Help Identifying Colt Revolver

FWIW the most famous criminal I know of that carried a .41 Colt was Raymond Hamilton, a member of the Barrow Gang.

He, Clyde Barrow, and one or two other companions* were approached by Atoka County Sheriff C.G. Maxwell and Deputy Sheriff Eugene Moore at a dance in Stringtown, OK on August 5th, 1932 after several people at the dance witnessed them drinking in their car. (This was during Prohibition, and ironically, Clyde Barrow was something of a teetotaler who almost never touched alcohol, so it was probably only his companions who were partaking.) Barrow and Hamilton immediately started shooting, killing Moore and wounding Maxwell. In several historical accounts, Hamilton's pistol is identified as a ".41 Colt", although I'm not sure of the model. It may very well have been an 1877.

*Footnote: The number and identity of Barrow's companions is debated. Most historians agree that Bonnie Parker was not present.
 
"It may very well have been an 1877."

I'd bet it would have been a Colt Army Special or similar.

The 1877 was known to be a VERY fussy piece, easy to put out of order, while the modern side-swing cylinder Colts were a lot more reliable.
 
I don't wish to change the subject but I've seen the Single Action Army referred to as the "Frontier Model," but apparently only when chambered in .44-40. Was that an official Colt name?
 
I don't wish to change the subject but I've seen the Single Action Army referred to as the "Frontier Model," but apparently only when chambered in .44-40. Was that an official Colt name?
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Yes, officially the .44-40 was the Colt Frontier Six Shooter and that was etched or roll marked on the barrel. If I recall correctly (which is definitely a tricky business for me), Colt introduced it in 1877.
 
"It may very well have been an 1877."
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I'd bet it would have been a Colt Army Special or similar.

The 1877 was known to be a VERY fussy piece, easy to put out of order, while the modern side-swing cylinder Colts were a lot more reliable.
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+1. Assuming that the info is correct regarding caliber, it could also have been a SAA. Perhaps Hamilton was a classy gent with a taste in firearms while being an outlaw.
 
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Perhaps Hamilton was a classy gent with a taste firearms while being an outlaw.
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It's actually possible; Ray Hamilton was known for his expensive taste in clothing and his well-mannered and charming personality, compared to Barrow and other gang members at least. He supposedly expressed a desire to be like John Dillinger, and some modern crime writers have nicknamed him the "Gentleman Bandit". He also seems to have had a personal preference for revolvers, unlike the rest of the gang, which mostly used 12ga autoloading shotguns along with BARs and M1911s stolen from the National Guard.
 
the frontier six shooter was placed on the barrel instead of the caliber designation...I've had several .44-40 and could not find .44-40 on them anywhere...
 
There are many stories about outlaw guns, but the fact is that Billy the Kid carried whatever I am selling at the moment. I happen to have the 9mm Glock that he used in Lincoln County and it is only...

Jim
 
the frontier six shooter was placed on the barrel instead of the caliber designation...I've had several .44-40 and could not find .44-40 on them anywhere...
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The original designation for 44-40 was 44WCF.
 
There are many stories about outlaw guns, but the fact is that Billy the Kid carried whatever I am selling at the moment. I happen to have the 9mm Glock that he used in Lincoln County and it is only...
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Bat Masterson used to buy used Colt revolvers and sell them as the one he carried in his heyday.
 
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