Editing Colt Single Action Army (section)

{{short description|Service revolver}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name               = Colt Single Action Army
| image              = 1956prime2.jpg
| image_size         = 300
| caption            = A model with a {{frac|7|1|2}} in. barrel 
| origin             = United States
| type               = [[Service pistol|Service]] [[revolver]]
<!-- Type selection -->| is_ranged          = yes
<!-- Service history -->| service            = 1873–1945
| used_by            = [[United States]]<br />[[Canada]]<br />[[Native American in the United States|Native Americans]]<br />[[Mexico]]<br />[[Ireland]]<br />[[United Kingdom]]<br />[[South Africa]]<br />[[Australia]]
| wars               = {{plainlist|
*[[American Indian Wars]]
*[[Range wars]]
*[[North-West Rebellion]]
*[[Spanish–American War]]
*[[Philippine–American War]]
*[[First Boer War]]
*[[Mexican Revolution]]
*[[Second Boer War]]
*[[Irish War of Independence]]
*[[World War I]]
*[[World War II]]
*[[Indonesian National Revolution]]}}
<!-- Production history -->| designer           = [[William Mason (Colt)|William Mason]] and [[Charles Brinckerhoff Richards]]
| design_date        = 1872
| manufacturer       = [[Colt's Manufacturing Company|Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company]]
| unit_cost          = 
| production_date    = 1873–1941<br />1956–1974<br />1976–1982<br />1994–present
| number             = 457,000+<ref>{{cite web |url=https://proofhouse.com/colt/ |title=Serial Number Data |website=Proofhouse.com}}</ref>
<!-- General specifications -->| spec_label         = 
| weight             = 2.31 lbs (1.048 kg; with {{frac|7|1|2}} in. barrel)
| length             = 10.25 in. (260 mm, with {{frac|4|3|4}} in. barrel)<br />11 in. (279 mm, with {{frac|5|1|2}} in. barrel)<br />13 in. (330 mm, with {{frac|7|1|2}} in. barrel)
| part_length        = 
| width              = 
| height             = 
| diameter           = <!-- Ranged weapon specifications -->
| cartridge          = [[.45 Colt]]<br />[[.44-40 Winchester|.44-40 WCF]]<br />[[.38-40 Winchester|.38-40 WCF]]<br />[[.32-20 Winchester|.32-20 WCF]]<br />[[.38 Long Colt]]<br />[[.22 Long Rifle]]<br />[[.38 Special]]<br />[[.45 ACP]]<br />[[.357 Magnum]]<br />[[.44 Special]]<br />Numerous other calibers
| action             = [[Single-action]] revolver
| rate               = 
| velocity           = 
| range              = 
| max_range          = 
| feed               = 6-round [[Cylinder (firearms)|cylinder]]
| sights             = 
}}

The '''Colt Single Action Army''' (also known as the '''SAA''', '''Model P''', '''Peacemaker''', or '''M1873''') is a [[Trigger (firearms)#Single-action|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 [[Service pistol|standard-issued revolver]] of the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] from 1873 to 1892.

The Colt SAA has been offered in over 30 different calibers and various [[Gun barrel|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 was dubbed the "Peacemaker", and is a famous piece of [[Americana (culture)|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 [[Historical reenactment|re-enactors]]. Its design has influenced the production of numerous other models from other companies.

The original length of the barrel, issued to the [[United States Cavalry|U.S. Cavalry]], was {{convert|7+1/2|in|cm}}, with an overall length of {{convert|13|in|cm}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Gun that Won the West |url=http://www.colt.com/Catalog/Revolvers/Single-Action-Army |publisher=[[Colt's Manufacturing Company|Colt]] |url-status=dead |access-date=May 26, 2017 |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224120932/https://www.colt.com/Catalog/Revolvers/Single-Action-Army }}</ref><ref name="Standard Catalog of Colt Firearms">{{cite book |last=Sapp |first=Rick |title=Standard Catalog of Colt Firearms |year=2007 |publisher=Gun Digest Books |location=Iola, WI |isbn=978-0896895348 |page=79}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Venturino |first1=Mike |title=Colt .45 Peacemaker |url=https://gunsmagazine.com/colt-45-peacemaker/ |work=[[Guns (magazine)|Guns]] |date=January 2014|access-date=May 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526142159/https://gunsmagazine.com/colt-45-peacemaker/|archive-date=May 26, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>