In 1889 Colt introduced the world's first double action, swing-out cylinder revolver.

The next double action revolver Colt fielded was revolutionary. The 1877 was made in various forms as late as the Model 1904 Philippine Constabulary. The new double action design utilized the same type loading system of the SAA, a pivoting loading gate and an ejector mounted along the barrel, and a rounded, 'Bird's head' grip.Ĭolt offered a number of options including short barrels without ejector rods, and with barrels as long as 12 inches.įollowing Colt's standard practice, the 1877 design was continually manufactured as long as it was selling, even though newer, superior designs were already being marketed by Colt. The 1877 was the first of a number of versions of a double action pistol design that resembled the Colt Single Action Army of 1873 and used some SAA parts, modifed for a DA trigger.

The first Colt to have a double action trigger was the Model 1877. It was 15 years after Samuel Colt's death that Colt Firearms finally marketed a double action revolver. As long as Colt lived, Colt Firearms would never sell a double action revolver.Īs soon as Colt began marketing his revolver others began violating Colt's patents by making copies or versions of his idea.Ĭolt would spend a good part of the rest of his life hunting down and suing violators of his patents.Īs soon as his patents expired in Europe, there was a mass rush to design and sell revolving pistols.Īmong the most prolific were the British and Belgians, who immediately began designing revolvers often with a double action trigger. He thought it disturbed the aim and prevented good accuracy. The history of the Colt double action revolver starts with Samuel Colt himself.Ĭolt preferred his single action designs and made it clear that he hated the double action system.

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