Blank Firing Revolver

Like most men who grew up during or shortly after WWII, my childhood Saturday mornings were spent at the local cinema. I liked the Westerns, with the Durango Kid, Lash LaRue, Hopalong Cassidy and others. All the shooting was normally done with a Colt Single Action Army revolver (SAA), which gave the impression that there were no other revolvers around in the Old West. The simple truth is that there were lots of these Colts around (there were no reproductions) and they were relatively cheap back then, so movie studios saw no reason to seek anything else.

Still going strong

Introduced in 1873, the Colt SAA was the standard sidearm of the United States Army for almost 20 years, until it was replaced by a .38 calibre, double-action revolver in 1892, also supplied by Colt. The Army issue was a 7½” barrelled, singleaction revolver in .45 Colt calibre, with two other ‘standard’ barrel lengths, 5½” (1875) and 4¾” (1879), offered to the public shortly afterwards. Pretty soon, you could have any barrel length you wanted on special order and the variety of calibres grew until the list included well over 30 different cartridges, several offered only in singledigit quantities. The Peacemaker is still produced by Colt today in exactly the same configuration as it was almost 150 years ago, but only in two calibres (.45 Colt and .357 Magnum) and with a recommended price of $1800.00. However, regular checks on the Colt website will show the revolver to be ‘out of stock’. Once a big-time player in the handgun market, sadly this sector is no longer the mainstay of Colt production.

Colt’s loss is other manufacturers’ gain and over the years there have been a number of companies, on both sides of the Atlantic, producing excellent copies of this iconic revolver. The emergence of Cowboy Action Shooting in the United States in the mid-1980s saw a renewed interest in guns from the American West, with the Colt, or a copy, still being high on many people’s want list. By far the largest volume of these clones today comes from the Italian companies of Uberti and Pietta and the competitive prices of their products puts them high on the list of all but the most die-hard Colt fans, and those in America who prefer a ‘Made in America’ label on their products.

Uberti

Whilst shooters around the world still enjoy their Peacemakers, there is one group here in the UK, however, that still favour the Colt as their handgun of choice, and that is the re-enactors. They are not, of course, using live firing versions of the pistol but their needs are met by the very manufacturers that produce the now-prohibited guns, in the form of blank firing versions of the venerable Colt. Wherever these folks put on shows or have their regular gatherings, you will always find the majority of the men who are ‘armed’ will be carrying one (or more) of the many examples of the Peacemaker that are produced by Uberti and Pietta.

Manufactured on the same production lines, the guns are cosmetically identical to their live firing counterparts but have solid barrels and the cylinders are modified to prevent the use of live ammunition. The cylinders are also pinned into the frame, making it a bit of a pain to clean them after use with black powder blanks. Uberti has limited themselves to producing the three standard barrel lengths of the basic model of the SAA, with blue (actually black) and case coloured finish.

While some in the shooting fraternity may look down on these revolvers as ‘toys’ they are nevertheless finished to the same standard as Uberti’s Section 1 firearms. The frame and hammer have a case coloured finish, while the rest of the metalwork is a deep gloss black. No two guns will exhibit the same case colours and the example we have here has a mixture of light and dark colours, with the rear of the frame showing more tans and the front having the darker blues. The walnut grips have the same reddish varnish that is applied to the firearms. Metal edges are well defined and fit together neatly, plus the grips are a very good fit, with only a hint of overlap in a couple of places. The barrel, nicely crowned, is bored a shade further back than the Pietta models and is finished in the same black as the exterior.

Obviously, due to Copywrite, there are no references to Colt on the pistol, although the frame does have the standard Colt ‘2 date-2 line’ patent marking on the left side. The serial number is marked on the bottom of the frame, in front of the trigger guard, with the last three digits on the rear of the cylinder, which also has a proof mark on the periphery. The barrel top is marked ‘UBERTI MOD. 1880 9mmK’, denoting a blank firer. There are no visible pins on the exterior and placing this pistol next to a Section 1, you would not tell the difference were it not for the markings. The front of the loading gate has a mark like one of those logos that you scan with a mobile phone. Possibly for traceability? The gun comes with an instruction and safety manual as well as a mini-poster showing the range of Uberti firearms.

Pietta variety

Pietta also covers the basic version of the Peacemaker in its three standard barrel lengths, but add a number of variations to extend the range of models. The standard gun is in the same configuration as the Uberti, with a black and case colour finish but the grips show slightly more of a matt finish.

The example we have here is the modified ‘Bird’s Head’ grip type, which replaces the standard grip with a smaller, curved backstrap, which may not suit those with larger hands. The wood sits slightly proud where it joins the frame. A version never originally produced by Colt, this model has nevertheless proved popular with both shooters and re-enactors, but I have to be honest and say I’m not a fan. The black is again of a good quality with the case colours being overall darker on this gun than the Uberti. Fit and finish is first class, with all edges being sharp and the joints between each part particularly close-fitting.

Serial numbers are marked on the front of the frame and rear of the cylinder, with the side of the barrel noting that the gun is a blank firing .380 calibre and the same two-line patent dates are on the left side of the frame. The action on this pistol is very sweet and much smoother than the Uberti.

The nickel pistol is described on the box as ‘Patton Engraved’, but I’m not sure whether this is the same style of engraving that was on General Patton’s Colt SAA revolver. The nickel is of a good quality, but the ‘engraving’ would appear to be acid etched or done with a laser, rather than an engraving tool. The white plastic grips are a matter of personal taste and on this example sit a little proud on the front surface.

Markings are similar to the Bird’s Head model with the addition of the Pietta name and ‘Made in Italy’ stamped on to the right side of the barrel. The patent dates are on the frame behind, which is a star in a circle. On the original Colts, this circle would enclose the rearing horse trademark. The action on this gun is again very smooth. The Henry Krank website lists this gun available in blue with white or wood grips and there is a De Luxe version on offer.

A couple of major differences between the Pietta and Uberti guns are immediately obvious. The open end of the barrel on the Pietta guns is painted red and the underside of the barrels are slotted with three, what I assume are hardened steel, pins inserted in the barrel. This latter work is not easily noticed during use, but it may just put one or two off.

The front face of the cylinders also looks to have pins driven between each chamber.

No restrictions

The popularity of the Colt Single Action revolver does not seem to have waned since its inception and as long as there are cowboy fans around, I do not see the situation changing. A major plus in this respect is that these guns can be bought without any restrictions, making them readily available to re-enactors and collectors alike, providing you are at least 18 years old. When the Violent Crimes Reduction Bill was introduced, the large numbers of semi-automatic and double-action blank firing revolvers became subject to the buyer being a member of a bona fide re-enactment group or engaged in theatrical or film work, but the 170-year old design of the lock-work on these models rendered them free from such shackles.

For a full list of what is available, check out the Henry Krank website or request their free catalogue.