Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! This nickel-finished Colt Single Action Army Flattop Target represents one of the rarest configurations in SAA history. Factory records confirm only six black powder SAA revolvers were ever produced in this exact specification: .32 S&W caliber, 5½-inch barrel, nickel finish, and flattop target frame. All six were shipped together to E.C. Meacham Arms Company in St. Louis on December 8, 1888. The Flattop Target variant was Colt’s answer to the growing demand for precision shooting sports in the 1880s. By removing the rear sight groove from the standard SAA frame and milling it flat, Colt created a platform for adjustable target sights that dramatically improved accuracy potential. The .32 S&W chambering (also marketed as .32 S&W Gallery or .32-44) was specifically designed for indoor shooting galleries and target work. Colt historians Wilkerson and Hoyt theorized these six revolvers were likely destined for a single shooting gallery in St. Louis—a common practice during the height of America’s target shooting craze. Indoor galleries were popular entertainment venues where patrons could test their marksmanship skills, and purpose-built target revolvers like this one provided the accuracy necessary for profitable operations.
The revolver features the one-line Hartford address on the barrel, three-line patent dates on the frame’s left side, and “32 CAL” marking on the trigger guard. The checkered hard rubber grips bear the embossed Rampant Colt and American Eagle, while matching serial numbers on frame, trigger guard, and backstrap confirm its authenticity. This example includes a period Fred Biffar floral-tooled leather holster and a full box of original Winchester .32-44 Gallery cartridges, creating a complete shooting gallery ensemble from the golden age of American marksmanship.
“Colt Single Action Army Flattop Target .32 S&W Revolver.” Rock Island Auction Company, https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4094/3075/colt-single-action-army-flattop-target-32-sw-revolver. Accessed 26 May 2025.
Writer | TheFirearmBlog
Writer | AllOutdoor.com Instagram | sfsgunsmith Old soul, certified gunsmith, published author, avid firearm history learner, and appreciator of old and unique guns.
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