast area of the Arizona Territory. Wyatt, Virgil, and James Earp traveled to Tombstone . Tombstone had been founded on March 5, 1879, with about

14040-503: The skipper of the boat and Wyatt Earp, the Peoria Bummer, were each fined $ 43.15. Sarah Earp, alias Sally Heckell, calls herself the wife of Wyatt Earp. By calling Earp the "Peoria Bummer," the newspaper put him in a class of "contemptible loafers who impose on hard-working citizens", a "beggar" and worse than tramps. They were men of poor character who were chronic lawbreakers, and Peoria constables probably considered him to be

14175-685: The spring. On Sunday, January 9, 1876, while sitting in the back room of the Custom House saloon, Earp's revolver slipped from his holster. He had left the hammer on a loaded chamber and when the gun hit his chair, a .45 caliber round discharged, leaving a hole in Earp's coat. The shot "got up a lively stampede from the room." Earp rejoined the Dodge City police in spring 1877 at the request of Mayor James H. Kelley . The Dodge City newspaper reported in July 1878 that he had been fined one dollar for slapping

14310-509: The story to account for the time he was pimping in Illinois and Missouri. In early 1874 Earp and Sally moved 500 miles (800 km) southwest to the growing cow town of Wichita where his brother James ran a brothel with his wife Nellie "Bessie" Ketchum. Local arrest records show that Sally and Nellie managed a brothel there from early 1874 to the middle of 1876. Wyatt was likely a pimp, although historian Gary L. Roberts believes that he

14445-551: The tests, the Colt was declared the superior revolver and the government specified that a .45 caliber cartridge would be required. With the adoption of the Colt Single Action Army revolver in 1873, the service cartridges were Copper-cased .45 centerfire Benét inside primed "Colt's Revolver Cartridges" loaded with 30 grains of black powder and an inside lubricated bullet of 250 grain. They were manufactured at Frankford Arsenal , Philadelphia, PA, through 1874. In 1875,

14580-1010: The theft, and he charged McLaury with hiding the mules. He also reproduced the handbill in The Tombstone Epitaph on July 30, 1880. McLaury angrily printed a response in the Cowboy-friendly Nuggett , calling Hurst "unmanly," "a coward, a vagabond, a rascal, and a malicious liar," and accusing him of stealing the mules himself. Hurst later cautioned the Earp brothers that the Cowboys had threatened their lives. Virgil reported that McLaury had accosted him and said, "If you ever again follow us as close as you did, then you will have to fight anyway." A month later, Earp ran into Frank and Tom McLaury in Charleston, and they told him that they would kill him if he ever followed them as he had done before. County Sheriff Charles A. Shibell appointed Virgil Earp as deputy sheriff for

14715-541: The town, galloping down Front Street. They entered the Long Branch Saloon, vandalized and harassed the customers. Hearing the commotion, Earp burst through the front door to find numerous guns pointing at him; another version of the story has it that only 3-5 cowboys were there. In both versions Holliday was playing cards in the back and he put his pistol at Morrison's head, forcing him and his men to disarm. Earp credited Holliday with saving his life that day, and

14850-464: The two became life-long friends. While in Dodge City Earp became acquainted with brothers James and Bat Masterson and gambler Luke Short . George Hoyt (spelled sometimes "Hoy") and other drunken cowboys shot their guns wildly around 3:00 am on July 26, 1878, including three shots into Dodge City's Comique Theater, causing comedian Eddie Foy, Sr. to throw himself to the stage floor in

14985-506: The war ended, no plans were made to revive the Single Action Army revolver as the design was seen as obsolete. However, the advent of television and Western-themed movies created customer demand for the revolver, so Colt resumed manufacture in 1956 with the Second-Generation line of Single Action Army revolvers. These Second-Generation Colt Single Action Army revolvers were produced from 1956 to 1974 and carried serial numbers in

15120-626: The week, but didn't know where he was headed. Shanssey suggested that Earp ask gambler Doc Holliday , who played cards with Rudabaugh. Doc told Earp that Rudabaugh was headed back into Kansas. By May 11, 1878, the Dodge newspapers reported that Earp had returned. The Dodge City Times noted on May 14 that he'd been appointed Assistant Marshal for $ 75 per month, serving under Charlie Bassett . Doc Holliday also showed up in Dodge City with his common-law wife Big Nose Kate during mid 1878. Ed Morrison and another two dozen cowboys rode into Dodge and shot up

