56 PORTFOLIO MAGAZINE
The Colt Model 1877
Colt revolvers are one of the undisputed all-stars in the arms collecting field . According to Rock Island Auction Company , the largest purveyor of antique and investment-grade firearms , 20 of the company ’ s 50 most expensive guns ever sold are Colt revolvers , with seven of that number being part of the Single Action Army genre .
The Colt Model 1877 was a double action sibling to the famous Single Action Army and served a prominent role in the American West . Offered in three distinct variants , the more numerous Colt Lightning and Thunderer , and the seldom-seen Rainmaker , the Colt Model 1877 saw a production run of 166,849 manufactured between 1877 and 1909 , barely half the number of Single Action Armies produced during the same period . Only a small fraction of Model