15255-608: Was also promoted as the standard chambering for the new, hugely successful, Winchester Model 1873 rifle. Users of the .44-40 Winchester cartridge in the Far West appreciated the convenience of being able to carry a single caliber of ammunition, which they could fire in both revolver and rifle. The Colt Frontier Six Shooter Revolver and the Winchester Model 1873 or the Winchester Model 1892 in .44-40 WCF caliber

15390-497: Was an American lawman in the American West , including Dodge City , Deadwood , and Tombstone . Earp was involved in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral , during which lawmen killed three outlaw Cochise County Cowboys . While Wyatt is often depicted as the key figure in the shootout, his brother Virgil was both Deputy U.S. Marshal and Tombstone City Marshal that day and had considerably more experience in law enforcement as

15525-560: Was an enforcer or bouncer. When the Kansas state census was completed in June 1875, Sally was no longer living with Wyatt, James, and Bessie. Wichita was a railroad terminal and a destination for cattle drives from Texas. The town would fill with drunken, armed cowboys celebrating the end of their long journey when the cattle drive arrived, and lawmen were kept busy. Most drovers arrived in town in June and completed shipping by early fall. When

15660-419: Was arrested, he was not merely a customer. Both Earps were arrested for the same crime again on May 11. "Wyat [ sic ] Earp and his brother Morgan Earp were each fined $ 44.55 and as they had not the money and would not work, they languish in the cold and silent calaboose   ..." They were freed in time for their sister Adelia's eleventh birthday on June 16, 1872. Wyatt and Morgan visited her in

15795-477: Was being offered from the factory in additional calibers for civilian and foreign military sales. Many were sold in .44-40 Winchester Winchester Center Fire (WCF), introduced in 1878 to allow cross-compatibility with the Winchester '73 lever-action rifle; this model was called the " Colt Frontier Six-Shooter ", which was etched and later roll-stamped on the left side of the barrel. Additional period calibers for

15930-571: Was born in June 1861 in Pella. Newton, James, and Virgil joined the Union Army on November 11, 1861. Their father was busy recruiting and drilling local companies, so Wyatt and his two younger brothers Morgan and Warren were left in charge of tending 80 acres (32 ha) of corn. Wyatt was only 13 years old, too young to enlist, but he tried on several occasions to run away and join the army. Each time, his father found him and brought him home. James

16065-447: Was certified for use with smokeless powder. In 1920, larger, highly visible sights replaced the original thin blade and notch. The revolvers remained essentially unchanged from that point until cessation of manufacture at the beginning of World War II. From 1873 through 1940 (with small numbers assembled during and after World War II, the so-called "Pre-War, Post-War" model), production of the Colt Single Action Army reached 357,859. This

16200-406: Was drunk, were cast in such a pleasant place as Wichita as there are but a few other places where that $ 500 bank roll would have been heard from. The integrity of our police force has never been seriously questioned. Earp's stint as a Wichita deputy came to a sudden end on April 2, 1876, when former marshal Bill Smith accused him of using his office to hire his brothers as lawmen. Earp beat Smith in

16335-573: Was dubbed the "Peacemaker", and is a famous piece of Americana and the American Wild West era, due to its popularity with ranchers, lawmen, and outlaws alike. Today, it is mainly bought as memorabilia by collectors and re-enactors . Its design has influenced the production of numerous other models from other companies. The original length of the barrel, issued to the U.S. Cavalry , was 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (19 cm), with an overall length of 13 inches (33 cm). Bound by

16470-416: Was first described by Stuart Lake in his highly fictionalized 1931 biography Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal . The extremely popular book turned Wyatt Earp into a "Western superman". Lake's creative biography and later Hollywood portrayals exaggerated Wyatt's profile as a western lawman. Lake wrote that dime novelist Edward Zane Carroll Judson Sr., writing under the pseudonym of Ned Buntline, commissioned

16605-470: Was found in a barn in Nashua , New Hampshire, in the early 1900s. This gun was chambered in .44 S&W, a centerfire design containing charges of up to 40 grains (2.6 g) of fine-grained black powder and a 255-grain (16.5 g) blunt roundnosed bullet. Relative to period cartridges and most later handgun rounds, it was quite powerful in its full loading. The Colt Single Action Army revolver, along with

16740-411: Was further popularized by The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp television series. Lake wrote that Ned Buntline commissioned the revolvers in 1876 and that he presented them to Wyatt Earp and four other well-known western lawmen — Bat Masterson , Bill Tilghman , Charlie Bassett, and Neal Brown. However, neither Tilghman nor Brown were lawmen at that time. According to Lake, Earp kept his pistol at

16875-531: Was in Owens Saloon a block away, though unarmed. Morgan and Fred Dodge were in a cabin nearby. Wyatt heard the shooting and ran to the scene. He borrowed a pistol from Fred Dodge and went to assist White. As he approached White, he saw White attempt to disarm Curly Bill Brocius and the gun discharged, striking White in the groin. Throughout the shooting Earp was standing by a chimney that was struck repeatedly by gunfire. He buffaloed Brocius, knocking him to

17010-523: Was introduced in 1894 as an accurate target pistol. The name Bisley came from the famous firing range in Bisley , England. The Colt Bisley can be distinguished by the longer grip, the wider hammer spur, and the wider trigger. The distinguishing feature of the Bisley Target Model is the topstrap, which is flat and fitted with a sliding rear sight, adjustable for windage only. The front sight

17145-479: Was listed in Colt's catalogs from 1890 to 1898. Colt manufactured 914 of these revolvers with a frame that was flat on top and fitted with an adjustable leaf rear sight. The front sight consisted of a base with an interchangeable blade. In 1896, at serial number 164,100, a spring-loaded base pin latch replaced the cylinder pin retaining screw and by 1900, at serial number 192,000, the Colt Single Action

17280-587: Was named after his father's commanding officer in the Mexican–American War , Captain Wyatt Berry Stapp, of the 2nd Company Illinois Mounted Volunteers. Some evidence supports Wyatt Earp's birthplace as 406 S. 3rd St. in Monmouth, Illinois , though the street address is disputed by Monmouth College professor and historian William Urban . The Wyatt Earp Birthplace, Inc., 1986, was placed on

17415-528: Was one of the most common combinations seen in "the Old West". For example, the two mounted "Cowboys" at the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral were armed with this rifle and pistol combination. .38-40 and .32-20 (.32 WCF) also qualify as "Frontier Calibers" because 1873 and 1892 Winchesters were made in these calibers, offering the same convenience as the 44-40 (44WCF) caliber, namely using the same cartridge in both revolver and rifle. The Colt Bisley (1894–1912)

17550-490: Was portrayed during his lifetime only very briefly in one film: Wild Bill Hickok (1923). Earp died on January 13, 1929. Known as a Western lawman, gunfighter, and boxing referee, he had earned notoriety for his handling of the Fitzsimmons–Sharkey fight and his role in the O.K. Corral gunfight. This changed only after his death when the extremely flattering biography Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal by Stuart N. Lake

17685-440: Was published in 1931, becoming a bestseller and creating his reputation as a fearless lawman. Since then, Earp's fame and notoriety have been increased by films, television shows, biographies, and works of fiction. Long after his death, he has many devoted detractors and admirers. Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was born on March 19, 1848, in Illinois, the fourth child of Nicholas Porter Earp and his second wife, Virginia Ann Cooksey. He

17820-424: Was reached; 12,500 Colt Single Action Army revolvers chambered for the .45 Colt cartridge had entered service and the remaining revolvers were sold in the civilian market. The Single Action Army became available in standard barrel lengths of 4 + 3 ⁄ 4 inch, 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 inch, as well as the Cavalry standard, original 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 inch. The shorter barrelled revolvers are sometimes called

17955-644: Was severely wounded in Fredericktown, Missouri , and returned home in summer 1863. Newton and Virgil fought several battles in Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee, and later followed the family to California. On May 12, 1864, Nicholas Earp organized a wagon train and headed to San Bernardino, California, arriving on December 17. By late summer 1865, Virgil found work as a driver for Phineas Banning 's stage coach line in California's Imperial Valley , and 16-year-old Wyatt assisted. In spring 1866, Wyatt became

18090-434: Was the actual name of the Colt pistol model, and this was acid-etched on the left side of the barrel. After 1889, the legend was roll-stamped until 1919, when the caliber designation ".44-40" was added. Later Colt M1878 Double Action Army Models also wore this designation on the barrel when chambered in .44 WCF/.44-40 Winchester. The Bisley 1895 Model was the final Colt to wear the Frontier Six Shooter designation. The 44-40

18225-505: Was the ordnance sub-inspector at the Colt factory for the first 13 months (October 1873 to November 1874) of the Single Action Army's production. It was Ainsworth who inspected the Colts used by Col. G. A. Custer 's 7th Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn . The number range of possible Little Bighorn Colts is 4500–7527. Henry Nettleton was the U.S. Principal Sub-inspector in 1878 at

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